Chembu Pulivitta Curry (Spicy Tangy Colocasia Stir Fry)

Chembu Colocasia or taro root is one of my favorite vegetables. I love anything made out of it like Chembu Sambar, Chembu Moru Kootan, Chembu roast etc. Chembu Pulivitta curry is a perfect combination with Molagootal, molagutiam or curd rice. This is another traditional palakkad recipe.

Ingredients                                                         Serves - 4

1.       Chembu/colocasia/taro root/arvi – ½ kg

2.       Tamarind – gooseberry size

3.       Jaggery a little

4.       Turmeric Powder a pinch

5.       Asfoetida – a pinch

6.       Salt to taste

Dry roast and grind

1.       Channa Dal – 1 tbsp

2.       Dhaniya – 1.5 tbsp

3.       Red Chillies – 2 to 3 adjust according to taste

For seasoning

1.       Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp

2.       Curry leaves a few

3.       Oil – 3 tsps

Method

Steam the chembu with the skin. Do not overcook.Cool, remove skin, cut them into 1 inch thick pieces and keep aside.

 Soak tamarind in hot water for 10 mins. Squeeze, take a thick extract and keep it aside.

Dry roast channa dal, coriander seeds and red chillies. Cool and grind to a fine powder.

In a Kadai, heat oil, temper it with mustard seeds, once they splutter, add the curry leaves. Then add the chembu, turmeric, asfoetida and salt to taste. Fry for about 7 to 8 minutes. Then add the tamarind extract and little jaggery. Fry this for a few mins or till the tamarind extract is absorbed completely. Take care while stirring, not to mash the vegetable. 

Now add the spice powder and mix well. Let it fry for another 4 to 5 mins. Chembu Pulivtta curry is ready. Serve it as an accompaniment with steaming hot rice and molagootal.

Pulikuthi Upperi

A tangy blend of stir fried country vegetables best describes Pulikuthi upperi. Yet another palakkad special. This yummy curry serves as a great side dish with the mild molagootal. The upperi also goes well with rasam. It is usually prepared with a variety of country vegetables like Raw bananas, Brinjal, Okra, Pumpkin, and Colocassia leaves (Arbi Leaves). It can be made with a combination of any of these vegetables or can be made with only raw bananas.

I have updated the recipe with an alternate method, which I feel comfortable with. Though traditionally, all the veggies are cooked in the tamarind water until done, I find the end result to be very mushy which is not the way I like it, though my grandmother makes the perfect upperi with this method itself. But just for my convenience I have started using the the second method which is a good alternate method, if you don't like your upperi mushy and soggy. So let’s get on with the recipe:

Ingredients                  (Serves: 3-)

1. Raw Bananas – 2, medium sized
2. Yellow Pumpkin – 200 gms
3. Brinjals – 3 – 4
4. Lady’s finger – 10
5. Tamarind – A gooeseberry sized ball
6. Asfoetida a pinch
7. Turmeric Powder – a pinch
8. Jaggery – a little
9. Salt to taste

To grind

1.  Raw rice – 3 tbsps
2. Fenugreek/methi seeds – ½ tsp
3. Dried Red Chillies – 3 -4

For Seasoning

1. Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
2. Curry Leaves – a few
3. Coconut Oil – 1 tbsp

Method- 1

1. Cut all the vegetables lengthwise into about 1 ½ inch pieces. 
2. Soak tamarind in hot water for about 10 mins. Extract thick tamarind extract.
3. In a vessel, add the vegetables and the tamarind extract. Add a pinch of turmeric powder, asafoetida, salt to taste and a bit of jaggery. Cover the vessel and cook till vegetables are done. Once the vegetables are cooked and if some water remains then cook without cover till the water evaporates.
4. In the meanwhile, dry roast the ingredients mentioned under the to grind section. While roasting first add rice, once it starts changing color then add methi seeds and chillies as these will roast very quickly and if add in the beginning itself will get burnt. Cool and grind to a fine powder.
5. Heat a non stick kadai with about 1 tbsp of coconut oil, add mustard seed. Once the seeds splutter, add curry leaves and then add the vegetables cooked in tamarind extract. Let it roast for some time stirring in between. After the vegetables are roasted well, add the curry powder. Mix it well. Take care not to mash the vegetables while stirring.

Delicious Pulikuthi Upperi is ready!

Method 2

1. Heat a non stick kadai with oil, splutter mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida.
2. Add the raw banana pieces and turmeric powder. lower the heat to medium and cook covered till the raw banana pieces are 3/4 cooked. Keep stirring in between and sprinkle some water if required.
3. Now add the brinjal, lady's finger and pumpkin pieces. add salt to taste and mix well.
4. Cook covered for 4 to 5 minutes or until all the veggies are cooked.
5. In the meanwhile, extract a thick tamarind juice with about 1/2 cup of water add this tamarind extract to the cooked veggies, add the jaggery now if using and cook uncovered on medium heat stirring occasionally until all the moisture has evaporated.
6. Now add the roasted and ground powder mix well and remove from heat. You can cook for 3 to 5 minutes on low heat after adding the powder if you like.

Note: 

1. Add Raw Bananas first let these be half done then add brinjals, lady’s finger and Pumpkin as these take lesser time to cook.
2. Adjust the amount of tamarind depending on the quantity of vegetables used.

Paruppu Thogayal

This is a very easy and healthy dish. Paruppu Thogayal and Vatha Kuzhambu is an excellent combination. Try this blend of moong dal, fresh coconut and red chillies and you are bound to have your fingers licking. Though it can be prepared using tuar dal but I prefer moong dal.

Ingredients                       (Serves: 3- 4)

1.      Split yellow moong dal – 1 cup

2.      Fresh grated coconut – 1 cup

3.      Dried Red Chillies – 1

Method

Heat a pan and dry roast the moong dal on medium flame till the dal turns slightly red. Wash and drain the dal. Soak dal with red chillies for about 30 mins in water. Drain all the water and grind the dal, chillies and coconut with salt into a thick paste adding little water. Serve as accompaniment with white rice and vathakuzhambu.

Keerai Masiyal

Spinach and all greens are a real powerhouse of vitamins and minerals. Rich in iron, calcium and folic acid. It is recommended that we eat greens on daily basis: - at least a small portion.

Here’s a very simple recipe, which can be prepared within 10 minutes time. Most of the Keerai Masiyal recipes incorporate garlic, onions and tomatoes. The recipe that I am posting today is a typical Brahmin recipe in which the taste of the keerai is dominant.

Ingredients

1.       Spinach or any other greens – 1 big bunch

2.       Dried red chillies – 2

3.       Urad Dal – 1 tsp

4.       Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp

5.       Coconut Oil – 1 tsp

6.       Salt to taste

Method

Wash the greens very well. Drain out excess water. Chop them roughly.

Heat a pan, add the greens. (No need to add water if you are using Spinach i.e. palak. For other varieties like Ara keerai, mula keerai etc add a little water) Cook covered till the greens are soft.

Allow to cool. Grind it for a just about 30 seconds. Take care that it does not become a very fine paste.

Transfer into a bowl. Add salt to taste and mix well.

Heat coconut oil, add mustard seeds, urad dal and red chillies. Once the mustard splutters and the dal turns red pour this on the Spinach Paste.

Keerai Masiyal is ready. Can be served as an accompaniment to Sambar or Mor Kootan. Or you can simple mix the Masiyal with rice and have it.

Vazhakkai Chenai Mezhukuperatti/Mezhukkupuratti

This is another dish which is very simple and yet very tasty. It goes very well as a side dish with Sambar,  Rasam and Moru Kootan.

Ingredients                                                                 Serves: 2

1. Raw Bananas cut into small cubes - 1 cup
2. Yam cut into small cubes - 1 cup
3. Coconut Oil
4. Turmeric Powder a pinch
5. Salt to taste

Preparation

Pressure cook the vegetables without adding any water for 1 Whistle. Heat a non stick Kadai. All about 2 Tblsps of coconut oil. Add the vegetables to this. Add a pinch of turmeric powder and salt to taste. Allow it roast on slow flame for 10 to 15 mins stirring carefully in between so as not to mash the vegetables.