Mango Sambar

Somebody asked me how to prepare sambar...its not rocket science...as per the hindu myth preparing sambar for a festive occasion or marriage with different spices and vegetables and serving along with ghee rice will bring good luck to the family i don't know how far this is true...surely is a great treat for my tummy...:) this recipe is to simple and authentic perfect for a beginner you can never go wrong on this recipe...In future i will post more variations for sambar recipes...

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Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Cooked Smashed Pigeon peas
2 Blanched Tomato(chopped)
1 Medium Onion (roughly chopped)
2 Medium Tender Murungakkai/Drum Sticks(Chopped into 2 inch)
4 Medium Brinjal/kathirikai(quartered)
2 Green Chilly (Slit)
1/2 Mango Cubed Please use totapuri mango
Coriander for garnish
3 Tbsp Oil
Salt to taste

Masala:
1 1/2 Tbsp Red Chilly Powder
1/2 Tsp Turmeric Powder
1 Tbsp Coriander Powder

Tempering: 
1/2 Tsp Mustard seeds
1/2 Tsp Split Black Gram Dhal
5 Dried Red Chilly
A pinch Asafoetida

Prep Up:

• Take 1/2 Cup Pigeon peas wash it thrice in running water add to pressure cooker and add 2 cups water along with the dhal add two whole tomato place the lid and pressure cook for 2 to 3 whistles till dhal goes mushy.
• Separate the tomato from the dhal once cooked chop and reserve. using a spoon mash the dhal reserve. 

Method:

• Heat a heavy bottom handi or wok add oil add mustard seeds allow to splutter add urad dhal fry a bit add asafoetida, dry red chilly and curry leaves fry a bit.
• Add chopped onion and fry till light pink in color add drumsticks tomato, chilly powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder fry a bit add 2 cups water cover and cook the drumsticks till half done.
• Add brinjal salt and cook till brinjal is half done add mango cover and cook till well done.
• Add dhal extra water stir and adjust the sour content bring to rapid boil garnish with coriander and serve hot with rice...Enjoy...:)

Please note to adjust sour taste in the sambar always have extra cooked dhal.

Murungai Keerai Muttai Poriyal

My fav side dish for rasam rice...there are so many interesting facts to talk about murungai tree other than health aspects there are many stories about murungai maram which are really famous and narrated over and over again one very ancient story is vikram aditya and vethalam.

I personally can never get tired of reading or listening to vikram aditya stories when i was a kid my house had a murrungai maram we used to enjoy the yield so much but at the same time my granny used to close the back door to the the kitchen garden and ask us not to go near that tree after 12 noon she used to tell lot about vethalam on murungai maram which used to fascinate me after reading all that stories but at the same time i used to be really curious and wanted to see if there was any vethalam on the tree.

One fine day in my summer holidays all the kids in my locality and my self had a plan some how to see the vethalam on the murungai maram when all of our parents and elders were fast taking a nap after lunch we some how sneaked out of the house and climbed the parapet wall to reach the back yard guess who was the pack leader meee...I was clueless that our malli/gardener  was cleaning the back yard all of us some how got into the garden and the very first sight was vethalam on the tree all of us screamed so hard and ran as fast as we could hearing us my granny and other neighbors came running outside all of us were crying when the elders asked us what happened everyone of us told the same thing we saw the vethalam on the murungai tree. elders were shocked and they rushed to the back yard to see what is it all about and to everyone's surprise it was our munniswamy(gardener) doing his job everyone burst into laughter...poor munniswamy did not know what really happened he was standing with a shy face...from that day we started calling him vethalam swamy...as kids we were so naughty and playful i miss those days...:(

Ingredients:
2 Cups Murungai Keerai
6 Eggs
1 Large Onion (finely chopped)
6 Green Chilies(finely chopped)
Fist full Coriander leafs(finely chopped)
Oil 2 Tbsp Ghee 1 Tbsp
Salt as per taste

Masala Paste:

5 to 6 Pods Garlic

1 Inch Ginger

1/4 Tsp Pepper corns

1/4 Tsp Fennel seeds

2 Pods Cardamom

• Add all these ingredient to a mixer-jar and prepare a coarse paste.

• When purchasing murungai keerai make sure its dark green in color.
• Pick all the steams and clean the yellow leafs.
• Rinse thrice before use.

Method:

• Heat oil and ghee in a wok add ginger and garlic paste fry till raw flavor is gone.
• Add onion and chilies and fry onions till transparent.
• Add the greens to the onion and add 1/4 cup water stir and place a cover allow the green to cook on medium flame.
• Once the greens have cooked allow the moisture to evaporate and oil to surface.
• Add salt as per taste.
• Add the eggs and scramble till cooked and oil surfaces on the sides garnish with coriander and serve with hot rice and rasam...Enjoy..:) 

Do watch the recipe demo...:)

                         

Murungai Keerai Rasam

Moringa Oleifera : The Miracle Tree  is found through out India its really famous in southern India we prepare lot of recipes using drumstick & leafs. this rasam recipe is good for gastric & diabetic patients and kids over all its really good for everybody its packed with vitamin A & C its also packed with iron. murrungai keerai rasam is my favorite. there are few favorite recipes using these greens which i will be blogging very soon...:)

Click Here to view tomato rasam recipe.

Ingredients:
2 Large Ripe Tomatoes
1 Tbsp Tamarind Paste (if your using whole tamarind take a small lime size ball of tamarind)
4 Garlic Pods
1 Cup Murungai keerai (its very important to wash the greens thoroughly we normally wash the green thrice)
Fist Full Coriander leafs and stems
2 Sprigs Curry leafs
1/4 Tsp Cooking Soda

1 Tbsp Rasam Powder Click Here for rasam podi recipe
1 Tbsp Oil
Salt as per taste

For Tempering:
1/4 Tsp Mustard Seeds
1/4 Tsp Cumin Seeds
2 Dry Red Chilies
1 Pinch Asafoetida

1st Step:

• In a heavy bottom pan or wok boil 1 cup water add cooking soda and the greens allow the green to cook thoroughly and reserve in a bowl.

2nd Step:

• Boil another cup of water in the same wok and add the tomatoes to cook till well done.

• Once the tomatoes have cooked to a mushy consistency remove from flame add the tamarind paste and extract the pulp from the tomato.
• Add salt mix well and check for sour content.

3rd Step:

• Add the cooked greens to the tomato puree along with the garlic, coriander and curry leafs.

• Bring to a rapid boil and add the rasam podi mix and allow to boil once and remove from flame.

4th Step:

• Heat a fry pan with 1 tbsp oil  add mustard and cumin seeds allow to splutter.
• Add dried red chilies and asafoetida and temper the rasam. serve hot with rice and Enjoy...:) 

Video Recipe in English...Enjoy....:)

Murungakkai Mutton Kuzhambu/Gravy

Typical south indian khanna...yes each and every south indians fav curry with rice on sunday menu...everyone has their own twist on the recipe today I will show how mom prepares mutton curry we have 3 different variations to this mutton gravy i will show one by one in my upcoming blogs I must say this is real yummy the flavor is super and different...try it for yourself...:)

Ingredients:
1 Large Onion(chopped into medium cubes)
2 Medium Murungakkai/Drum Stick(cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces)
1 Inch Cinnamon
2 Cardamoms
3 Cloves
2 Tbsp Chilly Powder
1 1/2 Tsp Coriander Powder
1/2 Tsp Turmeric Powder

1 Kilo Mutton
1/2 Cup Yogurt

2 Tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
2 Cardamom
2 Cloves
1 Inch Cinnamon
3 Tbsp Oil
1 Tbsp Ghee

1/3 Cup Coconut
Fist Full Coriander
1/2 Lime
Salt to taste.

• 1/2 tsp of fennel seeds are added to grind ginger and garlic please follow this step.

 Marination:

• Add yogurt ginger garlic paste 2 cloves, 2 cardamom, 1inch cinnamon, 1tbsp chilly powder, 1/4tsp  turmeric powder and 1/2 tsp coriander powder with 1 tbsp salt mix all the ingredients well into the meat and allow to marinate for 2o to 30 minutes for best results marinate for1 hour.

Grind:

• Grind coconut and coriander into a smooth paste and set aside.

Lets Prepare:

• Add the marinated meat and 1 tbsp oil to the cooker and allow to cook for 5 minutes once you see liquid released from the meat allow to dry out add 1 glass of water cover and cook for 2 to 3 whistles till well done.
• Heat a wok add oil and ghee add the remaining spices fry a bit add onion and fry till transparent add the drumstick remaining chilly powder, coriander power and turmeric powder. 
• Add cooked meat to the onion and bring to a boil check for salt add if needed.
• Allow the drumstick to cook till tender. add water if needed.

• Add the coconut paste to the curry add  1 to 1/2 cup water if need to thin the gravy a bit allow the gravy to boil the raw flavor from the coconut should reduce and good aroma and texture should develop when tasted...once the gravy has cooked squeeze in half lime juice and garnish with coriander...serve super hot with rice, idlly or dosa...Enjoy...:)

Suggestions: To the same gravy recipe brinjal or radish can be added instead of drumstick for extra flavor dill leafs or methi leafs can also be added try simple variations I'm sure you will enjoy each and every variation...:)

Demo video in english do watch..Enjoy...:)

  

Murungakkai/Drumstick Kootu

Murungakkai or also know as drumstick is really famous vegetable in south each and every south indian adores this vegetable this divine scented vegetable is a must prepare during festivals and other special occasions. at my house we consume murrungakkai to the max when its in season we prepare lot of recipes even with the murugaipoo (flowers) and leafs its a delicacy and must have. normally this vegetable grows on tree. the tree starts to bare flowers from February and by April we have a good yield some farmers have started to harvest murrungakkai year round dad would buy drumstick during winter just because he loves it he wouldn't mind even if its costly during winter. there are so many recipes we have forgotten in this fast moving modern life style  I and mom put together few unique recipes some of you would have forgotten. few of these recipes are century's old which was documented by my grandma now I'm documenting these recipes for years to come and we want other people to start preparing these simple recipes and enjoy with your family.

Many of us dont know how to check and purchase this vegetable. simple tips that i got from my aunt and mom was to twist the vegetable clockwise and anticlockwise if its flexible then its tender and the vegetable should have a bright green color. use the vegetable as soon as you purchase it will have a fresh taste can be stored in the fridge for 3 days.     

 Ingredients: 

3 Medium size Murungakkai/drumstick

1 Large Onion (finely Chopped)

3-4 Chillies (slit)

5 Pods Garlic(finely Chopped)

2 Sprigs Curry leafs

Coriander fist full(finely chopped)

1/4 Cup Pigeon peas 

1/4 Tsp Asafoetida

2 Dried Red Chillies

1/4 Tsp Mustard Seeds, Black Gram, Cumin 

1/2 Tsp Chilly powder, Coriander Powder

1/4 Tsp Turmeric Powder

Fresh Lime (optional)

4 Tbsp Oil

Salt to taste.

First Step:

• Wash and pressure cook the pigeon peas to a mushy consistency.
• Chop the murungakkai into large pieces and wash twice.

• Boil 3 cups of water with 1/2 tsp salt in a pot add the chopped murugakkai and cook till well done.

Second Step:

• Allow the cooked vegetable to cool on a plate reserve the vegetable stock for later.
• Open the murungakkai and scoop out  the cooked meaty flesh and seeds with the help of a spoon  reserve in a bowl.

Third Step: 

• Heat a wok with 3 tbsp oil  add 1 sprig curry leaf ,onion, garlic and chilies fry till onion goes transparent .
• Add a pinch of asafoetida and fry the onion.
• Add the chilly powder, coriander powder and turmeric to the onion and fry for a minute.
• Add the scooped vegetable to the onion masala and fry a bit .
• Add the reserved broth and salt cover and allow to boil for 10 minutes on a low flame.

Fourth Step:

• Add the cooked dhal to the boiling curry and allow to boil for 2 more minutes.
• Heat a fry pan with 1 tbsp oil add the mustard seeds,cumin, black gram and red chillies with a pinch of asafoetida fry a bit.
• Add the seasoning to the curry mix well garnish with curry leafs, coriander and few drops of lime juice. serve hot with steamed rice...Enjoy..:)

Thanks to mom for sharing your recipe your the best...♥

Soul searching....recipe demo in English...enjoy...:)