Plantain Fry(Bookmarked)

Ever since I saw this is Pushpa's blog I decided to make it because its different in the way I make the usual poriyals at home which is very boring. Fennel seeds, garlic aroma filled my home while preparing this. Rarely I get these raw plantains at the Indian store, so whenever I get I wanted to make something different. So thought of trying this the other day. Glad that I tried and it tasted good too. I got the recipe from here.

The way I prepared:

Ingredients:

Raw plantain - 4 (peeled and cut)
Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Salt - as needed
Oil - 2 tsp

Grind into paste with little water:
Garlic pods - 4-5
Chopped ginger - 1 tsp
Shredded coconut - 4-5 tsp
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
Cinnamon stick - 1

Preparation:

• Mix plantains, turmeric, little salt in a vessel. Cover and cook with needed amount of water. Drain and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan, add chilly powder, ground paste, salt and fry for 2 mins.
• Add the plantain pieces, mix well and fry until they become golden brown and crispy.

 I didn't add serrano chilly, onions, tomatoes. You can add them if you prefer.
Thanks to Pushpa for the wonderful recipes in her blog.

Sending to Bookmarked recipes - Every Tuesday event by Aipi and Priya

 

Also sending to Healing Foods - Banana event - by Krithi and Siri

Seppenkezhangu(Taro Root) Stir Fry

My mom usually prepares this taro root by boiling it and then stir frying it with spices. I wanted to try something different and when I saw this in Manjula aunty's blog, was really excited and tried this the next day. Adding ajwain adds to the digestion factor and flavor. Chopping the vegetable may take some time but gets easily tender while frying.
The recipe is here.

Ingredients:

Taro Root - 8 pieces
oil - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Ajwain seeds - 1 tsp
Red Chilly - 1
Salt - as needed

Dry powders:

Red Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Amchur(Mango) powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Peel the skin of taro root and cut them into 1/8" thick. Heat a pan, add oil, once hot add mustard, ajwain seeds. When they crackle add red chilly, taro root pieces. Mix well, close the pan. Let this cook for 5 mins. Now add salt, mix well and cook for 3-4 mins. Add all the spices, cover and cook for the last 5-6 mins or until tender.
 Crunchy Taro root fry is ready to be served.

Sending to Bookmarked Recipe - Every Tuesday event by Aipi.

I knitted a scarf for last winter which was very useful for us. Thought of sharing this with you all.
Here are some clicks of the scarf.

Have a wonderful week ahead!!!

Spicy Drumstick Eggplant Curry

This is one of my favorites which is a combination of drumstick and eggplant fry with spices. I can just have this daily. I don't buy eggplants so very often and when I buy I make sure I have the frozen drumsticks lying in my fridge:). This curry is perfect with white rice and ghee. (I pour more ghee thou' :)). Also goes well with chapathi/roti/pooris.

Ingredients:

Eggplants - 5 medium
Drumsticks - 8
Chopped onions - 2 tsp
Chopped tomato - 2 tsp
Garlic - chopped - 1 tsp
Hing - a pinch
Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Salt - as needed
Coriander leaves - to garnish

Dry powders:

Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Amchur(Mango) powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric -1/2 tsp

Preparation:

• Wash the eggplants well, chop the ends, and cut into any desired size and place them in cold water until used for cooking.
• Heat a pan, add oil, mustard seeds, curry leaves, hing. Once they crackle add onions and garlic fry till the onions turn pink.
• Add in the tomatoes, cook till tender.
• Add the eggplant, drumstick pieces and fry well.
• Add needed water,cover and cook until the pieces are tender.
• Add all the dry powders along with salt, mix well and fry for 5 more mins.

Make it dry to have with rice/make it like a gravy to have with rotis.(adding more water) 
Garnish with coriander leaves & serve hot..

Have a wonderful weekend.

Butter Beetroot Stir Fry

"Butter beetroot" is the recipe which I tried myself..rather my innovation:). I just gave it a try one weekend but it turned out great and the flavor of butter with beetroot was unique. Instead of making the normal beetroot fry with coconut flakes this is a different one to try out. Quantity of butter used depends on your taste and how much you like butter. The recipe is here:

Ingredients:

Beetroot - 2 medium
Frozen peas - 1/2 cup
Butter - 1 tsp
Salt - as needed
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - a pinch
Oil - 2 tsp

Preparation:

• Peel and boil the beetroots in a pressure cooker upto 3 whistles
• Chop this into your desired size cubes.
• In a pan, add oil, when hot, add mustard seeds, asafoetida.
• When they crackle, add peas and fry till it becomes soft.
• Now add beetroot pieces and all the dry powders with salt.
• Stir well and fry for 5 mins.
• Add butter now, wait till it melts. Stir well and switch off the pan.

Spicy Beetroot stir fry with butter flavor is ready. Goes well with rice.

Sending this to the event "Only Original Recipes" by Nivedita and Pari

Vaazhaikai(Raw Plantain) poriyal

This is the simplest dish you can ever make,, that too it consumes less oil. Adding chopped onions will enhance its flavor. Here I have not used onions(yet it was tasty ! :)). This is a good side dish for any kind of sambar/kuzhambu rice.

Ingredients:

4 medium sized raw plantains (Peel the skin,cut into pieces and dip in water in order to prevent it from changing its color)
Mustard seeds - 1 spoon
Channa Dal - 1 spoon
Urad dal - 1/2 spoon
asafoetida - 1/4 spoon
Curry leaves - few
Red Chilllies - 3-4
Turmeric - 1/4 spoon
Salt - as needed
Oil - 2 spoons

Preparation:

• Cook the chopped raw plantain pieces in a vessel adding enough water. It may hardly take 10-15 mins on a medium flame. Once they are tender, switch off the pan and keep aside.
• The pieces should not be too soft/sticky. 
• Now in a pan, add oil, once hot, add mustard seeds, asafoetida, channa dal, urad dal, red chillies, curry leaves. Wait till the dals becomes light brown.
• Now add the cooked pieces along with salt, turmeric. Mix well.
• Fry for 6-8 mins and switch off the pan.

Vaazhaikai poriyal thayaaar :).

Points to be noted:

If you prefer to use onions, add onions after seasoning. When they turn pink, you can add the cooked plantain pieces and continue as given above.

Vaazhaikai(Raw Plantain) fry

From the time I tasted this from my friend's lunch box (in college), I was wondering how to make this so tasty like how I tasted..... but after I learnt this from her mom, it seemed to be so quick and easy.

I just luv this one...Here it goes...!

Ingredients:

Raw Plantains - 2
Sambar powder - 1.5 spoons. (or you can use 1 spoon chilly powder, 0.5 spoons coriander powder)
Turmeric - 1/2 spoon
salt - 1 spoon (or as needed)
oil for frying - as needed

Preparation:

• Cut the plantain into pieces of any desired shape...each shape should not be too thick or too thin (typically round or squared) --refer the above snap..
• Mix the other 3 ingredients in a bowl, add little water at a time and mix well to make a smooth paste( should not be too watery)
• Now add the plantain pieces to this bowl and mix everything together...
• Keep this aside for 20 mins.
• Now take a dosa pan, or any flat iron/non-stick skillet
• Once the pan is hot, add 1 spoon of oil and arrange 4-5 pieces at a time in the pan(add more oil if needed)
• Let them fry for a min or two..then turn them the other side and fry for 1 or 2 mins again...(Cut each piece with a fork to see if they are soft...else fry for some more time..)
• Again for the next set of pieces follow the above procedure again

Raw Plantain fries are ready and yummy..... :)) try and see...!

Paavaikai(Bitter Gourd) Fry

''Paavaikai'...once we hear this, we tend to lose our interest in having food that day. :)

Even I felt like that initially. The main problem comes with the bitterness taste. But if this fry is made in a proper way, then you will cook this daily because it will be so tasty!! Try and give your comments about how it came out...

Ingredients:

Oil - 2 tsp
Chana Dal - 2 tsp
4-5 medium sized bitter gourds
Onions - 3 tsp(cut to small pieces)
Garlic - 3-4(cut to small pieces) ----- optional
Salt - 1 tsp
Chilli Powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric - a pinch
Corainder powder - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - as needed

Preparation:

 

• Wash and cut the bitter gourd to small pieces. Now add salt and mix well and keep aside for 20-25 mins.
• Now add oil in a pan, once hot, add mustard seeds, chana dal, once chana dal becomes slightly brown, add onions, garlic and mix well.. wait till onions become light brown.
• Now add the bitter gourd pieces and mix well.Close the pan and cook this for 5-7 mins., stirring in between.
• Now add chilly, turmeric and corainder powder, mix and fry for 5 more mins.
• Add little water if necessary. Cook till tender.

Bitter Gourd fry is ready !!!!!

Points to be noted:

• Salt should be mixed with bitter gourd pieces in advance (around 20 mins) so that the pieces lose the bitterness to an extent.