Pirandai Thuvaiyal Recipe / Adamant Creeper Chutney  / veldt grape chutney is a healthy dish for rice and idly with lots of medicinal values. My mom used to grow this creeper plant in backyard and it just beautify the fences with its green stem. We make thuvaiyal (chutney) with pirandai and also dosai. If you don’t feel hungry for few days, eat this pirandai chutney , then you feel more hungry and also it cures all digestive problems. You can make this chutney with or without coconut. Cleaning pirandai is little tedious as it makes our hand itching so always wear gloves while cleaning. Best acompaniment to pirandai chutney are dosa, idly and rice with ghee.

 Ingredients

• 1 Small Bunch of Pirandai (Adamant Creeper) cleaned, chopped into small pieces
• 3 Tbsp of Urad Dal
• 6 Red Chillies
• 1/2 Inch Ginger
• 4 Garlic Cloves
• Lemon Size Tamarind
• 1 Tbsp of Oil
• Pinch of Hing (Asafoetida)
• Salt to taste

         Method

• Peel the fibre from corners of pirandai using a sharp knife. Remove the top and bottom part. Chop them into small pieces.

• Wash the pirandai in a cold tap water.
• Heat two tsp of oil, add red chilies, garlic cloves, ginger, hing, urad dal and tamarind, add this one by one, saute this for 2-3 mins in a medium flame. Transfer all the ingredients to a plate and in the same pan, add oil and pirandai and saute well till it shrinks its size. Transfer this to a plate and let it cool down.
• In mixie, add all the ingredients, water and salt, grind this to a smooth paste.
• Enjoy with hot steamed rice and ghee. You can also use this as side dish for idly and dosa.

        Tips

• Wear gloves before cleaning the pirandai, otherwise it makes the hand itchy.
• You can also add grated coconut while roasting.
• Always buy Pirandais that looks tender, as they are easy to clean.
• Adjust the number of red chilies according to your taste.
• You can also season the chutney with oil, mustard and curry leaves.

        Health Benefits of Pirandai (Adament Creeper)

• Good source of vitamin C and calcium.
• It is used to cure knee problems and used in the treatment of fracture.
• Pirandai juice is given to ladies those who have irregular periods.
• It acts as an appetiser.
• They are good for people with digestive problems.
• They can rejoin the broken or dislocated bones in the body.

Matar Paneer / Paneer Peas Curry is a delicious and yummy curry of peas and a soft chunky pieces of paneer (cottage cheese) cooked in a onion tomato sauce, flavoured with aromatic spices. This paneer peas masala goes well with chapathi, naan, phulka or pulao. Try this delectable, creamy matar paneer to chapathi as it bring North Indian flavour right to your home.

      Ingredients

• 1 Packet (200 gms) Paneer (Indian Cottage Cheese)
• 1 Cup of Green Peas, Boiled
• 2 Tsp of Coriander Powder
• 1 Tsp of Kasmiri Red Chilly Powder
• 1/2 Tsp of Garam Masala
• 1 Tsp of Kasuri Methi (Dried Fenugreek Leaves)
• 1/2 Cup of Milk (Full Fat)
• 2 Tbsp of Butter
• 3/4 Tsp of Cumin
• 3 Tbsp of Oil
• Salt To Taste

      To Grind

• 4 Medium Size Tomatoes
• 1 Large Onion
• 1 Clove
• 1 Cardamom
• 1 Cinnamon
• 5 Garlic Cloves
• 1/2 Inch Ginger
• 5 Cashews

       Method

• Toast the both sides of panner by placing them in a oil coated dosa pan (Tawa) and keep it aside.
• Boil the peas in microwave or pressure cooker for 10 mins. Keep it aside.
• Heat oil in a pan, add clove, cardamom, cinnamon, onion, fry for 2 mins, add ginger, garlic, saute this for another 2 mins until raw smell vanishes, finally add tomatoes and cashews, saute this for 2 mins. Turn off the heat. Let it cool down and grind this in mixie into a smooth paste.
• Heat a pan with oil, add cumin (Jeera), after it sizzles, add ground paste and salt, fry this for 3-5 mins until oil separates.
• Now add coriander powder, kashmiri red chilly powder and garam masala, fry this for 2 mins. Add 1/2 cup of water and allow this to boil for 5 mins.
• Add boiled peas and kasuri methi, mix well with masala. Add milk and toasted paneer, cook it for 5 mins. Turn off the flame. Finally add butter and mix well.

           Yummy, thick and creamy Mutter Paneer is ready to serve with roti or chapathi or naan.

       Tips

• You can add fresh panner or toasted paneer or deep fried paneer to this recipe.
• Use normal red chilly powder or green chilly instead of Kashmiri chilly powder..
• You can also make this dish without onion and garlic.
• To make this dish more creamy, add 1/2 cup cream instead of milk.

        Health Benefits of Peas and Paneer

• Paneer : good source of calcium, protein and it prevents stomach disorders.
• Peas : good for bones & heart, prevents constipation, strengthen the immune system