Manathangaali keerai / spinach

My friend Mrs. Raji Ramachandran grows this kind of greens in her backyard. We use the fruits (really tiny) as a side to many dishes, you can see the dry version here. This is very high in iron just like spinach. You would also cook it like any other spinach, south indian style.
However, this is a little different version, Mrs. Raji Ramachandran's version.

You wash the spinach and drain well. Cut in small pieces, keep aside. For 2 cups of spinach, you can use 1 cup of moong dal. Wash the dal, In a vessel, put the spinach, place the dal and add a little chili powder and salt on top. Do not mix. Place in cooker and let cook for atleast 3 whistles.
In a pan, add oil, add urad dal, red chili, cumin and let roast until you can smell the spices, don't burn them. Grind the spices with a little coconut and keep aside.

Once the pressure is off, put the spinach in the pan add the ground masala to this and give a tadka with mustard seeds, chili, and curry leaves. This will taste great with rice or hot rotis.

In the Picture Above, is a typical weekend lunch at out house, starting from left to right on top is
Rasam, White Rice, Brown Rice, Kovakkai (Tindora) Kari, Potato Kari, and Manathankaali Keerai.

Arisi Upma --- Broken Rice Upma

This is almost the same as Upma Kozhukattai

You can follow the recipe until you add water to the ingredients and then continue to cook it until it cooks fully. My mom would keep the stove on a low fire and let it roast underneath to create a crisp layer. It is called an adai, not to be confused with the other adai (lentil dosa). I had this for lunch with some Rasathu Vandal, another Awesome Combination.

Rasathu Vandal

This is related to my uncle's post here.
When he wrote it, I wanted to post a picture of it.
This is Rasathu Vandal with Brown Rice.
Vandal is actually the bottom part of the rasam. It should have the dals, the cury leaves and the coriander stalks and the mustard seeds with the red chillies.....

Paruppu Urundai Mor Kuzhambu (Steamed Lentil Balls in Yogurt Gravy)

This item has become kind of a delicacy now a days...... This can be made with either Toor Dal or Channa dal or a mixture of both. My mother used to make this very often and she would use them in Mor Kuzhambu or put them in regular Tamrind base gravy (Puli Kuzhambu) or also make Rasam with it.In any way you use it, it will be the star of your menu.
To complement this, you can make a regular Keerai Masiyal.

It is kind of a long proceedure, but well worth the effort.

Since the main ingredient is Dal or lentils, it is a very healthy meal filled with proteins.

Paruppu Urundai

To make around 20 balls:

Toor Dal -- 2 cups

Hing -- 1/2 Teaspoon

Green Chili -- 4 to 5

Red Chili -- 3 to 5

Salt -- 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons

Soak 2 cups toor dal, or (1 cup toor, 1 cup channa) for 2 to 3 hours.

Similar to making the Paruppu Usili, you start by draining the dal of any water and grinding it with hing, and the chillies, and salt and grind to a coarse to smooth paste. You can add a little water and make a LITTLE runny. (this is where it is a little different from the Usili, for Usili the dal paste should be dry).

Oil - 2 Teaspoons

Mustard - 1 Teaspoon

Curry Leaves -- 2 strands

---> In a kadai, take the oil, add the mustard, curry leaves, and add the dal mixture and saute till it becomes a little thick.

---> Switch off the stove and wait till you can handle the heat of the dal mixture.

---> In a vessel, brush it with some oil so that the balls wont stick to the bottom of the vessel.

---> Now, take about a tablespoon of the dal mixture and make a ball and arrange in the oil brushed vessel.

---> Put the vessel (with all the balls) in a pressure cooker and steam it in a pressure cooker without the weight for 15 to 20 minutes on a medium flame.

---> After you switch off the cooker, take the balls out (so they don't end up sticking together,and let cool.

---> In whatever gravy you choose to float them, put them in that and eat while it is hot...

Mor Kuzhambu... (Nagini Style)

This time, I chose the Mor Kuzhambu to be the gravy.

There are over 15 kinds of Mor Kuzhambu, this one is called Nagini Style, named after Mrs Nagini Kumar , my aunt Mrs Subha Raman's friend.

It is made with yogurt, Coconut, Red Chili, Fenugreek.

You need about 4 to 5 cups of the kuzhambu for the 20 balls to float.

Yogurt -- 3 to 3 1/2 cups

Red Chili - 3

Fenugreek - 3/4 th teaspoon

Coconut - 1/4 cup

---> Roast the fenugreek and red chili in a bit of oil until the fenugreek turns a rosy color.

---> When it cools, add this to the coconut and make a smooth paste in a mixer.

---> Blend the yogurt well, with water and make it like a thick soup.

---> Add the masala you made with coconut and heat on a low flamed stove, and be careful so that this doesnt curdle.

---> Give a tadka to this with oil, mustard, curry leaves and red chili and hing.

Enjoy with hot rice.

Paruppu Urundai Rasam

My niece Sandhya is allergic to coconut, so I put some of the balls in rasam so she also could enjoy them.

For the rasam, you generally make what is called a "Gottu Rasam" or as my patti (Grandma) calls it a mottai rasam :)

This is made with Tamarind water, rasam powder, salt, turmeric powder and a tadka with mustard and red chili, Tomatoes are optional in this kind of rasam, but I added them, since Sandhya loves tomatoes..

Tamarind -- about half a table spoon of raw tamarind

water - 2 cups

Rasam Powder - 1 teaspoon

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Hing - 1/4 teaspoon

Salt - as needed

Oil - 1/2 teaspoon

Curry leaves - 4 to 5 leaves

Red Chili - 1 or 2

---> Soak tamarind in 1 and 1/2 cup warm water and extract all the pulp

---> In a vessel add the tamarind water, rasam powder, salt, hing, cut tomotaes, turmeric powder and bring to boil on a slow medium flame.

---> Once the tomatoes have cooked, add the remaining water in a way that adds some froth to the rasam and wait till it comes to a boil.

--->Once the rasam is frothy on top, switch off the stove and give the tadka, with oil, mustard seeds and red chili.

Simple Rasam

This is one of the most simplest dishes which is totally gratifying.......

So many ways to make the rasam, but this is the most easiest recipe!

As you can see I have made it in my Eeya Chombu.

You need

What you need: (This is for 2 people)

A tiny ball (grape tomato size) of tamarindYou could use tamarind paste (about 1/4 teaspoon), but do not expect the rasam to be tasty :(

One medium sized tomato (chopped as desired)

1/4 cup of uncooked Tuvar Dal (pressure cooked till soft)

1 tsp of jeera

2 Green Chili (Optional)

1/2 tsp salt (more or less as needed)

1 tsp of rasam powder (in our house, it is the same as sambar powder but sambar and rasam taste completely different!!)

2 and 1/2 cups water

Dash of Hing

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

To garnish

1 tsp Ghee or Oil ;

1/2 tsp Mustard;

1 Red chili

1 strand Curry leaves

2 strands Coriander Leaves

Method

--->Cook the Tuvar dal with 1/2 cup water in the pressure cooker, you can add the turmeric powder to it.

--->Take 2 cups of water and soak the tamarind in it. Extract all the juice from it and filter the water. You can use your hand to filter and it is ok if some tamarind escapes(!) your hand and falls in to the pot!

--->Add the chopped tomatoes, jeera, Green Chili, salt, hing, rasam powder, turmeric powder.

I also add some coriander leaves and curry leaves (Chopped Finely) to the rasam at this point.

--->Let it all come to a boil. (medium high flame, keep watch, you don't want it to boil over)

--->Once it is all boiling, add the extra half cup of water, the cooked Dal,reduce the flame and let it again come to a boil.

To garnish

--->Add oil or Ghee in a small kadai

--->Add the msutard seeds and once it sputters add the red chillies and pour over rasam

--->Add some coriander leaves for flavor to the rasam.

To serve, Mix rasam with hot rice and a dab of ghee and just enjoy!!

Ginger Rasam, Beans+Orange Pumpkin (Parangikai)+Carrot Lazy Kootu

HEIRLOOM METAL

My Entry for Click event.
The picture was taken with a Sony Cybershot, 7.2mp DSC-P200

Beans+Orange Pumpkin (Parangikai)+Carrot Lazy Kootu

Why is this kootu called lazy? Well, Kootu mostly is associated with roasting, grinding, and slowly mixing it into the gravy. But, this Kootu can be done, when you are feeling lazy and not up to roasting.... you get the point.
What you need:
1/2 cup moong dal (may be a small handful of tuvar dal if desired)
1 1/2 cup each of beans, Orange Pumpkin, Carrot (cut in desired shapes, lenghths, etc.)
1 tsp of jeera
a dash of hing
*2 spoons of coconut -* means optional
1 1/2 spoons of sambar powder
*Half teaspoon of turmeric powder
Salt as needed
For garnish:
1 teaspoon of oil
Half a teaspoon of mustard
1 red Chili
Some curry leaves, and coriander leaves
Method:
--->In a vessel, wash the dal once, and cover with enough water; add turmeric powder* and salt. --->Once the Dal is half cooked, add the vegetables, sambar powder;(Click on the link for sambar powder recipe), jeera and hing. Make sure there is enough water;it'll all come together in 22-25 min time.(medium flame on stove;keep stirring every few minutes)
--->Turn the stove off;take another vessel and add the oil, red chili, mustard; once the mustard sputters , pour it over the cooked mixture and add the coconut* and curry leaves and coriander leaves.
Options
--- you can add 2 or 3 green chillies to the vegetables to pack a punch too!
This goes well with hot rice or rotis.
Ginger Rasam
This is just regular rasam but you add some ginger along with the tomatoes.
Here goes.
What you need: (This is for 2 people)
A tiny ball (grape tomato size) of tamarind
You could use tamarind paste (about 1/4 teaspoon), but do not expect the rasam to be tasty :(
One medium sized tomato (chopped as desired)
1/4 cup of uncooked Tuvar Dal (pressure cooked till soft)
2 inch piece of Ginger
1 tsp of jeera
1/2 tsp salt (more or less as needed)
1 tsp of rasam powder (in our house, it is the same as sambar powder but sambar and rasam taste completely different!!)
2 and 1/2 cups water
Dash of Hing
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
To garnish
1 tsp Ghee or Oil ;
1/2 tsp Mustard;
1 Red chili
1 strand Curry leaves
2 strands Coriander Leaves
Method
--->Take 2 cups of water and soak the tamarind in it. Extract all the juice from it and filter the water. You can use your hand to filter and it is ok if some tamarind escapes(!) your hand and falls in to the pot!
--->Add the chopped tomatoes, jeera, ginger, salt, hing, rasam powder, turmeric powder.
--->Let it all come to a boil. (medium high flame, keep watch, you don't want it to boil over)
--->Once it is all boiling, add the extra half cup of water, the cooked Dal,reduce the flame and let it again come to a boil.
And now garnish as mentioned for the Kootu above.
Notes:
Kootu was made in an utensil made of "Hindaleum". I really don't know which metals combine to make this alloy. This is a "hand me down" vessel from my Mom. I love this because, you can put it on the stove directly unlike "eeyam"(an alloy if tin and aluminium, for which the melting point is very low). I will never forget the yummy potato curry my grandma made in this, once upon a time in Kerala, (feels like so long ago).
Rasam was made in an Eeyam Utensil (As mentioned above, an alloy of Tin and Aluminium), You have to put the liquid directly in it and then keep on fire otherwise you Will end up making a hole in bottom. and when you lift it, you have got to use a cloth. If you use a tong, it will make a mark... very picky metal! This is a "hand me down" from mother in law.