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May 9, 2017

Simple Potato Poriyal Recipe – Boiled Potato Curry For Rice - Urulai Kizhangu Poriyal

Potato poriyal
Potato curry ( Urulai Kizhangu poriyal in Tamil) is known to be one of the best side dish recipes for sambar rice, rasam rice, Dal rice or even curd rice for many South Indians. Sometimes I love to have it rolled in chapathi as its a dry curry.Indian style potato roast or potato fry ( Aloo curry in Hindi) can be done in ‘N’ number of ways. People prepare it with their own variations and style. Most of us have adopted our mom’s recipe when we were beginners in cooking. Yes, I too learnt this way of making boiled potato curry from my mom. She makes it for rasam rice. Every Thursday Dal/Paruppu,Tamarind pachadi/ Puli pachadi, Rasam, Potato curry and Papad would be our lunch menu before my marriageWinking. But amma makes spicy potato curry whereas I prepare a less spicy version. So adjust the quantity of chilli powder according to your taste.  In most of our houses, potato curry makes it appearance once in a week at least for our kids sake as this would be the favorite side dish for many. In my house too, I make this potato poriyal mainly for Raksha’s lunch box as she loves to take it without any complaints and brings back empty lunch box in the eveningHappy.So I pack Dal rice( Paruppu sadham) and Potato curry (Urulai kizhangu poriyal in Tamil) at least once in a week for her lunch box.Its also an easy side dish to prepare during busy morning hours.When you have boiled potato ready in hand, this poriyal can be done under 10 minutes.I am sure bachelors and working women find this recipe useful. Do try this easy and simple boiled potato fry and let me know your feedbackHappy. I love it with Sambar & Rasam sadam. Lets see how to prepare South Indian style Potato poriyal with step by step pictures and a video !
Check out my MIL’s Potato poriyal version which I make it specially for my guests Winking.Also check out my no onion no garlic Brahmin style potato curry !

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May 8, 2017

How To Celebrate Chitra Pournami At Home – Pooja Procedure & Recipes

Chitra pournami pooja celebration at home
Hello Friends, In this post, I have shared the importance of Chitra Pournami – (A festival with my name;)) celebration, how to celebrate it at home with its pooja procedures as per my family’s practice. I have also shared the links for Chitra pournami recipes for neivedyam. Hope this post would be helpful for beginners. I must thank my Mother-in-law for giving me detailed guidance about this celebration. Please visit my in-laws blog “ LEARN KOLAM” for Rangoli/ Kolam ideas for this festival.

Chitra Pournami is a ceremony observed on the Poornima day (Full moon day) in the Tamil month of Chithirai that falls any day between April 15th – May 15th. This year 2023, it falls on 5th May( i.e on Friday). Chitra pournami is one of the important festivals celebrated in Tamil nadu. 
 
This auspicious day is celebrated as Chitragupta’s Birthday. Chitra Pournami /Chithirai pournami (in Tamil) ritual commemorates Chitra gupta who is known as the assistant of Lord Yama, the God of Death. Chitra means collection of Pictures and Gupta means Hidden. Chitra Poornima is the day dedicated to Chitra Gupta, the Keeper of Deeds. Lord Brahma created Chitra Gupta through the Sun God and he is considered as the younger brother of Lord Yama. It is believed that Chitra Gupta examines the good and bad performances of each individual. 

When a person dies, his soul first goes to Lord Yama, where Chitragupta tallies the deeds and report it to Yama. He reads out the good and bad deeds of the person. He is the Devata for planet Kedhu. Worshipping Chitra Gupta on this day would ward of kedhu dhosha in one's horoscope.Worshipping Vinayaka also ward of this dosha. There is only one temple in South India for Chitragupta at Kanchipuram. Chitra Pournami is a very auspicious day here. The day is also dedicated to Indra, the head of Devas. It is on this day that the star Chitra and Pournami (full moon) come together.

On this day, special poojas are conducted at temples and people take bath in holy rivers and temple ponds to wash away the sins committed and to bag the virtue for the life beyond. Chitra Pournami is the time where your sins can all be cleansed. Many people would observe fasting ( Viratham in Tamil) and make the sacred walk on Chitra pournami day in Tiruvannamalai. Offering food to the poor and needy people during this night would receive the blessing from the Almighty directly, along with this you can vanish the bad karma which is on you. To know more about this festival, please check my FIL's post in Learn Kolam.

Source : http://www.astrologypredict.com/masimagam.php

In our home, every year we used to celebrate Chitra pournami in a grand manner by drawing maakolam all over the house and by offering Navadhaniyam ( 9 varieties of grains) in a Muram , Vellai pongal ( without salt, உப்பு  சேர்க்காத பொங்கல்)), Sweet pidi kozhukattai, Raw mango pachadi, Panagam and neer mor for neivedyam. 

So based on ours I have shared the details of Chitra Pournami celebration procedure below with pictures. Hope you will find it helpful. Tamil brahmins have their own way of celebration which may differ from this. So please consult the elders of your family if you have any doubts regarding your tradition.


Chitra Pournami Kolam
This kolam is from my in-laws blog Learn kolam. We usually draw this thear kolam for Chitra Pournami.Click the above picture to see the video

Our Celebration Procedure

Ingredients needed for pooja & neivedyam

For Pooja
  • Winnowing basket / Muram in Tamil
  • New mud pot for making pongal, keeping panagam and neer mor ( This is optional)
  • 9 grains ( Navadhaniyam – Any 9 from this list :  Chana/chickpeas( brown & white), Green moong dal, Masoor dal, Toor dal,Urad dal ( Black or white), Peas, Rajma, Black eyed peas ( karamani), Ragi, Wheat, Arisi nel ( unhusked rice), Yellow moong dal, chana dal )
  • Raw rice ( maavu arisi ) Or Rice flour to draw maakolam ( Visit THIS LINK to check maakolam)
  • Raw Mango – 1 no for keeping near muram.
  • Indian Hand Fan / Kai visiri in Tamil (விசிறி)
  • One full coconut ( It would be better if its with mattai/shell)
  • One paper written with “Chithiranar Puthiranar Sivanadiyar Perungkanakar”)
  • One Pen
  • Lamp, wick, Oil/ghee, matchbox, incense stick, dhoop, camphor
  • Betel leaf & nut ( Vetrilai paaku), banana ( 2 nos) and one coconut
For Neivedyam
  • Raw rice(Maavu arisi) if making homemade rice flour for sweet pidi kozhukattai OR Store bought modak flour (kozhukattai maavu).
  • Raw mango, Jaggery, Green chilli for making Mango pachadi.
  • Curd, water, ginger, green chilli, seasoning ingredients for neer mor.
  • Raw rice ( Good quality sona masoori) for making white pongal without salt.
  • Water,edible camphor, jaggery, cardamom, cloves for making panagam.
Chitra Pournami Recipes

Neivedyam Recipes
Rice varieties

Some people have the practice of making 5 rice varieties along with sweet pongal on this day. 
We do this for Aadi 18 / Aadi perukku. Please check the link below for rice varieties if you want to try them. 


Our Celebration

Pre – Preparation

On the previous night of Chitra Pournami, we wash the lamps, keep turmeric, kumkum dots, put thread and keep it ready for the next day. Sweep the house and keep it clean. Usually we make sweet pidi kozhukattai using homemade rice flour. So we prepare the homemade rice flour in advance and keep it ready for next day’s use.

 We draw maakolam in the entrance and in front of pooja room. Usually we draw thear kolam in the entrance and pooja room. Foot of Chitra gupta along with an umbrella, hand fan, stick,foot of bull, foot of horse and flag should also be drawn. Refer picture below. You should draw it from entrance till pooja room just the way you put Lord Krishna feet for Gokulashtami/Krishna jayanthi. It is believed that Chitra Gupta is entering our house on this day. Refer the picture below.

Chitra pournami kolam

Wash the muram and divide into 9 parts by drawing segments using maakolam. Keep 9 types of grains/ Navadhaniyam in them as shown in the picture. Keep a fresh bunch of neem flower if you have. I have kept some dried flowers.You should also keep a coconut, raw mango and palm hand fan nearby the muram.

 I have kept sandalwood hand fan as I don’t have palm hand fan ( Please refer the first picture of this post). In a white paper, write “Chithiranaar Puthiranaar Sivanadiyaar Perungkanakkar” ( "சித்திர  புத்திரனார் சிவனடியார் பெருங்கணக்கர் ") and keep a Pen nearby. 

Place a raw mango & coconut in the muram. My MIL says "Kothoda manga kulaioda thengai" is placed in olden days. Please refer the picture given below. Keep this muram ready the previous night itself.

Chitra pournami celebration at home
Chitra pournami celebration
On Festival Day

The next day early morning ( around 6 am), we take head bath and start to make dishes for neivedyam. We make sweet Pidi kozhukattai by mixing the 1 cup of homemade rice flour in jaggery syrup ( 1 cup grated jaggery & 1.25 cups of water) adding 1/4 tsp of cardamom powder & 2 tbsp of grated coconut. 

Make shapes using fingers and steam it in an idli pot. In the mean time, wash and pressure cook 1/2 cup of raw rice adding 2.5 cups of water. Cook for 2 whistle in very low flame. Remove and mash the rice. Transfer to a bowl. Make a dent in the center. Keep a small piece of banana, jaggery and add a tsp of ghee.  If you wish you can make a no onion no garlic sambar as well.

 Then make Panagam by mixing water, jaggery, a pinch of edible camphor, crushed cloves, cardamom. Make neer mor and temper it. Keep all the neivedyam dishes in mud pots and plates if you have. Every year my MIL used to buy a new mud pot for making pongal and serving panakam, neer mor. She buy 3 pots ever year. But that practice has become obsolete now.

In an auspicious time of the day, light the lamp and keep the neivedyam in front of God. Avoid Rahu Kalam and Yama kandam. Place the muram ( winnowing basket) with 9 grains, hand written paper & pen. In a plate, keep betel leaves, nuts, banana and a coconut. Keep the panakam, neer mor in bowls.Sweet pidi kozhukattai  and white pongal in a plate. Show the deep, dhoop and mangala harathi.Finish the pooja. If you wish, you can read the story of Chitra Gupta and chant some slokhas as well.  

This is how we celebrate Chitra Pournami festival in our house. There may be slight variations in the celebration procedures based on your tradition. Consult the elders in your home and do the changes accordingly. Some people also make Vada, Payasam for lunch.

If you wish, you can offer food to the poor & needy on this night to get the blessings of Almighty and remove the bad karma on you. I hope this post would help you to get some idea of Chitra Pournami celebration. Share your celebration procedure too.

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Very good recipes Tags: Chitra Pournami, Chitra Pournami celebration, How to celebrate Chitra Pournami, Chitra Pournami festival, Chithirai pournami, Chitra Poornima, How to celebrate, Festival recipes
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May 7, 2017

Easy Tomato Onion Thokku Recipe In A Pressure Cooker–Pressure Cooker Recipes Indian

Easy tomato onion thokku

Easy tomato onion thokku recipe using pressure cooker - Recipe with step by step pictures and Video.
Last week I prepared this easy tomato onion thokku recipe (Thakkali Vengayam thokku in Tamil) as a side dish for Instant poha idli.As the poha idli tasted bland without sourness, this thokku was ideal for it. Some of you would have noticed this thokku in that plate I think. 

Usually I prepare my mom’s style tomato thokku in a kadai. But recently I tried making it directly in our Indian pressure cooker. I feel this easy and quick one pot method is time saving when compared to the thokku cooked in a kadai. Yes, by the time you steam the idli, this would be ready. So this method will help bachelors, working women and housewives to make a quick side dish for idli, dosa and chapati/roti during busy morning hours. 

Nowadays Raksha likes to have it with idli. So I pack idli and this thakkali thokku for her lunch box at least twice in a week. I hope your kids will love it too. Do try this easy tomato onion thokku in pressure cooker for a change and tell me how it helped you. Lets see how to make tomato onion thokku with step by step pictures and video !

Check out my another version of tomato onion thokku recipe – Chef Venkatesh Bhat’s recipe if you like!

 Also check out my no onion no garlic tomato thokku too.


Easy tomato onion thokku

Easy tomato onion thokku recipe using pressure cooker


Easy tomato onion thokku recipe using pressure cooker How to make tomato onion thokku easily in a pressure cooker
Cuisine: Indian
Category: Side dish for idli dosa roti
Serves: 3
Prep time: 5 Minutes
Cook time: 10 Minutes
Total time: 15 Minutes


INGREDIENTS

  • Ripe Tomato – 4 nos
  • Big onion – 2 nos
  • Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
  • Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
  • Hing / Asafetiida – 1 pinch ( optional)
  • Sugar - 1/2 tsp
  • Coriander leaves - To garnish
  • Salt & water - as needed
To Temper
  • Cooking oil - 2 tbsp
  • Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
  • Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
  • Chana dal - 2 tsp
  • Curry leaves - few
HOW TO MAKE TOMATO THOKKU IN COOKER - METHOD

  • Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Splutter mustard seeds, urad dal and chana dal. Add curry leaves and chopped onion. Saute till onion turns transparent.
    tomato onion thokku
  • Add the chopped tomato and saute for a minute. Add turmeric powder, salt and sugar. Saute till tomato turns mushy.
    tomato onion thokku
  • Now add the red chill powder and saute till its raw smell goes off. Mix for a minute. Add 1/4 cup of water at the end. Do not add more water, moisture in the tomato & little water is sufficient to make thick thokku. Mix well and cover the cooker with a lid.
    tomato onion thokku
  • Pressure cook for 2 whistles in high flame. Remove the lid after the steam is released.Mix well and check if there is excess water and thokku is watery . If so, boil for a minute in high flame.
  • Remove the thokku in a bowl.Garnish with coriander leaves and enjoy with idli,dosa drizzling a tsp of sesame oil. Tastes yum !
    tomato onion thokku
  • Enjoy !

Note
  • Adjust the quantity of red chilli powder as per taste. Use 1/2 tsp for less spicy taste.
  • Garnishing with coriander leaves make it more flavorful.
  • If you like thokku to be watery and thin, add more water.
  • Use fully ripen tomato for best taste.
  • You can make the same thokku in kadai as well. But you should cook the onion in water before adding tomato and spice powders so that onion tastes soft.

Try this easy tomato thokku in a pressure cooker and have a quick side dish for idli, dosa !
Vengayam thakkali thokku
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May 4, 2017

Instant Karnataka Style Chakli Recipe – Simple Murukku Recipe

Instant Chakli recipe - Karnataka style
Instant chakli recipe / Simple murukku recipe with step by step and video. This Karnataka style easy and simple murukku recipe (Chakli in Kannada) using store bought rice flour and besan flour was in my to do list for long time. Recently I got a pack of bull driven cold pressed (Chekku ennai) sesame oil, groundnut oil and coconut oil from Gramiyum – An online store. Product & packaging was too good and its professional too. If you are looking for original cold pressed oils, you can buy them online from Gramiyum. They also have organic honey, natural nuts at a reasonable price. 

My MIL usually says snacks fried in groundnut oil is more flavorful. So I thought of making this easy, Karnataka style chakli/ murukku by frying in cold pressed groundnut oil ( Kadalai ennai).This instant chakli recipe which I had bookmarked years ago from Savi ruchi blog came to my mind. Its an easy, instant chakli recipe made with easily available ingredients. It came out very well with the awesome flavor of groundnut oil. I have tasted this Chakkuli/Chakri ( My friends tell this way) in my friends place. All my friends here make it during Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali and Gokulashtami festivals.

 Basically I love this Karnataka style chakli a lot and got the recipe for homemade chakli powder from my friend Priya. I will share that recipe later. This chakli is made with rice flour and besan flour. Its prepared without butter or ghee. Hot oil is used to bring crunchiness. So it doesn’t have a melt in mouth texture just like butter chakli but tastes crispy and crunchy. It tastes the best with full flavor by the next day. We enjoy this chakli with our evening tea/ chai. 

As its summer vacation in India, Kids must be nagging you for some evening snacks. Do try this easy chakli recipe at home for your kids!They will like it. Please excuse me for the non uniform shapes. I am not so good  or patient enough in pressing murukku. But my MIL says everything comes by practice. So this year, I am planning to try more murukku recipes. Hope I can make perfect swirls in future.
Lets see how to make Karnataka style Instant chakli recipe with step by step pictures and VIDEO.

Check out my Butter murukku/chakli, Potato murukku, idli rice murukku, Lemon murukku, Garlic murukku too.


Chakli recipe

Chakli Recipe - Instant Chakli Recipe - Karnataka Chakli Recipe


Instant Chakli Recipe - Karnataka Chakli Recipe How to make Karnataka style Chakli/ Murukku at home
Cuisine: Indian
Category: Snacks
Serves: 15 
Prep time: 10 Minutes
Cook time: 20 Minutes
Total time: 30 Minutes


INGREDIENTS
1 cup - 250ml
  • Rice flour - 1 cup
  • Besan flour - 1/4 cup
  • Red chilli powder - 1 tsp ( I used Kashmiri chilli powder)
  • Sesame seeds - 1/2 tsp (I used black. You can use white too)
  • Asafetida/Hing - 1/4 tsp
  • Hot cooking oil - 3 tbsp
  • Water - As needed
  • Salt - As required
  • Cooking oil or Groundnut oil - To deep fry
HOW TO MAKE CHAKLI - METHOD

  • In a wide bowl, sieve the rice flour + besan flour.To the sieved flour, add salt, red chilli powder, sesame seeds and hing.
    Chakli - Instant chakli recipe
  • Heat cooking oil and add it to the flour. Mix with a spoon till oil spreads well in the flour.

  • Add water gradually and make a smooth dough.Make the dough slightly sticky. If the dough is too hard, chakli will break while pressing. Cover the dough with a wet cloth till use. Besan flour in the dough absorbs more water and dough becomes thick over time. So if the chakli breaks while pressing, sprinkle little water to the dough and try again. You will get it right. Sprinkle water whenever needed.
    Easy Chakli recipe - Instant chakli recipe
    Easy Chakli recipe - Instant chakli recipe
  • Take the chakli maker with star mould, fill with the dough. Press it on a butter paper or cotton cloth. Make shapes. Cover it till use else dough will become dry and murukku breaks while frying.
    Easy Chakli recipe - Instant chakli recipe
  • Heat oil in a kadai to deep fry the chakli. When the oil is heated, drop a pinch of dough. If it rises to the top immediately, oil temperature is right.
    Easy Chakli recipe - Instant chakli recipe
  • Drop 2-3 chakli for one batch. Keep the flame medium. Do not touch the chakli for one minute. Let it cook in the hot oil. Then flip it and cook the other side. Keep the flame medium. Cook the chakli till 90% of bubbles cease and becomes golden. Remove in a tissue paper. Repeat the same & fry all the chakli. Store in an air tight box after it cools down completely. Tastes best the next day !
    Easy Chakli recipe - Instant chakli recipe
    Enjoy !

Note
  • Besan absorbs all water in the dough. So you may need to add sprinkle more water whenever needed while pressing.
  • Do not reduce the quantity of hot oil else chakli may turn hard.
  • Make sure oil temperature is right else murukku absorbs more oil.

Try this easy, instant chakli for your kids and family’'. They will love it !
easy chakli recipe




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May 2, 2017

Instant Poha Idli Recipe - Aval Idli – Instant Idli Recipe Without Urad dal

Instant poha idli
Instant poha idli with idli rava or upma rava (Semolina, sooji) / aval idli without urad dal is a quick fix, instant recipe for my idli cravings. After a long time, I am sharing an instant Idli recipe in my blog. Being a South Indian, Idli dosa batter is a must in my home. So I grind the idli batter at least once in a week and use it for 3 to 4 days. I used to explore varieties of idli recipes as a result of which you could find 15+ idli varieties in my blog. Myself & Sendhil can manage food without idli dosa for one to two weeks. But Raksha can’t. As she is in Salem, I did not make idli,dosa batter for the past two weeks and managing our breakfast & dinner with upma, instant dosa varieties, paratha recipes etc.

 Yesterday all of a sudden I got the craving to have idli for our dinner. As I had bookmarked this Instant, no fermentation poha idli recipe from Smitha’s blog years ago, I thought of trying it. It came out really well. I relished it with easy tomato thokku. Yes, I made an easy tomato thokku recipe in pressure cooker. It was tasting great for this idli. Recipe posted HERE.

Even though this aval idli came out very soft, I won’t say it tastes equally well to our usual fermented, soft and spongy idli made with rice & urad dal.As this is an instant version, the natural sour taste & flavor from fermented idli batter would be missing in this idli. So I feel only a tangy side dish like tomato thokku or tomato chutney would be the best side dish for this idli. But this is sure a keeper recipe for people who wants to make quick yet healthy steamed food using poha (Flattened rice/Pressed rice in English, Aval in tamil, Avalakki in Kannada). Its ideal for bachelors and working women. Its good for our tummy as well because curd, poha and idli rava are the major ingredients for this idli recipe. 

Cooking soda is not essential for this recipe still I used meagre quantity. If you like this idli recipe, you can make many variations like adding grated vegetables, season it like rava idli.  Do try this easy, quick instant idli recipe if you run short of our usual idli batter. You will like it for sure. I have shared all the possible tips for making this idli perfect. So lets check out how to make super soft, instant poha idli with step by step pictures and a video !

UPDATE : THIS IDLI CAN BE MADE WITH RAVA/SOOJI/SEMOLINA ( COARSE VARIETY) INSTEAD OF IDLI RAVA. BUT ADD ROASTED SOOJI AT ROOM TEMPERATURE. IT SHOULD NOT BE HOT. ADD 1/2 TSP ENO JUST BEFORE MAKING IDLI.


Instant poha idli

Poha Idli - Instant Poha Idli Recipe - Easy Aval Idli


Poha Idli - Instant Poha Idli Recipe - Easy Aval Idli How to make instant idli recipe using poha & idli rava
Cuisine: Indian
Category: Breakfast
Serves: 15 to 20nos
Prep time: 20 Minutes
Cook time: 15 Minutes
Total time: 35 Minutes


INGREDIENTS
1 cup - 250ml
  • Thin Poha/ Paper Aval - 1 cup (Thin Pressed rice/ Flattened rice)
  • Idli Rava / Idli Sooji OR Roasted semolina/sooji - 1.5 cups
  • Sour Curd - 1 cup 
  • Water - 1.5 to 1.75 cups in total
  • Salt - as needed
  • Baking soda - 1/4 tsp . Add 1/2 tsp ENO if using semolina
HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POHA IDLI - METHOD

  • Wash the poha once or twice in water. Drain it. It will be soft. Now add 1 cup of curd to it. Mix well and soak for 10 minutes.
    poha idli recipe - Instant idli recipe
  • Mash the poha after soaking. Add 1.5 cups of idli rava or roasted semolina (upma rava) and mix well. Idli rava absorbs all the water content. So add 1 cup water, mix well and let the mixture soak for 10 minutes. ( Update : You can also use roasted upma rava/sooji at room temperature instead of idli rava.)
    poha idli recipe - Instant idli recipe
    poha idli recipe - Instant idli recipe
  • After soaking, mix well and add 1/2 to 3/4 cup water. Mix well to bring thick idli batter consistency. Add water carefully, make thick, pourable batter. Thin batter makes flat, sticky idli. Add salt & baking soda, mix well. Make idli immediately. (Update: If using semolina, add 1/2 tsp ENO or 1/4 tsp baking soda. )
    poha idli recipe - Instant idli recipe
  • Grease idli plates with oil. Pour the batter. Roll boil water in an idli pot. Keep the idli plates only after the water starts to roll boil. Close & steam it for 12 to 15 minutes. You will get nice cooked smell of idli. It looks slightly flat after steaming. Don’t worry.
    poha idli recipe - Instant idli recipe
    poha idli recipe - Instant idli recipe
  • Remove the idli plate and rest it for 5 minutes. Unmold it with a small flat ladle or spoon.This idli may be sticky, very soft & breaks when removed hot. So remove it after the idli becomes warm to get the perfect shape.It stays soft for few hours.
    poha idli recipe - Instant idli recipe
  • Enjoy with some tangy side dishes. I personally liked with tangy tomato thokkku & tomato chutney more than coconut chutney or sambar. Choice is yours !
  • Note : If you make the batter in the morning, you can use the leftover batter for making idli in dinner. You can refrigerate the leftover batter or keep it outside which helps for fermentation.

Note
  • Most important point to note is idli batter consistency. It should not be thin. No problem even if its too thick. You can add little more water anytime, mix and make idli. So add water carefully while mixing.
  • Cooking soda is not essential if you leave the batter for 30 minutes to 1 hour resting time.
  • Unmold the idli only after 5 minutes of steaming. Idli may break when you unmold it immediately. Give a resting time of 5 minutes.
  • If you are using thick poha, grind to a coarse powder in a mixie. Then wash and soak it. I hope it works.
  • ENO can be used in place of soda but use only 1/8 tsp if making with idli rava. If you use upma rava, you should add 1/2 tsp of ENO or 1/4 tsp of cooking soda. 

Enjoy this instant poha idli with tangy side dish like tomato thokku or tomato chutney ! You will love it for sure !
Aval idli recipe
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April 30, 2017

Vazhaithandu Kuzhambu Recipe – Banana Stem Gravy–Valaithandu Recipes

Vazhaithandu kuzhambu
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 Happy. Lets see how to make banana stem gravy for rice with step by step pictures !
Vazhaithandu kuzhambu

Banana stem gravy / Vazhaithandu Kuzhambu


Banana stem gravy / Vazhaithandu Kuzhambu How to make vazhaithandu kuzhambu/ Banana stem gravy for rice
Cuisine: South Indian
Category: Side dish for rice
Serves: Serves 4
Prep time: 10 Minutes
Cook time: 20 Minutes
Total time: 30 Minutes


INGREDIENTS
1 cup - 250ml
To grind
  • Methi seeds/ fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
  • Urad dal - 2 tsp
  • Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp
  • Grated coconut - 1/3 cup
  • Red chilli - 3 nos
  • Water - as needed to grind
  • Tamarind - Gooseberry size ( soak in water)
To Temper
  • Cooking oil or coconut oil - 1 tbsp
  • Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
  • Urad dal - 1 tsp
  • Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
  • Curry leaves - Few
  • Hing/asafetida - a pinch
METHOD

  • Soak tamarind in little water. Grind all the ingredients given under “To grind” adding tamarind to a smooth paste.  Set aside.
    Vazhaithandu kuzhambu
  • 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.
    Vazhaithandu kuzhambu
  • 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.
    Vazhaithandu kuzhambu
    Vazhaithandu kuzhambu
  • 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 !
    Vazhaithandu kuzhambu
  • 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 !
Banana stem gravy
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