Ridge Gourd Curry!!!

Ridge gourd is loaded with nutrients such as dietary fiber, vitamin C, riboflavin, zinc, iron and magnesium. It is also low in fat and calories.
Ridge gourd is a good blood purifier, strengthens immune system and helps in weight loss.
English : Ridge Gourd

Tamil : Peerkangai

Telugu : Beerakaya

Hindi : Turai

Kannada: Heere kayee

Malayalam : Peechinga

This ridge gourd curry is my mom's recipe and I assure you that it tastes really good.


Ingredients:

• Ridge Gourd : 4 Medium
• Mustard : 1/2 tsp
• Jeera: 1/2 tsp
• Curry Leaves : 6-7 leaves
• Oil : 1 tsp
• Turmeric Powder : 1/4 tsp
• Salt : As Required

To grind :

• Ginger : 1 inch piece
• Green Chillis : 2
• Coconut : 2-3 Spoons

Method:

1. Peel the skin from the ridge gourd and cut in cubes.
2. Grind the TO GRIND ingredients without water.
3. In a kadai/ pan add oil and splutter mustard , jeera and curry leaves. Add turmeric powder. 
4. Add the cut vegetables and salt.
5. After it is cooked, add the ground mixture. Keep for a min. Then Switch off.

Ridge Gourd curry is now ready. Tastes good with rotis or rice.

Enjoy!!!

Paruppu Usili!!

Paruppu ( Dal/ lentils) Usili (crumble) is one the favorite dishes of any Iyer household.

After we were betrothed, in an effort to understand my to-be hubby and before i even knew how to cook, I asked Ji(Hubby!!), "What's your favorite dish?" The answer was instantaneous, " Paruppu Usili" he said. My head started spinning. Even though i adored Paruppu Usili, it just looked very complicated.
But now i'm really confident while doing the dish. And with a little love and affection, it becomes extra special.

Ingredients:

• Toor Dal : 1/2 Cup
• Chana Dal: 3/4 Cup 
• Red Chilli : 5-6 ( or as required)
• Vegetable of your choice : You can use Beans, Cabbage, Vazhai-poo ( Plantain flower) or Kothavarangai (Clustered beans). You can use only one vegetable at a time. : 1/4 kg Chopped
• Salt : As Required
• Asafoetida: 2 pinches
• Mustard seeds : 1 tsp
• Urad Dal: 1 tsp
• Curry leaves : A spring
• Turmeric Powder: 1/4 tsp
• Oil : 5 tsps

Method:

1. Soak the Dals together in water for an hour.
2. Drain the water And grind the dals with the red chillies,asafoetida and salt ( requied for the dal) without water. If you feel it is too coarse just sprinkle a little water.
3. Steam cook ground dals like idlies.
4. In the mean time cook the chopped vegetable with salt and water. Cook until they are 3/4th cooked.
5. After the dal is cooked, let it cool and crumble the steamed mixture. ( I usually run it in the mixer for a few seconds, until it crumbles).
6. Heat oil in a pan or kadai and add mustard seeds. Let it splutter. Add Urad dal and let it brown. Add curry leaves.
7. Add the dal crumble and let it crumble and cook well. Let it brown very slightly.
8. Add the cooked vegetables and saute well. Let it on the stove or 3-5 mins and switch off.

Tasty, mouth-watering paruppu usili is ready. Usili goes well with Vathakuzhambu, Sambar, Rasam, Mor-kuzhambu etc.

P.S: If you want the Usili very soft, reverse the dal quantities.

Enjoy!!!!

Carrot curry with a twist!!!

Carrots are a good source of dietary fibers, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K and Potassium.
Drinking a glass of carrot juice daily will do much more for you than many bottles of supplement tablets.
Its powerful cleansing properties are effective in detoxifying the liver. 
" Eat Carrots! You can see better"- My mom used to tell us.  Beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin are some of the finest nourishment that help keep the optic system in tip-top condition.

If I think of carrots, I immediately imagine the delicious Carrot Halwa!! YUM!!!!!!!!!!
One day, I had to very less time to cook something and I saw the carrots sitting on the lower rack in my refrigerator. So I thought, " Ok lets make Carrot Curry". I didn't want to make it the usual way, and so i started to make it with a twist!!!!
It is easy to make. It is a bit tangy!!


Ingredients:
Carrots: 4-5 ( not mini carrots)
Green chilis: 3
Ginger : 1 inch 
Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp
Soya sauce: 2 Drops
Lemon juice: 1 tsp
Salt: To taste
Mustard seeds: 1/4 tsp
Coriander leaves: For garnish
Oil: 1 tsp


Method: 

1. Wash and peel the carrots. Grate them.
2. Cut the chilies and ginger into fine pieces.
3. Heat the oil in a pan. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and wait till they start popping.
4. Add the green chili,ginger and turmeric powder.
5. Now add the grated carrots and sprinkle little water. Close the pan.
6. Keep stirring often until the carrots are soft and well cooked.( If need be, sprinkle little water and close the lid)
7. After the carrots are cooked, add the soya sauce and the lemon juice.
8. Add salt and stir well.
9. Garnish it with fresh coriander leaves.

The tangy carrot curry is ready to be served. It is good with Rasam rice and Chapathi.