Bitter Guard Curry

I like this curry very much. Mixing this curry with rice with a tsp of melted butter - MMMM its delicious. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:-

1. Bitter guard - 3 or a cup (chopped into small cubes)
   
2. Oil - 2 tbsp
3. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
4. Salt to taste
5. Curry Powder - 1/2 tsp
6. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
7. Urad dhall - 1/2 tsp
8. Asafoetida powder - a pinch
   

Take a pan, pre heat 1 tbsp oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters add urad dhall and asafoetida powder and fry it to golden brown. Now add the chopped bitterguard to it. Add required amount of water, salt, turmeric powder and curry powder and let it cook for 15 mts. If the bitter guard is fully cooked (do not mash), turn off the stove and drain the excess water. Now turn the stove to low and add the remaining oil and let it fry in the low flame for another 10 mts. maximumm. This will become crispier. This is also a side dish. Bitter guard is good for diabetic patients.

Vaazhapoo Curry - Banana Flower Curry

The process of making recipes with banana flower takes long time. This is another curry we make in our mom's place. This is basically a kerala Iyer recipe. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:-

1. Banana Flower - 1
2. Coconut - 3 tbsp
3. Green chillies - 3
4. Coconut Oil - 2 tbsp
5. Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
6. Urad dhall - 1/2 tsp
7. Curry leaves - few
   
8. Salt to taste
9. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Peel the banana flower layer by layer and take the black stem inside each tendril. Cut the tendrils into small pieces. Cook it with required amount of water, salt and turmeric powder and drain it after cooking. Keep it aside. Now grind the coconut and green chillies into fine paste without adding water. Keep it aside. Take a wide pan, pre heat the oil, add mustard seeds, urad dhall and curry leaves and fry it till golden brown. Now add the cooked banana flower to it and saute for a minute. Now add the coconut+chillies mixture to it and mix it thoroughly. Turn off the stove. This is also a side dish.

Sweet Potato Curry

Sweet potato is rich in fibre. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:-

1. Sweet Potato - 2(chopped into small cubes)
   
2. Oil - 2 tsp
3. Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
4. Urad dhall - 1/2 tsp
5. Green chillies - 1
   
6. Coconut - 1 tbsp
7. Asafoetida powder - a pinch
   
8. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
9. Salt to taste

Take a pan, pre heat the oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters add urad dhall, green chillies and asafoetida powder to it and fry it till golden brown. Now add the chopped sweet potato to it and add required amount of water, salt and turmeric powder and let it cook. When it is tender and fully cooked, turn off the stove. This is also a side dish.