Event Announcement - Guest Hosting EP Series - Fenugreek Leaves and Green Chili

EP Series comes to Palakkad Chamayal!

Friends, I am glad to guest host the EP Series – Herbs n Spices, which was originally started by Julie. I thank Julie for giving me this wonderful opportunity to host this lovely event.

I have chosen my favourites – Fenugreek Leaves and Green chilli.

A little info about the chosen herb and spice

They are known by different names in India like Methi in Hindi, Menthya in Kannada, Vendayam in Tamil, Menthulu in Telugu and Uluva in Malayalam.

Fresh fenugreek leaves are bitter in taste and are recognized as a powerful herb. Add these leaves to any kind of dish like dals, curries, rice or even while making chappathis. You are sure to love its aroma and flavour.

They are known to be very high in iron as well as having significant levels of potassium, fiver and calcium. Few diet experts say that the leaves are nearly healthier than the spinach in providing an excellent dose of vitamin K. They help in stabilizing sugar levels in the body and are a boon to the diabetic. They also help in digestion, curing liver problems, anaemia and as an anti inflammatory.

Green chilli is an integral part of Indian cooking. I don't think even a single day, in an Indian household would go by without the use of green chillies. They are used in almost all Indian savory dishes like curries, dals, breads and appetizers. They are very high in Vitamin A and C.

Now to the rules:

1. The event runs from 1^st to 31^st July 2012.

2. The theme for this month is "Fenugreek Leaves and Green Chillies". You can use one ingredient in a dish or use both but that ingredient should be one of the main ingredients. It can be anything from a  starter, main dish, snack to dessert. (Recipes which don't follow this rule will not qualify for the event)

3. Only Vegetarian entries will be accepted. 

4. Bloggers and Non bloggers can participate. Please send in your recipes to kaverivenkatesh@gmail.com with the following details-

              Your Name-

              Blog Name-

              Recipe Name-

              Recipe URL-

              Pic of the Dish

5. Recipe must be linked to Julie's announcement page and to my page.

6. Send in any number of entries.You can link in your old entries too (limiting 2 per person), just add the logo and the link under the post (2 archived posts)

7. Usage of logo is appreciated for all entries.

There are 4 awards for the BEST INNOVATIVE RECIPE AWARD, TOP CONTRIBUTOR AWARD,BEST HEALTHY DISH AWARD & PARTICIPATION AWARD.

So, Folks put on your innovative caps and think tight, do right and link in your recipes at the earliest before 31^st July,2012.

.

Best Wishes to All !!!!

Beetroot Pulao

Schools have reopened. Though children enjoy their vacations to the maximum, it is only when the school reopens that they get back into their routine and are engaged productively throughout the day. As much as my daughter loves her holidays, she equally enjoys going to school as well. Once the school reopens, she doesn’t like to miss her classes even a single day.

Children get all excited, days prior to the start of the academic session. They are thrilled to go shopping for their new bags, pencil box, lunch box, water bottle etc. My daughter loves pink, and she makes sure that all her school accessories are of her favourite colour. She is even particular about the label that goes on the cover of the books. They have to have the Barbie picture.

Children are all set and happy. What about the mothers? I guess moms also are happy that their children have stepped into yet another year of learning and playing. But what is a big struggle for mothers is to make their children have some healthy wholesome food while they are busy with their books and friends. So here is a really healthy, delicious and really colourful meal that can be put together in no time – Beetroot Pulao. It is perfect for your kids as well as your lunch box.

Serves - 2

What you’ll need

1. Cooked Rice – 2 ½ Cup
2. Beetroot – 1 Medium
3. Onion – 2 Medium
4. Green Chilly – 1 or 2, slit
5. Chilly Powder – ½ tsp
6. Coriander Powder – 1 tsp
7. Amchur Powder – ½ tsp
8. Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp
9. Bay Leaf – 1
10. Cardamom – 2
11. Cloves – 2
12. Cinnamon – a small piece
13. Cashenuts - few
14. Ghee – 2 tsp
15. Oil – 2 tsp
16. Coriander Leaves – for garnish

Method

1. Heat a pan or kadai with the oil and ghee.
2. Add the cumin seeds, bay leaf, cardamom, cloves and cinnamom. Sauté for a minute.
3. Next add in the thinly sliced onion and slit green chilly. Fry till the onions turn light brown.
4. Now add the grated beetroot and for a minute. Cover and cook on medium flame for 4 to 5 minutes.
5. Next add the coriander powder, red chilly powder and amchur powder. Mix well.
6. Now add the cooked rice and salt to taste. Mix thoroughly till the rice gets heated up.

Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Serve as it is or with a raitha of your choice.

Linking to Show me your HITS - Beets and Carrots hosted by Anusha.

Vendakkai Thayir Pachadi

While browsing through my recipes, I found that I have not blogged a single Thayir Pachadi recipe. Actually, I am not a big fan of thayir pachadis or raithas. Maybe that’s the reason why I haven’t posted one.  Even though it’s not something which I would savour to its last drop, it does find its way into my kitchen very frequently – reason, my children. Both are big fans of it and they can simply have bowlfuls of the pachadi and say that they’ve finished lunch!

 I prefer this Lady’s finger pachadi over the numerous varieties of thayir pachadis. So I thought of opening this category with my favourite choice.

The title should have rightly been Venkakkai Kichadi – as curd based pachadis are known as Kichadi and form an important part of the Sadhya or feast. But in our house we just refer to them as Thayir pachadi so I stuck with that name. You could use other veggies, like cooked ashgourd pieces, or banana stem pieces as well instead of lady’s finger. Tastes best as an accompaniment with rice and Molagootal or Molaguhsyam.

Serves - 4

What you’ll need

1. Lady’s Finger /Vendakkai – 200 gms
2. Green Chillies – 1 or 2
3. Fresh Grated Coconut – ½ cup
4. Fresh Thick Curd – 2 Cups
5. Mustard Seeds –1/4 tsp
6. Curry Leaves – few
7. Salt to taste
8. Oil – 2 tsp

For Tempering

1. Oil – 1 tsp
2. Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp

Method

1. Wash and pat dry the lady’s finger. Cut into small pieces.
2. Heat a kadai with oil. Add the lady’s finger pieces, cover and cook for about 5 minutes.
3. Remove the lid and fry for another 5 to 10 minutes, on low heat, stirring every now and then.
4. Once the lady’s finger is fried well, add salt and mix well.
5. Remove from heat. And let it cool.
6. In the meanwhile, grind coconut, green chillies, mustard seeds and curry leaves to a smooth paste adding a little water.
7. Beat the curd well, add the coconut paste and fried lady’s finger. Mix well and check for seasoning.
8. Heat a small frying pan with a tsp of oil. Add mustard seeds. Once they splutter pour the seasoning over the pachadi.

That’s it, delicious Vendakkai Thayir Pachadi is ready.

Serve as an accompaniment with rice and molagootal or Molagushyam or even with rotis.

Linking this to The Kerala Kitchen hosted by Julie.

Kadachakka Thoran/ Breadfruit Thoran

My stay in Bangalore this vacation was really fruitful. Fruitful in terms of my blog, I tried out many different recipes and also asked my mother to prepare some of the traditional recipes which I had not tried or had for a long time.  One of my friends got this Kada Chakka, or breadfruit from Kerala. It was from the tree grown in their backyard.I was setting my eyes on this fruit for the first time. The name Kada Chakka made me picture it as a small jackfruit. It did look like a small jackfruit.  Still I had my doubts about its taste. But my friend persuaded me to take it home and asked me to just make a simple mezhukkuperatti or thoran with it. I hesitantly took it home. My mom also had never tasted it but had seen it and had heard about it.  

The next day, we prepared a thoran with it and it really tasted good. It tasted very much like potatoes. And all the flavours blended very well with it. My daughter liked it a lot. So the next time I sight it somewhere I am sure going to grab this fruit and try out different recipes. For those who would like to know more about breadfruit please visit this page.

What you’ll need

1. Kada Chakka – 1, medium
2. Grated Coconut – 3 tbsp
3. Green Chilly – 1 or 2
4. Curry Leaves – few
5. Turmeric Powder – ¼ tsp
6. Salt to taste

For Tempering

1. Oil – 2 tsp
2. Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
3. Urad Dal – 1 tsp

Method

1. Peel the skin of the bread fruit and chop into medium sized cubes.
2. Steam cook the bread fruit pieces in a pressure cooker for 2 whistles. Do not add any water to the pieces while cooking.
3. Heat a kadai with oil, add mustard seeds and urad dal. Once the mustard splutters and urad dal turns light brown, add the steamed bread fruit pieces. Add turmeric powder and salt to taste. Mix well. Fry on medium flame for 3 to 4 minutes.
4. In the meanwhile, grind coconut, green chilly and curry leaves to a coarse paste, without adding water.
5. Add this ground paste to the bread fruit pieces and mix well. 
6. Remove from heat.

Serve as an accompaniment to rice and Sambar or Rasam.

Linking it to the Kerala Kitchen hosted by Julie.

Milagu Vellam

Milagu Vellam or Molugu vellam as we call it colloquially is a typical Kerala Iyer recipe, something similar to the popular Moru Kachiyathu. It is really very simple and can get ready in a jiffy if you have some curds handy. Milagu refers to Pepper and vellam means water, it’s nothing but a watery concoction of pepper and curds. Milagu vellam along with vazhaka chenai mezhukkuperatti, is a meal that is served to most convalescing mothers.

This dish was not made very frequently in my house, but it was a regular fare at my maternal grandparent’s home. My grandfather was very picky about what he ate and was very particular about the timings too. Lunch would be served exactly and 10:30 am, followed by tiffin anywhere between 2:30 to 3 pm and then dinner exactly at 8 pm. He would never snack on anything in between. Lunch would almost always consist of some coconut and dal based gravy like Sambar, Molagootal, Moru Kootan or Poricha Kuzhambu with some thoran, kootu or pachadi. Dinners would be lighter, (though he used to have only rice), wherein Rasam, Vatha Kuzhambu, Molagutiam or Milgu Vellam would be served along with a mezhukkuperatti. So, that’s how I got introduced to this dish and ever since it has been my comfort food. What is yours?

Serves – 3 to 4

What you’ll need

1. Thick Curd – 1 Cup, (preferably a day or 2 old, should be slightly sour)
2. Pepper Powder – ½ tsp
3. Turmeric Powder – ¼ tsp
4. Ghee – 1 tsp
5. Curry Leaves - few
6. Salt to taste

For Tempering

1. Oil – 1 tsp
2. Mustard Seeds – ½ tsp
3. Cumin Seeds – ½ tsp
4. Fenugreek Seeds – ¼ tsp
5. Dried Red Chilly – 1, broken

Method

1. In a bowl add the cup of curd and add an equal amount of water and whisk well. Keep it aside.
2. In a vessel, add about ½ cup of water (100 ml), and add the turmeric powder and pepper powder. Mix well and place it on heat.
3. Allow this to boil on medium flame till almost all the water has evaporated.
4. Now add a tsp of ghee and mix very well. It will all come together.
5. Reduce flame and slowly add the whisked curds, stirring all well.
6. Simmer till the mixture starts frothing up. Don’t allow to boil.
7. Now add some fresh curry leaves and remove from heat.
8. Add salt to taste and mix well.
9. For the tempering, heat a small frying pan with oil, add the mustard, cumin and fenugreek seeds, and lastly add the dried red chilly. Once the red chilly turns bright red, remove from heat and pour over the milagu vellam. (take care not to burn the fenugreek seeds, else they will give a bitter taste)

That’s it, serve warm with hot rice and any curry of your choice.

Linking this to the Kerala Kitchen Event hosted by Julie.