Vazhaikaai podimas
Wednesday, 11 April 2007

This is a typical Tambram recipe - though I am not a massive fan of raw plantain, I can gulp down every single morsel if it is made this way. Using the same method, you can substitute potato for plantain and make yummy urulai podimaas (உருளை பொடிமாஸ்)

First, gather around these important items:

Raw plantain - 2
Toor dal, parboiled - 2 tbsp

Urad dal - 1 tsp
Channa dal - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Green chillies - 1-2
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Dessicated coconut - 1 tbsp
Curry leaves - a handful
Salt, asafoetida and turmeric - a pinch
Oil - 2 tbsp

To start with, cut a plantain roughly into 3 small chunks and drop it in salted, boiling water. Do not peel the skin now. Once it is cooked, drain the hot water and keep the veg aside.
Cook the toor dal till it is half done.
In a non-stick pan, heat the oil. Drop the channa and ural dals in it and saute till golden. Next, add the slit green chillies and continue sauteing. Add grated ginger, dessicated coconut and torn curry leaves and fry for a minute or two. Finally, add some mustard seeds and allow it to splutter.
Strain the parboiled toor dal so no water remains and mix with the ingredients of the pan and let it all cook together.
Meanwhile, peel the skin off the cooked plantains and mash the chunks roughly, using the back of a fork. Season it with salt.
Add the mashed plantains to the non-stick pan and mix well. Add asafoetida and turmeric, check the salt and mix well.
Serve hot with rice.

Posted by DesiGirl 23:29 4 comments    

Labels: raw plantain, sidedish, vazhaikai podimas

Cauliflower Curry in Tomato Gravy
Sunday, 1 April 2007

This is a favourite of my family's - and mine. My friend Rashmi once made it many moons back and I loved it. And I hate cauliflower! This is the only way I can have that vegetable and I make it at least once a month. This was also the first dish I made at my in-laws place soon after I got married. S's nainamma loved it and had two helpings!



I am also submitting this for this month's Jihva for Tomatoes food event. I did not know there was a word called Jihva till I read about it in Indira's blog. I am really hoping that I could be a part of this month's Jihva and even possibly, 'host' one at a later date.

Enough waffle - now for the recipe:

Gather around these things:

Cauliflower - 1, cut into florets
Tomato - 1, canned or 500 gms, blanched and pureed
Onions - 1, sliced
Green chillies - 3-4, slitted
Green peas - a tablespoonful
Coriander - for garnishing
Oil - 5 tbsp
Cumin seeds, masala ingredients - as per your preference
ginger/garlic paste - 1 tsp
Turmeric - 1 tsp
Dhania powder - 1 tsp
Jeera powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Salt - as per your taste

Firstly, we have to cook the cauliflower. For this, boil a saucepan full of water, add some salt to it and drop in the florets once the water starts bubbling. Let it cook so for about 3-4 mins. Drain the florets in a colander and pat dry so you take all the excess water off. This is important as otherwise, it will start spluttering once you move on to the next step.
Heat oil in a kadai. In small batches, shallow fry / saute the florets till they become lightly crisp. Drain on kitchen towels so it isn't too oily.
Once you are done cooking the cauliflower, reduce the oil so only 2 tbsp or so remains in the kadai. Add cumin seeds, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaves and saute for a minute or so. Now, add the sliced onions and saute till the onions turn pink.
Next, add the ginger-garlic paste and saute for another minute.
Now you are ready to add the tomatoes. I generally prefer them in cans, chopped and swimming in their own juice, as that gives the curry a lovely colour. You can get fresh tomatoes, blanch and puree them as well. Add this to the kadai ingredients. Let it cook well till the fat seperates. Add a pinch of turmeric to the gravy.
Now add the cooked florets to the it along with some peas and let it all simmer for five - ten minutes. Add salt, dhaniya- jeera powder and garam masala and let it steep for a minute.
Take off the flame and garnish with chopped coriander.

Serve hot with chapati or pulao / fried rice.

Posted by DesiGirl 18:56 3 comments    

Labels: cauliflower, curry, gravy, jihva, sidedish, tomato