Vazhakkai Podimas (Raw Banana Stir Fry)

Preparation time : 10 minutes

Cooking time : 15 minutes

Ingredients : 

1. Vazakkai ( raw banana) - 2

2. Finely chopped onions - 3

3. Chopped green chillies - 3

4. Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

5. Broken urad dal - 1 teaspoon

6. Oil for seasoning - 1 tablespoon

7. Curry leaves - a few

                            

8. Freshly grated coconut - 2 tablespoon 

9. Asafoetida powder - a pinch

10. Salt - to taste

Method :

1. Cut each banana into 3 pieces.

                          

2. Place banana pieces in a pan and cook partially by adding enough water so that they are fully immersed.

3. When they are partially cooked, remove from water and cool. One can  test whether they are half cooked by pressing them. Care should be taken to avoid over cooking.

4. Deskin the pieces, grate them with a grater and keep aside.

5. Place another pan on medium heat and add oil.When oil becomes hot, add seasoning ingredients such as mustard and broken urad dal. Allow the mustard seeds to crackle and urad dal to become golden brown.

6. Then add chopped green chillies, curry leaves and asafoetida powder and sauté for a few seconds.

7. Add chopped onions and sauté till they become golden brown.

8. Add grated banana and salt. Saute for a few minutes so that they get blended with other ingredients in the pan.

9. Transfer into a container and garnish with grated coconut.

     

Pachai Karamani Porial (Long Beans Stir Fry)

Preparation time : 10 minutes

Cooking time : 15 minutes    

Number of servings : 6

Ingredients :

1. Pacchai karamani (long beans) - 1 bunch

2. Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon 

3. Jeera (cumin seeds) - 1/4 teaspoon

4. Urad dal (black gram) - 1 teaspoon 

5. Chana dal (chickpeas) - 1 teaspoon

6. Oil for seasoning - 2 teaspoons

7. Whole red chillies - 3   

                    

8. Salt - to taste.

9. Curry leaves - 1 sprig

10. Grated coconut - 1 teaspoon

           

Method :

1. Heat a pan on medium flame and add 2 teaspoons of oil.

2. When oil becomes hot, add mustard, cumin, urad dal, chickpeas and whole red chillies. Allow them to crackle.

                      

3. Add chopped karamani beans and salt and  stir to mix all the ingredients.

4. Sprinkle water on the vegetable mixture and cover with a lid.

5. Allow it to cook on low flame till beans become tender and water evaporates completely.

6. Transfer into a serving bowl and garnish with grated coconut and curry leaves.

   

Murungai Keerai Porial ( Drumstick Leaves Stir Fry)

Preparation time : 20 minutes

Cooking time : 15 minutes

Number of servings : 6

Ingredients.  

1. Picked leaves of drumstick from twigs - 2 cups

2. Chopped onions - 2 

3. Garlic pods - 10 ( crushed )

4. Toor dal - 1/2 cup

5. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

6. Broken urad dal - 1 tsp

7. Red chillies - 3 

8. Chilli powder - 1/4 tsp

9. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

10. Oil - 1 tbsp

11. Curry leaves - 1 sprig

12. Grated coconut - 1 tbsp

13. Salt - to taste

Method :

1.Wash drumstick leaves thoroughly and rest it in a sieve to remove excess water.

2.Pressure cook toor dal with a quarter tsp of turmeric powder and half tsp of oil. Do not over cook the dal. 

3. Place a kadai on medium flame and add oil.

4. When oil becomes hot, add seasoning ingredients such as mustard, broken urad dal, red chillies and curry leaves. Allow mustard to crackle.

5. Add onions and crushed garlic and sauté till onions become slightly brown. Add chilli powder and sauté for a few seconds.

6. Then add drumstick leaves and sauté.

7 Add salt, sprinkle little water and mix.

8.Cover the kadai with a lid and cook till the greens are tender and water evaporates completely. Avoid over cooking ( over cooking will give a bitter taste )

9. Open the lid, add grated coconut and mix well.

10. Transfer into a serving dish and serve with sambar or curd rice.

Note :

    

A pinch of sugar can be added to enhance the taste. (Optional)

                       

Carrot Kudai Milagai Poriyal (Carrot And Bell Pepper Stir Fry)

Preparation Time : 15 minutes

Cooking time : 10 minutes

Number of servings : 4

Ingredients : 

1. Kudai Milagai (Bell Pepper) : 3 ( finely chopped)

2. Carrots : 4 (grated)

3. Mustard seeds : 1/2 teaspoon

4. Cumin seeds : 1/4 teaspoon

5. Red chillies : 3 (broken)

6. Asafoetida : a pinch

7. Curry leaves : a few

8. Oil : 2 teaspoons

9. Salt : to taste

Method :

1. Place a pan on medium heat and add 2 teaspoons of oil.

2. When oil becomes hot, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, broken red chillies, curry leaves and asafoetida one after the other.

3. When the mustard seeds crackle, add grated carrots and chopped bell peppers and sauté on high flame.

4. Reduce heat, add salt and  sprinkle about 1/4 cup of water. Cover with a lid and cook for about five minutes.

5. Open lid and swirl the mixture a few times. Remove from fire and transfer into a serving bowl.

Note : Do not over cook. The vegetables should be crunchy when eaten.

           

Mixed vegetable dry subzi (Mixed Vegetable Stir Fry)

Preparation time : 10 minutes

Cooking time :  15 minutes

Number of servings :  4

Ingredients :

1. Medium sized potatoes - 2 

2. Medium sized carrot - 1 

3.Shelled green peas - 1/2 cup

4. Paneer (cottage cheese) - a few pieces 

5. French beans - a handful

6. American sweet corn - a handful

7. Medium sized onion - 1 (finely chopped)

8. Medium sized tomatoe - 1 (finely chopped)

9. Green chillies - 2

10. Ginger - 1/2" piece

11. Garlic - 4 to 5 pods

12. Cumin seeds - 1/4 teaspoon

13.  Oil - 1 tablespoon

14. Roasted cumin powder - 1/4 teaspoon

15. Salt - to taste

Method :

1. Peel potato skin with a peeler and cut into small pieces. Immerse in water to prevent discoloration.

2. Similarly deskin carrot and cut into small pieces and keep aside.

3. Chop onion and tomatoe finely.

4. Grind green chillies and ginger garlic in a mixer into a fine paste and keep aside.

5. Heat a pan and add oil 1 tablespoon of oil.

6. When oil becomes hot, add cumin and allow it to crackle.

7. Add chopped onions and saute till colour becomes golden brown.

8. Then add chopped tomatoes and saute till they become soft.

9. Add green chilli ginger garlic paste and stir for a minute.

10. Add all the vegetables and salt and mix thoroughly with the onion tomato masala.

11. Sprinkle half a cup of water and cook the vegetables on low fire till they are soft but do not loose their crunchiness.

12. Add 1/4 teaspoon of cumin powder and mix well.

13.When the vegetables are done, remove from fire and transfer into a serving dish.

14. This vegetable preparation can be eaten as a side dish with chapattis and variety rice preparations.

Muttaikose Porial (Cabbage Stir Fry)

Preparation time : 10 minutes

Cooking time : 15 minutes

Number of serves : 4

Ingredients.

1. Muttaikose/cabbage - 1 (medium size)

2. Toor/arhar dal - 1/4 cup

3. Green or red chillies - 4

4. Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon

5. Split urad dal - 1/2 teaspoon

6. Grated coconut - 1 tablespoon

7. Curry leaves - 1 sprig

8. Oil - 3 teaspoon

9. Asafodita powder (hing) - 1/4 teaspoon

11.  Salt - to taste

Method :

1. Wash cabbage under running water and chop finely.

2. Pressure cook toor dal with a pinch of turmeric and a teaspoon of oil till it becomes soft.

3. Heat a kadai/pan and add 2 teaspoon of oil.

4. When oil becomes hot, add mustard, split urad dal, chillies, asafodita powder and curry leaves one after the other.

5. When mustard crackles, add chopped cabbage and saute for about 2 minutes. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup of water. Add salt and mix well.

6. Cover the pan with a lid and cook till the vegetable becomes soft and water evaporates completely.

7. Add grated coconut and mix.

8. Serve as a side dish with any rice preparation.

Carrot Porial (carrot Stir Fry)

Preparation time : 10

Cooking time : 15 minutes

Number of servings : 4

Ingredients :   

1. Carrots - 250 grams 

2. Split moong dal - 1/4 cup

3. Onion - 1 (chopped)

4. Whole red chillies - 4

5. Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon

    

6. Split urad dal 1/2 teaspoon

7. Curry leaves - a handful

8. Oil - 3 teaspoon

9.Turmeric powder - a pinch

10. Asafodita powder - a pinch

11. Salt - to taste

Method :     

1. Peel carrots and chop into fine pieces.

2. Boil split moong dal in a vessel with a pinch of turmeric powder until soft.

3. Place a kadai/pan on medium flame and add oil.

4. When oil becomes hot, add mustard seeds and split urad dal and a pinch of asafodita powder.

5. When mustard crackles, add red chillies, chopped onions and curry leaves and sauté.

6. When onions turn slightly brown, add chopped carrots and mix well.

7. Add salt, sprinkle water and cover pan with a lid and cook on slow fire until carrots are soft and water evaporates completely.

8. Add boiled moong dal and mix well.

9. Transfer the contents into a serving dish and garnish with curry leaves.

Mullangi Poriyal (Radish Stir Fry)

Preparation time : 10 minutes

Cooking time : 15 minutes

Serving : 4

         

Ingredients : 

1. Radish/mullangi - 250 grams

2. Split moong dal - 1/4 cup

3. Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon

4. Split urad dal/black lentil - 1 teaspoon.                           

5. Curry leaves - 1 sprig

6.Turmeric powder - a pinch

7. Oil for seasoning - 2 teaspoons

8. Red chillies - 4

9. Salt - to taste

         

Method :  

1. Peel the skin of radish and chop finely.

2. Pressure cook moong dal until soft. Cooked dal should not be mushy. 

3. Place a kalai/pan on medium flame and add about 2 teaspoons of oil.

4. When oil becomes hot, add seasoning ingredients such as mustard, urad dal, red chillies and curry leaves.

5. When mustard seeds crackle, add chopped radish and stir for few seconds.

6. Add a pinch of turmeric powder and salt and mix well.

7. Sprinkle water, cover the pan with a lid and cook on low fire until the vegetable is soft.

8. When water evaporates completely, add cooked moong dal and mix well.

9. Transfer the contents into a bowl and garnish with curry leaves.

Vendakkai Vadakkal (Bhindi/Okra Stir Fry)

    

Preparation time : 10 minutes

Cooking time : 15 minutes

Serving : 4

Ingredients :

1. Vendakkai / Bhindi / Okra - 250 grams

2. Chana dal / kadalai paruppu - 1 teaspoon

3. Split urad dal / Ulundu - 1 teaspoon

4. Coriander seeds / dhania - 2 teaspoons

5. Curry leaves - 1 sprig

6. Red chillies - 4 

                              

7. Oil - 1 tablespoon

8. Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon

9. Salt - to taste

Method :

1. Wash okras thoroughly under running water. Dry each one of them with a cloth to get rid of stickiness.

                                     

2. Cut them into 2 inches long pieces and keep aside.

3. Place a pan/kadai on medium flame and dry roast chana dal, urad dal, coriander seeds, dry red chillies and curry leaves individually till they start giving out their aromas.Transfer the roasted contents into a mixer and grind to coarse powder. This will be the masala

for the vegetable preperation.

4. Place a pan on the medium flame and add 1 tablespoon of oil and allow it to become hot.

5. Add mustard seeds and let it crackle.

 
6. Add okras and stir till the outer skin gets a glazy texture. Little amount of water can also be sprinkled if necessary. Cover the pan with a lid and cook on low flame till half done.

7. Open the lid and add the ground masala and salt and mix. Each one of the okra pieces should be coated with the masala. Cover the pan once again and cook till the vegetable is fully cooked.

8. Give the vegetable a final swirl and transfer into a serving dish and serve as a side dish for mixed rice preparations.

     

Beans Carrot Porial (Beans Carrot Stir fry)

    

Preparation time : 10 minutes

Cooking time : 15 minutes

Number of servings : 4

          

Ingredients : 

1. French beans - 100 gms

2. Carrots - 2 (medium sized)

3. Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon

4. Cumin seeds - 1/4 teaspoon

5. Broken urad dal - 1/2 teaspoon

6. Curry leaves - a few numbers

7. Oil -  2 teaspoon

8. Grated coconut - 1 tablespoon

9. Asafodita - a pinch

10. Salt - to taste

Method :     

1. Chop beans and carrots to fine pieces.

2. Place a kadai on medium flame and pour 2 teaspoons of oil.

3. When oil becomes hot, add mustard and cumin seeds. When they start to crackle, add broken urad dal, green chillies,asafodita and curry leaves and sauté till dal becomes slightly brown in color.

4. Add chopped beans and carrots and sauté for a few seconds.

5. Add salt and sprinkle about 1/4 cup of water and cover with a lid and allow the vegetable to cook.

6. Stir the vegetables once or twice and sprinkle more water if needed.

7. When the veggies become soft, and water evaporates completely, add grated coconut and mix well.

8. Transfer into a serving container and serve with any kind of rice dish.       

Noolkol Paruppu Usili (Kohlrabi Stir Fry)

                

Preparation time : 10 minutes

Cooking time : 30 minutes

Ingredients :

1. Noolkol - 2 (finely grated)

2. Moong dal - 1/4 cup

3. Onions - 2 (finely chopped)

4. Green chillies - 3 (finely chopped)

5. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp

6. Broken urad dal - 1 tsp

7. Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp

8. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

9. Oil - 2 tbsp

10. Curry leaves - 1 sprig

11. Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp (finely chopped)

12. Crushed ginger and garlic - 2 tsp

                      

13.Salt - to taste

Method :

1. Soak moong dal in water for about 1/2 an hour. Drain and grind coarsely in a blender. Transfer the dough into a plate and steam it in a steamer. When done, remove from the steamer, mash and keep aside .

2. Place a kadai on medium flame and pour about 2 tablespoon of oil. When oil becomes hot, add mustard. When mustard splutters, add broken urad dal, cumin seeds, green chillies and curry leaves.

3. When urad dal become lightly brown, add crushed ginger garlic and chopped onions and sauté. 

4. When onions become transparent, add grated noolkol, turmeric powder and sauté for a few minutes.

5. Add salt, sprinkle water and cover the kadai with a lid and allow to cook on low flame.

6. When the vegetable becomes soft and water gets fully evaporated, add mashed moong dal and chopped coriander leaves and mix well.

7. Noolkol paruppu usili is ready to be served as a side dish or can also be used as a stuffing for sandwiches.

Kathirikkai Vadakkal (Brinjal Stir Fry)

Preparation time : 5 minutes

Cooking time : 15 minutes

Number of serves : 4

Ingredients :

1. Brinjal - 250 grams 

2. Coriander seeds - 2 tsp

3. Chana dal / chickpeas - 1 tsp

4. Urad dal / black lentil - 1 tsp

5. Whole red chillies - 3

6. Curry leaves - 1 sprig

7. Oil - tablespoon

8. Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon

 9. Salt - to taste

           

Method :

1. Cut brinjal longitudinally and immerse in water to preserve it's color.

2. Place a frying pan on medium flame and toast coriander seeds, chana dal, urad dal, red chillies and curry leaves separately one by one. When cool, transfer all the ingredients into a mixer and grind to a coarse powder. This powder will be used as masala for the brinjals.   

3. Heat the pan once again and add a tablespoon of oil.

                                 

4. When oil becomes hot, add mustard seeds and allow them to crackle.

5. Transfer brinjal slices into the pan and sauté. Sprinkle water and cover the pan with a lid and allow to cook till brinjals are half done.

6. After a while, open the lid and add the ground masala and salt and mix thoroughly. Sprinkle little more water and once again cover the pan and cook till the brinjals are fully cooked.

                                 

7. Transfer into a bowl and serve it as a side dish for any kind of rice dish.