Snake Gourd & Sweet Potato Sweet Curry

Snake Gourd & Sweet Potato curry is a gravy dish and it is one of the traditional dish of Udupi. It is slightly sweet so it is called sweet curry and serving in the beginning of the lunch.
I have used Snake gourd, sweet potato, fresh coconut and red chilly for spice.
It is very easy and yummy curry and goes well with almost all the main dish.

Let us see some benefits of having " Ghee " in our diet.
Ghee helps to boost energy and reduce inflammation in the joints. It helps to reduce  allergy and protect us from chronic disease. It helps in our eye health and strengthen our immune system. Ghee is rich source of good fatty acids and it is useful for the body. It is good for athletes or any other people to be active. It provides high energy. It has good amount of anti oxidant properties and helps in reducing the stress in the body. Ghee has good amount of Vitamin A, Vitamin E and Vitamin D properties. Ghee contain monounsaturated  fats/Omega -3 and some fatty acids and they are good for positive health benefits to the body.
No Onion or No Garlic added in this Snake Gourd and Sweet Potato Sweet Curry.

It is called as sweet curry because little more quantity of jaggery is added than ususal to the curry and not much of spice except the red chilly which is used in seasoning.

Let us see the recipe Now :

Things Needed : 

To Cook 
Snake Gourd/Padavala Kai : 1 Bowl ( One small snake gourd)
Sweet Potato : 1 (medium size)
To Add :
Jaggery : 1 Tablespoons
Salt : As required
To Grind :
Fresh grated coconut : 1 Cup
Soaked Raw rice : 1 Teaspoon
To Season 
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Red chilly : 2
Ghee : 1 Tablespoon
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6

Method :

1. Wash and cut snake gourd into small pieces
2. Wash and remove the outer layer of sweet potato and wash it again. Cut into small pieces.
3. Cook snake gourd pieces and sweet potatoes with little water till soft.
4. Soak raw rice for 5 minutes.
5. Grate coconut and grind it with soaked raw rice using required water. Remove from the mixi jar.
6. Keep a big pan on the fire and add cooked vegetalbes. ( Snake gourd and sweet potato pieces ).
7. Add salt and let it boil for a minute. Add ground coconut and mix it well.
8. Add jaggery and required salt. Mix it well. Let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
9. Shift the " Snake Gourd & Sweet Potato Sweet Curry to a serving dish.
10. Add ghee fried mustard seeds, red chilly and curry leaves seasoning  to the curry and serve.

Note : 

Do not over cook the vegetables. Adding more /less jaggery is optional. Adding cashew nuts instead of soaked raw rice is optional.( 4 to 5 pods). Use of ghee is optional. The curry should be mild and not spicy.
You can also try this sweet curry with watermelon rind, ridge gourd, chayote squash/seeme badane, bottle gourd and carrots.
Time : 20 Minutes
Serves : 3 to 4 
Traditional South Indian Dish.

Basale leaves Curry

"Basale soppu"  or  " Basella alba" is an edible perennial vine. It is known in many various common names, like Pui, Vine Spianch, red vine spinach, climbing spinach, creeping spinach, buffalo spinach, malabar spinach and ceylon spinach are some.

Ready to serve Basale leaves Curry

In India we use basale in many dishes. Basale or Basella alba is known as pui shak in Bengali, poini bhaji in Gujarathi, Basale soppu in Kannada, Valchi bhaji or Vouchi bhaji in Konkani, Vallicheera in Malayalam, Mayalu in Marathi, poi saaga in Oriya, Kodip pasali in Tamil, Bachhali in Telugu and Basale in Tulu.

Basale leaves which are used here particularly is from OUR GARDEN. We can grow them in small pots.

Let us see some benefits of Basale  Soppu.
Basale soppu is rich source of vitamins like vitamin A, Vitamin C, Iron and Calcium. They are rich in soluble fiber and helps in fastening digestion process..

Here is a recipe of Basale leaves curry and this curry goes very well with almost all the main dishes like chapatis, poori, roti, idli, Vada, any kind of dosa, plain rice. No onion or garlic is used in this curry.

Things Needed : 

Baslae leaves : 1 Bowl
Harave soppu (Amaranth leaves)  : 1 small Bundle 
Channa dal : 1 Table spoon
Urid dal: 1 Tea spoon
Coriander seeds : 1 Table spoon
Methi seeds : 1/4 Tea spoon
Red chilly : 5 to 6
Curry leaves : 5 to 6
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tea spoon
Ingh : a pinch
Turmeric powder : a pinch
Coconut : 3 to 4 Table spoons
Salt : To taste
Oil : 2 Tea spoons.
Tamarind : a small marble size.
Jaggery : 1 Table spoon (Optional).

Method :

1. Wash and cut Baslae and harave (Amaranth ) leaves into small. Cook until they turn soft. Keep it aside.

2. Grate coconut and keep it aside.
3. Now keep a small pan on the fire. Put 1/2 Tea spoon of oil. Add methi seeds and fry till they turn brown.

4.Add channa dal and urid dal and fry them till they turn golden brown.
5. Add coriander seeds and red chilly. Fry them for 1 minute and put off the gas.
6. Now grind this mixture with coconut and small marble size tamarind. (Remove the seed if there is and wash it before use).

7. Keep a pan on the fire. Add cooked basale soppu, jaggery, turmeric powder and ground coconut mixture. Add salt. Mix it well.
8. Now boil nicely for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir slowly in between so that it does not get burnt at the bottom.

9. Put the ready to serve curry in to a serving bowl.

10.. Keep a small pan on the fire and put a tea spoon of oil and heat. Add mustard seeds and ingh. Add curry leaves when the mustard seeds splutter. Add this mixture to ready to serve Basale curry and serve with the main dish you have prepared.

Ready to serve Basale Leaves Curry . Serve with the main dish you have prepared.

Note : 

Using coconut is purely optional. Using onion and garlic also an optional. Normally they say when you add garlic splutter it adds to the taste of basale curry. ( but I do not use them ). Adding more or less chilly is also according to your wish.  You can use any vegetables if you want. Brinjal goes very well with this curry. Potatoes also will be a good combination.
Time : 15 minutes.
Serves : 4.

Hucchellu - Apple Chutney

Hucchellu is nothing but Niger seeds. Hucchellu is mostly used in North Karnataka. Using Hucchellu in chutney or curry or chutney pudi. Hucchellu is also known as Gurellu.

Hucchellu  or Karellu (Kannada Language) is known as  Kaarale, in Hindi, Khurasni in Marathi and Punjabi, Sorguja or Surgia or Sorguza in Assamese and Bengali, Verrinuvvalu or Valisalu in Telugu and Payellu in Tamil. It is known as Niger seeds in English.

Hucchellu  is rich in protein and nutritional values.
Here is a recipe of Hucchellu and Apple chutney which can be used as side dish for dosa, idli, chapati, roti parathas and plain rice. It goes well with other Masala rice like Pulav, Vegetable rice, curd rice etc. Using apple in chutney is purely my idea and I know it mixes well with chutney and adds taste to chutney. Hucchellu Chutney will be liked by all age group and each and every member of the home I am sure. This chutney do not contain any onion or garlic and can be prepared on Special days like Upavas or Ekadashi.

Ingredients :

Huccheelu (Niger Seeds) : 2 Table Spoons
Fresh Coconut : 1 Cup
Red Chilly (Byadagi Menasu) : 4 to 6
Ingh :  a pinch
Curry Leaves : Handful.
Apple : 1
Salt : To taste
Oil : 1/2 Teaspoon of oil.
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tea spoon

Method :

1. Clean Hucchellu and roast till they pop up. (on low flame)

2. Add red chilly and ingh and fry along with Hucchellu. Add some curry leaves and leave it for cooling.

3. Grate coconut and keep it aside.

4. Wash and cut or grate apple and grind with fresh coconut and roasted Hucchellu mixture.

 5. Grind nicely with little water. Add required salt and grind for 10 seconds.
6. Shift the chutney to a bowl.

7. Now keep a small pan and add oil. Put mustard seeds and ingh. Let the mustard seeds splutter.
8. Add this mustard splutter to the chutney and mix it well.

9. Serve Hucchellu - Apple chutney with a main dish you prepared.

Note:

Do roast hucchellu since the seeds contain oil.(without oil).  Grind with little water to get tasty chutney. Do not add any tamarind or lemon juice. Apple supplies needed savoury to the chutney. Adding mustard splutter is optional. Adding onions and garlic also will be optional. (They may taste different).
Time : 20 Minutes
Serves : 4

Kempu Harive Majjige Huli

Kempu Harive (Kannada Language) is nothing but Amaranth Leaves. As you all know the leaves are available plenty during the summer and we do prepare many varieties of curry and other dishes. Kempu harive Majjge Huli is a curd curry (Moru Kolambu), which is prepared using curd or butter milk. It is a healthy dish and we can have Harive Majjege huli with rice, rotis, chapatis, pooris, adais(dal dosas) and even with idlis.

Harive soppu or Amaranth leaves are called differently in different parts of the world and these leaves are used world wide. There are many varieties of Harive soppu. Red and green and Green Harive are the two kinds are very famous.  Lets see what are the local names of this leaf in India. In Karnataka it is called Harive soppu. In Uttar Pradesh and Bihar it is called Chaulai, Chua in Uttarakhand, Cheera. In Malayalam, Keerai, in Tamil and Telugu. It is called Shravani Maath in Maharastra (Since it grows very well in Shravana Masam (month) and in Orissa it is called Khada Saga.

Now Lets See some benefits of eating Harive soppu .
Cooked harive soppu is good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C and folate. Harive soppy contain dietary minerals like calcium, iron, potassium, zinc, copper and manganese. It is full of proteins.

Here is a recipe of Harive Soppina Majjige Huli and it is easy to cook and a healthy dish which every one will love to eat. I have used Harive soppu, fresh grated coconut, cashew nuts. Normally a tea spoon of soaked raw rice or soaked channa dal is added to give a thickness and well mixing of the curry. I have used cashew nuts and it really adds taste to Majjige huli. I am sure each and every one will surely love to have this Kempu Harive Majjige Huli.

Things Needed :

Harive Soppu (Amaranth Leaves) : 1 Bundle (Big one)
Fresh Coconut : 1 Cup
Green chilly : 2
Cashew Nuts :6 to 8
Ginger : 1/2 Tea spoon
Salt : To taste
Curd  or Butter milk : 1 Cup
Jeera : 1/2 Tea spoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tea spoon
Coconut Oil : 1 Tea spoon
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6
Turmeric Powder :  a pinch

Method :

1. Wash and cut Harive soppu into small pieces.  Pressure cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Leave it for cooling.

2. Grate coconut and keep it aside. Wash and remove the outer skin of ginger and cut it into small pieces. Wash green chilly.

3. Now grind coconut, green chilly, cashew nuts and ginger into paste.

4. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil to the pan. Add mustard seeds.
5. When mustard seeds are spluttering add jeera and curry leaves.
6. Add cooked Harive soppu, salt and mix it nicely. Add turmeric powder. 

 7. Add ground masala to the boiling harive soppu and mix it well. Add water if required and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

8.Put off the gas and add curd to the Harive soppu Huli.

 9. Mix it well and shift the dish to a serving bowl.

10. Serve Harive Soppina Majjige huli with a main dish you have prepared.

Note :

You can also keep the curry in a sim for 2 minutes after mixing curd to the curry. But some time it curdles. (With out curd).
You can add curd when you use the curry next time too. (Option :  mix curd to the curry whenever you use the dish next time).
You can add any vegetables you wish.  You can add savoury buttermilk to the curry. It taste different.You can add soaked raw rice while grinding instead of cashew nuts. (just a tea spoon of rice).
Time : 30 Minutes.
Servings : 4

                                                           Ready to serve Majjige Huli

   

Water Mellon Rind + Whole Moong Curry

Water Melon Rind + Whole Moong Curry is a gravy dish. This curry goes very well with chapatis, rotis, poori, idli, dosa or even akki rotti.

Using water melon rind just came to my mind while we were eating just cut watermelon fruits. When I saw the rind lying in  a big bowl, I did not feel like throwing it away. It was so inviting and felt the rind is asking me to cook some thing out of them. They looked so fresh, since it was just cut and it was so crunchy too. So this dish started to develop in my mind. I started to remove the outer thin layer. Half way I was like let me throw it out, next time we can give a try. But still my adamant nature did not allow me throw away the cut pieces. I proceeded cutting in to small pieces. The whole process of chopping these pieces nearly took 10 minutes. But when I looked at the cut pieces it looked marvelous and me the happy chef. Here I am with the recipe of this Water melon rind + Whole Moong Curry or Sambar or Huli as we South Canara people call it.

Now lets see some benefits of using Water Melon Rind and Whole Moong.

Juicy watermelon rinds offer a high dose of cirulline amino acid which helps dilate blood vessels. It helps to improve the blood circulation. It contain some vitamins like Vitamin C and Vitamin B -6. Watermelon rind is good for skin and immunity as well as nervous system.

Whole Moong is rich in Vitamin A, B, C and E. They also contain many minerals including iron, calcium and potassium and its a powerful source of vegetarian protein.  It detoxifies the body and benefits the metabolism as well as immune system. Using whole moong helps to lower the high cholesterol level in the blood system, reduces bad cholesterol and improves flexibility of arteries and veins. It also regulates the blood pressure. Green Moong is full of high fibre and it helps in digestion, stabilizes and control the blood sugar.

Here we go with the recipe. It is easy and does not contain lots of oil or fat. I have not used onions or garlic. This curry or sambar goes very well with most of the main dishes like rice or chapati.

Things Needed : 

Whole Moong : 1 Cup (Small cup)
Toor Dal : 1 Fist ( 1/3 of the cup you use)
Carrot : 1
Water Melon Rind : 2 to 3 Cups
Coconut :  1/2 Cup
Rasam Powder : 2 Table spoons
Green Chilly : 2
Curry leaves :  5 to 6
Ingh :  a pinch
Turmeric powder : a pinch
Tamarind Pulp : 1 Table spoon
Oil : 1/2 Tea spoon
Methi seeds : 4 to 5
Jeera :  1/4 Tea spoon
Salt : To taste

Method : 

1. Wash and soak whole moong for 10 minutes in 1/2 a cup of boiling water and cover the lid and leave it for 10 minutes.
2. Wash and cut carrot, curry leaves and green chilly.
3. Remove the outer skin of watermelon rinds and cut it in to small pieces. ( Wash water melon fruit just before you cut them).

4. Now pressure cook Whole Moong, toor dal, carrots and water melon pieces for 6 to 8 minutes and leave it for cooling.

5. Grate coconut and soak tamarind in boiling water for 5 minutes and remove the pulp.

6. Grind coconut with rasam powder till paste and remove the ground mixture from the jar and keep it aside.

7. Keep a big bowl add boiled moong, toor dal and boiled watermelon pieces and carrots.

8. Add tamarind pulp, turmeric powder, salt, required water (1/2 cup) and mix it well.
9. Add ground mixture and boil it nicely for 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in between.
10. Add water if you want the curry to be little liquid and boil for another 3 minutes.
11. Keep a small pan on the fire and heat. Add oil, methi seeds and jeera. Let the methi seeds turn brown. Add ingh and curry leaves. Add this methi jeera fry to the curry.

12. Shift the curry to a serving bowl and serve with hot rice or chapati.

Note : 

You can soak Whole Moong for 6 to 8 hours in a normal water and then use it. You  better cook watermelon rind pieces in a pressure cooker or it takes longer time to cook if cooked separately. Cooked pieces should be soft to get the best taste of the curry.
You can also use mustard seeds instead of methi seeds. Methi seeds should be used only 3 to 4 or the curry may taste bitter. Adding toor dal is an optional. Adding onions and garlic also an optional. Fry them along methi fry and then add it to the curry. I have used MTR Rasam Powder. You can prepare rasam powder at home by dry roasting 2 table spoons of coriander seeds, 1/2 tea spoon of jeera 5 to 6 methi seeds (1/4 tea spoon), red chilly (5 to 6) . Roast them one by one and then add it with grated coconut to grind.

Time :
Preparation : 10 minutes
Cooking : 30 minutes ( including  10 minutes soaking in boiling water )
Serves : 3 to 4