Yam Curry

Yam is a coolant. It will cool the body during this hot summer season so it's an apt veggie for this summer. It has many nutrients too. It's a good source of Vitamin C , potassium , manganese , fibre and metabolic B vitamins. It's good for fighting flu and cold and also heals wounds and provides a healthy immune system.

Yam Curry

No. of Serving : 5

Ingredients

Yam - 250 gms

Onion - 1 medium

Tomato - 2 medium

Garlic - 10 cloves

Vadavam - 1 tsp

Mustard - 1 tsp

Fenugreek - 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves - few

Tamarind paste - 2 tbsp

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Coriander powder - 2 tsp

Curry powder / kozhambu powder / sambar powder - 2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil - 2 tbsp

Preparation Method

1. Clean the yam , chop into big chunks and pressure cook it for 3 whistle, keep aside.

2. In a kadai , heat oil add mustard, vadavam and fenugreek seeds.

3. When the mustard crackles add finely chopped onion and garlic and sauté till the onions turn golden brown.

4. Then add chopped tomatoes, red chilli powder, curry powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt and sauté till the oil separates on the top.

5. Then add tamarind paste and enough water to make the curry.

6. Bring it to a boil and boil for 5 minutes.

7. Add chopped yam and let the curry boil for another 5 minutes.

8. Add curry leaves.

9. Serve hot with steamed rice or chapati. It goes well with idli and dosai also.

Chicken Groundnut Masala

This chicken groundnut masala is my own innovation. I like the flavour of groundnut with chicken and so I tried it and turned out delicious.

Groundnut is rich in energy and contains monounsaturated fatty acids. It contains vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. It's good for children.

Chicken Groundnut Masala

No. of Serving : 4

Ingredients

Chicken breast meat - 300 gms

Groundnut roasted - 50 gms

Onion - 2 medium

Tomato - 2 medium

Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tsp

Curd - 1/2 cup

Red chilli powder - 2 tsp

Coriander powder - 2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Cloves - 3

Cinnamon - 1" piece

Cardamom - 2

Star anise - 1

Marati mokkuu - 1

Salt to taste

Oil - 3 tbsp

Preparation Method

1. Wash, dry, cube the chicken and marinate with red chilli powder, turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste, salt and curd for 1 hr. Keep aside.

2. Puree tomatoes , keep aside.

3. In a kadai , heat oil add cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, star anise and marati mokkuu.

4. Then add finely chopped onion and sauté till the onions turn golden brown.

5. Add tomato puree, salt and coriander powder and sauté till tomato is done and oil separates on the top.

6. Then add the marinated chicken and fry for 5 minutes, then add little water and cook till the chicken is done.

7. Coarsely powder the peeled roasted groundnut and add to the chicken. Sauté for 10 minutes.

8. Serve hot with steamed rice , chapati or puri. It goes well with idly and dosai also.

Chicken Vindhai Curry

Chicken Vindhai Curry is a classic traditional curry of Pondicherry, India. The unique flavour comes from the combination of garlic, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds and vinegar. It is usually prepared with mutton, this time I have prepared it with chicken. It was very delicious and this recipe was passed on from my grandmother to my mother and now to me.

Chicken Vindhai Curry

No. of Serving : 6

Ingredients

Chicken - 1 kg

Onion - 2 medium

Tomato - 3 medium

Coconut grated - 5 tbsp

Garlic - 10 cloves

Red chilli powder - 3 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Vinegar - 2 tbsp

Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp

Cumin seeds - 2 tsp

Cloves - 3

Cinnamon - 1" piece

Salt to taste

Oil - 3 tbsp

Preparation Method

1. Soak fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds and garlic in water for 1/2 hr and grind to paste along with grated coconut. Keep aside.

2. Puree tomatoes and keep aside.

3. Wash chicken and dry it, keep aside.

4. In a pressure pan heat oil and add the cloves and cinnamon.

5. Then add chopped onion and sauté till the onions turn translucent.

6. Add tomato paste, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt and sauté till oil separates on the top.

7. Add chicken and the ground coconut paste and vinegar and sauté for 5 minutes till a nice aroma comes.

8. Add required water for the curry and pressure cook for 3 whistle.

9. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Keerai Kozhambu / Spinach Curry

Today I have cooked keerai kozhambu with arai keerai. This keerai is very appropriate for making kozhambu and it tasted delicious.

Keerai / Spinach has a lots of health benefits. It is low in fat and high in niacin, zinc, folate, vitamin A C E and K, protein fibre, thiamin, iron, manganese, potassium, calcium, copper and magnesium.

Keerai Kozhambu / Spinach Curry

No. of Serving : 5

Ingredients

Keerai / Spinach - 1 bunch

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp

Onion - 1 medium

Ginger Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp

Tomato - 1 medium

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Tamarind paste - 1 tbsp

Oil - 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Preparation Method

1. Wash and chop the keerai / spinach and keep aside.

2. In a kadai , heat oil in a pan and add mustard, cumin and fenugreek seeds. When the seeds begin to crackle add onion.

3. When the onion turns translucent add ginger garlic paste and saute till a nice aroma comes.

4. Then add tomato, red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and salt and saute till the tomatoes are cooked.

5. Then add keerai / spinach and add little water and cook till the keerai is fully cooked.

6. Then add tamarind paste and sufficient water for the kozhambu and cook for another 5 minutes.

7. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Lauki Dal / Sorakkai Kootu

This is my version of the sorakkai kootu with homemade dal powder. Lauki / sorakkai has a lot of health benefits and nutrients. It helps in weight loss, treats urinary tract infections, helps digestion and treats constipation, helps in good sleep and healthy for heart and reduces the inflammation of the liver.

Lauki Dal / Sorakkai Kootu

No. of Serving : 4

Ingredients

Lauki / Sorakkai - 1 medium

Moong dal - 100 gms

Homemade dal powder -2 tsp (link of reference)

Cumin powder - 1 tsp

Hing - 1/4 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

Ingredients for Tempering

Onion vadavam - 1 tsp

Onion - 1 medium

Curry leaves - few

Oil - 1 tbsp

Preparation Method

1. Wash and cook moong dal and keep aside.

2. In a pan cook finely chopped lauki / sorakkai till its fully cooked.

3. Add to lauki, homemade dal powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, hing and salt.

4. Add the dal to the lauki. Mix well.

5. In a tempering pan add oil and add onion vadavam, then add curry leaves, then add finely chopped onion and try till the onions turn brown.

6. Add this to the lauki dal.

7. Serve with steamed rice and kara kozhambu or with chapathi.

Channa Kara Kozhambu

This is a chetinad kara kozhambu, I have added boiled channa to make it more flavourful and nutritious. Channa contains complex carbohydrate thus helpful for diabetics patients. It helps in weight loss and good for cardio and lowers cholesterol. It's a good source of iron and protein.

Channa Kara Kozhambu

No. of Servings : 5

Ingredients

Channa dry - 100 gms

Onion - 2 medium

Ginger - 1" piece

Garlic cloves - 10

Tomato - 2 medium

Tamarind paste - 3 tbsp

Coconut - 3 tbsp

Fennel seeds - 1 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Pepper corns - 1 tsp

Red chilli powder - 2 tsp

Coriander powder - 2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - few

Salt to taste

Oil - 3 tbsp

Preparation Method

1. Soak channa overnight, pressure cook and keep aside.

2. In a kadai, heat oil and fry fennel seeds, pepper, cumin seeds, curry leaves, ginger, garlic, onion, coconut  and tomato. Cool and grind into a fine paste.

3. In a kadai, heat oil and add mustard seeds, when the seeds crackle add the ground paste, tamarind paste, red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and water and bring to a boil.

4. Boil for 10 minutes till the oil separates on the top of the curry.

5. Now add cooked channa and cook for another 5 minutes.

6. Garnish with curry leaves.

Banana Flower Kootu

Banana flower has a lot of nutrients and health benefits. Very rich in fibre is good for diabetics, anemia and intestinal health. Help nursing mother, wards of infections, controls menstrual bleeding and reduces anxiety. It is a rich source of vitamins and minerals.

Banana Flower Kootu

No. of Serving : 5

Ingredients

Banana flower - 1

Toor dal - 1 cup

Homemade dal powder -2 tsp (link for reference)

Cumin powder - 1 tsp

Asafoetida - a pinch

Grated Coconut - 2 tbsp

For tempering

Vadavam - 1 tsp

Onion - 1 medium

Preparation Method

1. Peel skin off and chop the banana flower and soak it in salted water.

2. Drain off the salt water, add toor dal and enough water and pressure cook it for 15 minutes.

3. Transfer the vessel to the stove, over low flame add homemade dal powder (link for reference), cumin powder, grated coconut and asafoetida and mix well, stir for 5 minutes.

4. In a tempering pan, heat oil and add vadavam and finely chopped onion and fry till the onions turn brown.

5. Add the tempering to the kootu.

6. Serve with steamed rice and kara kozhambu

Snake Gourd Thokku

Snake Gourd is a water content vegetable with lots of nutrients. Apart from lots of vitamins and minerals it is low in calorie, thus suitable for diabetic patients. It is also known to lessen fever.

This can be apt for lunch box. You can wrap it inside dosai and the dosai will stay moist till lunch.

Snake Gourd Thokku

No. of Servings : 5

Ingredients

Snake gourd - 250 gms

Onion - 1 medium

Tomato - 2 medium

Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tsp

Red chilli powder - 2 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 3 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1tsp

Salt to taste

Preparation Method

1. Puree tomatoes, keep aside.

2. Finely chop snake gourd and pressure cook for 3 whistle, keep aside.

3. In a kadai, heat oil, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds, when the seeds bring to crackle add onion.

4. When the onion turns translucent add ginger garlic paste and sauté till a nice aroma comes.

5. Then add tomato puree, red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and salt and cook till oil separates on top of the masala.

6. Add the cooked snake gourd. Sauté for 5 minutes.

7. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with dosai or chapati.

Poached Egg Curry

This poached egg curry I have done it in chetinad kara kozhambu style. Hope you will like it as much as it did. It tasted yummy and delicious :)

Poached Egg Curry

No. of Servings : 4

Ingredients

Egg - 5

Onion - 2 medium

Tomato - 2 medium

Garlic - 5 cloves

Ginger - 1" piece

Coconut - 5 tbsp

Tamarind paste - 2 tbsp

Fennel seeds - 1 tsp

Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp

Pepper Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Red chilli powder - 3 tsp

Coriander powder - 2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - few

Salt to taste

Oil - 3 tbsp

For Tempering

Vadavam - 1/2 tsp

Fenugreek Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Preparation Method

1. Mix tamarind in 1/2 cup water and keep aside.

2. In a kadai, heat oil, add fennel seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves when they begin to crakle add coconut and fry till dark brown.

3. Then add ginger, garlic and onion and fry till onions turn translucent.

4. Then add tomato and saute till tomato is cooked, cool and grind to a thick paste.

5. In the kadai, heat oil, add vadavam and fenugreek seeds, then add tamarind paste, ground coconut paste, coriander powder, red chilli powder and turmeric powder and water, cover and boil for 10 minutes.

6. Break an egg into the mixture and mix it well so that it gets incoperated into the curry.

7. Break the other eggs one at a time and let it cook. Do not stir it. Cook for 5 minutes. Gently turn the eggs over to the other side and cook for another 5 minutes.

8. Garnish with curry leaves. Serve hot with steamed rice.