Chow chow sambar recipe

Preparation time : 25 mins

Cook time : under 25 mins

Chow- chow sambar is a traditional dish, It can be prepared in every south- indian house holds either in occassion or day to day life :) I made this sambar in one fine afternoon, just cooked casually where it turned out perfect and yummy !!! Enjoyed with pickle & pappad ,Clicked and here is the recipe, do try and hope you all enjoy as i did :-)

Ingredients needed :

Chow- chow - 1(medium size)
Toor dal - 1/2 cup
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1
Garlic cloves - 3
Tamarind - a small bit
Green chilli - 1
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Sambar powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt

For seasoning :

Oil
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 2 springs

For garnishing :

Coriander leaves

Mehod :

1. Soak toor dal for 20 mins. In a pressure cooker add toor dal, turmeric powder, garlic cloves with enough water and cook for 3- 4 whistles.
2. Once the pressure cooker subsided mash the toor dal with laddle and keep it aside. Wash the chow- chow, peel the skin and cut into medium- sized cubes, And also soak tamarind in warm water.
3. Heat oil in a pan add cumin seeds, once it sizzles add in the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves and chopped onions. Saute until it turns golden brown in colour.
4. Now add in the slitted green chilli, roughly- chopped tomatoes and spice powder into it. (sambar and chilli powder)
5. Saute for few mins and add in the chow- chow. Add enough water for the veggie to become soft.
6. Once the veggie is half- done, add the mashed toor dal, tamarind extract, needed salt and mix it well. Allow it to cook till the veggie turns soft. Adjust the consistency of sambar.
7. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve sambar with steamed rice, pongal or Idly.

Tips :

• Green chilli enhances the taste of sambar.
• You can either prefer onions or shallots according to your choice. (Shallots tastes good in sambar)
• Make sure not to burn fenugreek seeds while tempering, to avoid bitterness.

Serving size : 2 -3

Karuveppilai podi- Curry leaves powder

Preparation time : 15 mins
Cook time : 20 mins

Curry leaves is packed with numerous nutrients that are actually good for health. As i am not a big fan of curry leaves. whenever i see curry leaves, just pick and place it in the corner of my plate. Noting this every time my hubby insists me to have curry leaves along with rice, and tastes good as well healthy. But i never did, Having lots of curry leaves at home tried this curry leaves podi, i loved it much. Do try dis recipe even u like this variety as i did !!

Ingredients needed :

Curry leaves - 1 cup and little more (tightly packed)
Whole black pepper - 2 tsp
Cumin seeds/ Jeera - 2 tsp
Urad dal - 2 tbsp
Channa dal/ Bengal gram - 2 tbsp
Toor dal - 2 tbsp
Red chillies - 4 or as needed
Salt to taste

Method :

1. Wash curry leaves and pat it well with kitchen towel to remove excess water. Spread the washed curry leaves in a cloth for overnight or 6- 7 hours. There should not be any moisture in the curry leaves.
   
2. Dry roast urad dal, toor dal, channa dal till it turns golden brown in colour.
3. Dry roast cumin seeds and black pepper separately till u get nice aroma of it. Add red chillies and roast for few minutes.
4. Dry roast curry leaves in low flame, till it turns crisp. Do not burn it.
5. Allow it to cool. Dry grind the dals, red chillies, cumin seeds and pepper first. Then add in the roasted curry leaves and grind slightly coarse, along with salt needed.
6. Store it in a air- tight container. Stays fresh for longer.

Serve with hot- steamed rice & toppings of ghee.

Tips :

• Make sure to dry the curry leaves without any moisture.
• Oil is not required for roasting. Dry roast in medium- low flame.
• The right time to check the curry leaves whether it is done. ( leaves should break when you crush it with fingers).
• You can also sprinkle curry leaves powder, while making dosa.

Yields : 1 cup

Curd rice -Thayir saadham- Bagala bath recipe

Preparation time : 10 mins

Cook time : 15 mins

Curd rice or yogurt rice is truly a comforting food. It tastes great with pickle :-) It can be prepared instantly. Sometimes when i din't pack lunch for my hubby, i prefer curd rice for me. Every South- indian meal ends up with curd rice. Yummy !!!

Ingredients needed:-

Rice -1/2 cup
Thick curd -1 cup
Pomegranate -few (optional)
Grapes -few (optional)
Salt

For seasoning :-

Oil
cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Finely chopped ginger - 1 inch piece
Curry leaves - few
Green chillies - 2
Asafoetida - a pinch
Coriander leaves

Method:-

1. Wash rice, add 1 1/4 cup of water and pressure cook it for 4 whistle.
2. Once pressure cooker subsides transfer the rice into bowl. Add thick curd and mix it well with needed salt together.
3. Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds, mustard seeds once it sputters add curry leaves, green chillies, ginger, asafoetida and finely chopped coriander leaves. Saute it for a minute and switch off the flame. Pour it into the curd rice and combine it well.
4. Garnish with Seasonal fruits (pomegranate and grapes).

Serve curd rice with pickle or as it is !!!

Tips:-

• If you like the rice to be creamy add thick curd or else adjust the consistency of curd rice by adding some amount of water into it.
• If you pack up curd rice for lunch , then add 1/4 cup of warm milk and mix it well to avoid sourness.

Serving size:- 1-2

Rajma chawal- Kidney beans curry recipe

Preparation time : 15- 20 mins ( I din't include the soaking time )
Cook time : 40 mins

Rajma chawal is a comforting and easy dish to prepare. It is very popular and famous veg north- indian main course consisting of red kidney beans in thick gravy of onion and tomato base. Do try this recipe and let me know how it turned out !!!

Ingredients needed :

Rajma/ kidney beans - 1/3 cup
Onion - 1 (big size)
Tomato - 1
Garlic cloves - 2
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Green chilli - 1
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 - 1 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Salt - as required

For seasoning :

Oil
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Bay leaf - 1
Star anise - 1
Cloves - 2

For garnishing :

Coriander leaves

Method :

1. Soak rajma (kidney beans) over- night. Pressure cook rajma with enough water and little salt for (5-6 whistles). Drain and reserve the cooking liquor.
2. Heat oil in a pan add bay leaf, star anise, cloves and cumin seeds, once it sizzles add finely chopped onions. Saute until it turns light- brown in colour.
3. Add in the slitted green chilli, Grated garlic cloves and ginger. Saute for some more time.
4. Then add chopped tomatoes, all the spice powders (Turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala). Cook till oil separates.
5. Now add the cooked rajma along with little water and needed salt. Bring it to boil by closing the lid in medium- low flame till the gravy becomes slightly thick.
6. Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.

Serve hot with steamed rice or side- dish for chapati.

Tips :

• Pressure cook the rajma till it gets cooked well. Use the rajma cooked water in the gravy, don't waste it.
• You can either use tomato puree followed by onions.
• Make sure to cook the curry in medium- low flame until the gravy becomes thick.

Serving size : 2- 3

Corn flour halwa- Karachi halwa

Preparation time : 5 mins
Cook time : 20- 25 mins

I had lot of corn-flour left at my home. I don't know what to do with that. I stumbled upon corn-flour halwa recipe when I was googling for dishes with corn-flour as main ingredient and immediately got excited as I always wanted to prepare halwa :-):-) As it happens this is my first halwa recipe and it came out very well.

Ingredients needed :

Corn flour - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 1 and 1/2 cup
Ghee- 1- 2 tbsp
Water - 2 and 1/2 cup
Cashews - few
Orange food colour - 2 pinches

Method :

1. In a pan add tsp of ghee and roast the broken cashews till golden brown and keep it aside.
   
2. In a bowl mix corn flour with 1 and 1/2 cup of water, food colour without any lumps.
3. Grease a plate with ghee and keep it aside.
4. In a heavy bottomed pan or non- stick pan add sugar with 1 cup of water into it. Wait till the sugar dissolves completely. No need to check for one string consistency.
5. Mix the corn flour mixture with spoon and add it to the sugar syrup. Cook in medium- low flame stirring continously.
6. Add 1 tbsp of ghee in between and stir continously without forming any lumps. It gives nice glossy texture and halwa startsgetting transparent.
   
7. Add the roasted cashews into the halwa and mix well. Add the remaining ghee, once the halwa starts leaving the sides of a pan.
8. Transfer it to the greased plate. Allow it to cool down and cut into pieces.

Serve this delicious sweet to your family or friends !!!

Tips :

• I have given you a prefect measurement. No need to add more sugar(1 and 1/2 cup) is more than enough for every sweet lovers.
• Cook in medium- low flame. you have to be patience till the halwa becomes thick, glossy and leaving from the sides of pan.
• Make sure to mix the corn flour mixture well without any lumps.

Yields : 17- 20 (according to the size you cut)

Bottle- gourd kuzhambu/ Sorakkai kuzhambu

Preparation time : 10 mins
Cook time : 25 mins

Bottle-gourd kuzhambu is one of my fav, i used to prepare often at-least once a week :) This kuzhambu is most popular in my hometown. Speciality for this kuzhambu is peanut powder, it enhances the taste and perfect with hot steamed rice :):) Mixed combination of sourness and flavor of peanut would be great !! Do try this recipe and let me know how it turned out and even you guys will start to prepare as often as i do :):):)

Ingredients needed :

Bottle- gourd/ sorakkai - 1 1/2 cup
Onion - 2 (medium size)
Tomato - 1
Garlic cloves - 4-5 Crushed
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Tamarind - Small bit or(a pea- sized)
Peanut/ ground-nut powder - 2 to 3 tsp(optional)
Salt

For seasoning :

Oil
Mustard seeds
Curry leaves - few

For garnishing :

Coriander leaves

Method :

1. Wash bottle-gourd/ sorakkai, remove the seeds and cut into pieces.
2. Soak tamarind in warm water, extract the juice and keep it aside.
3. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds once it sputters, add curry leaves, chopped onion, crushed garlic cloves and saute till it turns light- brown in colour.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes, all the spices (turmeric, chilli powder and garam masala powder). Saute till the tomatoes become mushy and spices combine well into the mixture .
5. Add in the bottle- gourd, give a good stir and add enough water with needed salt. Once the veggie is half- done pour in the tamarind juice. Allow it to boil in medium- low flame.
6. Once the bottle- gourd is cooked, add the peanut powder. Simmer the flame for another 5 more minutes.
7. Gravy becomes slightly thick and switch off the flame .
8. Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves .

Serve with Hot- steamed rice.

How to prepare peanut powder ??

Dry roast the peanut. Once it cools remove its skin and grind the peanut coarsely in a blender. You can preserve it in a air- tight container and use whenever it is necessary.

Tips :

• You can chop the bottle- gourd either without or with skin ( based on your preference). 
• I have used with skin, as it is crunchy and tastes good.
• If you like sourness, feel free to add some more tamarind. I have used only little for flavor.
• You can adjust adding the peanut powder according to your taste. If you do not like the flavor of peanut, can neglect it. Its totally an optional one.
• Peanut powder thickens the gravy. Make sure to grind  peanut coarsely as it gives nice crunchy taste for every bite.
• You can also try this recipe either with ridge- gourd or  brinjal( I rarely prefer brinjal ).

Serving size : 3

Beetroot halwa

Preparation time : 15 mins

Cook time : 25- 30 mins

Beet-root Halwa is the first sweet I ever tried. If I remember correctly, I prepared this dish during my childhood itself, So it has a place in my heart :-):-) Easy to prepare and tastes great. Sometimes i prepare, whenever I feel that Beetroot is going to be spoiled in my fridge !!! Even those who hate beetroots will love this delicious halwa :)

Ingredients needed :

Grated beetroot - 2 cups
Milk - 1 1/2 cup
Sugar - 1/3 cup (or as required)
Cardamom powder - a pinch
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Cashews - few
Raisins - few

Method :

1. Wash beetroot and peel off the skin and grate them, set aside. 
   
2. Heat ghee in a pan roast cashews and raisins till it turns golden brown and keep it aside.
3. In the same pan add the grated beetroot, saute in medium flame till the raw flavor of beetroot goes completely and it shrinks in volume.
4. Add boiled milk, sugar and allow it to boil till the beetroot becomes soft and all the milk evaporates.
5. Add the cardamom powder, mix it well and garnish with roasted cashews and raisins.

Serve it hot or chill, according to your preferences !!

Tips :

• Saute the beetroot, until raw flavor goes completely before adding the milk.
• You can add a tbsp of sweetened koya for more richness.
• Adjust sweetness according to your preference. You can check the sugar level after a while adding milk and sugar.
• I tried of adding 1:1 ratio of beetroot and milk. But it takes little longer time to evaporate, and the quantity of milk is high for this ratio.
• Usually i wont add the milk by measuring. I just add the milk till the beetroot gets immersed. This level is perfect.
• You can try this recipe with carrot too.

Serving size : 2- 3