Last year I shared traditional Kerala Varutharacha sambar recipe during Onam. Recently I came across this easy Onam sadya sambar without coconut using a pressure cooker in Anu’s kitchen YouTube Video. Its the simplified version of varutharacha sambar using Kerala sambar powder. I loved the idea and tried it with some modifications to make it even more easy. As I don’t have Kerala sambar powder, I used my homemade sambar powder, red chilli powder and coriander seeds powder. Still it tasted great with a nice flavor.
For Onam sadya, you may need to cook so many recipes for the feast. I am sure this easy sambar recipe will help you save lots of time when compared with varutharacha sambar with spices and coconut.
Ofcourse taste may not be equal to the traditional Kerala sambar still you can give a try. This sambar would be useful especially for bachelors and working women to make a quick & healthy recipe with the goodness of all the vegetables. You don’t need to make any side dish like thoran or mezhukupuratti if you add lots of vegetables.
Friends, do try this easy Kerala style Onam sadya sambar and share your feedback with me. Lets see how to make Onam sadya sambar recipe without coconut easily in a pressure cooker with step by step pictures and video !
Do check out my Kerala Ulli Sambar For Idli, Dosa.
Temper mustard, red chilli, spice powders in low flame.
Add to sambar, boil for a minute. Garnish with coriander leaves.
Kerala sambar recipe - Step by step photos
Soak tamarind in 1 cup water and take the extract. Take 1/2 cup of toor dal, small onion and slit green chilli in a cooker base. Add 2 cups of water, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder and 1/4 tsp cooking oil in water.
Wash and chop the vegetables( I used yam, raw banana, carrot, ash gourd, broad beans, cluster beans, beans, lady's finger, drumstick - 5 pieces each). Chop tomato finely. Transfer the vegetables and tomato to a small bowl that fit inside the cooker. Add 1/4 cup water to it.
Place the bowl with vegetables inside the pressure cooker. Close and cook for 2 whistles in low flame.
Open the lid after the steam is released. Dal and vegetables would be cooked soft. Remove the veggies bowl and mash the dal nicely.
Add the cooked vegetables, tamarind extract, sambar powder, salt. Check for thickness and add 1/2 to 1 cup water if needed. Boil well for 5 minutes till nice aroma arises.
Heat 2 tbsp coconut oil in a kadai. Temper mustard seeds, red chilli, curry leaves. When the mustard seeds start to crackle, lower the flame completely. Add sambar powder, red chilli powder, dhania powder, methi powder and hing. Mix quickly without burning. Add to the boiling sambar. Boil for a minute and switch off the flame. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with plain rice adding ghee. You can also have with idli,dosa if you like.
Notes
Adjust the quantity of chillies as per your taste.
For variations, you can saute finely chopped onion, tomato and add to vegetables inside the cooker.
Sambar powder gives nice aroma to this sambar. To replace it, you should use 1 tbsp dhania powder, 1/4 tsp methi powder and 1.5 tbsp red chilli powder.
You can use any number of vegetables or you can make this sambar only with onions.
Easy Onam Sadya Sambar is ready ! I had with nendran chips !
Kerala style Kumbalanga moru curry recipe also known as Kachiya moru/ moru kachiyathu/moru kootan is nothing but buttermilk seasoned and cooked with vegetables and ground coconut paste. It is commonly prepared in most of the Kerala houses. Many people include this moru curry in Vishu and Onam sadya menu as it helps in digestion. In Tamil nadu, we call it as Mor kuzhambu. This Kerala moru curry can be prepared in various ways. I found recipes with & without coconut, recipes with onion and without vegetables too.
Today I have shared a version of kachiya moru tastes with vegetable. I used Kumbalanga ( ash gourd). We can also use veggies like Cucumber(Vellarika), Winter melon, Lady’s finger(Vendakka) or green papaya. Today I have shared this moru curry recipe with kumbalanga(Vellai poosanikai in Tamil) and coconut. I referred Kothiyavunu for the recipe. It came out really well. Basically we all love mor kzuhambu so this Kerala moru kachiyathu is no exception to that. Try this easy and yummy moru curry for this Onam festival menu and enjoy ! Lets see how to make Kerala moru curry with step by step pictures.
Poosanikai rasavangi / pumpkin kootu for rice is a healthy and tasty side dish for rice. I learnt this vellai poosanikai rasavangi also known as poosanikai kootu from my MIL. Usually we make Kathirikai rasavangi and very rarely vellai poosanikai rasavangi. Whenever we buy white pumpkin, we make juice with it. But this time I wanted to try some other interesting recipes with it. So I asked my MIL for this rasavangi recipe and prepared for our lunch along with coriander leaves thogayal.
Tamil brahmins also make rasavangi but slightly in a different way. They add toor dal or chana dal along with pumpkin. But we add dals only for making rasavangi powder. My MIL makes this gravy in an open pan and cook the pumpkin in tamarind extract. But I make it directly in a pressure cooker. Its an easy one pot kuzhambu for me. This method helps me to cook faster during busy mornings.
When I make this pumpkin gravy, I don’t make any specific side dish. I just make some thogayal or podi to accompany this dish. We mix this gravy with rice adding ghee. Tastes great with simple roasted papad as side dish. We do make a gravy with yellow pumpkin for rice. We call it as Parangikai chutney. Its procedure is completely different from this. I have given the link below. Ok, Lets see how to make white pumpkin kootu/ Vellai poosanikai rasavangi with step by step pictures. Do try this easy poosanikai rasavangi in a pressure cooker. Share your feedback with me.
Splutter mustard, urad dal, curry leaves.Add pumpkin pieces and saute it.
Add turmeric powder, tamarind extract, salt and mix well.
In a kadai,heat oil, roast the ingredients except coconut given under"roast & grind".
Add coconut and grind to smooth powder.
Add this powder to the cooker. Mix well.
Cook in low flame for 2 whistles.
Remove and garnish with coriander leaves.Serve with rice.
Poosanikai rasavangi- Step by step photos
Wash and cut the pumpkin into two halves. Slice them into big pieces and remove the seeds in the middle. Chop into big cubes and slice the skin. Set aside. Soak tamarind in water, take 1 cup extract and keep aside.
In a small kadai, heat oil and roast the dhania, urad dal, chana dal, red chillies, hing and roast till golden. Remove and grind with coconut to a smooth powder.
Heat coconut oil in a cooker base. Splutter mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves. Add chopped pumpkin pieces, turmeric powder & saute for a minute.
Add tamarind extract, salt and 1 cup of water. Add the ground powder. Pressure cook in low flame for one whistle.
Open the cooker after steam is released. Garnish with coriander leaves and mix well. Serve hot with rice.
Notes
Adjust the quantity of red chillies as per your taste.
Do not add more tamarind because pumpkin will absorb all the tangy taste.
Usually my MIL cooks the pumpkin separately and add to the gravy. But I make everything in a cooker for ease.
Adding chana dal, urad dal, coconut gives thickness to the gravy.
We usually mix this gravy with rice. You can make it thick and serve as kootu for vathakuzhambu rice.
Try this easy, vellai poosanikai rasavangi recipe for rice and enjoy !
I try to include vazhaithandu recipes in my cooking at least once in a month as it has lots of health benefits. Whenever I go to Salem, my FIL buys me banana stem and banana flower because finding these vegetables in my place is very rare. Mostly I make Vazhaithandu juice ( Salt version) Or valaithandu thayir pachadi and sometimes poriyal or thogayal. I haven’t tried any gravies/ kulambu or kootu with it. So this time, I wanted to try some kuzhambu with banana stem. I got the recipe from HERE. I made some changes and tried it. It tasted good when mixed with plain rice adding ghee. Banana stem is a bland vegetable. It doesn’t absorb any flavor or taste within it. So in this gravy, the masala gives the taste more than the vegetable. Original recipe called for using black chana along with banana stem. But I had used only vazhaithandu as I wanted to consume more quantity of this vegetable.If you are looking for some different vazhaithandu recipe, try this one. You may like it . Lets see how to make banana stem gravy for rice with step by step pictures !
Banana stem gravy / Vazhaithandu Kuzhambu
How to make vazhaithandu kuzhambu/ Banana stem gravy for rice
Soak tamarind in little water. Grind all the ingredients given under “To grind” adding tamarind to a smooth paste. Set aside.
Wash and chop raw banana stem into small pieces. Keep them immersed in water or buttermilk till use to avoid discoloration. In a pressure cooker base, heat oil and splutter mustard seeds, urad dal, cumin seeds, hing and curry leaves.
Add the ground paste, 1/4 cup water and saute for a minute. Add 1 tsp sambar powder. Mix well. Squeeze the banana stem and add it to the cooker. Add 1 cup of water, required salt and mix well.
Pressure cook in low flame for 2 whistles. Open the cooker after the steam is released. Mix well and check for taste. Add more salt if needed and more water if the gravy is too thick. Mix well and serve with plain rice adding ghee. Tastes the best when mixed with rice & ghee. Ghee helps to enhance the flavor of this gravy.Do add it !
Enjoy !
Note
Sambar powder is not mentioned in the original recipe.But I used it.
Adjust the consistency of the gravy as you like. I made it semi thick.
This gravy thickens as it cools down. So add more water whenever needed.
Try this healthy vazhaithandu gravy for a change. You may love it !
Mor kuzhambu ( Vegetarian buttermilk gravy in English) is our family favorite kuzhambu varieties for rice. Usually I follow my MIL’s or MOM’s recipe. But sometimes I make this easy mor kuzhambu recipe when I have to cook for myself and Raksha as Sendhil is not fond of this version. Its a very simple, no grind mor kuzhambu recipe without coconut. I started making this by following Revathy Shanmugam mam’s recipe from Aval vikatan supplementary issue. But then I made some changes and making it in my own way! I won’t say this one tastes so good like authentic more kuzhambu. But this recipe is surely a quick fix for bachelors & working women who wants to whip up a gravy within 10 minutes for lunch or dinner after coming back from office. It tastes great with fried papad and potato fry or brinjal roast. I served it with yam fry. The taste of this kuzhambu reminds me North Indian style Dahi kadhi slightly. This kulambu can be prepared with or without vegetables.Sometimes I add fried manathakkali or sundakkai vathal too. If you wish to add vegetables, you can add cooked lady’s finger (Vendakkai) or pumpkin( Poosanikai in Tamil). Do try this easy, Instant mor kuzhambu recipe and let me know your feedback ! Lets see how to make South Indian style Mor Kuzhambu with step by step photos.
Basically ennai kathirikkai kuzhambu ( Oil roasted brinjal gravy) is prepared by using freshly roasted and ground spices with coconut.I make my MIL’s pepper flavored ennai kathirikai kulambu at least once in a week as it is Sendhil’s one and only favorite brinjal recipe. Recently I tried this easy, no grind, Chettinad style ennai kathirikai kuzhambu without coconut just for a change.
I followed the recipe from THIS BLOG. I loved it a lot with plain rice and papad/appalam. Its more like my vatha kuzhambu recipe but the flavor of masala coated, roasted brinjals in lots of oil makes a great difference in taste, color and flavor for this kuzhambu. Soon I will make a post about authentic ennai kathirikai kuzhambu recipe. Before that, do try this easy version. I hope you will like it. Now lets see how to make Chettinad ennai kathirikai kuzhambu with step by step pictures !
Red chilli powder - 2-3 tsp ( Kashmiri chilli pwd)
Coriander powder/Dhania powder - 2 tbsp
Salt & water - as needed
To temper
Sesame oil / Gingely oil - 1/4 cup
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 2 pinch
Curry leaves - few sprigs
HOW TO MAKE ENNAI KATHIRIKAI KUZHAMBU - METHOD
Wash the brinjal. Mark X on the top of brinjals till half its way without cutting its stem part. Immerse them in water till use. Soak small lemon sized tamarind in 1 cup of hot water. Take the extract and set aside. Peel onion, garlic and keep aside.
In a small bowl, take 1 tbsp tamarind extract, red chilli powder, dhania powder, turmeric powder and salt. Mix well to make a thick paste. Fill the brinjals with this paste.Arrange in a plate.
Heat 1/4 cup sesame oil in a pressure cooker base ( I used cooked to make the gravy quickly and to save time) Reduce 1 tbsp oil if you feel too much of oil. You can make this gravy in a kadai as well.Splutter mustard seeds, methi seeds, curry leaves.Add the small onions, garlic cloves and saute till onion turns transparent.
Add the masala stuffed brinjal pieces along with the remaining masala and saute well till the brinjal shrinks a bit.Add finely chopped tomato pieces, mix well for a minute. Add tamarind extract, 1/2 cup more water, salt and mix well. Let it come to a roll boil. Cover and pressure cook for one whistle in very low flame.Let the steam release by itself and then open the lid.
If cooking in a kadai, cover with a lid and cook till brinjal turns soft and gravy turns thick as you wish. Gravy thickens and oil oozes out. Mix well and serve with plain rice, papad ! Enjoy !
Note
Do not reduce the quantity of dhania powder as it helps to thicken the gravy.
You can replace red chilli powder + dhania powder with sambar powder too.
You can also add a small piece of jaggery if you like.
Add more chilli powder if you like spicy kuzhambu.
This gravy stays good for a week even without refrigeration as we are adding more oil.
Try this easy ennai kathirikai kuzhambu. Serve with plain rice, enjoy !
Usually I make Vendhaya keerai kootu, vendhaya keerai sambar or methi pulao for lunch. If its for dinner, I make Vendhaya keerai chapathi i.e methi leaves paratha ( thepla). Recently when I was looking for some vendhaya keerai kuzhambu varieties, I came across this Kara kulambu in this blog. It was quite interesting just like our vatha kuzhambu. So I tried it for our lunch. We loved it a lot and enjoyed it mixing with plain rice. I was happy to learn yet another yummy, healthy gravy recipe using methi leaves. I am sure I will make it often in my kitchen. Do try this easy, no grinding vendhaya keerai kuzhambu for your lunch and reap its health benefits. You will love it like us. Ok, Lets see how to make vendhaya keerai kara kuzhambu with step by step pictures !
Soak tamarind in hot water for 10 minutes and take the extract using 2 cups of water. Keep it apart.Take the methi leaves, wash it well and set aside. Wash and chop the tomato, onion, garlic and curry leaves. Slit the green chilli. Heat oil in a kadai and splutter mustard seeds, cumin, urad dal.Saute the onion, green chillies, garlic cloves and curry leaves. Now add the tomato pieces and saute till mushy.
Now add the methi leaves and saute till it shrinks in quantity. To this, add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, dhania powder and required salt. Mix well in low flame without burning the spice powders.
Add the tamarind extract , jaggery and boil the gravy till thickens and oil starts to float on top. Check for taste and add more red chilli powder or salt if needed. Boil for few more minutes. Remove and serve hot with rice..
Enjoy !
Note
Adjust the quantity of red chilli powder and green chillies as per your taste.
Do not reduce the quantity of tamarind. Gravy may taste bitter.
You should saute the methi leaves well to reduce its bitterness completely.
Try this easy, healthy methi leaves gravy at home for rice. Enjoy with any kootu or poriyal along with papad. Tastes yum !
. Lets see how to make banana stem gravy for rice with step by step pictures !
