PAVAKKAI / BITTER GOURD (MELON ) STIR FRY

Bitter gourd is a favorite vegetable to my family. Although the bitterness of Bitter-melon might turn some people away from, it can really sweeten your health because of its disease preventing and health promoting phyto chemical compounds. They are low in calories and also excellent source of Vitamin B1, B2, B3, C, magnesium, folic acid, zinc and dietary fiber. It goes well with sambhar rice and dal rice.

   Ingredients

          2 Medium sized Bitter Gourd
          1 Tsp of Sambhar Powder or Red Chilly Powder
1/2 Tsp of Turmeric Powder
          1/4 Tsp of Garam Masala
1 Tsp of Mustard
1 Tsp of Urad Dal
Pinch of Hing
1 Tbsp of Oil
          Salt to taste

Method

Heat a pan with oil, add mustard, urad dal, let it crackles and then add hing.
Take pan away from the stove, add sambhar powder or red chilly powder and turmeric powder, fry for a min.
Keep pan back to the stove, immediately add bitter gourd, salt and little water. Stir well. Keep it covered and cook for 5-7 mins in a medium flame.
Finally add garam masala, mix well. Cook for a min and then switch off the stove.
Bitter Gourd stir fry is ready to serve with sambhar or dal rice.

Tips

Cut bitter gourd lengthwise or circular shape, as you wish but slice it thin, so that it cooked fast.
If your bitter gourd is tender, don’t remove the seeds.
To deep fry bitter gourd, add rice flour and gram flour, marinate it, for extra crispness.
To avoid bitterness, add a pinch of jaggery or sugar.

Health Benefits of Bitter Gourd

This vegetable is low in calories.
Controls blood glucose levels.
Rich source of folate and vitamin C.

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Broccoli Stir Fry – Indian Style

          Broccoli is very common in my pantry because of its rich in nutritional benefits. This simple dish is very quick to make with less time and less ingredients. Good to eat with sambhar rice, dal rice and curd rice.

   Ingredients

          1 Large Broccoli
          3 Tbsp of Chopped Onion
          1 Tsp of Ginger Garlic Paste
          2 Tsp of Sambhar Powder or Red Chilly Powder
          1/4 Tsp of Garam Masala
1 Tsp of Mustard
1 Tsp of Urad Dal
1/2 Tsp of cumin
Pinch of Hing
1 Tbsp of Oil
          Salt to taste

Method

Heat a pan with oil, add mustard, urad dal, cumin, let it crackles and then add hing and chopped onion, fry until it changes to golden brown.
Add ginger garlic paste, fry until raw smell vanishes.
Take pan away from the stove, add sambhar powder and fry for a min.
Keep pan back to the stove, add broccoli, salt and little water. Stir well. Keep it covered and cook for 3 mins.
Add garam masala, mix well. Cook for a min and then switch off the stove.
Broccoli Stir fry is ready to serve.

Tips

It goes well with spinach dal or sambhar rice.
You can add ginger alone instead of ginger garlic paste.
Adding cumin is optional.

Health Benefits of Broccoli

Rich in vitamin C, Vit K, potassium and calcium.
Boost the immune system.
Good for eye health and heart health.
Lowers the cholesterol.

Seppankilangu Varuval / Arbi/ Taro / Colocasia Roast

            Colocasia/ Taro/seppankilangu/Arbi is a starchy root vegetable which is widely consumed in Asia, India and south America. This vegetable can be used for roasting, baking or deep-frying. I got this recipe from my mother-in-law, who is a great cook. This dish is very simple to make with oil and spices. Its great to eat with sambhar rice or rasam rice or curd rice. But I love to eat with beetroot sambhar. You can find two colocasia recipes here. One is roasted and other one is deep-fried.

Ingredients

        3 Big Colocasia
    2-3 Tbsp of Oil
          1/2 Tsp of Fennel Seeds/Sombhu
          1/2 Tsp of Turmeric Powder
1/4 Tsp of Garam Masala
          1 and 1/2 Tsp of Red Chilly Powder or Sambhar Powder
          Salt as needed

   Method

COLOCASIA

Wash and pressure cook colocasia with 1 cup of water and wait for 2 whistles. Switch off the stove.
Wash in cold water and peel the skin and cut into small cubes. Keep it aside.

COLOCASIA – CUT INTO CUBES

In a bowl, marinate the colocasia pieces, turmeric powder, sambhar powder and salt. Wait for 5 mins so that colocasia absorbs the masala.

Take a non-stick pan with oil, add the marinated colocasia and fry for 5 mins. Add fennel and garam masala. Mix well. Cook for 7-10 mins in medium- low flame until it is dark-golden brown and crispy. once it done, switch off the flame.

Seppankilanghu or Colocasia Roast is ready to serve.

DEEP FRIED TARO/ COLOCASIA

   Ingredients

        3 Big Colocasia
        1/2 Tsp of Turmeric Powder
        1 and 1/2 Tsp of Red Chilly Powder
        Salt to taste
        Oil for deep frying

   Method

COLOCASIA

Wash and pressure cook colocasia with 1 cup of water and wait for 2 whistles. Switch off the stove.

COLOCASIA – CUT INTO CUBES

Peel the skin and cut into small cubes.Keep the bowl in fridge for 30 mins.
Take a shallow pan with oil , deep fry the colocasia pieces until it turns light brown colour on both sides.

Put all the colocasia pieces in a bowl contains turmeric, chilly powder and salt. Mix well while it is hot so that colocasia absorbs all masala
Take a tawa, place all the pieces and cook on both sides until you find black spots.

Deep fried colocasia is ready to serve.

Tips

Good accompaniment for sambhar or rasam or curd rice.
You can add more chilly powder for extra spiciness.
You can add rice flour while marinating the colocasia for extra crispness.
Make sure that colocasia are not in pressure cooker for not more than 2 whistles otherwise it turns mushy.

Health Benefits of Colocasia

Colocasia are high in calories than potatoes.
Free from gluten.
Finest source of dietary fibers.
Rich in Vitamin A, C, B, E, K and minerals and anti-oxidants.
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