Dec 20, 2008

Nenthrangai Sambar

When I first heard about this sambar, I was really surprised that I didn't know people make sambar with nenthrangai (plantain). Since I am from Kerala, I have tasted nenthrangai chips which my patti used to make with coconut oil. I have tasted home made chips and also store bought chips. But sambar is something I have not tasted or tried before. We had a small vacation in Atlanta, two week back. We went to my cousin's place and his wife told me about this sambar which her mother-in-law(my mom's cousin) used to make. I wanted to try this sambar immediately after coming back to Calif. Since I was sick all these days, I couldn't make it. Today I tried. Frankly speaking my husband was not sure about the taste and was scared to taste. But atlast he tried and said it came out really well(Thank god!) Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:-
  1. Plantain (nenthrangai) - 1
  2. Toor dhall - 1/2 cup
  3. Tamarind - a small lemon sized
  4. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
  5. Sambar powder - 1 1/2 tsp
  6. Salt to taste
For Grinding:-
  1. Coconut *** - 2 1/2 tbsp
  2. Coriander seeds - 2 tbsp
  3. Channa dhall - 1/2 tsp
  4. Asafoetida powder - a pinch
  5. Red chillies - 1(acc to taste)
  6. Urad dhall - 1/4 tsp
For Seasoning:-
  1. Oil - 1 tsp
  2. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
  3. Fenugreek seeds - 1/4tsp
  4. Asafoetida powder - a pinch
  5. Curry leaves - few
Cook toor dhall with a pinch of turmeric powder and keep it aside. Soak tamarind in two cups of water and take out the juice and keep it aside. In the mean time, fry the ingredients given for grinding, into golden brown and grind it into a fine paste. Remove the skin from plantain and cut it into medium sized cubes. Now take a pan, put the plantain pieces, add the tamarind juice, turmeric powder, sambar powder and salt and let it cook for 10 mts. It may take 7 to 10 mts to cook the plantain. Stir the ingredients ocassionally. When the plantain is 3/4th done, add the grounded paste and add water accordingly to let the mixture boil for another 3 mts. Now add the cooked toor dhall to it and mix everything well. Take a small pan, pre heat oil, splutter mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida powder, to golden brown and pour it on top of sambar. Now sambar is ready to serve.

*** - I have started replacing coconut with almonds. In this recipe we can use 4 or 5 whole almonds in the place of coconut.

Dec 18, 2008

Paavakkavathal vatha kozhambu

I started writing this recipe last week. Because of my sickness, I couldn't finish this one last week. Even now I feel like sleeping all the time and computer monitor light irritates my eyes. I don't know whats going on.. But I just wanted to finish this recipe first. Paavakka (bittergourd) is my favorite vegetable and I make something or the other with this veggie very often. This vathal I got it from a Indian grocery store and wanted to try vathakozhambu with this one. so here goes the recipe...

Ingredients:-
  1. Paavakka Vathal - 10 (depending upon the quantity of kozhambu)
  2. Tamarind - a small lemon sized
  3. Sesame Oil - 5 tbsp
  4. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
  5. Sambar Powder - 1 1/2 tsp
  6. Salt to taste
  7. Jaggery - 1 tbsp
For seasoning:-
  1. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
  2. Urad dhall - 1/2 tsp
  3. Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
  4. Asafoetida powder - a pinch
  5. Curry leaves - few
Soak the tamarind in 2 cups of water and get the thick juice out of it and keep it aside. In a pan, pre heat 1 tbsp of oil and fry the paavakka vathal to golden brown and keep it aside. Now take a wide bottomed pan, pre heat remaining oil, splutter mustard seeds, fry urad dhall, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida powder to golden brown, pour the tamarind juice, add turmeric powder, sambar powder and salt and let it boil for 7 to 10 mts so that the raw smell of tamarind and sambar powder goes away. Now add the fried vathal, jaggery to it and let it cook together for another 5 mts. A nice aroma comes out when everything is done. By adding the vathal last, the crispyness will be there. Try this

Dec 11, 2008

Zuchini Curry

This is something I learned from one of my friend here in Sacramento. She actually called this pachadi, but I would like to call this curry. Here is the recipe..

Ingredients:-
  1. Zuchini - 2
  2. Onion - 1
  3. Tomato - 1
  4. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
  5. Curry Powder - 1 tsp (acc to taste)
  6. Garam Masala Powder - 1/4 tsp
  7. Salt to taste
  8. Oil - 1 tsp
  9. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
  10. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
  11. Coriander leaves - for garnishing
Cut zuchini into small cubes, onion and tomato in to small pieces. Take a wide pan, pre heat oil, splutter mustard and cumin seeds, add the onion to it and saute' for a minute. Now add the chopped tomato and mix it with onion and stir it for another minute. Now add the zuchini pieces, add turmeric powder, curry powder and salt and also add required amount of water to let the veggies cook. When the zuchini is 3/4th done, add the garam masala powder and stir it for another 3 mts. Zuchini takes less time to cook. Garnish it with coriander leaves. This tastes really good as a side dish with sambar rice or with chapathi.