Palak - Paumkin Fry

Palak - Pumpkin Fry is a quick and yummy side dish. Palak - Pumpkin fry is a mild spicy dish that fits to all age group.

I have used home grown palak which I got from my pot and used a carrot and a cup of pumpkin gratings. I also used coconut to make the fry more tasty.
Let us see some benefits of eating Palak /Spinach leaves in our diet.
Palak /Spinach is loaded with vitamins, minerals, nutrients and antioxidants. Palak is rich in insoluble fiber and good for people who suffer from constipation. Palak leaves contain potassium, magnesium and vitamin B6, B9 and Vitamin E. It is rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin K, floic acid, iron and calcium. Palak is good for good skin health and our immune system.
 Palak - Pumpkin Fry is mild spicy curry and it has No garlic or No onion.
Let us see the recipe now :
Ingredients :
To Fry :
Palak/Spinach : 1 Bundle
Carrot grating : 1 Carrot
Pumpkin Gratings : 1 Cup (1/4 of 1 small pumpkin)
To Add :
Salt : As required
Turmeric powder : A pinch
Chilly powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Coconut Grating : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
To Season :
Cooking Oil : 1 Tablespoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera /Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves and green chilly : 1

Method :

1. Wash and cut palak leaves and keep it aside.

2. Wash and scrape out the outer layer and grate carrot and keep it aside.
3. Peel off the pumpkin hard layer and grate the vegetable and keep it aside.

4. Grate coconut and Wash and slit green chilly and cut curry leaves.
5. Keep a pan on the fire and put oil. Let it get hot. Add mustard seeds and jeera.
6. Let mustard seeds splutter. Add 1 slit green chilly. Add a pinch of turmeric powder.
7. Add curry leaves and cut palak leaves. Stir slowly and let it get soft. ( Fry on low flame).

8. Add grated carrot and stir slowly.

9. Add pumpkin gratings and stir for 5 to 6 minutes. ( On low flame).

10. Add salt and red chilly powder and mix it nicely.
11. Add coconut gratings and put off the fire.

12. Shift the Palak - Pumpkin Fry to a serving dish and enjoy as one of the side dish.

Note. 

You can add more carrots. (Optional). You can add more chilly. Do not add any water. Fry on low flame. Adding coconut is optional.
You can have this fry with chapati as chapati roll. You can also keep this fry in the middle of the bun and place some cucumber and have it. Adding any other spices is optional. I always like to have mild khara so that I use very little chilly in my cooking.
Time : 10 Minutes
Serves : 2 To 3.

Raw Mango - Sasive Avalakki

Avalakki/ poha/ aval is one of the handy grain that come into help for breakfast or snack. 

Avalakki is prepared using boiled rice.
I have seen this process in my Doddamma's house when I used to stay in my childhood days. Its all a precious memory that come as dream for now.
Here is Sasive Avalakki one of the famous dish from Udupi. Even in big functions they do prepare Sasive Avalakki (Avalakki prepared using mustard seeds).
Here I have used raw mango tokku instead of tamarind pulp and ground mustard with coconut and added it.
Let us see the recipe now :
No Onion or No Garlic is used here and is one of the traditional dish from Udupi.

Ingredients :

To Cook :
Avalakki /Poha /Aval (Thick) : 3 Cups
To Add :
Mango Tokku/Grated Mango : 1 Tablespoon
Jaggery : 2 Tablespoons
Salt : As required
Turmeric powder : A little
Grated carrot : 1
Ghee : 2 Tablespoons
To Grind :
Cut or grated coconut : 1 Cup
Mustard seeds : 3/4 Teaspoon
Red chilly /Byadagi chilly : 4 to 5
To Season :
Cooking Oil : 2 Tablespoons
Mustard seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1 Teaspoon
Groundnuts : 1 Handful
Curry leaves :6 to 8

Method :

1. Wash avalakki, drain out all the water. Add salt and mix it.

2. Add turmeric powder, jaggery, mango tokku and mix it nicely. Add 1/2 Cup of water and leave it for 5 minutes.

3. Cut or grate coconut and grind it with mustard seeds. Wash and grate carrot.

4. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil, mustard seeds, urid dal and 1 red chilly.

5. Add groundnuts and fry till it turns golden brown. Add curry leaves.

6. Add soaked avalakki mixture and mix it slowly on low flame.

7. Add 2 tbs of ghee and mix it slowly. Cover and cook for a minute.

8. Let it cook on low flame. Add ground mustard - coconut mixture and mix it nicely.

9. Add grated carrots and mix it nicely. Shift the ready avalakki to a serving dish.

10. Serve it with a cup of curd and banana.

Note :

It should be soaked well, so that avalakki cooked turns soft. You can use more oil instead of ghee. Use of more /less chilly is optional. You can adjust jaggery according to your taste.
Do not grind coconut and mustard into paste. Use the thick variety of Avalkki.
Time : 30 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4 .

Elemuri /Elemuni Soppu Tambuli

Elemuni / Elemuri/Elevarige ಎಲೆಮುನಿ ಅಥವಾ ಎಲೆಮುರಿ ಸೊಪ್ಪು are loaded with medicinal values and it is good to have in our diet.

I got these leaves from one of my relative who has the plant.
The botanical name for this plant is known as Senna accidentalis or Casia accidentalis.
I tried Tambuli and Chutney, using these leaves and it is an excellent herb dish. It goes well with plain rice. (Tambuli) and chutney can be served with chapatis, rotis, rotti or any other main dishes.
Tambuli is prepared using curd or butter milk. It is one of the signature dish from Udupi and served in the beginning of the lunch. Tambuli is mixed with rice. It helps to digest the food well and keeps you healthy.
Tambuli is prepared using very simple healthy spices like jeera/cumin seeds, pepper, ingh and fresh coconut.
Let us see the recipe of Tambuli here.

Ingredients :

To Fry :
Ghee : 1/2 Tsp
Jeera / Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Tsp
Pepper Pods : 5 to 6
Green chilly : 1
Coconut : 2 Tbs
Ingh/Asafoetida : A little
Elemuri leaves : 1 Handful
To Add :
Curd :  3 to 4 Tbs
Salt : Required Salt.
To Season :
Ghee : 1/2 Tsp
Jeera/Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Tsp
Asafoetida : A pinch
Curry Leaves : 3 to 4

Method :

1. Pull out the leaves from the stick.

2. Wash it nicely and keep it aside. Wash curry leaves and a green chilly.

3. Grate coconut and keep it aside.
4. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add ghee, jeera and pepper pods.
5. Fry for 10 seconds. Add green chilly and curry leaves. Fry a little. Add ingh.

6. Add Elemuri leaves and fry nicely till they turn crisp. ( On low and medium flame, do not burn).

7. Put off the fire and add coconut. Mix all the ingredients well.
8. Grind it with little water once the ingredients are cooled down.

9.Shift it to a serving dish. Add salt.

10. Add 1/2 Cup of curd. ( 4 to 5 tbs). Mix it well.

11. Add jeera and curry leaves seasoned with ingh and ghee.

12. Serve as one of the side dish with lunch.

Note :
One should use tender Elemuri /Elemuni/Elevarige Leaves. Use fresh leaves.
Tamubuli should be mild. Having Fresh coconut is always good for health. It is rich in good cholesterol and contain healthy properties.
Tambuli can be added with water and can be served as healthy drink.
Time : 20 Minutes 
Serves : 3 to 4 .
 Prepared Chapatis using this Elemuni Soppu Tambuli.

Cow Pea & Bottle Gourd Curry

Cow pea / ಅಲಸಂದೆ and bottle gourd Curry is a side dish that goes well with all the main dishes like lunch, chapatis, rotis, idli, dosa, poori or chapati.

Cow pea season is here and lots of fresh cow peas available in market in most of the places.
It is always better to use seasonal pods to get good nutrients from the pods.
I have used cow peas, bottle gourd and carrot. Used some fresh fried spices which is always there in the kitchen store.

Let us see some benefits of eating Cow Peas in our diet.

Cow peas are low in cholesterol, saturated fat and sodium. They are good source of protein. They are rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, copper and manganese. Cow Peas is rich in fiber.
Cow peas is rich in magnesium and it is good for controlling our sugar level. It also take care of metabolism of our body. It helps our digestive system to be healthy. It helps to control our blood pressure and take care of it. Cow peas helps in loosing the extra weight and good for people who suffer from anemia. Eating cow peas is good for our skin health. It is good for our bones.
Let us see the recipe now :
No Onion or No Garlic Curry.
Try and enjoy the taste of Cow Pea & Bottle Gourd Curry.

Things needed : 

To Cook :
Cow Peas : 1 Bowl (250 Gr)
Bottle Gourd : 1/2 (1/2 From medium sized bottle gourd)
Carrot : 1
To Fry :
Urid dal : 1 Tablespoon.
Red Byadagi chilly : 5 to 6
Ingh /Asafoetida : A little
Pepper Pods : 5 to 6
Curry Leaves : 6 to 8
Coconut : 1 Small cup
Coconut Oil : 1 Tsp
To Grind :
Tamarind : Small marble size
Fried and cooled mixture.
To add :
Coriander leaves
Salt : As required
Seasoning : Mustard seeds 1/2 teaspoon, ingh : a pinch, Curry leaves : 5 to 6 with coconut oil.

Method :

1. Remove the pods from Cow Peas and wash it nicely.

2. Wash and remove the outer layer of bottle gourd and carrot. Cut them in to small pieces.

3. Pressure cook cow pea, bottle gourd and carrots with required water for 5 to 6 minutes. Put off the fire and let it cool.

4. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add a ts of coconut oil.
5. Put urid dal and fry till they turn slightly golden brown. Add byadagi chilly, pepper pods and fry.
6. Add ingh and curry leaves. Mix it well and put off the fire. Add coconut. Let it cool.

7. Grind fried ingredients with tamarind and required water.
8. Grind into fine paste.

9. Keep cooked vegetables on fire. Add salt and little turmeric powder. Mix it and boil for a minute.

10. Add ground coconut mixture to the boiling vegetables and mix it nicely. Add water if required.
11. Let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in between so that it does not get burnt.

12. Shift the Cow Pea & Bottle Gourd Curry to a serving dish.

13. Add mustard seasoning done in coconut oil.

14. Serve for lunch or with any main dish of your choice.

Note :

Do not over cook the vegetables. Adding more chilly is optional. Use of coconut oil is optional.
Use of coconut more or less is optional. Do not boil more after you add ground coconut mixture.  2 to 3 minutes is more than enough.
Time : 30 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4.