9 AMARANTH LEAVES STIR FRY

Amaranth or Amaranthus Stir Fry / Dhantu Keerai Poriyal/ Thota Kura Vepudu / Dhantu Soppina Palya 

Amaranth leaves are one of the commonest available greens in any vegetable shops in India.  It is very common to consume  a variety of greens daily back home. Every day very early in the morning we can see vendors selling different varieties of greens in carts or some of them in baskets on their heads shouting to buy some.  After moving here , I missed all the greens and only from few years started to get few varieties and whenever I find this bunch I first take them in my cart. This leaves are very easy to clean and also no need to throw away the stem. They also can be used as stir fry or add them in kootu’s, sambar or soups.

Amaranth Leaves – 1 big bunch

Onion – 1 chopped fine or shallots – few sliced

Garlic – 4 or 5 cloves

Red chillies – 4 or 5 broken

Mustard seeds – very little

Urad dal – very little

Curry leaves – few

Grated coconut – 2 tbsp

Salt

Oil – very little

Clean, wasd and pat the leaves. Next chop them.

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves. When they splutter add red chillies and garlic. Saute for few seconds and  add onion. Fry till onions are transculent and add chopped greens. Reduce heat and stir in now and then till leaves are shrunk and cooked. Add salt and mix in grated coconut. Serve as a side with rice or with roti’s.

Sending this to Let’s Brunch on Sunday event hosted by Priya and Veena 

 

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14 VANKAYA PACHADI

Katharikkai/Brinjal/Badhanekayi/Vankaya Pachadi 

 

Brinjal - 5 or 6 medium size 

Tamarind - Half lemon size 

Sambar Powder  or Pulusu Powder - 1 tbsp 

Jaggery - 1 tbsp 

Salt as needed 

Onion - 1 small red onion or Pearl/small onion(shallots) - 6 or 7 sliced 

Grated coconut - 2 or 3 tbsp 

Curry leaves - few 

Mustard seeds - few 

Urad dhal - few 

Gingelly oil - 3 tsp 

 

There are lot of versions of pachadi and this pachadi is very different and very common in my house/native served with rice. The preparation is very easy and the taste of brinjal cooked with tamarind pulp and jaggery is really good.

Wash and cut brinjal into cubes. Best brinjal that goes well for this pachadi are the white varieties known as Thai Brinjal here. The other one is the mullu(thorned) brinjal, that has small thorns on it. Take the brinjal in a vessel. Add tamarind pulp(soak the tamarind in water for 30 minutes and squeeze out water a dilute one with about 2 cups of water). Also add salt and the powder. Cook till it is soft but not mushy. Also add jaggery. Once done remove and keep aside. 

Place a kadai/frying pan and heat oil. Add mustard seeds, urad dhal, curry leaves. Wait for few seconds and add onion(best taste will be given by small onions). Fry till nice brown and add the cooked brinjal. Check for salt and add more if needed. Finally add the grated coconut and mix well. Remove and serve with rice. Will also taste good with chapathi/roti's. 

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27 YELLOW PUMPKIN PORIYAL (STIR FRY)

Yellow pumpkin Poriyal (Stir Fry)

Pumpkin/ Poosanikai/ Gummidikaaya/ Kumbalakaayi.

A perfect side dish using yellow pumpkin right for this season. Goes well with rice and or roti's.

Yellow pumpkin - 1 lb
Onion - 1 small chopped fine or shallots - 6 -8 roughly chopped
Red chillies - 4 broken
Curry leaves - few
Mustard and urad dhal - very little
Grated coconut - 3 tbsp
Salt as needed
Oil - 1 tbsp


Clean and cut pumpkin into medium cubes. Cook separetly with little water and salt until soft but not mushy.


Heat oil and add mustard seeds, urad dhal and curry leaves. Wait till they pop and add onion and redc hillies. Fry till onions are nice brown. You can also skip the use of onion. Just add chillies and immediately add the cooked pumpkin. Stir well and add salt and grated coconut.


Serve as a side dish with rice and any gravy.

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27 DRUMSTICK LEAVES PORIYAL (STIR FRY)

Drumstick leaves/ Moringa ila / Muringai ilai/ Nugge Soppu / Munakkaakku / sahjan


Drumstick leaves are highly nutritious, being a significant source Vitamin C, protien, Iron and Potassium. This leaves are bitter in taste, but they are very nutritious. Can be made as a stir fry or can also be added in dhals, adai/rotti and other dishes. Cleaning and removing the leaves is a tedious job, but once done the it can be cooked very easily.

Usually these leaves are sold in bunches and the perfect way to remove the leaves is to tie them in a wet cloth and leave it aside for few hours. Later just shake the bunch so that some extra leaves fall out inside, now open and remove the remaining by plucking.
Wash and clean the leaves, no need to chop the leaves.


Drumstick leaves - 1 bunch
Shallots - around 8(roughly chopped) or 1 medium red onion - chopped
Chillies - 4 ( can use red or green)
Mustard seeds - very little
Urad dhal - very little
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Salt as needed
Oil - 1 - 2 tbsp
Grated coconut - 3 - 4 tbsp


Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, urad dhal and curry leaves. Wait till they pop out and add chopped onions and chillies. Fry till nice brown. Next add drumstick leaves. Reduce flame and keep stirring now and then till they are cooked. Can also cover with a lid and keep checking now and then. Add salt in between and finally add grated coconut and give a stir. Enjoy it as a side dish with rice and some gravy.

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33 SMALL / BABY BITTERGOURD FRY

Small / Baby Bittergourd Fry( Kakarakaaya/ Pavakkai/ Karela/)


Baby bittergourd - 1 lb (1/2 kg)
Onion - 1 large chopped
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp
Salt as needed
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Chilli and coriander powder - 1 tbsp each or sambar powder - 2 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Oil - 1 tbsp


Wash and soak bittergourd with salt and little tuermic powder for 20 - 30 minutes. Later drain and squeeze out water. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, urad dhal, curry leaves. wait till the pop put and add chopped onions. Fry till nice brown. Add the baby bittergourds and fry in the oil. Keep the flame low. Add the powders and mix well. Cover the pan with a lid and allow it to cook till salt... keep checking between it gets dry. Then sprinkle little water and cook till done. Can also try this in a pressure pan... fry and close the lid without putting the whistle on and cook for about 10 mts.


Goes well with rice sambar and or any curries.


Sending this to Nithu's Vegetable Marathon - Bittergourd an event started by Silpa.

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50 CARROT AND BEANS PORIYAL

Carrot Green Beans Poriyal/Stir fry


Green Beans - chopped 1 cup
Carrot - chopped 1 cup
Onion - 1 medium
Chilli powder/corinader powder/cumin powder combined - 1 - 1 1/2 tbsp or sambar powder
Salt as needed
Coconut grated - 2 - 3 tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp(optional)
Curry leaves - few


One of the simplest and colorful side dish which goes well with rice and or chapathis.

I have used baby carrots here instead of regular carrots. As we get nice small rounds and also they taste really good as they are really tender and sweet.

Take green beans and carrot in a microwavable bowl, wash and sprinkle little water and cook for 8 - 10 minutes. Also can cook on stove top until they soft but not mushy.


Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, urad dhal, cumin seeds and curry leaves. Wait till they splutter up and add chopped onions. Fry till light brown. Next add the powders and the cooked vegetables. Saute well also add salt. Fry together for 2 - 3 minutes. Finally add grated coconut and mix again saute for a minute.

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35 TINDORA WITH BLACK CHANNA FRY

Tindora( Kovakkai/ivy gourd/Dondakaaya/Tondekayi ) with black channa(kadala)

This is one more recipe that my mom learnt from my neighbour aunty in Bangalore. It has lot of ingredients and tastes delicious. Goes well with rice and or chapathis.


Tindora - 3 cups chopped
Black channa - 1/2 cup
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
Urad dhal - 1 tbsp
Tamarind - one small lemon size
Curry leaves - 4 0r 5 leaves
Red Chillies- 6
Garlic - 3 or 4 flakes
Onion - a handful( can use pearl onion/small onions or red onions)
Grated Coconut - 1/3 cup
Salt as needed
Oil - 2 tbsp

For tempering: Just very little of mustard seeds and curry leaves

Heat a tsp of oil and add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, urad dhal, curry leaves, tamarind and red chillies one after the other and remove before they turn dark. Cool and grind to a coarse paste.To the same add garlic(raw), onion(raw) and grind together to a fine paste. Add grated coconut and turn on the mixer just for few seconds( all the ingredients should be fine except the coconut ).

Do not omit mustard seeds( or even you can atleast reduce the amount) in this as they gave a very unique taste with light bitterness which tastes really good at the end.

Cook channa in a pressure cooker separately until soft. Cook tindora in a microwave or stove top until soft.

Heat oil in a pan and add very little mustard seeds, curry leaves and add the ground paste and saute for 8 - 10 minutes( until raw smell leaves). Next add the cooked tindora , black channa and salt and fry to cook everything together for another 3 - 4 minutes. Serve with rice and or chapathi.

Priya of Priya's Recipes has passed on this lovely award. Thanks so much Priya that is really so sweet of you to show your appreciation.

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30 CHINESE STYLE BRINJAL

Chinese style Brinjal Fry


This is one of mom's favourite dish and also sister's. Mom used to make this style of brinjal very often in my house. She got this recipe from one of her tamil magazine many years back when we were in school. She tried it out immediately and everyone became a fond for this dish. It tastes good with the long variety of brinjal preferably the green ones. I did not get nay green one's so I tried the same with purple ones which was equally good.

Reposting this entry with picture

Long brinjal - 2
Onion - 1 large chopped fine
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Chilli powder -1 tsp
Pepper powder - few sprinkles
Salt as needed
Soya sauce - 1 - 1 1/2 tbsp
Oil - 1 1/2 tbsp

For the batter
Corn flour - 3 - 4 tbsp
Maida/all purpose flour - 3 - 4 tbsp
Salt as needed


Oil for deep frying


Make a batter by mixing the flours and salt along with water just enough to get a dropping consistency

Cut the brinjal into thin slices( around 1/2 cm thickness). Dip the slices in the batter and deep fry them till crisp in hot oil.
In a different pan heat oil and add chopped onions. Fry till golden brown and add ginger and garlic paste. Saute for a minute and add salt, pepper powder, chilli powder and mix once. Immediately add the fried brinjal slices and mix. Also add soya sauce and mix well. Can garnish with chopped cilantro/coriander leaves or green onions.

Sending this to Sanghi's FIL Brinjal Event


Also sending my other brinjal entries for the same event

Brinjal Fry


Vaangi Bath( Brinjal Rice)


Drumstick Brinjal Curry(Katharikkai Murungakkai Kuzhambu)


Mochai Kuzhambu( Dry Field Beans Curry)


Brinjal Curry

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25 BEANS PORIYAL

Simple Green Beans Poriyal/Koora


Beans - 2 cups chopped
Onion - 1 small chopped fine
Garlic - 3 flakes crushed
Coconut grated - 2 tbsp
Green chillies - 3 slit/chopped
Curry leaves - few
Mustard seeds and urad dhal - 1/2 tsp together
Salt as needed
Oil - 1 tbsp

Place beans in a microwavable container and sprinkle some water and cook in the microwave for 8 - 10 minutes alternatively you can cook on stove top by adding water just enough for immersing and cook till they are soft.

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds , urad dhal and curry leaves. When they splutter up add chopped onions, green chillies and crushed garlic( optional). Fry till onions turn nice brown and add cooked beans and salt. Mix in well and add grated coconut. Mix everything together again for 1- 2 minutes and remove. This goes well as a side dish with rice.

The curry leaves placed on top are plucked fresh from my pot :D. Will post some pictures from my garden very soon. They are still coming up with great difficulty with all those little bunnies in the garden.

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19 SPINACH PORIYAL

Spinach Leaves/Palak Keerai Poriyal/Palakki Soppu Palya(Dry Curry/Stir fry)


Spinach - 2 big bunches( or can use a pack of washed and trimmed baby spinach )
Onion - 1 small chopped fine
Red chillies - 3 or 4 broken into halves
Mustard seeds - very few
Urad dhal - very few
Cumin seeds - very few
Curry leaves - few
Salt as needed
Oil - 1 tbsp
Coconut grated - 2 tbsp( optional)


Wash and chop spinach coarsely. Heat oil in a kadai/frying pan and add mustard seeds, urad dhal, cumin seeds ... wait for few seconds and add curry leaves and broken red chillies... when everything splutters up add chopped onion and fry till nice brown( usually at this stage I transfer this to a bowl... so it remains crisp and water from the spinach will not make it little soggy)...



next in the same pan...no need to add additional oil, add chopped spinach and fry till the leaves shrink and are cooked... now add the transferred onion mixture( tempering/tadka ingredients) and mix well, also add salt and grated coconut(optional... I mostly avoid adding them)... serve with rice as a side dish or with chapathis... since this can be done very fast...

I am sending this Mahima of Indian Vegetarian Kitchen's

15-minute-cooking

Also sending it to Sowmya of Creative Saga's

SWC-with greens

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4 BRINJAL FRY

Simple brinjal fry/vankaya vepudu

Violet brinjal - 5
Onion - 1 small chopped fine
Channa dhal - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Urad dhal - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Sabji masala - 1/2 tsp( optional- I used this)
Salt as needed
Oil - 1 tbsp
Remove stem from brinjal and cut into thin long pieces( or as you like), immerse them in water until needed.
Heat oil in a frying pan and add channa dhal, mustard seeds, urad dhal and curry leaves...when they splutter up add chopped onions and fry till transparent... next add chopped brinjal slices( drain water) and keep stirring. Also add turmeric powder.. reduce flame and keep frying... it will start to slightly change in colour and shrink. Add salt and the powders... cook till it is soft. DOn't allow it get to get very soft and mushy. Serve with rice.
Alternatively you can add in some tamarind pulp when frying. I did not use any... It tasted real good.

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1 VAZHAIPOO PORIYAL(BANANA BLOSSOM DRY CURRY)

Vazhaipoo Poriyal/ Banana Blossom Stir Fry

Vazhapoo/banana blossom - 1
Onion - 1 medium chopped fine
Grated coconut - 2 tbsp
Red/green chillies - 4 or 5 slit long
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Urad dhal - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Salt as needed
Oil - 1 tbsp

Remove flower from the blossom and clean them to remove the stamen and sheath( that is a important step in cleaning vazhapoo). Repeat for all and then cut them into small pieces and immserse in water until it is needed( so it doesn't darken in colour).

Take them in a vessel along with water just enough for immersing,also can add salt that is required and cook till they are soft. Drain any excess water( as much as possible avoid draining, so cook with water just needed and add more only if it is required).

Heat oil in a frying pan and add mustard seeds, urad dhal, cumin seeds and curry leaves. When they splutter up add chopped onions and red/green chillies... fry till onions are light brown( can add salt that is required just for onion, since we have already added salt while cooking vazhapoo). Next add cooked vazhapoo and stir in well, also add grated coconut and/or chopped coriander leaves.

Variation: can also add some crushed garlic or ginger or both before adding chopped onions.

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