CHAYOTE / CHOW CHOW PEEL CHUTNEY

After preparing kootu ( lentil gravy) from chayote, I reserved the peel for preparing chutney. Having prepared chutneys from the peel of varied veggies like raw banana,ash gourd, pumpkin,ridge gourd,I tried chayote peel for the first time.This chutney has a subdued flavour. While choosing chayote,make sure that peel is smooth and free from tiny thorny structures. Because ruggard peel doesn't impart a smooth texture to the chutney.

INGREDIENTS

 

CHAYOTE PEEL-  1 CUP

SALT TO TASTE

OIL- 4 TSP

INGREDIENTS TO ROAST AND GRIND

 

URAD DAL- 4 TSP

GRAM DAL- 4 TSP

RED CHILLIES- 6 NOS

TAMARIND- GOOSEBERRY SIZE

ASAFOETIDA- 1/2 TSP

 

METHOD

Wash the peel thoroughly and wipe it and chop it to smaller pieces and keep it aside.

In a pan add oil and roast gram dal,urad dal,red chillies,asafoetida,tamarind.Allow the ingredients to cool.

In the same pan add the remaining oil and saute chopped peel till it slightly changes colour. Allow the contents to cool,

In a mixer grinder add sauteed peel,roasted lentils,salt and other ingredients and grind to little coarse paste .

 

 

 

 

 

CHAYOTE / CHOW CHOW KOOTU ( METHOD-2)

 

Besides chayote,this lentil based gravy can be prepared using any veggie like cucumber,snake gourd,ash gourd and pumpkin.

INGREDIENTS

 

CHAYOTE / CHOW CHOW- 3 NOS

SALT TO TASTE

TURMERIC POWDER- 1/4 TSP

TOOR DAL- 2 TBSP

OIL- 4 TSP

 

INGREDIENTS TO GRIND TO PASTE

 

COCONUT GRATINGS- 1 1/2 TBSP

ONION- 1 

TAMARIND- GOOSEBERRY SIZE

RED CHILLIES- 5-6 NOS

URAD DAL/  BLACK GRAM DAL- 4 TSP

GARLIC CLOVES- 4 NOS

FOR SEASONING

OIL- 3 TSP

MUSTARD- 1 TSP

CURRY LEAVES- 1 SPRIG

METHOD

In a pan heat oil and saute urad dal,chopped onions,coconut gratings,red chillies,tamarind,garlic cloves till the urad dal becomes crisp,onion turns translucent,red chillies changes colour and garlic gets roasted.

Allow the ingredients to cool and grind to fine paste on cooling.

Wash and peel the skin of the veggie and chop it into uniform pieces and steam cook along with toor dal,turmeric powder,salt in pressure cooker for 3 whistles and switch off.

In the same pan add the oil and add mustard. When it starts to splutters,add curry leaves.

Add the steamed contents and the ground paste over the seasoning and simmer in mild till the gravy thickens.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

KONKANI STYLE YAM CURRY

I learnt this yummy yam curry from my friend. Crispy roasted yam pieces is soaked in coconut gravy. But I have slightly modified the recipe. I sauteed the coconut paste so that it becomes dry and the crispy texture of yam is retained.

INGREDIENTS

YAM- 500 GRAMS

SALT TO TASTE.

TURMERIC POWDER- 1/4 TSP

OIL- 1 TBSP 

INGREDIENTS TO GRIND TO PASTE

 ROASTED FENUGREEK SEEDS- 1/2 TSP

ROASTED RED CHILLIES- 6 NOS

COCONUT GRATINGS- 1 1/2 TBSP

TAMARIND- GOOSEBERY SIZED

ASAFOETIDA- 1/2 TSP

FOR TEMPERING

 OIL- 4 TSP

MUSTARD- 1 TSP

CURRY LEAVES- 1 SPRIG

RED CHILLIES- 2 NOS

 METHOD

Peel yam and chop it to small pieces and wash thoroughly to remove the starch content.

Allow the pieces to rest and drain the water completely.

Heat a tbsp of oil and saute the drained pieces with salt till it turns crisp. Add turmeric powder and mix well and keep it aside.

In a pan dry roast red chillies,fenugreek seeds,asafoetida till nice aroma emanates and switch off. Grind the roasted ingredients along with coconut gratings,raw tamarind piece and water to thick paste.

In another pan heat another tbsp of oil and when its hot add mustard,red chillies and curry leaves.

Over the seasoning add the ground paste,salt and simmer in mild heat till the paste thickens.

Now add in the crispy roasted yam pieces and mix well. 

Roasted Yam Pieces

PAVAKKAI PACHADI

Pavakkai pachadi is an authentic tamarind based gravy involving bitter gourd. This pachadi is an amalgamation of flavours ranging from sweet,sour and spicy.

INGREDIENTS

BITTER GOURD MEDIUM- 3 NOS

OIL- 1 TBSP

SALT TO TASTE

TAMARIND- LEMON SIZE

TURMERIC POWDER- 1/4 TSP

POWDERED JAGGERY- 2 TSP 

ROAST AND GRIND

URAD DAL- 4 TSP

RECD CHILLIES- 5-6 NOS

WHITE SESAME SEEDS- 1 TBSP

FOR TEMPERING

SESAME OIL- 2 TSP

MUSTARD- 1 TSP

FENUGREEK- 1 TSP

CUMIN SEEDS- 1 TSP

ASAFOETIDA- 1/2 TSP

CURRY LEAVES- 1 SPRIG 

METHOD

Wash and chop bitter gourd. In a pan heat 1 tbsp oil and shallow fry bitter gourd till it turns black and keep it aside.

Soak tamarind in warm water and extract syrup.

In a pan heat tamarind syrup along with turmeric powder,salt,powdered jaggery till the raw smell of the tamarind syrup goes off completely.

Now add roasted bitter gourd to the tamarind syrup and boil till the raw smell of the syrup goes off.

Roast urad dal,red chillies and sesame seeds in oil till crisp and powder it in a blender.

Add the powder to the tamarind syrup and and heat for few minutes and switch off.

Prepare seasoning and add to the prepared tamarind syrup.

PAVAKKAI  PACHADI  WITH  YAM CURRY

BEETROOT THORAN / KERALA STYLE BEETROOT CURRY

 INGREDIENTS


BEETROOT- 500 GRAMS

SALT TO TASTE


INGREDIENTS TO COARSE GRIND


COCONUT GRATINGS- 2 TBSP

SHALLOTS- 3 NOS

GARLIC CLOVES- 3 NOS

GREEN CHILLIES- 2 NOS

CUMIN SEEDS- 1 TSP


 FOR TEMPERING

COCONUT OIL- 4 TSP

MUSTARD- 1 TSP

SPLIT URAD DAL- 1 TSP

CURRY LEAVES- 1 SPRIG.



METHOD

Wash ,peel and grate beetroots and keep it aside. In a mixer jar blend coconut gratings,green chillies,cumin seeds,shallot to coarse paste.

In a pan heat coconut oil and add mustard seeds,when it starts to splutter add split urad dal and curry leaves.

Over the seasoning add grated beetroots,salt and saute well. Sprinkle water over it and keep it covered till the veggie becomes soft.

Now add the blended mixture over the cooked gratings and simmer in mild heat for few minutes and switch off. 

GUTTI VANKAYA KOORA (DRY CURRY) / ANDHRA STYLE STUFFED BRINJAL CURRY

Gutti Vankaya kura is a scrumptious brinjal curry popular in Andhra pradesh. This stuffed curry in prepared in two methods.In the first method, stuffed brinjal is cooked in gravy. In the second method, stuffed brinjal is roasted in mild heat over the seasoning. I have modified this dry curry version. Instead of preparing it as a stuffed curry,I have chopped brinjal to bigger chunks and then add blended it with the powdered ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

 
BRINJAL STRIPPED VARIANT- 500 GRAMS

CORIANDER SEEDS- 1 TBSP

RED CHILLIES- 7 -8 NOS

CUMIN SEEDS- 3/4 TSP

FENUGREEK SEEDS- 1/2 TSP

CRUSHED GARLIC- 6 NOS

SALT TO TASTE

COCONUT GRATINGS- 2 TBSP

ROASTED GROUNDNUTS- 1 TBSP

SESAME SEEDS- 3/4 TBSP

OIL- 2 TBSP

TAMARIND- GOOSEBERRY SIZE

TURMERIC POWDER- 1/4 TSP 

 

 

FOR TEMPERING

 

 
OIL- 1 TBSP

MUSTARD- 1 TSP

SPLIT URAD DAL- 1 TSP

CURRY LEAVES- 1 SPRIG

CHOPPED ONIONS- 2 NOS

GARLIC MINCED- 4 NOS

METHOD

 

 
Wash,chop brinjal to slightly bigger chunks . Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan and saute chopped brinjal after adding salt and turmeric powder. 

In a pan add 2 tsp of oil and roast coriander seeds,fenugreek seeds,cumin seeds,red chillies,coconut gratings,crushed garlic,groundnuts,sesame seeds and tamarind piece till the ingredients become crisp.

On cooling grind the roasted ingredients to fine paste using water.

In another pan heat 1 tbsp of oil.When it is hot add mustard,when it starts to splutter add split urad dal,chopped onion,salt,minced garlic and saute till onions turn translucent. Add ground paste over this and saute till raw smell of the paste goes off.

Now transfer the sauteed brinjal to the paste and mix well. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

UPPU KOZHUKATTAI / ULUNDU KOZHUKATTAI

INGREDIENTS


URAD DAL-  1 CUP

GREEN CHILLIES- 2 NOS

RED CHILLIES- 2 NOS

GINGER- 1/2 INCH

COCONUT GRATINGS- 1 TBSP

CORIANDER LEAVES FOR GARNISHING

LEMON JUICE- 2 TSP

SALT TO TASTE.


FOR SEASONING


OIL-  1 TBSP

MUSTARD- 1 TSP

ASAFOETIDA- 1/2 TSP

CURRY LEAVES- 1 SPRIG



FOR THE FILLING

Soak urad dal for thirty minutes. In a mixer grinder take soaked urad dal,green chillies,red chillies,coconut gratings and chopped ginger,salt to little coarse paste.

Steam the ground paste in a greased container for ten minutes.After steaming allow the contents to cool. Add chopped coriander leaves and lemon juice and mix well.

In a pan heat oil. When it is hot add mustard. When it starts to splutter,add asafoetida,curry leaves and steamed urad dal coarse paste.

Saute in mild heat till it becomes crumbly.




FOR KOZHAKATTAI DOUGH


Wash,rinse and soak raw rice in 1 cup of water for one hour.

Grind the soaked rice along with water in a mixer grinder to fine batter.

Heat the remaining cup of water in a pan along with salt .

When the water starts to boil,add the ground batter,sesame oil and keep stirring till the batter thickens and reaches chapati dough consistency.

Now switch off the stove and cover the dough and allow it to cool,


FOR THE OUTER COVERING


Take the dough  and divide it into small balls and keep it aside.

Apply oil on your palm. and flatten the ball and gently place the urad dal filling inside the flattened dough and seal it tightly.

Arrange  the stuffed kozhukattais on a greased idli plates and steam for 5 minutes without placing the whistle.