Bendakaya vepudu (Ladies’ fingers, okra fry)

 

       Okra or bhendi is a very good source of dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, thiamin, vitamin B6, folate, calcium, cagnesium, phosphorus, potassium, manganese, protein, riboflavin, niacin, iron, zinc and copper.

Ingredients :

500 gms okra

For the tempering : 3 tbsp sunflower oil, half a tsp each of mustard seeds, jeera, urad dal, a sprig of fresh curry leaves(washed and dried), 2-3 dried red chillis.

salt according to taste, red chilli powder according to taste, turmeric powder (quarter to half tsp)

Procedure:

1. Wash and dry okra. Its important to dry them thouroughly before chopping in order to avoid a sticky mess. Chop the okra into small floret shaped pieces. (keep wiping the knife with a dry tissue in between chopping)

2. Heat oil in a wok (mukidi) and add urad dal, jeera and mustard seeds. Just as the mustard seeds start to pop, add the curry leaves and red chillis. Take care not to burn it.

3. Add the okra, salt, turmeric pwd, stir gently and leave to cook on medium heat. Stirring often at this stage will also result in a sticky mess.

4. After about 5-10 mins, stir again, fry for sometime and cover with lid after reducing the heat.

5. When it is done, (20-30 mins) add a little red chilli powder and switch off heat.

Today’s Lunch

 

            Hi! I’ve cooked chukka kura (khatta palak) dal and tomato curry for our meal today. Here are the recipes:

 

Chukka Kura pappu

 

Ingredients:

bunch khatta palak greens, washed and chopped roughly

1 small cup tuvar (tur, yellow lentils) dal

1 green chilli

small piece tamarind or aam chur (dry mango powder)

For the tempering : 2 tbsp sunflower oil, half a tsp each of mustard seeds, jeera, urad dal, quarter tsp or less fenugreek seeds (careful! fenugreek seeds are bitter), a sprig of curry leaves(clean and dry), 2-3 broken dried red chillis, 1 clove garlic.

salt (1 tsp), red chilli powder (1/2 tsp), turmeric powder (quarter tsp)

Procedure:

1. Cook the tuvar dal with some water in a pressure cooker. Also soak a small piece of tamarind.

2. After it is done, remove the vessel from the cooker and place it on the flame, add the greens along with the salt, turmeric, red chilli pwd and juice of tamarind (or just add 3 pinches dry mango powder). {If you put the greens along with the dal in the pressure cooker, nutrients will be lost as they need much less time and pressure to cook than the lentils} Cook till the greens are done. Adjust seasonings.

3. Heat oil in a small wok and add urad dal, jeera, fenugreek and mustard seeds. Just as the mustard seeds start to pop, add the curry leaves, garlic and dried red chillis. Pour this tempering over the dal, stir and cover with a lid.

4. All dals taste great with rice and ghee and fryums.

 

 

Tomato Curry

 

 

Ingredients:

3-4 sour medium sized tomatoes

1-2 medium onion

2 green chillis

For the tempering : 2 tbsp sunflower oil, half a tsp each of mustard seeds, jeera, urad dal, a sprig of curry leaves(clean and dry).

salt (1 tsp), red chilli powder (1 tsp), turmeric powder (quarter tsp)

Procedure:

1. Chop onions and slit the green chillis.  Chop the tomatoes too.

2. Heat oil in a pot and add urad dal, jeera and mustard seeds. Just as the mustard seeds start to pop, add the curry leaves.

3. Add the onions and green chillis and fry till translucent.

4. Add the tomatoes, salt, turmeric pwd, red chilli pwd and mix.

5. Close lid and cook till done. If it starts to stick to the bottom of the vessel, add a little water (very little).

 

         This is half and half white and brown rice. It takes a little getting used to, but after that you will like it better than the white rice. Even more nutritious if you can substitute completely with brown rice.

Plaintain (raw banana) scramble

 

      This dish is very easy to prepare and cook as compared to the other plaintain dishes as plaintains can make a sticky mess during peeling and here we do the peeling after it is cooked. I like to make it along with sambhar and I place them on the cover plate of the dal containing vessel in the pressure cooker. The water at the bottom of the cooker is enough to steam the plantains at the top. 

Ingredients :

3-4 plaintains

For the tempering : 3 tbsp sunflower oil, half a tsp each of mustard seeds, jeera, urad dal, channa dal, a sprig of fresh curry leaves(washed and dried), 2-3 dried red chillis.

salt according to taste, red chilli powder according to taste, turmeric powder (quarter tsp), half tsp lemon juice

Procedure:

1. Steam the plaintains till cooked completely. The outer covering slips out easily. Mash the insides roughly.

2. Heat oil in a wok (mukidi) or a non stick pan and add chana dal, urad dal, jeera and mustard seeds. Just as the mustard seeds start to pop, add the curry leaves and red chillis. Take care not to burn it.

3. Add the plantians, salt, turmeric pwd and stir so that the tempering does not remain at the bottom.

5. Fry for some time.

6. Just before turning off the heat, add a little red chilli powder.

7. Sprinkle some lemon juice after it cools down a bit.

Potato fry

Ingredients :

2  or 3 medium sized potatoes (peeled and cut into small pieces) 

For the tempering : 3 tbsp sunflower oil, half a tsp each of mustard seeds, jeera, urad dal, channa dal, a sprig of fresh curry leaves(washed and dried), 2-3 dried red chillis.

salt according to taste, red chilli powder according to taste, turmeric powder (quarter tsp)

Procedure:

1. Heat oil in a wok (mukidi) and add chana dal, urad dal, jeera and mustard seeds. Just as the mustard seeds start to pop, add the curry leaves and red chillis (break into pieces). Take care not to burn it.

2. Add the potatoes and turmeric pwd and stir thoroughly so that the tempering does not remain at the bottom.

5. Cover with a lid, lower heat  and let it get steamed. Donot add water. Check every 5 mins and stir. Add salt when it is half done.

6. When it is almost done, add a little red chilli powder. Chilli powder gets burnt if fried for too long.

      If you want them to be fried and crispy, boil the potatoes before hand, cut into big chunks and fry in a larger quantity of oil (after the tempering). Done like this, it tastes quite different and a lot more yummier. Something like the Indian version of Pommes frites.

Brinjal Fry (vankaya vepudu)

                 Brinjals are rich in iron, calcium and vitamin A. This dish is my personal favourite. But you get the best taste from these type of long purple ones, available in Indian or Srilankan shops. Goes well with plain white rice.

 

Ingredients :

4-5 long, purple brinjals

For the tempering : 3 tbsp sunflower oil, half a tsp each of mustard seeds, jeera, urad dal, channa dal, a sprig of fresh curry leaves(washed and dried), 2-3 dried red chillis.

salt according to taste, red chilli powder according to taste, turmeric powder (quarter tsp)

Procedure:

1. Cut the brinjals into long slices.

2. Heat oil in a wok (mukidi) and add chana dal, urad dal, jeera and mustard seeds. Just as the mustard seeds start to pop, add the curry leaves and red chillis. Take care not to burn it.

3. Add the brinjals, salt, turmeric pwd and stir thoroughly so that the tempering does not remain at the bottom.

5. Cover with a lid, lower heat  and let it get steamed. Donot add water. Check every 5 mins and stir.

6. When it is almost done, add a little red chilli powder. Check to see whether the flesh inside is soft and cooked before turning off the heat.

       My dad said he liked this a lot when I made it two days back. And also the the snake gourd fry previous to that …… actually also the capsicum rice and coconut rice ……………hmmmmmm maybe he likes every thing that I cook.

Snake gourd Fry (pottalakaya vepudu)

          Snake gourd is a vegetable rich in iron, calcium, phosphorous, folate and vitamins A,B and C. It reduces Pitta, meaning it produces a cooling effect on the body, like the cucumber and squashes. This dish goes well with plain white rice.

  

 

Ingredients :

2 snake gourds

For the tempering : 3 tbsp sunflower oil, half a tsp each of mustard seeds, jeera, urad dal, channa dal, a sprig of fresh curry leaves(washed and dried), 2-3 dried red chillis.

salt according to taste, red chilli powder according to taste, turmeric powder (quarter tsp)

Procedure:

1. Peel the snake gourds. Cut in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds and discard. Chop the snakegourds into small pieces.

2. Heat oil in a wok (mukidi) and add chana dal, urad dal, jeera and mustard seeds. Just as the mustard seeds start to pop, add the curry leaves and red chillis. Take care not to burn it.

3. Add the snakegourd, salt, turmeric pwd and stir thoroughly so that the tempering does not remain at the bottom.

5. Cover with a lid, lower heat  and let it get steamed. Donot add water. Check every 5 mins and stir.

6. When it is almost done, add a little red chilli powder. Takes about 30 mins to get cooked on low heat.

Ridgegourd curry (slightly sweetish flavour)

                                      Ridgegourd and curry leaves plant

Ingredients (for two people):

2 ridgegourd (peeled thoroughly and cleaned)

1 medium onion

2 green chillis

For the tempering : 2 tbsp sunflower oil, half a tsp each of mustard seeds, jeera, urad dal, a sprig of curry leaves(cleaned and dried).

salt (1 tsp), red chilli powder (1 tsp), turmeric powder ( quarter tsp)

Procedure:

1. Chop onions finely and slit the green chillis. Chop the ridgegourd into small pieces.

2. Heat oil in a pot and add urad dal, jeera and mustard seeds. Just as the mustard seeds start to pop, add the curry leaves.

3. Add the onions and green chillis and fry till translucent.

4. Add the ridgegourd, salt, turmeric pwd, red chilli pwd and let it saute for a min taking care not to burn it.

5. Close lid and cook for 5-10 mins or till the oil separates. Ridgegourd gets cooked quickly especially the tender ones which give a better flavour.

Brinjal Tomato Curry (sour)

                                               Rice with Brinjal Tomato curry and Ridgegourd curry

Ingredients:

4 (long, purple) brinjals

3 tomatoes

1 medium onion

2 green chillis

For the tempering : 2 tbsp sunflower oil, half a tsp each of mustard seeds, jeera, urad dal, a sprig of curry leaves(clean and dry).

salt (1 tsp), red chilli powder (1 tsp), turmeric powder (quarter tsp)

Procedure:

1. Chop onions and slit the green chillis.  Cut the brinjals and tomatoes into one inch pieces.

2. Heat oil in a pot and add urad dal, jeera and mustard seeds. Just as the mustard seeds start to pop, add the curry leaves.

3. Add the onions and green chillis and fry till translucent.

4. Add the vegetables, salt, turmeric pwd, red chilli pwd and mix.

5. Close lid and cook till done. If it starts to stick to the bottom of the vessel, add a little water (very little).