Have a happy week end friends !!!

Meen kuzhambu / Fish pulusu / Fish in tamarind gravy

 

Meen kuzhambu needs no introduction. Most NV eating people simply love it. I remember Sivaji's Mudhal mariyathai movie whenever I make this tasty dish. He acted so nicely, even people who doesn't like meen kuzhambu will be tempted to try it.  Such a great actor !!! If you get a good variety fish then meen kuzhambu has no equals. In villages, people make this dish in an earthenware. Fish cooked in an eathenware has a rich native taste. Meen kuzhambu when consumed on the next day of preparation is the tastiest.

Fish is a good source of protein. Fishes are also rich in omega-3, a healthy fatty acid. Omega-3 fattyacids are heart healthy. Research has proved that they reduce triglycerides and lower blood pressure. They are also shown to reduce the risk of arrhythmias which can cause sudden death and moreover if you enjoy this super tasty gravy you will feel happy :)

Many different fishes are used in cooking. Here in Germany, we get only a few varieties. I have used salmon fish and as you can see in picture they remove the skin and bones completely for such large fishes. Indian variety fishes are the tastiest and fishes taste better with their skin and bones intact :)

Ingredients :

Fish (any fish you like and you are comfortable with )- 250 gms

Tamarind- one lime- sized ball

Onion (shallots are the best)- 1 no or 15 shallots

Tomato- 1 no

Curry leaves- lots :) some 40 leaflets or so

Garlic- 6 pods

Green-chillies- 4 nos

Coriander powder- 2 tbspns

Chilli powder- 3 tspns

Turmeric powder- a pinch

Mustard and jeera seeds- 1 tspn

Fenugreek seeds (methi)- 1/2 tspn

Oil- 4 tbspns (seasame oil is the best)

Salt to taste

Method :

Soak the tamarind in warm water and extract the juice. Cut onions and tomatoes. Slit the green chillies. Clean the fish and make pieces out of it. If you buy a fish with skin intact it is essential to remove the scales with a knife. Heat oil in a pan. When it gets heated add fenugreek,  mustard and jeera seeds and allow them to splutter. Now add the onions, green chillies, curry leaves, garlic pods and a pinch of turmeric powder. Saute well until the onions turn translucent. To this mixture add enough salt and cut tomato pieces. Saute well until the tomato pieces turn soft. Add coriander powder and chilli powder at this stage and mix well. Suate for a few seconds until the raw smell of coriander powder disappears. Now add tamarind juice and enough water to dilute the mixture and allow it to boil. Then simmer the mixture for sometime until the consistency of the gravy is good enough (not too thin, not too thick). Now at this stage add the fish pieces and simmer for another 5 minutes ar until oil seperates out. A very yummy fish pulusu will be ready. Serve with hot rice.

Taste enhancing tips for this recipe : A good variety fish is very important. If you press the fish with your hand the flesh should be very firm and the gill region should be nice pink in colour. If the fish doesn't meet the above criteria it will break into small pieces when you drop them in gravy. Adjust the chilli and salt level according to the sourness of the tamarind. Use shallots and seasame oil if possible. Be lenient when you use oil. Try making it in an earthenware. Use lots of curry leaves. Wait for a day before using the fish kuzhambu, it really makes a lot of difference. Happy cooking !!!

Kovakkai oorugai / Dondakaya pachadi / Tindora or Indian ivy-gourd pickle

 

One more invention in my culinary journey :). It all started just yesterday.  I was looking in the fridge and found few kovakkai. They were very less for making a dish. I donno what to do with them. Then I thought of pickling them. I am seeing many of my blogger friends preparing nice pickles and I wanted to make one too. Kovakkai is very crispy, delicious to eat even when it is raw and it doesn't have any strong smell or taste. The only thing it lacks for making a delicious pickle is the sour taste. But it doesn't matter because lemon juice could do the magic. Thus started the idea of pickling kovakkai and you won't beleive, it turned out to be a very yummy and crispy pickle.  I have finished half of the pickle just by eating them like a salad. 

The crispiness of kovakkai is the highlight of this pickle. Even raw mango looses its crispiness when pickled but kovakkai remained very crispy and fresh in the lemon juice, mustard-fenugreek powder gravy. Friends, do try it. You will definitely love it. The preparation is also very, very easy. The below picture is taken immediately after making the pickle and the second picture is taken today morning. You can see that the kovakkai have shrunken in size and totally immersed in the gravy.

 

Ingredients :

Kovakkai / Tindora- 12 nos

Mustard- 1 tspn

Fenugreek seeds- 1/4 tspn

Lemon- 2 nos (medium sized)

Garlic- 5 pods (thinly sliced)

Green chillies- 4 nos (slit longitudinally)

Chilli powder- 1 tbspn ( or as per your taste)

Turmeric powder- a pinch

Asafoetida powder- few pinches

Mustard seeds- 1/2 tspn

Curry leaves- 10 leaflets

Oil- 4 tbsons

Salt to taste

Method :

Cut kovakkai as shown in picture. Slice the garlic pods. Squeeze the lemons and take out the juice. Fry mustard and fenugreek seeds in a pan until the fenugreek turns brown in colour. Now dry grind the fried mustard and fenugreek into a coarse powder. Heat oil in a pan. When the oil gets heated add mustard seeds. When they splutter add the curry leaves and garlic pieces. Saute well until the garlic browns. Now switch off the stove and to the hot oil add chilli powder, mustard-fenugreek powder, turmeric and asafoetida powder. Saute for a few seconds. Take care not to burn them. In the mean time add the squeezed lemon juice and enough salt to the kovakkai and slit green chilli pieces. Now transfer the entire hot temepered mixture to the bowl containing kovakkai. A very tasty pickle which goes very well with curd rice will be ready.

Taste enhancing tips for this recipe : Select only the kovakkai which are very firm and crispy. When tempering take care not to burn any ingredient. Wait for a day (if you can) before using the pickle. I have used only 12 kovakkai. If you use more adjust the ingredients according to your requirement.  Use green chillies along with kovakkai for that nice, green chilli smell. Green chilli adds a lot of flavour. Salt, oil and chilli powder should be used leniently to keep them preserved. I think they will stay  for a few weeks if you keep them refrigerated. Happy cooking !!!

Vendakkai, verkadalai varuval / Bendakaya, palli vepudu / Okra or ladies finger stir fry with groundnut kernels

 

My husband's favourite vegetable. Groundnut is also his favourite. If I serve them together he just loves it. This dish is inspired by a ladies finger and groundnut deep fry recipe which my in-laws prepare often. (I will share that recipe later). That dish tastes awesome and is served in wedding  parties or other grand functions. I like  that dish but I feel guilty to deep fry this green, beautiful veggie. I love the rich green colour of vendakkai. When I got these fresh looking ladies finger I asked Rajender what to do with it. He asked for that deep fried dish but I wanted to try this healthy version. This turned out to be very good. If you love ladies finger and groundnut you will definitely enjoy this dish.

 

Ingredients :

Ladies finger- 1/2 kg

Groundnut- a handful or as much as you wish

Onion- 1 no

Green chillies- 5 nos

Curry leaves- handfull

Mustard and jeera seeds- 1 tspn

Jeera powder- 1 tspn

Oil- 3 tbspns

Salt to taste

Method :

Wash and wipe the ladies finger well. Now cut them into small pieces as shown in picture. Cut onions and green chillies into small pieces. Heat oil in a pan. When the oil gets heated add mustard and jeera seeds. When they splutter add the onion pieces, green chillies, curry leaves, enough salt and groundnut kernels. Saute well until the onions turn translucent. Now add the okra pieces and saute on low flame. Before removing from fire add jeera powder and mix well. Remove from fire when the okra is cooked. This tasty, healthy stir-fry is a great accompaniment for rice and chappathi.

Taste enhancing tips for this recipe : The main thing is to retain the real taste of okra. Do not overfry them. Let them retain their original colour and flavour. Use small groundnut kernels for better taste. Here I don't get them. If you like you can add chilli powder too instead of green chillies. If you like the groundnut to be crispy deep fry them in oil and add to the ladies finger at the end of preparation. Happy cooking !!!

Dondakaya vepudu / kovakkai varuval / Tindora or Indian Ivy-gourd stir-fry

 

 

Rajender prepares this dish wonderfully. Only after marriage I got to taste kovakkai (raw tindora). When I am young I used to eat kovapazham (ripe tindora) which grew near our home. The colour of the fruit is so attractive children will immediately love them. The tindora fruit is also a favourite of parakeets. In tamil literature, tindora fruit colour is compared to the lip colour of women :D.

A dish with raw kovakkai is very new to me and I loved watching Rajender prepare it. He made it so well this veggie immediately became my favourite. When my mom and her sister came here, Rajender prepared this for them too. My amma and periyamma were all in praise for this dish.

The scientific name for Indian ivy gourd is  Coccinia grandis. Young leaves, long slender stem tops,  raw and ripe fruits of this plant are consumed in many parts of  Asia. The root and leaf extract of this plant are used in the treatment of diabetes due to their hypoglycemic properties When I write this I remember what Rajender tells me when I eat the raw ivy gourd '' do not eat it you will get 'mathi marapu' ''. 'Mathi marapu' means disturbances in your memory. Now  I understand the reason behind it. If you become hypoglycemic naturally your memory power goes off  :). The fruit is a very rich source of many micronutrients including vitamin A and C.  Like any other vegetable this tindora is also rich in fiber.

 

Ingredients :

Kovakkai / Timdora / Ivy gourd- 1/4 kg

Onion- 1 no

Green chillies- 4 nos

Curry leaves- handful

Channa dhal and urid dhal- 1/2 tspn

Mustard, jeera seeds- 1/2 tspn

Chilli powder- 1/2 tspn 

Turmeric powder- a pinch

Oil- 2tbspns

Salt to taste

Method :

Wash and make thin slices of kovakkai as shown in picture. Cut onions and green chillies into small pieces. Take oil in a pan. When the oil gets heated add channa dhal and urid dhal. When they become brown and emit a nice aroma add mustrd and jeera seeds. After they splutter add onions, green chillies, curry leaves, a pinch of turmeric and salt to taste. Saute well until the onions turn translucent. Now add the thinly sliced kovakkai pieces. Simmer the flame and saute the entire mixture on a low flame. Constantly stir the mixture.  Add the red chilli powder prior to removing them from fire. Remove from fire when kovakkai browns a bit and turns crispy. A very delicious stir-fry will be ready to be savoured. This dish makes an excellent companion for chappathis or for hot rice.

Taste enhancing tips for this recipe : If you need a crispy fry make thin slices. Use only the raw ivy gourds. Discard them if they have a reddish tinge inside. When you slice them they must have a firm texture. Curry leaves add lots of flavour to this dish. If you like you can also add thinly sliced garlic when sauting onions. Happy cooking !!!

Godhumai, kezhvaragu dosai / Whole wheat and ragi dosa

 

This is an easy to make dosai and tastes very yummy with coconut chutney. I make it with whole wheat flour and ragi. Whole wheat flour is very rich in protein and fiber. It is also a rich source of calcium, iron and selenium. Ragi or finger millet is also rich in fiber and an excellent source of amino acid methionine. It is also high in Iron and calcium. Both ragi and wheat are very good for young children and for everyone else too. Here comes the recipe for this very tasty and healthy dosa :

 

Ingredients :

Wheat flour- 1 cup

Ragi flour- 1 cup

Onion- 1 no (medium sized)

Green chillies- 4 nos

Cumin seeds- 1 tspn

Asafoetida- few pinches

Curry leaves- 10 leaflets (minced finely)

Oil for frying

Salt to taste

Method :

Cut onions and green chillies into small pieces. Mix wheat and ragi flour in a bowl. Add  onions, green chillies, minced curry leaves, cumin seeds, asafoetida powder and salt to the flour mixture. Now mix everything well with your hand and add enogh water to get a dosa batter consistency. You can immediately make dosa with this batter. Take a laddle full of batter and spread it well on a heated pan. Apply  a teaspoonfull of oil along the sides of the dosa. When one side of the dosa is cooked turn to the other side and cook until done. Serve with coconut chutney.

Taste enhancing tips for this recipe : Use only whole wheat flour. That makes all the difference. I get a good whole wheat flour here in Germany. Even our Indian brand atta (Pillsbury) is not good. I feel they are more like maida and you need a real whole wheat flour for getting that rich taste and wholesome feeling. Do not try to make the dosa too thin. Make it a bit thick. Thats how I make and I love that soft texture  of this dosa.  Happy cooking !!!

Have a beautiful weekend !!!

Kodi pulusu / Chicken gravy

 

The first time I tasted this chicken dish made by my mom-in-law, I immediately fell in love with it. Have you ever prepared chicken without onions?. In this preparation there is no onion, no tomato and no masala items like cloves, cinnamon or cardamom. A very simple way of preparing and it is very, very tasty too.  Give it a try, perhaphs you might also like it.

Ingredients :

Chicken- 1/2 kg

Ginger- 1 inch piece

Garlic- 10 pods

Coriander powder- 2 tbspns

Red chilli powder- 3 tspns (adjust according to your taste)

Turmeric powder- a pinch

Jeera seeds- 1 tspn

Coconut scrappings- 2 tbspns

Oil- 4 tbspns

Salt to taste

Method :

Clean and cut chicken into small pieces. Make a paste of ginger and garlic. Heat oil in a pan. When the oil becomes hot add jeera seeds. When they splutter add half of the ground ginger, garlic paste,  turmeric powder, chicken pieces and enough salt. Saute the mixture well until the flesh of chicken pieces turn white in colour. Now add the remaining ginger, garlic paste, coriander powder and chilli powder. Add half-a-cup of water. Now bring the mixture to boil and simmer it for another 10 minutes or until the chicken is done and the raw smell of the masala disappears. Before removing from fire garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with hot rice, lemon wedges and few raw onion slices.

Taste enhancing tips for this recipe : This recipe needs more oil than usual. If you cannot make dishes with more oil then it is better not to prepare this dish. Make it spicier. You cannot expect much gravy from this preparation. If you need more gravy then you have to add onions and tomato  but it definitely compromises the taste. You can add a teaspoon of garam masala (your choice) at the end of preparation. Happy cooking !!!

Pachai karamani poriyal / Achinga payaru thoran / Yard long beans stir fry

   

Another beans recipe!! I am fond of this long, green veggie too. This is called as achinga payaru in malayalam and in tamil they call it as karamani. I have never seen this in Madurai. But after coming to Germany I saw them in a grocery shop and explained its physical characteristics to my mom. She only told me that this is achinga payaru and gave me a recipe to prepare it. They taste very yummy and full of nutrients too. Try it you will love it.

It is called as yard long bean, asparagus bean, snake bean or chinese long bean in English. Its scientific name is Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis. As all beans they are rich in fiber. They are also a good source of protein, vitamin A, thiamin, Iron, riboflavin, phosphorous, vitamin c, calcium and pottasium.

 

Ingredients :

Yard long beans- 1/2 kg

Onion - 1no or 10 shallots

Green chillies- 3 nos

Curry leaves- 10 leaflets

Coconut scrappings- 2 tbspns

Jeera powder- 1 tspn

Red chilli powder- 1 tspn

White seasame seeds- 2 tspns

Mustard, jeera and channa dhal- 1 tspn (for tempering)

Oil- 2 tbspns

Salt to taste

Method :

Cut beans into pieces as shown in picture. Cut onions and green chillies into small pieces. Heat oil in a pan. Add channa dhal, when it browns add seasame, mustard and jeera seeds. When they splutter add onions, green chillies, curry leaves and turmeric powder. Fry until the onions turn translucent. Now add the cut beans pieces and a handful of water. Fry well on low flame until the beans are cooked. Now add the coconut scrappings, jeera, redchilli powder and salt to taste. Mix everything well. Saute for another 3 minutes on a low flame and remove from fire. Tasty beans fry is ready which goes very well with chappathi and with hot rice.

Taste enhancing tips for this recipe : Make sure you do not overcook them. The beans should retain their colour and their crunchiness. Adding white seasame seeds imparts a very unique taste to this dish. Coconut scrappins give that extra aroma and rcih taste. Happy cooking !!!

Mullangi sambhar / Radish sambhar

Sambhar is very versatile. You can use almost any vegetable to make this wonderful dish . It brings out the real taste and flavour of the vegetable without overpowering it. Eventhough any sambhar is a sambhar (:D) you can't find many similarity in taste between drumstick sambhar and radish sambhar. Sambhar acquires its taste depending on the vegetable used.

Radish sambhar is loved by many. My dad is a great fan of this humble vegetable. Sometimes I think radish is born to pair with sambhar. They make a wonderful combo !!! I hardly could love radish this much in any other form.

I brought a bunch of fresh radish from farmers market. They looked so lovely. I rarely find such small, tender ones here. Most radishes available in grocery stores are almost a feet tall. They are so big and so tall, I normally do not feel like buying them at all. Even if I buy them what will I do with such a big one? They do not taste good too. These small radishes were sooooo tasty I finished half of them when cutting itself.

Scientific name of radish is Raphanus sativus. Radish is a root vegetable and it is a rich source of fiber, vitamin C, folic acid,  pottasium and magnesium. They are considered to be very good for constipation, gall stones, kidney stones and even for cancer. Here comes the sambhar recipe :

Ingredients :

Toor dhal- 1 cup

Radish- 4 nos

Onion-1 no

Green chillies- 2 nos

Tamarind- size of a small lemon

MTR sambhar powder- 1 tbspn

                  or

Coriander powder - 1 tbspn

and Chilli powder- 1 tspn

Turmeric powder- a pinch

Asafoetida powder- a pinch

Fenugreek seeds- 1/2 tspn

Jeera and mustard seeds- 1 tspn (for tempering)

Coconut scrapping (fresh or dry)- 1 tbspn

Curry leaves- a handful

Coriander leaves- few strands (minced finely)

Oil- 3 tbspns

Salt to taste

Method :

Cut radish as shown in picture. Wash and cook toor dhal with a pinch of turmeric, asafoetida and with a few drops of oil until it turns soft. Soak the tamarind and extract its juice. Mince onions and slit green chillies into two. Heat oil in a pan. When it gets heated add fenugreek seeds. Saute until it turns brown and emits a nice aroma. Now add mustard and jeera seeds. When they splutter add onions, green chillies and curry leaves. Saute until the onions turn translucent. Add cut radish pieces and saute for a minute. Now add sambhar powder or coriander and chilli powder. Fry for a minute, add tamarind juice and enough water. Bring it to a boil and simmer the mixture until radish pieces are cooked. Now add the cooked dhal and simmer for another five minutes. Add salt to taste and garnish with minced coriander leaves and coconut scrappings at the end of preparation. A very tasty sambhar will be ready. Serve with hot rice and a suitable side-dish.

Taste enhancing tips for this recipe : Consistency of the dhal is important for a good sambar. Do not overcook the dhal and make it into a paste. Smabhar  should not be too thick. It must be on the watery side and do not overcrowd sambhar with vegetables. When you make radish sambhar it is wise to avoid any other vegetable. I never add coriander to any other sambhar but adding coriander to radish sambhar gives it a nice flavour without overpowering the radish smell. Happy cooking !!!