Bottle Gourd Jeera - Pepper Curry

Bottle Gourd /doodhi/sorekai is one of the healthy vegetable and it has become very popular these days. It is filled with vitamins and minerals. It helps to regulate the blood pressure and sugar level in our body. It is filled with fiber.

I have used bottle gourd, moong dal, coconut, jeera and pepper.

Let us see some benefits of eating Pepper in our diet.

Peeper has been used since ages and it is loaded with medicinal values. It is known as king of spices and we Indians do use in our cooking. It is high in antioxidant and helps to improve damaged cells in our body. It is loaded with anti inflammatory properties. It helps to improve blood sugar level. Pepper also helps in lowering the cholesterol levels. It is good for cough and cold. it helps in absorbing nutrients from the food we eat. It good for digestion. It is good for brain health. It is said that  it may help the brain health. ( Avoid losing memory).
No Onion or No Garlic Curry .
Let us see the recipe now :

To Cook :

Bottle gourd pieces : 1 Bowl
Moong dal : 1/2 Cup
Green chilly : 2
To grind :
Coconut : 1 Cup
Jeera /Cumin seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Pepper Pods : 5 to 6 pods
Ginger : An inch
To Add :
Ground coconut mixture
Tamarind Tokku : 1 Teaspoon
Salt : As required
Turmeric powder : A little
Coriander leaves : 1 Tablespoon
To Season :
Coconut Oil : 1 Tablespoon
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh /Asafoetida : A little
Curry leaves : 5 to 6

Method :

1 Wash and remove the outer layer of bottle gourd. Cut bottle gourd into small  small pieces.

2. Wash and cook moong dal with required water.

3. Wash coriander leaves, curry leaves and cut them in to small pieces. Wash ginger and scrape out the outer layer. Cut ginger into pieces and keep it aside.
4. Prepare seasoning with coconut oil and add cut bottle gourd pieces. Mix it well and add water. Let it cook till the pieces are soft. Add little turmeric powder while cooking. Add cut green chilly.

 5.Grate coconut and grind with pepper, jeera and ginger with required water.

6. Now mix cooked dal and cooked bottle gourd pieces. Add tamarind tokku. Add salt. Stir slowly and mix the curry well.

7. Add ground coconut mixture and mix it well.

8. Let it cook on medium flame for 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in between so that it does not get burnt at the bottom.

9. Shift bottle gourd, jeera - pepper curry to a serving dish. Add cut coriander leaves.

10. Serve bottle gourd, jeera - pepper curry for lunch or as you wish. (with chapati or any other main dishes).

Note :

Cut bottle gourd in to small pieces so that it cooks quickly. Adding more chilly is optional. Adding toor dal instead of moong is optional.
Adding tamarind pulp instead of tamarind tokku is optional.
Time : 30 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4.

Kashaya Coffee

Kashaya is nothing but some healthy drink. It is helpful to take care of your body. Kashaya is prepared using some home available spices.

This Kashaya powder is very useful to protect you from all type of ill health.
It is good for cough, keeps your body warm and controls blood pressure and diabetes.
Kashaya can be used as coffee, means every day you can drink. Morning coffee time or after breakfast you can have this drink.
Kashaya powder is very easy to prepare and this kashaya recipe I got from my co sister. Her father and brother used to advice people and give home prepared medicines, pain relief oils and they served the local people.
I have used methi/fenugrik seeds, poppy seeds, Jeera/cumin seeds and little pepper.
The four ingredients are dry roasted and dry ground it. The Kashaya powder should be stored well and use it whenever you prepare Kashaya Coffee.
It is good for digestion, controlling your blood pressure, blood sugar and it helps in taking care of your health by protecting the whole system.
Let us see some benefits of Methi seeds in our diet.

Methi /Fenugrik seeds helps to balance the cholesterol level in our body. It helps in reducing the fat.
It is good for stomach upset and digestive problems : When you have stomach upset do take a glass of butter milk and 1/4 teaspoons of methi seeds soaked in it. No need to rest the seeds. Just drink it and you will feel very comfortable after drinking methi - butter milk drink. Methi seeds helps during the menstrual period cramps in ladies. It helps in reducing the fever and soothe muscle pain. It also helps in maintaining liver and kidney health. Methi seeds are rich in fiber and helps in easy bowel movements. They contain good anti oxidant properties and helps in removing the toxins in our body.
This is simple Kashaya Coffee . You can double the amount of methi seeds. My sister in law Leela Somayaji has given this recipe and whenever  we go to Our Birthi Mane in Ooru I too join them drinking Kashaya Coffee after my breakfast.
Let us see the recipe now :
Ingredients :
Methi /Fenugrik seeds : 50 Grams.
Jeera/Cumin seeds : 50 Grams
Poppy seeds /Gasgase : 50 Grams
Pepper Pods : 1 Tablespoon ( Or little less you can use).

Method :

Clean the ingredients and keep it in a tray.

1. Dry fry Methi seeds till it turn golden brown. Take it out from the pan

2. Dry fry jeera/cumin seeds on low flame and take it out to a big bowl.

3. Dry fry pepper pods and add poppy seeds.

4. Now put off the fire and shift the ingredients to a big bowl. So that it can cool fast.

5. Dry grind the ingredients and put the mixture to a bowl.

6. Shift the Kashaya Powder to a bowl. Let it cool completely.

. Store in a glass jar bottle and use it whenever you want.

7. It can be eaten with honey when you have cold, cough and throat pain.

8. Take a quarter tsp of the powder mix it with 1 or 1/2 tsp of honey mix it well and eat it.
9. You can use this powder for daily Kashaya Coffee after food.
10 You can also make kashaya coffee and drink it.

Note :

Use of methi seeds more /less is optional. Dry roast on low flame. Use glass jar to fill the Kashaya powder. Do not add any sugar. Add little jaggery whenever you prepare Kashaya coffee.
Kashaya Coffee is one of the best herb coffee to regulate blood pressure and blood sugar level in our body. Drinking Kashaya Coffee keeps away the cough, throat pain and even fever.
Try and enjoy.
Time : 20 to 30 Minutes.
Serves : As you use. 

How to make Kashaya Coffee.

Boil a glass of water. Add 1/2 tsp of Kashaya powder and let it boil nicely for 5 minutes. Add 1/2 tsp of jaggery and boil for a minute. Sieve this Kashaya coffee to a big glass. Add 1/2 cup of milk. Serve or drink.
1/2 Tsp of Kashaya Coffee powder is enough for 1 glass of water.

Boil the mixture till it reduces to 3/4  glass. Add milk after you shift the kashaya to a bowl.

Let the mixture cool a little or when you add milk it might curdle. So let the Kashaya cool down for 1 to 2 minutes.

Spring Onion Pepper - Jeera Dry Curry

Spring Onions are one of the healthy vegetable and  we do make use of it in our curries, dals and so many varieties of food items.
Here I have tried Simple Onion Leaves Pepper - Jeera Dry Curry which is very easy and yummy to have them with almost all the main dishes.

I have used Spring Onions, pepper, jeera and some salt.
It is very easy to do it and goes well with almost all the main dishes as I said earlier.
Let us see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

Spring Onions : 1 Bundle ( Big bundle).
Green chilly : 1 to 2
Coconut : 1 Cup
Crushed pepper : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera /cumin seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Salt : As required
Seasoning :
Cooking Oil : 2 Tablespoons
Mustad Seeds : 1/2 Tsp
Jeera : 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6

Method :

1. Wash and clean spring onion sticks nicely and check it out thoroughtly.

2.Crush pepper pods, jeera and keep aside.

3.Wash and slit green chilly.
4.Grate coconut and keep it aside.
5.Wash green chilly and cut into very small.
6. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add mustard seeds and jeera.
7. Let the mustard seeds splutter. Add curry leaves.

8. Add cut green chilly and cut spring onion leaves. Mix it nicely.
9. Cook on low flame. Sprinkle some water and cover it.

10. It turns soft. Add crushed pepper - jeera mixture, salt and a little turmeric powder.

11. Mix it well and cook for 2 minutes. See that all the moisture disappear.

12. Add grated coconut and shift the ready spring onion dry curry to a serving bowl.

Note :

Do not add much spices. Do not add water. Only sprinkle some drops on the top.
 Adding little more oil is optional. Adding more chilly is optional. Pepper pods adds to spicy taste and is good for health. Adding coconut adds to the taste to curry. Do not cook after adding coconut. It adds aroma to the curry and coconut is good for health. (Without cooking).
Time : 15 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3 
You can also prepare Uttappa with this Spring Onion Curry. ( Stuffing on the top of Set Dosa)

You can use Spring Onion Curry as stuffing in between the Ghee roast dosa.

Watch the video

Ragi Moong Dal Dosa

Ragi is one of the wonderful millet which is gluten free. I have used ragi flour and moong dal and prepared yummy dosa and it is with out fermentation. No Soda or No Eno and it is one of the healthy dish you need to add it your diet.

Ragi Moong dosa is good for people who wants to diet. it is also diabetic friendly. Ragi provides vitamins and minerals and moongdal boost energy and helps to keep your tummy full for a long tim.
I have used ragi flour, moong dal, very little pepper pods and handful curry leaves.
You can prepare dosas as soon as you grind the dosa batter. No need for the batter to be fermented. Good for all age group and is very digestive to all age group.
Let us see the recipe now :

Ingredients :

Moong dal : 1 Cup full
Ragi flour : 1 Cup full
Pepper Pods : 6 to 8.
Curd or butter milk : 1 Small cup
Curry leaves : Handful.
Salt : As required

Method :

1. Wash and soak moong dal for an hour. Grind it with curry leaves and pepper pods.

2. Add little water to ragi flour and mix it well. Add this mix to mixi jar and churn for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Take it out from the mixi jar to a big bowl. Add required salt and a cup of curd/butter milk.

4. Mix the batter nicely and keep it aside.
5. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Clean it with a clean kitchen tissue.

6. Let the pan be on lower flame. Take out a ladle full of moong - ragi dosa batter and spread it on the pan/tava.
7. Sprinkle some oil on the top. Cover and cook on medium and low flame.
8. Turn the other side and cook for a few seconds.

9. Ragi - Moong Dosa is ready to serve.

10. Serve with your choice of side dish.

Note :

Add little water to grind. If the batter turns watery, add little more ragi flour or rava/semolina.
Dosa might turn bit hard. Adding water and mixing the ragi flour just before adding to mixi, helps to grind the batter nicely. Adding pepper pods and curry leaves to dosa batter is optional. They do help to reduce the gas formation of the food. Adding curd to the batter helps to soften dosa.
Time : 1 hour for soaking moong dal + grinding 5 minutes + Dosa preparation 10 minutes.

Serves : 2 to 3.