406: Arisi Kurunai Kozhukattai/Steamed Rice Dumplings

This is one of the classics from South India. Healthy and a very filling steamed rice dumplings. It tastes like Uppuma but it is healthier since we use less oil and it is steamed.

Ingredients

Rice Rava                               1 ½ cups (Coarsely ground Rice)

Water                                   3 – 4 cups

Grated coconut                     1 Tbsp.

Salt                                       To Taste

For Seasoning

 Coconut oil                             1 Tsp

Mustard seeds                      1 Tsp

Grated ginger                        1 Tbsp

Chopped green chilies           1 Tbsp.

Chopped curry leaves            1 Tbsp.

Chenna dhal                            1 Tsp.

Urdh dhal                                1 Tsp.

Asafetida powder (hing)        ½ Tsp.

Method:

For Rice Rava Preparation

•  Wash and soak the raw rice for 30 minutes. Drain the water and spread it on a muslin cloth and allow it to air dry until it is only slightly moist. Grind it coarsely like rava.  Keep aside.

For Kozhukattai Preparation

• Heat oil in a pan and add mustard, when it splutters, add all other seasonings and sauté for few minutes.
•  Now add water into it. Once it starts boiling, add the ground rice and grated coconut while stirring it constantly.
• Now add the salt and Cook till it becomes thick and leaves the side of the pan. Cool it.

• Make oval shape balls from the cooked mixture.
• Prepare the idli plates by greasing them with oil. Place the oval shape rice balls in the idli plate and steam cook for 10 minutes.

• Turn off the stove heat and let it allow cooling for 3 minutes.
• Serve hot with chutneys, Gothsu, Sambhar

405: Vazhathandu Pachadi/ Banana Stem Raita

The banana tree is one of those few species where each part is used in some way or the other, be it the leaves which are used for eating food, the fruit which is eaten in the raw or ripe form, or the flower or stem which is also consumed.

The stem is cooked in various ways in South Indian cuisine Dishes such as vazhaithandu usli (dry cooked banana stem with lentils), vazhaithandu kootu (banana stem cooked with lentils), vazahaithandu poriyal (banana stem tempered and garnished with coconut) are popular in Tamil Nadu.

Health Benefits of Banana stems are:

• Helps detoxify the body
• Rich source of fiber and helps in weight loss.
• Vitamin B6 helps in production of hemoglobin and insulin.
• The Banana Stem juice also relieves ulcers, burning sensation and acidity.

 Yesterday my SIL Nalini gave me a tender banana stem to me .  Next day itself I made this vazhathandu pachadi and vazhathandu Thuvaran. Here the challenge is to prepare the vegetable for cooking! Cutting the banana stem  is a real task! And really time consuming. I prefer to keep it prepared  previously.

Ingredients:

 Banana Stem        -      6 inch

 Green Chilies                2 no.

Grated Ginger               1 Tbsp.

Thick Plain Curd             1 cup.

Salt                               to taste.

Coriander leaves            few

For Tadka

Oil                                ½ Tsp.

Mustard seeds               ½ Tsp.

Hing powder                  a pinch

Red chilies                     1 no.

  

Ingredients:

• Wash and discard the outer cover of banana stem and take the inner part only.
• Cut the stem into thin rounds and remove the excess thread. Then chop the round stems into small pieces and put it in buttermilk water.
• Drain the water. Steam the chopped  banana stem pieces in microwave for 3 minutes.
• Finely chop the green chilies. Put the cooked banana stem in a bowl and add salt, green chillies and grated ginger. Mix it well.
• Beat the curd  well and add it to the banana stem and mix it well.
• Heat the oil in kadai and add all seasonings and fry it for a minute and add to the banana stem pachadi. Let it soak  for 30 minutes before serving.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.
• Serve it cool with steam rice. Enjoy!

404: Pavakkai Kichadi/ Bitter gourd in Yogurt sauce

Pavakkai Kichadi is a traditional Kerala dish made using fried bitter gourd and yogurt.

Recipe Type:  Side dish, Kerala Onam & Vishu Sadya Recipes

Cuisine:         Kerala, South Indian

Ingredients:

Finely chopped Bitter gourd       1 cup

Thick Plain Yogurt/Curd             1 cup

Grated ginger                            1 Tbsp.

Mustard seeds                           ½ Tsp.

Finely chopped Green chilies      3 no.

Grated coconut                          2 Tbsp.

Coriander leaves                        1 Tbsp.  

Oil                                              for deep frying

For Seasoning

Coconut oil                                  1 Tsp.

Mustard seeds                             ¼ Tsp.

Red chili                                      1 no.

Hing                                            1/8 Tsp.

Curry leaves                               1 String.

    

Method:

• Fry the Pavakkai / Bitter gourd, Green Chilly and Curry leaves till it is brown and crisp. When it’s almost brown take it off from the oil and keep aside.
• Grind grated coconut, ginger and mustard seeds to a fine paste. Mix the curd to this paste. Add Fried items into curd.  Add salt and mix it well.
• Heat coconut oil, splutter mustard seeds, curry leaves ,red chilies and hing. Add the seasoning to the curd mix.  Decorate with coriander leaves.
• Now Pavakkai kichadi is ready to serve.
• Serve with steam plain rice.