Peerakkai sambar (Ridge gourd)

Ingredients:

  Toover Dal______________1cup ( tuvaram paruppu)
  Peerakkai(Ridge gourd)_______300 gm

 Green chilies ____________2 nos   ( slit lengthwise)

 Tomatoes_______________3 nos   ( medium, diced)

 Chilly Powder___________1 1/2 tsp

 Coriander Powder________1tsp

 Turmeric Powder_________1/4 tsp

 Tamarind  Water__________Juice squeezed from Lemon size    
 tamarind soaked in 1cup of water

 Jeera Powder_____________1 tsp

 Curry leaves_____________few

 Coriander leaves__________few

 For tempering:

Mustard seeds.....................1tsp
Fenugreek seeds..................1/2 tsp
Jeera....................................1/2 tsp
Asafoetida...........................1/4 tsp
Oil.......................................1tbsp

METHOD:
    

     

  Firstly  take the cooker  add 1 cup of of Toor dal.and to that add 4 cups of water. Cook dal for one whistle and simmer it for 3 minutes.
  
Take another cooker and heat in normal flame.

Then add 2tsp oil, green chillies, onions, Peerakkai and saute it for 2 to 3 minutes. 
                  

  Now add tomatoes and salt,turmeric, Jeera powder ,Chilly powder, Coriander powder and mix it well .
                

                             

  Now add Tamarind juice ,2 cups water and close the cooker lid.
  After one whistle,simmer for 2 minutes and  switch it off.

  After the cooker is cooled, remove the lid, add cooked dal
  (add water if you need) and boil for 2 minutes.                            

                        

                      Now add Curry leaves and Coriander leaves.
                      
   For tempering:
                                

 Heat 2 tsp oil in a small pan, add mustard seeds followed
by the rest of the ingredients. When they turn golden brown
add it into the cooked sambar.

 Mix well and garnish with some more  chopped coriander leaves.

Note:

  You can also use 11/2 sambar powder and jeera powder 
  instead of  Chili powder, Coriander powder added in this recipe.

Pazhupavakkai recipe

 

 Pazhupavakkai has no bitter taste.In our family ,we enjoy this during our younger days. This vegetable is  rarely available in market.

 

Ingredients:

Pazhupavakkai-----------200grams

Small Onion-------------1/2 cup (finely cut)

Coconut------------------2tbsp (grated)

Oil(Sesame oil)--------4tbsp

Fennel seeds------------1tbsp

Turmeric powder------1/4 tsp

Red chili----------------2-3 nos

Black pepper-----------1/4 tsp

Cumin seeds-----------1tsp

Cinnamon-------------1 inch

Mustard seeds---------1tsp

Curry leaves-----------few

Coriander leaves------few

Salt --------------------as needed

Method:

For masala:-

 

Heat a pan, add 1tsp oil, red chili, fennel seeds, cumin seeds,

Cinnamon, black pepper and roast it.

  Once cool down, grind it with some water.

 

  Heat a kadai or pan on medium flame, add oil, and mustard seed.

Then add onion, pazhupavakkai and saute for 2-3 minutes.

 

Add ground masala with 1cup of water.

Cook till the pavakkai cooked well on slow flame.

  Now all water evaporates. Add sesame oil and cook for 2-3 minutes.

 

Garnish with Curry leaves and Coriander leaves.

This goes with side dish for any rice (satham)

Rava kesari

Ingredients:

 Rava -------------------------------1cup

Sugar-------------------------------1cup

Ghee--------------------------------1/4 cup

Cardamom powder-------------1/4tsp

Cashews---------------------------10 nos(use as need)

Kishmish/dry grapes/raisins----15-20 nos(use as need)

Water------------------------------2 1/2cups

Milk--------------------------------1cup

Kesari color----------------------a pinch

Salt----------------------------------a pinch

Method: 

 Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a pan and fry cashews until light golden, 

then add raisins  & fry until they swell up. 

 Remove to a plate & set aside.

 In the same pan fry the rava in the ghee on a low flame

until it s turn aromatic. Do not discolor the rava.

In a kadai, boil the water and milk together with pinch

of salt and color.

 

Keep the flame on low, add roasted rava stir continuously 

till the rava absorbs water,  milk and no lumps are formed.

 

Add sugar, keeping the flame on low, stir well till the 

sugar dissolves .

The mixture is combined well and no lumps are present.

Once the kesari becomes thick add cardamom powder, 

4-5 tbsp ghee and mix well till the rava kesari separates 

from pan.

Remove to a bowl , add fried cashew nuts, kishmish and 

some ghee on the top.

 

Quick Sweet Carrot Chapathi

 

Sweet carrot chapathi is liked by sweet lovers. I like sweets. So this is my favorite dish in the evening.I have used to prepared for my son also at his  younger age. This is a simple, easy and quick sweet recipe that you can try for your kids.

 

Ingredients:

Carrot………………..1no medium size

Wheat flower………...1cup

Sugar…………………4tbsp (as needed)

Oil or Ghee ..………….as needed

Water…………………as needed ( to knead)

Cardamom powder …. optional)

Salt…………………….a pinch

Method:

Mix wheat flour with water, salt and kept as side

Wash and grate (thuruvuthal) carrot .

Take a ball of mixed wheat flour,spread it like small  chapathi.

 

 Put  2tbsp of grated carrot, 1-2 tbsp (as your taste) of sugar in the center.

 

Join together the outline of the small chapathi.

 

Now spread it like chapathi with the help of dry wheat flour.

 

Heat a dosa pan in medium flame, roast it with 1 tbsp ghee 

or  oil in both sides.