Tomato gravy with fried bengal gram dhal flour/ thakkali gravy with pottukadalai maavu

 

If you are searching for a tasty alternative to potato curry for pooris here it is. My mom taught me this and my periyamma taught my mom :). This gravy is very good for diabetic people and people who would love to avoid potato because of its high carb content. Whenever I tell mom that I am making pooris she will start appreciating this gravy and her sisters cooking. So after few such episodes I decided to taste this tomato gravy which my mom is in all praise for. I should accept that what she told is very correct. Definitely it is better than the usual potato curry. Because of the addition of pottukadalai maavu, it is also high in protein content and has very low carb content. You will definitely gulp in a few more pooris or chappathis if you make this side-dish, so be careful :). It is very, very simple and easy to prepare.

Ingredients :

Tomato- 2 nos (big, firm, ripe ones)

Onion- 1 no

Fried bengal gram dhal (potukadalai)- 1 cup ( fry this and ground them to a powder)

Fried bengal gram dhal powder (pottukadalai maavu)- 4 tbspns 

Red chilli powder- 1 1/2 tspn

Turmeric powder- a pinch

Green chillies- 3 nos (mince them) 

Curry leaves- 10 leaflets

Mustard, jeera and urid dhal- 1/2 tspn (for tempering) 

Salt to taste

Oil- 3 tbspns

Method :

First fry the pottukadalai until it acquires a light brown colour and gring them to a smooth powder. Heat oil in a pan.  Add urid dhal, when it turns brown add mustard and jeera seeds. When it splutters add the cut onions, minced green chillies, curry leaves and turmeric powder. Add enough salt to taste. Saute the mixture until onions turn translucent. Then add the cut tomatoes. Saute well until they turn soft. Now add pottukadalai maavu  (fried bengal gram dhal flour, which you have ground already) and chilli powder. Mix well and add 1 cup of water. Let it boil. Since you have added the fired bengal gram dhal flour the mixture thickens very fast. Simmer for 2 or 3 minutes and remove from fire. Very tasty side-dish for poori or chappathi will be ready. 

Taste enhancing tips for this recipe :  Adjust the fried gram dhal flour (pottu kadalai maavu) according to the amount of gravy you need. Store the remaining pottukadalai maavu in an air-tight container. If you  like you can also add a teaspoon of garam masala at the end of preparation. Happy cooking !!! and have a beautiful week ahead!!!

A simple, healthy snack with fried bengal gram / garbanzo beans

When I am really in need of a quick, heart-warming and a real hot snack I make it. It's one of my comfort food. I beleive every comfort food carries with it many fond remembrances of our childhood. For me it reminds me of the cold, rainy days in madurai and my dad. When it starts raining my dad would ask me whether we can make this snack. Takes a minute to prepare and makes you very warm and cozy during a cold, rainy season. After I prepare it me and my dad will be have it, sitting near the door of our kitchen, watching the rain outside and having a hearty conversation. Wonderful days they are!!!

The recipe is very easy. Take two hand fulls of fried garbanzo beans. To that add finely crushed dry red chilli (amount depends on how hot you would like to have it. For me I would add 3 crushed long,dry red chillies. If you need it less spicy perhaps one is enough), 1/4 tspn of cumin seeds, 1/2 onion cut into bite sized pieces, 1or 2 tspns of seasame oil (you can instead use virgin olive oil) and 1/4 tspn of salt. Mix everything well. Smell this mixture it smells divine!! Now it is ready to eat. This quick recipe I learned from my dad. Probably it's from my grandma (dad's mom). It's a snack  prepared in those days in villages because it's cheaper and at the same time healthier.

Bengal gram or garbazo beans is a very good source of protein. Cumin seeds have many medicinal properties and extremely good for digestive disorders. Onion have potent anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Red chillies have high vitamin C and carotene content. They contain a compound called capsacin which acts as an anti-analgesic. Capsacin also has anti-coagulant properties and it increses our blood circulation. And if I could say one more good thing about red chillies :), they increases your endorphin levels and will actually make you feel happy. Seasame oil or olive oil is a source of healthy fat.

Is there a better snack to eat on a rainy, cold day?? Our ancestors are very intelligent ofcourse!!! Happy cooking friends!! Have a beautiful week-end!