Green Tomato - Ridge Gourd Gojju/Curry

 Ridge gourd and green tomato curry is one of the yummy curry that goes well with all the main dishes. We had some green tomatoes in our terrace garden. So thought of preparing this curry.

I have used raw tomatoes, ridge gourd, green chilly, home made sambar powder. / Curry powder.

Its simple, its easy, quick, healthy and fits all age group. 

I like to prepare simple and easy food and is good for people who are busy and wants to complete their cooking business in quick, healthy and simple way. 

Things Needed : 

To Cook :

Ridge gourd : 1

Raw tomatoes : 4 to 5 

To Add :

Sambar powder/Spice powder : 1 Table spoon. (I used home prepared Sambar Powder).

Salt : As required

Green chilly : 2

Turmeric Powder : A pinch

Jaggery : 1 Tablespoon

Lemon extract : 1 Tablespoon

To Season : 

Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tsp

Jeera/ Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Tsp

Methi seeds : 2 to 3

Oil : 1 Tbs

Curry leaves : 5 to 6

Method :

1. Wash and cut tomatoes and remove the outer layer of Ridge gourd and cut into small pieces.

2. Keep a pan on the fire and add a tablespoon of oil. Add mustard seeds, jeera/cumin seeds, methi/fenugrik seeds. Add asafoetida and curry leaves once mustard seeds splutter. 

3. Add cut tomatoes and fry nicely.

4. Add Ridge gourd pieces and stir for a while. 

5. Add 2 cups of water and turmeric powder. Cook this for 4 to 5 minutes. (Till soft). Add 2 slit green chilly. (Wash it before adding).

6. Add Sambar powder, salt and jaggery.  Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. 

7. Add lemon extract, mix it and shift it to a serving dish. Green tomatoes - Ridge gourd gojju is ready to serve.

Note : 

Fry tomatoes nicely and then add ridge gourd pieces. Adding any brand sambar powder is optional. I have used Home made sambar powder. No onion or no garlic is used in this curry. Adding onion or garlic is optional. Adding more chilly is optional. Adding little ghee just before adding makes the gojju more tasty. 

Time : 20 Minutes.

Serves : 3 to 4.

Home made Sambar Powder:

Dry fry 4 to 5 methi seeds, 4 tablespoons of coriander seeds, 1/4 tsp jeera in a low flame and add a pinch of asafoetida at the end. Put off the fire and let the roasted spices cool. Dry grind and take it out to use.

Pumpkin Curry (Without Dal ) / ಹಸಿ ಹುಳಿ)

Pumpkin is one of the handy vegetable and we do prepare varieties of dishes.

I have prepared different curries and the posted in my blog. Here is one more curry using Pumpkin. It has no dal and the spices are not roasted. Try this curry surely you all will like it I am sure.
I have used Pumpkin, coriander seeds, jeera/cumin seeds, red byadagi chilly, little coconut and little tamarind pulp.
Pumpkin can be kept for a long time and it can be used. People do bake this vegetable and have it. We Indians use in our cooking.
Let us the recipe Now :

No Onion - No Garlic Pumpkin Curry 

Ingredients :

Cooking :
Pumpkin : 1 Bowl (Half of one small pumpkin).

Grinding :
Coconut : 1 Small cup
Daniya /Coriander seeds : 1 Tbs
Jeera/ Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Tsp
Byadagi Chilly : 4 to 5

To Add :
Tamarind Pulp : 1 Tbs
Salt : As required
Turmeric : A little

Seasoning :
Coconut Oil /Any cooking oil : 1 Tsp
Byadagi chilly : 1
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tsp
Methi Seeds : 3 to 4 Seeds
Ingh/Asafoetida : A little

Method : 

1. Wash and peel off the skin and the pulp from Pumpkin and cut it into small pieces.

2. Cook pumpkin pieces with little water.

3. Soak a small marble size tamarind and take out the pulp and add it to cooked pumpkin.
4. Grate coconut and grind it with coriander seeds, jeera and byadagi chilly.

5. Add salt and turmeric to cooked pumpkin pieces and cook for a minute.

6. Add ground coconut mixture and mix it well and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in between.

7. Now Pumpkin Curry is ready.

8. Shift it to a serving dish.

9. Prepare Seasoning with coconut oil (Optional), mustard seeds, ingh, 1 byadagi chilly and curry leaves. Add this to Pumpkin Curry and serve.

Note :

Do not over cook pumpkin pieces. Adding more or less byadagi chilly is optional. Use of coconut oil is optional. No Onion or garlic is added here.
Time : 20 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3. 

Long Brinjal Palya

Long Brinjal is a dry palya is a yummy side dish that you can even prepare brinjal rice as one pot meal.

These brinjals are from the garden of Dhatrivana  a beautiful resort near Tumkoor. Anthapura ladies group from Face book page has arranged a trip to Dhatrivana as picnic. Mrs. Gheetha Upendra Bangalore has organised this picnic and I joined the group as one of the member.
There were lots of events which were really fun to group and lots of prizes we got vegetables as compliments to the winners. It was indeed a very memorial trip and I enjoyed it thoroughly with other sakhis of Anthapura.

Let us see the recipe now :

No Onion or No Garlic is used in this dry curry/Palya.

Ingredients :

Long Brinjals : 5 to 6
Capsicum : 1
Coconut Chutney Powder : 2 Tbs
Rasam Powder : 1 Tbs
Tamarind Tokku : 1 Tbs / Tamarind Pulp.
Salt : As required
Turmeric powder : A little
Jaggery : 1 Tbs
Seasoning :
Coconut Oil : 2 Tbs
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tsp
Urid Dal : 1/2 Tsp
Ingh /Asafoetida : A little
Curry Leaves : 6 to 8.leaves
Coriander leaves : 2 Tbs

Method :

1. Wash and cut brinjal into small pieces and put it in a bowl of water for 5 to 10 minutes.

2. Wash capsicum and remove seeds. Cut capsicum into small pieces.

3. Wash a green chilly and slit, coriander and curry leaves into small.
4. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil. Add mustard seeds, urid dal and ingh.
5. Let mustard seeds splutter. Add slit green chilly and curry leaves. Add brinjal pieces. (Remove water completely before adding).

6.Fry nicely and add cut capsicum. Stir slowly. Add little turmeric powder and 1/2 cup of water.
7. Let it cook till soft on medium flame.
8. Add tamarind Tokku, required salt and 1 tbs of jaggery and mix it well. Reduce the flame to low.

9. Add Coconut chutney powder and rasam powder. Stir slowly and let it cook for 2 minutes. (Low Flame).

10. Shift it to a serving dish and serve when all the moisture disappear. Add cut coriander leaves just before serving.

Note :

Soaking cut brinjal helps to remove the bitterness in brinjal. Take out the water from soaked brinjal and then add it to the seasoning. Adding tamarind tokku is optional. You can add Tamarind pulp instead of tokku. Adding more/less jaggery is optional. Adding any cooking oil is optional.
Time : 20 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4.
Coconut Chutney powder :
Dry grind dry coconut pieces 1 Bowl, roasted urid dal 1 tb, dry fry chilly  and tamarind , required salt. Mix it well and fill in the glass bottle.

Alasande / Cow pea Dal

Fresh Alsande / Cow Peas are rich in minerals and vitamins. In winter you get really good cow peas and other pods.

Recently I got these cow peas/ Alasande and prepared yummy curry. It is delicious to have with all most all the main dishes.
Alasande Dal is simple dish and it is quick also.
I have used Fresh cow peas pods, little toor dal, home made sambar powder/huli pudi,
Let us see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

To Cook :
Cow Peas : 1 Bowl
Toor dal : 1/2 Cup

To Add :
Tamarind Pulp : 1 Tablespoon
Sambar Powder : 1 Tablespoon
Green chilly : 1
Turmeric powder : A pinch
Methi /G=Fenugrik Seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon
Salt : As required
Coriander Leaves : 1 Tablespoon
Coconut grating : 2 Tablespoons

Seasoning
Cooking Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera /Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh /Asafoetida : A pinch
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6

Method :

1. Wash and cook toor dal and Cow peas in a pressure cooker. Leave it for cooling.

2. Wash and cut coriander leaves, slit green chilly
3. Now keep a pan on the fire and put cooked cow peas, toor dal and 1/4 tsp methi seeds.
4. Add turmeric powder, slit green chilly and salt. Mix it well and let it cook for 2 minutes.
5. Add home made sambar powder and mix it well. Let it cook on low flame.
6. Shift the Alsande Dal to a serving dish.

7. Add mustard seasoning and grated coconut on the top. Mix it well and serve.

Note :

Use of moong dal instead of toor dal is optional.
Use of coconut is optional. It adds to the taste.
Cooking on the pressure cooker helps the food to quick fast.
Time : 20 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4 .

Home Made Sambar Powder/ಹುಳಿ ಪುಡಿ  For 1 Time only.

Dry roast , 2 tbsp of coriander seeds, 1 tsp of urid dal and 1 tsp of channa dal, 4 to 5 byadagi chilly, 1/2 tsp of jeera, 1/4 tsp of methi seeds, a small piece of cinnamon. Add 2 tbs of kobbari
Dry grind it once it is cooled.

Gulla - Sprouted Moong Curry

Gulla a type of brinjal from a place called Mattu near Udupi, is a special variety of brinjal. The seeds of this special brinjal has been given from Shree Guru Vadirajaru to people of Mattu. I have written about it in one of my blog page. Here is one more dish which I have tried it with this special Variety of Brinja and is known as Mattina Gulla.

I have used Sprouted Whole Moong, Gulla, and sambar powder which is prepared at home and added mustard , methi/fenugrik seeds seasoning with coconut oil.
Gulla - Sprouted Moong Curry goes well with all the main dishes and you can prepare this curry for festivals or feast. There is no Onion or Garlic in this curry.

Things Needed :

To cook :
Gulla /Udupi Special Brinjal : 2
Sprouted Whole Moong : 1 Small Cup

To Grind :
Coconut : 3 to 4 Tablespoons
Curry Powder : 2 to 3 Teaspoons

To Add :
Tamarind pulp : 1 Tablespoon
Salt : As required
Turmeric powder : A pinch
Oil : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ground coconut mixture

Seasoning done in Coconut Oil :
Coconut Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 Tsp
Methi seeds : 3 to 4
Ingh : A pinch
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6

Method :

1. Wash and cut gulla /brinjal in to small pieces.

2. Cook sprouted whole moong and keep it aside. Soak a small marble size tamarind in hot water and squeeze out the pulp after 5 minutes.
3. Grate coconut and grind it with curry powder./Huli pudi.

4. Now keep a pan on the fire and put brinjal pieces in it. Add water, little coconut oil and turmeric powder.
5. Cook till the gulla pieces are soft.

6. Add cooked moong and mix it well.

7. Add tamarind pulp and required salt. Mix it nicely.

8. Add ground coconut mixture and mix it. Let it boil for 3 to 4 minutes.

9. Shift the curry to a serving dish and add mustard seeds, 2 to 4 methi seeds, ingh, curry leaves seasoning done in coconut oil.

10. Serve as one of the dish during lunch or dinner.

Note :
Soaking brinjal pieces in plain water helps to remove the bitterness in it. Adding oil and turmeric helps the pieces to retain the colour. (It does not turn as black). Home made curry powder adds to the taste. You can use any brand sambar powder instead of home made curry powder. Use of coconut oil is optional.  This is one of the traditional dish of brahmin and I do not use onions or garlic in my curry.
I had some sprouted moong already and cooked with little water.
Time : 30 Minutes
Serves : 3 to 4.

To get good sprouted moong you need to follow these steps:

Wash and soak whole moong for over night. Take out the water completely and put the moong in a towel /handkerchief and tie it slightly. Keep sprinkling water on the towel. It starts to sprout nicely. You can use this for preparing juice, salad and curries.

Curry Powder or Huli powder./ಹುಳಿ ಪುಡಿ

Dry roast or fry with a teaspoon of oil :
Methi seeds/Fenugrik seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon
Channa dal : 1/2 Teaspoon
Coriander seeds : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Jeera /Cumin Seeds :1/2 Teaspoon
Cinnamon piece : A very small piece.
Dry roast or fry them one by one and dry grind it when it cools down.

Note : Fried mixture will not stay for long. It starts to smell. So better to dry roast and use.

You can also use the whole moong with out soaking or sprouted. Just wash and cook. (Optional). Use of sprouted moong is always healthy.