Vaazhaipoo Kola Urundai(Banana flower balls)

Each part of the banana tree can be used to prepare a variety of healthy dishes. Right from the trunk ,the vegetable, fruit and the flower delightful dishes can be made. Its leaves can be used to serve food too. This is one dish my MIL made when she visited us and it tasted great.

This is my entry to nupur's A-Z of Indian vegetables(Its 'v' for this week).

Ingredients

Banana flower -1

Chutney dal/roasted chana dal-3/4 cup(powdered)

cashews-6 chopped finely

corainder leaves- a few chopped finely
onion- 1 chopped finely

salt to taste

oil for deep frying
To grind

green chillies-3 or acc to taste

poppy seeds- 1 tsp

cinnamon- 1 small piece

cloves-2

Saunf- 1/2 tsp

ginger - a small piece

garlic- 3 cloves chopped finely

Method

Takeout the florets from the banana flower. Then remove the stamens from them. Get a clear idea of how to do it HERE. Chop the florets finely. Boil water in a pan and add salt and the florets.When the florets are cooked , drain them and squeeze them well to remove excess water.

Add the chutney dal powder to it and mix well. Add chopped onions, cashews,coriander leaves and the ground masala to the banana flower mixture. No need to add water. Make small balls and deep fry in hot oil.

Note

U can add mutton keema /soy granules instead of banana flower.

U can shape this like vadas ,and serve as a snack too.

Brinjal Masala

The eggplant, aubergine or brinjal , a commonly used vegetable in cooking is a native to southern India and Srilanka. As a native plant, it is widely used in the South Indian cuisine, for example in sambar,chutney,curries and oil preserves/aachaar. Owing to its versatile nature and wide use, in both everyday and festive South Indian food, it is often described (under the name brinjal) as the 'King of Vegetables' in South India.(source Wiki)
This is a simple recipe with brinjal which I prepare very often... This is my entry to JFI for the month of july hosted by Sangeetha of 'Ghar ka khana'.

Ingredients

Brinjal- 8 medium

Onions- 2 chopped finely

Tomatoes-2 chopped fienly

Chilli powder- 1 tsp

Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

Coriander powder- 2 tsp

Jeera powder- 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Coriander leaves- a few chopped finely

For Seasoning

Oil- 5 tsp

Mustard seeds- 1/4 tsp

Urad dal spilt- a few

Curry leaves- a few

Method

Wash and cut the brinjal into thin slices. Heat oil in a pan and add the seasonings one by one.

Add the onions , saute till it turns transparent and then add the chopped tomatoes. Saute for sometime till the tomatoes turn mushy and then add all the powders. Fry for a minute and then add the brinjal pieces. Add little water , simmer the flame and close with a lid. Remove from fire when the brinjal is cooked and when the oil seperates.Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with Rice and Sambar.

Check out my Stuffed brinjal gravy here.

Seppankizhangu/Colocacia/Taro root Roast

Ingredients

Seppankizhangu/Colocacia- 8 to 10

chilli powder- 1 to 1 1/2 tsp or acc to taste

turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

Garam masala powder- 1/2 tsp

salt to taste

oil for deep frying

Method

Pressure cook Seppankizhangu/Colocacia until one whistle, or u can boil the vegetable in water. Be careful not to overcook the colocacia as it will turn mushy.

When cooled peel the skin and cut into round slices(not very thick or thin).

Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the slices. When the slices start to turn golden brown at sides drain it in a paper towel.

Heat 4 to 5 tsp of oil in another pan(You can use the same pan after transferring the oil to some other bowl) and add all the powders and salt. Keep the flame low and add the fried colocacia pieces to it. Mix well ,stir in between and let it be in a slow flame till the oil bubbles and the pieces turn crispy .

Aloo Curry

This is the usual aloo curry. Most of you all will be familiar with this. I love this dish very much as it is simple to make and tastes great..
This goes well with vegetable biriyani ,Rice and sambar, rasam , dhal etc…here goes the recipe



Ingredients

Potatoes- 5
Onions - 1 large chopped finely
Garlic- 5 cloves or garlic paste- 1 ½ tsp
Chilli powder- 1tsp
Turmeric powder- ¼ tsp
Garam masala -½ tsp
Mustard seeds- ¼ tsp
Curry leaves- 1 sprig
Coriander leaves- 2 tsp finely chopped
Oil - 4 tsp
Salt to taste



Method

Grind garlic to a paste. Pressure cook potatoes , peel the skin and cut them into cubes.
Heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds. When it splutters add the curryleaves and garlic paste. Fry till the raw smell of the garlic disappears and add onions . fry for some time and add chilli, turmeric ,garam masala powders along with salt. Then add the potatoes. Mix well, Simmer the flame , close with a lid and cook for 10 to 15 mins. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Vendakkai/Okra Fry

We usually make vendakkai masala or curry . My Mother used to make vendakkai fry sometimes. This recipe is quite different from the usual ones we make and I love to have it with Rice and sambar. Try it folks and I bet you will love this too..

Ingredients

Vendakkai/okra- 300 gms(see to that they are yound and tender)
Onion- 1 sliced thinly
Chilli powder- 1 tsp or acc to taste
Turmeric powder- ¼ tsp
Curry leaves- 1 or 2 sprigs
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

Method

Wash and dry the okra in paper towels(make sure it is dried well). Cut into medium rounds.
Heat oil in a pan and deep fry till they are brown. Finally when you are done frying the okra pieces fry the onions till dark brown. Off the stove and fry the curry leaves. Add the fried onions and curryleaves to the fried okra. Add salt, turmeric powder and chilli powder and toss well so that it is well mixed. It can be called as okra chips too.
Serve with rice and Sambar or Tomato rasam.

Kovakkai/Tindora masala

I had never tasted kovakkai before marriage. After marriage I found many of my friends cook this vegetable and when I happen to taste it I liked it too. Once when we went to a friend's house for dinner , she had cooked this curry.It was different with peanuts and I couldn't find out it was kovakkai. I got the recipe from her and whenever I buy this vegetable I cook this way.. ..


Ingredients

Kovakkai- 3 cups (cut lengthwise )
Onions- 1 large chopped finely
Green chilli-1 chopped finely
Ginger garlic paste- 2 tsp
Coriander powder- 2 tsp
Chilli powder – 1 tsp or acc to taste
Turmeric powder- ¼ tsp
Cloves- 3 or 4
Salt to taste
Oil- 4 to 5 tsp
Coriander leaves- 2 tsp chopped finely
For seasoning
Mustard seeds- ¼ tsp
Jeera- ¼ tsp
Curry leaves - few
Peanuts- 3 tsp



Method

Heat oil in a pan add the seasoning items. Add the chopped onion and green chilli and fry till the onions become transparent. Then add the ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell disappears. Now add the kovakkai pieces and fry for some time. Add the turmeric, coriander and chilli powders. Crush or powder the cloves and add it to the masala. Add little water , simmer the flame and close it with a lid. Cook till the vegetable becomes tender and oil seperates. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice.

Check out sudha's version of tindora Here.

Gobi 65

Gobi 65 is a dry curry . I love to have this as a evening snack. U can have this with chappathis if u like.. Its easy to make and this doesn’t take much time to do if u have all the ingredients. Try it out and let me know.. Non vegetarians can try try it out with chicken..

Ingredients

Cauliflower-1
Cornflour-3 tbsp
Capsicum- 1 small cut into thin strips
Onion- 1 cut into thin strips
Tomato sauce- 1 ½ tsp
Soya sauce- 1 tsp
Ajinimotto- a pinch
Chilli sauce(optional) – ½ tsp
Chilli powder- 1 tsp
Salt to taste.
Oil



Method

Clean the cauliflower and cut into small florets. Soak it in hot water for 5 minutes.
Drain the cauliflower florets and add corn flour,salt and chilli powder to it. Do not add water to it. Just fold in with ur hands. If needed just sprinkle very little water.
Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the florets till golden brown . set aside.
Add 2 tsp of oil in another pan and saute the onions and green pepper strips for 2 to 3 mins till the onions are transparent. Remove from fire and set aside.
In the same pan add 1 tsp of oil and add add the sauces and ajinimotto. Immediately add the cauliflower florets and saute for 2 minutes in a slow flame. Then add the onion ,greenpepper strips. .. remove from flame.. gobhi 65 is ready to eat.

This is my entry to this week's by Bachelor Cooking

Red Bean Curry

I got this red bean from Korean market in NJ. I havent seen this fresh red beans in Indian stores.Back in India we make this curry using ‘butter beans’. Unlike this red bean it will be white in colour. It is used commonly in south part of Tamilnadu(Virudhunagar, Tuticorin etc). I have tried different varieties of beans to prepare this curry but only this red bean was similar to the taste of the butter beans. Here goes the recipe.

Ingredients

Red beans- 1 pack
Onions-1 finely chopped
Chilli powder- 1 tsp
Coconut gratings- 3 tsp
Saunf-1/2 tsp to
Khus khus-3/4 tsp
Mustard seeds-little
Curry leaves – few
Oil-4 tsp
Salt to taste

Method

Pressure cook the red beans with salt for 1 whistle.
Grind coconut , saunf and khus khus into a fine paste.
Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When it splutters add onions and curry leaves. Saute till turns transparent and add the ground paste and chilli powder.saute for a minute and then add the cooked beans. Add salt to taste and add ¼ cup of water. Cook till it becomes thick and dry.
Serve hot with rice and sambar.

Raw Banana Varuval

Ingredients

Raw banana-2
Chilli powder-2 tsp
Coriander pwder-2 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

Method

Peel the skin of the raw banana and cut into medium rounds(1/4 inch approx ) Boil water in a pan add the pieces and cook for 5 to 10 mins. The veg should not be over cooked.
Mix chilli powder, coriander powder and salt in a bowl and make a paste by adding water ( the paste should be thinner than the bhajji consistency)
Dip the cooked raw banana pieces into the paste. On a heated tawa add 1 tsp of oil and arrange the pieces. Drizzle oil on the sides and when the veg turns golden brown flip them and cook them until it is brown on the other side.
Serve hot with sambar and rice.

Healthy Tofu Podimas

In recent times consumption of soyfoods have increased steadily and people are becoming aware that soyprotein offers a good alternative to meat, poultry and animal based products . Tofu which is prepared from soymilk is rich in proteins has low calories, contains beneficial amounts of iron (especially important for women of child bearing age) and has no cholesterol(a risk factor for heart disease).
I wanted to include tofu in my cooking and heard thru my friends that tofu can be used in place of paneer. I made palak paneer using tofu . Though it came out well ,we did not like the taste of it. It was then one fine day I thought of grating the tofu and prepare it like egg podimas . U wont believe!! it looked just like egg scrambles and was good to eat also.
From that day tofu podimas has become a regular item in our house. I make this dish once in a week. Try this out and u will love it.



Ingredients

1 pack of firm tofu
onions- 1 large chopped finely
Tomato- 1/2 chopped finely
Green chillies-3 chopped finely
curry leaves- a few
coriander leaves- a few
pepper powder- less than 1/2 tsp
salt to taste

Method

Heat 2 to 3 tsps oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When it splutters add onions, green chillies and curryleaves. Fry till the onions become trans parent and add the tomatoes. saute till it becomes soft.
wash the tofu and grate it with a grater. u can straight away grate it to the cookingpan itself. cover it with a lid ,keep it in a slow flame and cook for 10 mins. No need to add water. Add salt and pepper powder. Garnish with coriander leaves. Tofu podimas is ready.