I love sweet potatoes because they taste so good and high in nutritional content. This sweet potato roast (Chinni Kilangu poriyal) is a very easy to make side dish for sambar rice or dal rice. To make this sweet potato fry, first you have to steam the sweet potatoes, peel the skin, slice and fry it with sambar powder & garlic, finally in cast iron pan, slowly roast it in oil. Slow roasting the sweet potatoes, always gives a nice crispy texture on outside and soft and tasty on inside. Adding spice powder, garam masala and garlic gives a nice flavor and taste to the sweet potato. This sweet potato stir fry Recipe|Sakkarivalli kilangu poriyal goes well with rasam rice / curd rice. Also check my other potato recipe BABY POTATO ROAST in my blog.

    Ingredients

           2 Sweet Potatoes, Medium Size
           2 Big Garlic Cloves
           1 Tsp of Sambar Powder
           1/2 Tsp of Garam Masala
           1/2 Tsp of Fennel Seeds (Sombhu)
           1.5 Tbsp of Cooking Oil
           1/2 Tsp of Salt or to taste

    Method

• Wash the sweet potatoes and steam it in a steamer or idly cooker for 12 mins or until it turns soft. After it done, peel the skin and chop them into thin, circular slices.
• Crush the garlic in a mortar and pestle.
• Heat a pan with oil, when it is hot, add fennel seeds, after it sizzles, add sliced sweet potatoes, give a gentle stir, by flipping the slices to other side. 
• In a medium flame, add crushed garlic, sambar powder, garam masala and salt, give a quick stir, do not break the slices, make sure the masala coats all the sweet potatoes pieces. Cover the lid and cook it for 5 mins. 
• Take handful of water, sprinkle it over the veggies, turn the potato slices to other side, cover the lid and cook it for another 7 mins until it turns brown and crisp.
• Yummy sweet potato fry is ready to serve with  sambar rice or dal rice

         
    Tips

• If you don’t have sambhar powder, add 2 tsp of coriander powder, 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder and 1 tsp of red chilly powder.
• If you don’t have coriander powder and red chilly powder, replace it with cayenne pepper/ black pepper powder and salt.
• Always roast the potatoes in cast iron pan / irumbu kadai to get crispy roasted potatoes.
• You can also marinate the potatoes in masala for 15 mins and then cook it.
• Adding garlic is to avoid gas flatulence.

 
    Health Benefits of Sweet Potato

• High in vitamin A, B6, D and C.
• Good Source of iron and magnesium.
• Superior fiber content than other potatoes.
• Rich in beta carotene & antioxidants.
• Good for heart. 

            Idly, sambhar and filter kappi(coffee) is Tamilnadu’s traditional healthy breakfast recipe as rice and dal in idly and dal in sambar makes a complete protein. This tiffin sambar is a perfect side dish for idly and dosa. You can make this sambar without vegetables or with any vegetables like yellow pumpkin, potatoes(urulaikilangu sambar), shallots(vengaya sambar), brinjal or drumsticks. Addition of ghee and sambar powder make this sambhar more flavorful and aromatic. Every week I used to make this sambhar for idly. The hot idly and sambhar combination is just heavenly in taste. Do try this sambar without tamarind for idly dosa and let me know how it turned out.
   

    Ingredients

           1/2 Cup of Moong Dal
           1/2 Tsp of Turmeric Powder
           3 Tomatoes,Chopped
           2 Big Carrots,Chopped
           Salt to taste
           1/2 Tsp of Sesame Oil
           2 Cups of Water

      
    To Temper

           2 Tsp of Sesame Oil
           1 Tsp of Mustard Seeds
           1 Tsp of Urad Dal
           1/2 Tsp of Fenugreek
           Pinch of Hing (Asafoetida)
           1 Sprig of Curry Leaves
           1 Red Onion, Chopped
           2 Red Chilies
           2 Green Chilies, Slit
           1 Tsp of Sambhar Powder
    
    Other Ingredients

            1 Tsp of Sugar
            2 Tbsp of Chopped Cilantro (Coriander Leaves)
            1 Tsp of Ghee
    
    Method

• Wash and chop the carrots, onion, tomato and slit the green chilies.
• Soak the dal for 30 mins, wash and drain the water.
• In a pressure cooker, add dal, chopped carrots, tomatoes, turmeric powder, salt, oil and water. Close the lid and pressure cook this for 3 whistles and turn off the flame.
• Heat oil in a pan, add mustard, urad dal, red chilies, fenugreek, asafoetida and curry leaves, after it splutters, add chopped red onion, slited green chilies, fry this until it turns transparent. In a medium flame, add sambhar powder, give a quick stir. Now transfer the dal to the pan, add little water, mix well, bring it to a rolling boil, add sugar, mix well, boil for 2 mins and turn off the stove. Finally add ghee and chopped coriander leaves.

    Tips

• Perfect side dish for idly and dosa.
• You can use any vegetables like potato or pumpkin or brinjal or drumstick or small onion.
• You can also use toor dal in place of moong dal.
• Use sesame oil for this sambar.
• Adjust the amount of spiciness according to your taste.            

            
    Health Benefits of Moong Dal

• They are high in fiber and protein, and low in fat. Eating lentils and other foods that are rich in soluble dietary fiber can help decrease high cholesterol. 
• This dal is very good for pregnant ladies, kids and older people as it is easily digestible.

புதினா தேங்காய் சட்னி

              I really love the fresh aroma of mint. Research study has said that the aroma itself stimulates the salivary glands, there by increasing digestive enzymes and facilitates the digestion. 
              I bought 2 large bunches of mint leaves from near by Indian grocery store. Two days back I made mint pulao for lunch, I already posted that recipe in my blog. For today breakfast, I made this pudhina coconut chutney for idly. It just tastes yummy with dosa and paniyaram too. Do try this mint chutney with coconut and let me know how it turned out.

   Ingredients

            1 Cup of Mint Leaves(loosely Packed)
            1/2 Cup of Grated Coconut, I used Dry dessicated Coconut
            2 Tbsp of Roasted Bengal Gram (Pottukadalai)
            3 Green Chilies
            1/2 Inch Ginger
            1 Big Garlic Clove or 2 Small Garlic Cloves
            Pinch of Tamarind
            3/4 Tsp of Salt or to taste
            1/4 cup of Water
            1/2 Tsp of Oil to saute Mint leaves

    To Temper

             1 Tsp of Oil
             3/4 Tsp of Mustard
             1/2 Tsp of Urad Dal
             1 Sprig of Curry Leaves
             Pinch of Asafoetida (Hing)

    Method

• Wash the mint leaves and drain the water.
• Heat a pan with oil, add mint leaves, saute this for a 1-2 mins in a medium flame until it shrinks in volume.
• In a blender(mixie), add coconut, roasted bengal gram, green chilies, ginger, garlic, tamarind, salt, water and finally add mint leaves. Grind it to a smooth paste. Transfer this to a bowl.
• Heat a same pan with little oil, add mustard, urad dal, curry leaves and asafoetida, after it splutters, transfer this tempering to ground chutney. Mix well with spoon.
• Yummy mint coconut chutney is ready to serve with idly or dosa or paniyaram.

    Tips     

• You can also add 1/2 cup of mint leaves and 1/2 cup of coriander leaves to make this chutney.
• Addition of ginger and garlic gives a nice flavor to this chutney.
• Addition of tamarind gives a nice tangy taste.
• You can also add curry leaves while grinding instead of adding them to tempering.
• Adjust the no of green chilies according to your taste. Here I used thai green chilli, it was spicy so I added 3.

    Health Benefits of Mint Leaves

• Aroma of mint, activates the salivary glands, there by increasing digestive enzymes and facilitates the digestion.
• Soothing the digestive tract, if you are having any stomach ache.
• Cooling sensation to skin.
• Eliminates the toxins from the body.
• Helps in whitening teeth and combats bad breath.
• Good cleanser for the body.