Urulaikizhangu Varuval (Simple Potato Fry)

Potato fry is a tasty side dish for South Indian Sambar, Rasam and curd rice recipes. Although potato fry is a common recipe across India but everyone cooks this with some variations. And here is my Potato fry version :)

Ingredients: 

Potatoes-3

Chilli powder -2 Teaspoon

Dhania powder -2 Teaspoon (coriander powder)

Salt - as needed

Mustard seeds-1 Teaspoon

Black gram raw -1 Teaspoon

Oil-5 Teaspoon

Curry leaves - 6 leaves

Directions: 

Peel off the skin and cut the potatoes into cubes.

Wash the potatoes.

Heat a pan and add oil to temper Mustard seeds and Black gram.

After the Mustard splutters add Potatoes.

Now add salt, Dhania powder, chilli powder and mix well.

Add 3 tablespoon of water to cook the potato well.

Close the lid and cook for 15 mins till the potatoes get softer.

At last add curry leaves and stir well.

If you need a crispy potato fry then increase the flame and fry the potatoes till they acquire a light brownish color.

Ready to serve :)

Mullangi Kuzhambu (Radish Gravy)

Its a simple recipe served with traditional curd rice in south India. It is a village recipe, handed down to me by my grandmother. The main ingredient is Radish. We can serve it with white rice.

Ingredients: 

Radish-3 nos

Coconut milk- 1 cup

Chilli powder - 2 Teaspoon

Turmeric powder-1 Teaspoon

Vadagam - 1tsp(Instant tempering agent in south India)

Salt - as needed

Curry leaves

Dhania powder-3 Teaspoon (coriander powder)

Garlic cloves-6 cloves

Onion - 1 (Chopped)

Tomato -1 (Chopped)

Tamarind juice -1/4 cup

Directions: 

Peel off the skin of radish and chop it into small pieces.

Now heat the pressure cooker and add oil.

Then temper vadagam and curry leaves.

Now add onion and saute till it turns golden brown.

Then add tomatoes and crushed garlic and saute for another 2-3 minutes.

Finally add radish along with 2 cups of water and close the lid.

Cook till 2 whistles then Turn off the heat and wait till all pressure is released and it is safe to open the cooker

Now add tamarind juice and let it simmer for another 2 minutes.

Then pour the Coconut milk and mix. Cook for another 1 minute and then switch off the gas.

Serve it hot with rice :)

Footnotes: 

Vadagam is a tempering agent in south India. But can also temper with Mustard seeds and urad dal (Black gram raw).

Carrot Beans Poriyal(Carrot and Beans Stir Fry)

I love the taste of this recipe. It is little sweet and salty. Carrot and Beans along with Green gram gives it a different taste and aroma. This recipe has been handed down to me from my mom. It is a healthy side dish suitable for 'Sambar' and 'Rasam rice'.

Ingredients: 

Carrot -3 (chopped)

Beans -6(chopped)

Green gram soaked - 1/4 cup

Onion -1 (chopped)

Green chilli - 1

Salt- As needed

Curry leaves - 6 leaves

Oil - 2 Teaspoon

Mustard seeds - 1 Teaspoon

Black Gram raw-2 Teaspoon

Directions: 

Heat the pan and add oil.

Temper with Mustard seeds and Black gram.

Now add the chopped onions and Saute till they become transparent.

Now add Green chilli, Soaked Green gram and required salt and mix.

Add carrot and beans and 2 cups of water. Put a lid on it and cook for 15 mins with closed lid.

If it is well cooked Garnish it with curry leaves and serve hot :)

Footnotes: 

Beans is optional, you can make it only with carrots.

Poondu Rasam (Garlic Rasam)

This recipe is a south Indian soup which is eaten with rice. This is a light soup good for throat infections and fever. In south India we make Rasam everyday which is served for second part of the rice. It increases hunger and helps in digestion. And the main ingredients are Tamarind, Garlic, Pepper and Cumin. Its my family's everyday favourite. ;)

Ingredients: 

Tamarind - 50 grams

Garlic - 8 cloves

Tomato- 1

Salt - To taste

Pepper seeds - 10

Cumin - 2 Teaspoon

Asafoetida powder- 2 pinch

Mustard seeds - 1 Teaspoon

Curry leaves - 6

Coriander leaves - Few

Red chilli - 1

Oil - 1 Teaspoon

Directions: 

Soak the Tamarind in water for 15 minutes.

Extract the juice from Tamarind and filter the juice.

Cut the tomato into small pieces and add it to the juice.

Add required salt and asafoetida powder along with 1 cup of water.

In a blender add Garlic, Cumin and pepper and grind it well.

Add this ground powder to the Tamarind juice and put it on flame.

Cook the soup till it boils well.

For tempering put a small pan on flame and add 1 Teaspoon oil.

Now add mustard seeds to splutter.

Then add broken red chilli , Curry leaves and Coriander leaves.

Add it to the soup and serve hot with rice.

Footnotes: 

If you want it more spicy add dry red chilli to blender along with the ingredients mentioned.

Urundai Kaarakuzhambu(Balls in Chilli Gravy)

This is a famous recipe in Andhra and Tamilnadu. The main ingredient is split Bengal gram.One of my favourite recipes handed down to me from my mom. Excellent lunch time recipe in weekends. Serve it along with rice.... and no need of any side dish!!!

Ingredients: 

Split Bengal gram - 1 cup

Fennel seeds -2 Teaspoon

Garlic cloves- 6

Onion - 1 large (chopped)

Tomato - 1 large (chopped)

Chilli powder - 2 Teaspoon

Salt - as needed

Dhania powder-3 Teaspoon(coriander powder)

Turmeric powder-1 Teaspoon

Mustard seeds-2 Teaspoon

Tamarind juice-1/4 cup

Curry leaves- 6 leaves

Oil - 2 Tablespoon

Directions: 

At first soak the Bengal gram for half an hour.

Grind it with fennel seeds and garlic cloves and little water. Take the batter out and make small rounded balls from this batter.

In a pan heat oil and splutter Mustard seeds.

Add chopped onions and saute till they become translucent.

Then add chopped Tomatoes and saute for 5 minutes.

Now add Chilli powder, Salt and Turmeric and mix well.

Pour 2 cups of water and boil for a minute.

In the boiling gravy add Bengal gram balls one by one slowly.(As they may break into pieces)

Close with lid and cook for 20 minutes.

Make sure that the balls are well cooked.

Finally garnish it with curry leaves.

Serve it hot.

Footnotes: 

You can steam the balls and then add it to gravy if u find it difficult to cook in Gravy.

Chickpeas with Raisins (Dratchai kalanda sundal)

I love foods that are little sweeter. Usually we use to make sundal in festive seasons like Dasara and Ganesh chatruthi. This time I have tried the recipe with slight variation. To make it little sweeter I add Raisins. Salty chickpeas with sweet Raisins gives a different taste like 50-50. !!!

Ingredients: 

White chickpeas - 200 grams (சுண்டல் )

Grated coconut - 2 tablespoon  ( சீவிய தேங்காய் )

Raisins - 50 Grams (உலர்ந்த திராட்சை )

Red chilli - 2

Salt - As needed

Oil - 1 Tablespoon (எண்ணெய் )

Curry leaves - 6 (கருவேப்பிலை )

Mustard seeds - 1 Teaspoon (கடுகு )

Black gram raw - 1 Tablespoon (உளுந்து )

Directions: 

Soak the White chickpeas overnight with enough water. (if you want to cook morning)

In a pressure cooker cook the chickpeas with enough water and salt.

Cook till 3 whistles and drain the water.

Heat a pan with oil and splutter mustard seeds.

Add broken red chilli and Curry leaves.

Then add the cooked sundal (chickpeas) and mix well in the heat for 3 minutes.

Finally add Grated coconut and Raisins.

Mix it in heat for 1 minute and switch off the gas.

Serve it hot.

Tamil variety Rice recipes

Puran Poli (Purana poli) போளி

Poli is my favourite recipe. I use to make this often. It's also a festival recipe in Hindu tradition. Here I'm sharing the recipe of soft poli.

Ingredients :

 1) Maida - 2 cups  (மைதா)
 2) Turmeric powder - 1 Teaspoon  (மஞ்சள் தூள்)
 3) Salt    (உப்பு)
 4) Oil - 2 Tablespoon  (எண்ணெய் )

For Puran (பூரணம்)

5) Bengal gram - 2 cups (soak 1 hour) (கடலை பருப்பு)
6) Sugar - 2 1/2 cups   (சக்கரை)
7) Cardamom powder - 2 pinch   (ஏலக்காய் )
8) Ghee - 2 tablespoon (நெய் )

Directions :

For making dough mix maida and Turmeric with required water and salt.
Add 2 Table spoon oil with the dough and mix well.
Keep the dough aside and ferment for 3 hours to get soft dough.
Now grind the soaked bengal gram in blender.
Put the sugar in blender to make it powder.
In a pan heat ghee and add the bengal gram paste and cook for 5 minutes.
Add sugar, Cardamom powder and mix well.

Making The poli

Take a small part from dough and make a small ball.
Spread the dough like a roti.
Take a small amount of  Bengal gram mix and keep it in the center of roti.
Close the roti as a ball and spread it again.
Heat a Dosa pan and spread Ghee.
Now tawa the poli on both sides for atleast 3 minutes in medium flame.
Serve it hot.

Note :
  We can store it in fridge for up to 3 days.

Vadakari

South Indian Breakfast usually consists of Idly with Sambar... If you want to try something different and tasty try this one..It is one of the famous South Indian Recipes suitable for Idly, Dosa and Poori.In roadside shops of South India they serve Idly and Poori with this yummy Vadakari.

Ingredients: 

Bengal gram-1 cup (soaked) (கடலை பருப்பு  ஊறவைத்தது )

Onion-2 (chopped) (வெங்காயம்)

Tomato-3 (chopped)  (தக்காளி )

Garlic cloves-5 cloves  (பூண்டு )

Chilli powder-2 Teaspoon (மிளகாய்பொடி )

Dhania powder-2 Teaspoon(coriander powder)  (தனியாபொடி)

Salt - As per your taste

Turmeric powder- 1 Teaspoon (மஞ்சள்தூள் )

Oil - to fry( 2 cups)

Mustard seeds-2 Teaspoon (கடுகு )

Directions: 

Soak the bengal gram in water for half an hour and then grind it coarsely into a grinder.

In a pan heat 2 cups of oil.

Make the Bengal Gram balls out of the coarsely ground batter and fry it in oil till golden brown.

Take the vada out from oil and keep it aside.

Heat a pan and add 1 tablespoon of oil.

Splutter the Mustard seeds.

Add onions and fry till they turn transparent.

Then add chopped tomato and fry for 5 minutes.

Now add crushed garlic, Chilli powder, Salt and Turmeric powder and 2 cups of water.

Stir well and boil for 15 minutes.

Now mash the fried vadas and add it to the boiling curry.

Stir well and cook for 5 minutes.

Finally add Curry leaves.

Serve it hot with Idly or Poori.

Footnotes: 

You can temper with Fennel seeds(சோம்பு  in Tamil)instead of Mustard seeds.

Kose Kootu

It is an easy to prepare main course recipe. It is usually served with rice and it is my favorite. The main ingredients are Cabbage and peanuts... I have used 1/2 cup of peanuts but you can also add more to make it little sweeter.


Ingredients: 

Cabbage- 1 (small size)  (முட்டகோஸ் )

Chilli powder -3 Teaspoon  (மிளகாய்பொடி )

Salt- To taste

Turmeric powder-1 Teaspoon  (மஞ்சள்தூள் )

Peanuts-1/2 cup  (வேர்கடலை )

Garlic -6 cloves   (பூண்டு )

Mustard seeds - 1/2 Teaspoon (கடுகு )

Black gram raw-1 Teaspoon   (உளுந்து )

Tomato-1  (தக்காளி )

Curry Leaves - 6 leaves    (கருவேப்பிலை )

Directions:

In a pressure cooker add cabbage and 2 cups of water.

Also add Chilli powder, Salt( to taste), Tomato and Turmeric powder.

Cook till 2 whistles.

Grind Peanuts and Garlic cloves.

Add this to the cabbage and cook for 2 minutes.

For seasoning heat oil add mustard and blackgram.

Add it to the cabbage now its ready to serve :)

Footnotes: 

Can add more peanuts if u like.