Sweet Potato Palya or Dry curry

 Sweet potato curry is a side dish. It is an easy dish and goes well with all the main dishes like chapatis, pooris, plain rice and rotis.

Sweet potato is said to be one of the healthy vegetable and filled with fiber and carbohydrates.
Let us see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

Sweet potatoes : 2 to 3

Green chillies : 2 to 3

Oil : 2 Tablespoons

Salt : to taste

Curry Leaves : 4 to 6

Coriander Leaves : 2 sticks

Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon

Jeera : 1/4 Teaspoon

Urd daal : 1/2 Teaspoon

Ingh : a pinch

Method :

1. Wash and boil sweet potatoes (Half boil)and leave it for cooling .
2. Remove the skin and cut into small pieces.

3. Wash and cut green chilly, curry leaves and coriander leaves.
4. Keep a pan on the fire and put oil.

5. Put urid dal, mustard seeds and let mustard seeds splutter.
6. Add jeera and curry leaves. Fry for a second. Add ingh/asafoetida.
7. Add cut sweet potatoes and cook on low flame. Stir in between. Add cut green chilly and mix.

8. Let it turn soft. (Do not over cook). Add salt and turmeric powder. Mix it well.
9. Add coriander leaves and mix it. Shift the ready quick Sweet potato dry curry to the serving dish.

10. Serve with the main dish of your choice.
Note :
You can cut the pieces into small and then cook directly on the fire. One should take care while cooking. It should not be over cooked. Adding any spice is optional. Adding onions or garlic is optional. Use of minimum oil is optional and healthy too.
Time : 15 Minutes.

4 servings.;

SOREKAI PAYASA..( KHEER )

Sorekai/Bottle Gourd Payasa/Kheer is a sweet dish and it is nice to have at any time of the day. Bottle gourd is loaded with healthy properties.
I have used bottle gourd, Avalakki, cardamom, coconut milk and jaggery for this payasa.

Lets see some benefits of eating " Cardamom " in our diet.
Cardamom helps to control cholesterol levels and improves blood circulation in the body. It is good for curing dental diseases and urinary tract infections. Cardamom contain some amount of anti inflammatory properties. It helps control and lower the blood pressure. It is rich with antioxidant properties. It is good for preventing cold and flu. Cardamom is rich in fiber. Cardamom is a good detoxify the unwanted things. It helps to clean out urinary tract, bladder and kidney  and removes excess water, toxins and salt. In Ayurveda, it is said that it helps to fight depression. Cardamom is used for bad breath, mouth ulcers and infections of mouth and throat.
Lets see the recipe Now.

Things Needed .

Sorekai/Bottle Gourd : 2 cups.
Avalakki/Poha/Flattened Rice : 2 Tablespoons

Jagery : 1 Cup.

Water : 1/2 cup

Cashew Nuts : 1 Fistful (small pieces)

Coconut :1 Cup.

Cardamom : 4 to 6 seeds.

Ghee : 1 Tablespoon.

Method :

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

2. Cook cut pieces till they turn soft.
3. Great coconut and grind it with little water and squeeze out the milk. Grind it again and squeeze out the milk second time. Keep this milk aside.
4. Powder cardamom and fry cashews with 1 tablespoon of ghee.

5. Keep a pan on the fire and put cooked bottle gourd pieces.
6. Add powdered jaggery (used organic jaggery) and mix it well. Let it boil for 2 minutes.

7. Add the watery coconut milk (taken second time) and let it boil nicely for 2 minutes.
8. Add thin Avalakki and mix it well. Add the thick coconut milk and mix it well.

9. Let it boil for 2 minutes. Add cardamom powder and shift the Kheer to a serving dish.

10. Add ghee fried cashews and serve Sorekai Payasa cold or hot .

Note :
You can grind coconut into paste consistency and then add the ground coconut to payasa. (No need to add coconut milk). Remember that coconut should be tender.(not tender coconut). Jaggery should be reboiled to remove the dust particles. Keep 1/2 cup of water in a pan. Keep the pan on the stove. Let it melt and turn full liquid. Let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Sieve this content with a strainer. This way you can remove the dust particles in jaggey. Use the clean jaggery always. Adding avalakki/flattened rice is optional.
Time : 20 Minutes
Serves : 4 to 5