Palak - Raitha.( Curd Curry )

Palak -Raitha is prepared using curd (yogurt). It is one of the easiest and quick dish that any one can prepare. We can have this Palak Raitha with any masala rice, chapatis, rotis even plain rice.

I have used Palak (Spinach), green chilly, curd and mustard seasoning.
Let us see some benefits of having Palak (Spinach) in our diet.
Spinach/palak is full of nutrients. They are very low in calories and fats. The leaves contain good amount of soluble dietary fiber. It helps to control the cholesterol and good for weight reduce.
They have good amount of iron and anti oxidant properties.They contain Vitamins like, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K and beta carotene. Vitamin K helps the bones to be strong. Palak leaves contain good amount of minerals like, potassium, manganese, magnesium, copper and zinc. Potassium helps to control the heart rate and blood pressure.
Please Note : People who are suffering from kidney stones, urinary track problems and thyroid hormone problems do not use Palak leaves regularly.
Let us see the recipe now : Palak Raitha has No Onions or No Garlic recipe.

Things Needed :

Palak leaves -1 small bundle

Yogurt - 1 cup

Green chillies - 2

Salt : to taste

Ingh ( Asafoetida ) - a pinch

Curry leaves - 4 to 6 leaves.

Oil - 1 tea spoon

Mustard seeds : 1/2 tea spoon

Methi/Fenugrik seeds : 4  to 5
Jeera/Cumin Seeds ; 1/2 Teaspoon

Method :

1. Wash and cut palak leaves in to small pieces.
2. Cut green chilly, coriander leaves and curry leaves.

3. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put oil and mustard seeds,methi seeds. Let mustard splutter.
4. Add green chilly and fry for 10 seconds. Add ingh, jeera and curry leaves.
5. Add cut palak leaves and fry till they turn soft and cooked. (Cook on low flame).

6. Add turmeric powder (a pinch) and salt. Mix it well. Let it be on low flame for a minute.
7. Put off the fire and let it cool. Add a cup of curd and mix it nicely. Add coriander leaves and serve.

8. Serve with any main dish you have prepared.

Note :

Adding onions and garlic is optional. Adding thick curd gives a better taste. Adding butter milk is an optional. No need to add any coconut gratings. Adding more/less chilly is optional.
Time : 10 Minutes.
Serves :2

Potato ( Aloo ) Palya. ( Curry )

Potato Palya (dry curry) is one of the easiest curry which is very much needed to learn. Poori - Potato baaji or Masala Dosa should have this Potato Palya. It goes well with Chapatis too. Ideal for making bread sandwich and serving as one of the side dish with main dishes. Samosas also can be prepared with this Potato Palya.

You need Potatoes, onions, green chilly and very little spices are used to cook Potato Palya.
Lets see some benefits of eating " Potatoes " in our diet.
Potatoes are one of the common vegetable which every one loves to have. They are loaded with health benefits. They help to improve digestion, reduce cholesterol levels, boost health benefits manage diabetes and strengthen our immune system. They also help to protect the skin and increase blood circulation, Helps to reduce blood pressure. Potatoes help to reduce insomnia, boost eye healthy and maintain fluid balance. and essential dietary food. They are known as a storehouse of energy and nutrition. They contain vitamins, minerals and essential organic compound. Potatoes contain calcium, iron and phosphorus. They also contain Vitamin C, Vitamin A and B.
Potatoes are good for weight gain since it contain carbohydrates, Vitamin C and B. Potatoes are easy to digest and good for babies. It contain good amount of fiber and good for people who suffer from constipation. It is good for inflammation because of it anti oxidant properties.
Always cook potatoes with its cover(outer layer), so that minerals and vitamins are remain safe and thats a healthy way to cook potatoes.

Do not eat sprouted potatoes since it contain only starch. Avoid Eating French fries or any fried or Butter layered baked potatoes. 

Onions, boiled potatoes, green chilly, ginger, and some spices are used in this Potato dry curry.
Lets see the recipe Now:

Things Needed 

Potatoes : 2 to 3
Onions : 3  to 4
Turmeric : a pinch.
Green Chillies : 3 to 4.

Curry Leaves _ 5 to 6.

Ginger _ a piece.

Salt : to taste.

Water : required.

Oil : 2 Table spoons.

Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tea spoon.

Urd Dal : 1/2 Tea spoon.

Jeera 1/4 Tea spoon.
Coriander Leaves : 2 to 3 sticks

Method :

1. Wash and boil potatoes with its cover. Remove the outer layer once it is cooled. (Better to pressure cook). Smash the cooked potatoes nicely once you remove the outer layer. (skin).
2. Remove the outer layer of onions and wash and cut it into small.
3. Wash green chilly, curry leaves and coriander leaves and cut it into small.
4. Wash ginger nicely and remove the outer layer. Wash again and grate it.

5. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil, mustard seeds and urid dal. Let the mustard seeds splutter.
6. Add cut green chilly, curry leaves and stir a little. Add cut onions and fry nicely.
7. Fry onions till they turn slightly brown. Add Turmeric powder.

8. Add smashed potatoes, grated ginger, salt and mix it well. Add 1/4 cup of water and salt. Stir in between so that it does not get burnt.

8. Let it cook on low flame for 1 to 2 minutes. Let all the moisture disappear. Add cut coriander leaves. Mix it well.

9. Shift ready " Potato Curry " to a serving dish and serve with Dosa, Poori or Chapatis.

.Note : 

Boil potatoes nicely so that it will be soft and mixes well with onion. Do not add too much of water when cooking the onions. You can fry onions in oil. (use more oil). If you fry onions in oil (using more oil) no need of adding any water. Adding more chilly is optional.
Adding more onions are also optional. It adds to the taste.
Time : 20 Minutes
Serves : 2 to 3 .

CHAPATI AND SAAGU.

Chapatis are known as Indian bread. Chapatis are well known diet food in the World.  Saagu is a variety of side dish which goes well with chapatis. 

Varieties of Chapatis/Rotis can be prepared and each state has its own style to prepare. Gujarati rotis are bit thin and also known as pulka where as Punjabi roti is bit thick and roasted on tava using a clean cloth by pressing the roti while cooking.
Here is a simple Chapati which can be done easily and soft chapatis are ready to eat with vegetable Saagu. 
Saagu/Curry is a side dish which goes well with almost all the main dish. I have used coconut, jeera, green chilly, ginger, clove, cinnamon, coriander seeds and little tamarind.
No onion or garlic is used in this Saagu/Curry and it goes well with all type of rotis chapatis, poori, Naan, idli and dosa.
First let us see the recipe of  Chapatis.

Things Needed :

Chapatis :
Ingredients :
Wheat flour : 2 Cups.
Curd : 2 Tablespoons
Salt : As required.
Water : As required
Ghee/Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Oil : 2 Tablespoons

Method : 

1. Put wheat flour, salt, curd and mix it well.
2. Add water and prepare dough. Add a teaspoon of ghee and mix it nicely. Let it rest for 10 minutes.

3. Divide the dough into small ball size. Keep 2 to 3 tablespoons of dry wheat flour in a big plate.
4. Take a ball size of dough and kneed it well. Turn as ball shape and flatten with your palm.

5. Dip in dry wheat flour and roll it as chapati with chapati roller. Give a round shape.
6. Keep tava on the fire and heat. Put already rolled chapati and cook on medium flame.
7. Sprinkle some oil on the top and turn the chapati other side to cook. (Cook for a minute).

8. Chapati is ready to serve. Prepare the rest of the chapatis with same way.

Note :

Add required water carefully and let the dough be soft. Adding curd helps the chapatis to be soft. Adding ghee adds to aroma and turns the chapatis fluffy. Cook on medium and low flame carefully.
Time : 10 Minutes.
Serves : 8 to 10 Chapatis. (According to the size).

2. Vegetable Saagu/Curry 

I have used vegetables like, Carrots, french beans, chapparada averekai/Broad Beans or Papdi beans, peas and sweet potatoes.

Things Needed: 

To Cook:
Carrot : 2
Beans : 1 Handful (100 gr)
Peas : 1 Small cup
Chapparadavare Kai/Flattened beans : 1 Handful
Sweet Potato : 1
Salt : Required salt
To Grind :
Coconut : 1 Cup
Green chilly : 2
Tamarind : 1/2 Marble size
Jeera /Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Coriander seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Coriander leaves : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Cloves : 2
Cinnamon stick : A small piece
Ginger : A small piece
To Season :
Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Jeera/Cumin seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
To Add :
Ground coconut mixture
Salt : As required
Jeera seasoning:
Coriander leaves : 2 Tablespoons.

Method :

1. Wash carrots, green chilly, beans and cut it into small pieces.
2. Wash sweet potato and remove the outer layer and cut in to small and wash it again.

3. Wash coriander leaves and cut into small.
4. Grate coconut and keep it aside.
5. Put all the cut vegetables in a pressure cooker and cook for 4 to 5 minutes.

6. Grind coconut, clove, cinnamon, green chilly, jeera, Coriander seeds, tamarind and ginger with required water.
7. Remove from the mixi jar and keep it aside.
8. Keep a pan on the fire and put cooked vegetables and little water. Add salt. Cook for a minute.
9. Add ground coconut mixture and mix it well. Add turmeric. Let it cook for 2 minutes.

10. Mix it well and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

 10. Shift the ready Saagu to a serving dish and add a teaspoon of ghee/butter.

11. Add cut coriander leaves

 12. Serve with ready chapatis with cucumber or onion in the side.

 Note :

Cooking vegetables in a pressure cooker is optional. You can cook them directly. Do not over cook the vegetables. Adding garlic while grind coconut is optional. Taste may differ. Adding ghee/butter is optional. You can add l tablespoon of chenna (Huri kadale/pottu kadale) while grinding. It adds to teh thickness of the curry.
Time : 20 Minutes
Serves : 3 to 4.

Capsicum Fry..

Capsicum Fry is a dry curry and it can be served as one of the side dish. Capsicum is available in different colours and you get this veggie in the market at any time of the year. It has its own aroma and most of us love the veggie. We all know that capsicum goes well with almost all dishes.

Lets see some health benefits of having capsicum in our diet.
Capsicum help to relieve the pain. It has anti-inflammatory analgesic properties which help to give relief in pain. It is good for treating gastrointestinal disorder and improving bone health. It has a good source of antioxidant properties and beneficial for repairing tissue protein and helps the healthy tissues to receive protection from anti oxidant. Capsicum is good for hair fall, but one must take care while applying it on the hair.
Capsicum dry curry goes well with plain rice, chapatis, poori or any type of rotis and bread.
No onions or No garlic is used in this curry.
Lets see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

Capsicum : 2 ( Medium Size )

Oil : 2 Table Spoon

Rasam/Sambar powder : 2 to 3 Teaspoons

Salt : to taste

Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tea spoon

Urd Daal 1/2 Tea spoon

Jeera : 1/4 Tea spoon

Curry leaves : 4 to 6

Coriander leaves : 2 sticks

Ingh or asafatodia : a pinch

Turmeric : a pinch
Coconut : 1 Tablespoon (Optional)

Method :

1. Wash and cut capsicum in to thin pieces.
2. Wash coriander leaves, curry leaves and cut it into small pieces.
3. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil, mustard seeds and urid dal. Let the mustard splutter.
4. Add jeera and curry leaves. Mix it well. Add ingh/Asafoetida and cut capsicum.
5. Fry nicely on low flame till they turn soft. Add turmeric powder.

6. Add rasam/Sambar powder and salt. Mix well and let it cook for 1 to 2 minutes on low flame.

7. Add coriander leaves and shift the ready curry to a serving dish.
8. Add coconut (optional) and serve. ( I did not use coconut).

Note : 

Fry capsicum on low flame so that it cooks nicely. Add little jaggery to it give better taste.

Adding onions or garlic is optional. (Fry onions nicely before adding capsicum). Taste differ. Adding lemon juice (1 Teaspoon ) is optional.
Time : 10 Minutes
Serves : 2  

Sorekai Pappu ( Dall with Sorekai )

Sorekai/Bottle gourd/Doodi is one of the healthiest vegetable and it is loaded with many nutrious minerals and vitamins. Pappu is nothing but the dal cooked with vegetables. Vegetables like bottle gourd, edible leaves, mooli, brinjals, beans and carrots can be added with dals and cooked with some simple spices. Pappu is known name for dal in Telugu Language. (Andra Pradesh in Indian). Pappu goes well with almost all the main dishes and it is one of the healthy, easy and quick dish anyone can prepare.

Lets see the recipe now. I have used Moong dal here. No onion or no garlic is added to this dish.

Ingredients:

Toor Daal or Moong Daal : 1/2 cup.

Sorekai/Bottle Gourd    : 2 cups .( Cut according to your wish).

Green chillies : 4 to 6
Corianer Leaves : 3 to 4 sticks.

Curry leaves : 6 to 8 leaves.

Oil or Ghee : 1 Table spoon .

Mustard Seeds : 1/2 Tea spoon.

Urd Daal : 1/4 Tea spoon.

Jeera : 1/4 Tea spoon.

Ingh ( Asafatodia ) : a pinch .

Ginger : small piece

Salt : To taste .

Water : According to the requirement.

Turmeric : a pinch
Lemon Extract : 1 Teaspoon (1/2 Lemon)

Method :

1. Wash Moong dal and add a cup of water. Pressure cook for 6 to 8 minutes. Let it cool.
2. Wash bottle gourd, remove the outer layer and cut it into small pieces.

3. Wash green chilly, ginger and coriander leaves.
4. Remove the outer layer of ginger and wash again. Grate it. Cut coriander leaves.
5. Cook cut bottle gourd pieces with little water till they turn soft.

6. Now keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add mustard seeds, urid dal. Let mustard splutter. Add jeera.
7. Add ingh and curry leaves. Add cut green chilly and fry for a while.
8. Add cooked bottle gourd pieces and cooked moong dal.

9. Add turmeric powder, salt and mix it well. Add required water and mix it well.

10. Let it boil nicely for 4 to 5 minutes.
11.Shift the ready dal to a serving bowl and add lemon extract. Mix it well.
12. Serve with the main dish you have prepared.

Note :

 Adding onions and garlic is optional. Adding ghee is optional. Ghee adds to the aroma and taste. You can add more chilly . (Optional).
Time : 30 Minutes
Serves : 3 to 4

Bottle gourd Kichidi :

Add a cup of cooked rice and little salt. Mix it well . Let it cook nicely for 3 to 4 minutes.
Bottle Gourd Kichdi is ready to Eat. Serve with Papad and pickle.

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.;