Pavakkai Poriyal – Bitter Gourd Curry Recipe

I love to try varieties of recipes with bitter gourd. Iam trying to include Pavakkai in my cooking at least once or twice in a week considering its health benefits. My daughter Raksha likes to eat bitter gourd only if its bitterness is less or it should be in deep fried form like bitter gourd chips with wheat flour. But I want to avoid making deep fried stuffs often. So I started exploring many side dishes using bitter gourd.

Recently I came across an easy pavakkai poriyal in pressure cooker in a You tube channel. As mentioned, my poriyal had a very mild bitter taste. We all loved it. The addition of sugar / jaggery made it more tasty. So Raksha too ate it without any complaints.

Actually this poriyal can be prepared by just sauting in a kadai with generous oil but I did everything in a pressure cooker with less oil and made it soft. It tastes good in either ways. Finally its our choice.

Lets see how to make Pavakkai poriyal without coconut in a pressure cooker.

 

Pavakkai poriyal recipe / Bitter gourd curry

Pavakkai poriyal recipe / Bitter gourd curry for rice

 

Cuisine: Tamilnadu

Category: Side dish

Serves: Serves 3

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 20 Minutes

Total time: 30 Minutes

 

Chitra Ganapathy

INGREDIENTS

1 cup = 250ml Pavakkai / Bitter gourd - 1 ( medium sized) Big onion - 1 Garlic cloves – 10 Tamarind extract – 1 tsp Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp Sambar powder -1 tsp Jaggery or sugar - 1 tsp Salt & water - as needed To temper Cooking oil -2 tbsp Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp Urad dal - 1 tsp Chana dal - 2 tsp Hing / Asafoetida - a pinch Curry leaves - few

HOW TO MAKE BITTER GOURD CURRY IN PRESSURE COOKER

1. Wash and chop bitter gourd into thin slices. Chop onion and garlic thinly.
2. Heat oil in a cooker. Splutter mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal and hing.
3. Add curry leaves, onion and crushed garlic cloves. Saute well.
4. Add chopped bitter gourd and saute for few minutes till it shrinks in size.
5. Lower the flame and add sambar powder, turmeric powder, jaggery and salt.
6. Mix well and add required water. Pressure cook in low flame for one whistle.
7. Open the cooker after the steam is released. If there is excess water, boil in high flame till water evaporates. Mix gently and transfer to a plate.
8. Serve with sambar, rasam rice and curd rice.

METHOD - STEP BY STEP PICTURES

Wash and chop Bitter gourd into thin slices. Chopping thinly helps to remove bitterness. Wash and chop onion. Crush garlic cloves. Set aside. Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Splutter mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, cumin seeds, curry leaves, crushed garlic and sliced onion. Saute till onion becomes transparent. Now add the thinly sliced bitter gourd and saute for a minute. Add turmeric powder, salt and sugar/ jaggery. Mix well. Adding turmeric powder helps to retain bright green color of bitter gourd. Add 1/4 cup of tamarind extract, sambar powder and mix well. Lastly add little water ( say 2 tbsp) and close the pressure cooker with its lid. Let the flame be high. Once the steam starts to come out, lower the flame completely and put the weight valve. Let it cook in low flame for one whistle. Switch off the flame and let the pressure release naturally. Open the cooker and add finely chopped coriander leaves. Mix gently. Boil for few minutes if there is excess water. If there is no water, you can just mix and serve with rice. Tastes good with sambar, vatha kuzhambu, kara kulambu and curd rice.

Note

Slice the bitter gourd thinly to avoid bitter taste. Adjust the quantity of sambar powder as per your taste.

Technorati Tags: Pavakkai poriyal,pavakkai poriyal recipe,bitter gourd curry,bitter gourd curry recipe,bitter gourd recipes,pavakkai recipes

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Pesarattu Recipe – Andhra style Pesarattu | Green Gram Dosa

Andhra’s most popular and healthy breakfast recipe, Pesarattu along with Allam pachadi i.e Ginger chutney is one of my favourite recipes with Green gram/ Mung beans. I try to make it at least once in two weeks. In Tamil, we call it as Pacha payaru dosai. Though I make it regularly at home, I have never shared the recipe in my blog.

People fondly call this Pesarattu as MLA Pesarattu as it is popular in the MLA head quarters in Hyderabad. Usually this Pesarattu is stuffed with plain rava upma and served with spicy and tangy Ginger chutney. Some people also spread onion, carrot and green chilli mixture over the dosa instead of stuffing upma in it.

Today I have shared a very simple recipe without any stuffing or topping as we like it that way. We simply need a tangy Allam pachadi to go with it. Basically Green gram is high in fibre and low in calories. So this Pesarattu dosa recipe would be ideal for people looking for weight loss. It also makes less bloating and gas when compared with other legumes. So anyone can easily consume it without any worries.

Ok, lets see how to make this Andhra special Pesarattu recipe with step by step pictures.

Pesarattu recipe - Andhra style Pesarattu recipe with rice

Pesarattu recipe - Andhra style pesarattu recipe with rice

 

Cuisine: Andhra

Category: Breakfast

Serves: 10

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 20 Minutes

Total time: 30 Minutes

 

Chitra Ganapathy

INGREDIENTS

1 cup = 250ml Whole moong / Green gram - 1 cup Raw rice - 2 tbsp Green chilli - 2 Ginger - 1/2 inch Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp Salt & water - as needed Ghee or cooking oil - to drizzle over Pesarattu Chopped onion, green chilli and carrot - for topping

HOW TO MAKE ANDHRA STYLE PESARATTU RECIPE

1. Wash and soak green gram along with rice for 4 to 6 hours.
2. Grind to a smooth or slightly coarse paste adding cumin seeds, green chilli and ginger.
3. Transfer to a bowl. Add salt and mix well.
4. Heat a dosa tawa. Spread the dosa thin or thick.
5. Drizzle oil or ghee. Cook the dosa till its crispy and well cooked.
6. No need to flip it. Flip the dosa and cook if you make it thick.
7. Serve with Allam pachadi / Ginger chutney.

METHOD - STEP BY STEP PICTURES

Wash and soak green gram for 4 to 6 hours. Grind it adding green chilli, ginger and cumin seeds to a smooth paste. Transfer to a vessel. Add required salt and mix well. Check for batter consistency. Add water if needed. Heat dosa tawa. Spread a ladleful of batter. Make it thin or thick as you like. Cook the dosa in low to medium flame till its cooked well. Drizzle oil or ghee around the Pesarattu. Cook till the bottom turns light golden brown. No need to flip the other side if you want crispy dosa else you can flip and cook for few more minutes. For variations, you can spread finely chopped onion and carrot all over the Pesarattu, flip and cook the other side. Serve hot with Ginger chutney / Allam pachadi. Enjoy !

Note

I grind the batter smooth. If you like, you can grind it slightly coarse. Adjust the quantity of green chilli as per your taste.

  
  Make this healthy and tasty Green gram dosa / Pesarattu and enjoy with Allam pachadi / Ginger chutney !

Technorati Tags: Pesarattu recipe,pesarattu,andhra pesarattu,andhra style pesarattu recipe,green gram dosa,pacha payaru dosai

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Murungakkai Kuzhambu – Drumstick Masala Kulambu For Rice

My parents were with me in Bangalore for the past one month. My father like kurma based kuzhambu varieties for rice. So I tried this Murungakkai masala kuzhambu for our lunch. We all loved it. Its a very simple recipe with tomato base.  I made it directly in a pressure cooker. So it took less time to prepare.

Friends, if you are looking for some easy Drumstick kuzhambu recipe with mild masala flavor, this is for you. Do try it and share your feedback with me.

 

Murungakkai kuzhambu recipe / Drumstick kulambu

Murungakkai kuzhambu recipe / Drumstick kulambu for rice

 

Cuisine: South Indian

Category: side dish

Serves: Serves 3

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 20 Minutes

Total time: 30 Minutes

 

Chitra Ganapathy

INGREDIENTS

1 cup = 250ml Drumstick - 2 Ripe Tomato - 2 Small onion - 15 OR big onion - 2 (finely chopped) Garlic - 10 cloves Curry leaves - few Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp Sambar powder - 1/2 to 1 tsp Salt - as needed To temper Cooking oil - 1 tbsp Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp Urad dal - 1/2 tsp Cinnamon – 1 inch piece Cloves - 2 To grind Grated coconut - 1/4 cup Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp

HOW TO MAKE MURUNGAKKAI KUZHAMBU

1. Wash and chop drumstick, onion, tomato, garlic.
2. Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Splutter mustard seeds, urad dal, Cinnamon and cloves.
3. Saute onion, garlic, curry leaves till transparent. Add tomato and saute till mushy.
4. Add turmeric powder, sambar powder and salt. Saute for a minute.
5. Grind coconut and fennel seeds to a smooth paste. Add to the cooker.
6. Add required water and mix well. Keep the chopped drumstick in a box and place it inside the cooker without adding water.
7. Pressure cook in low flame for one whistle. Open the cooker after the steam is released.
8. Take the drumstick bowl and add to the kuzhambu. Mix well and serve with rice.

METHOD - STEP BY STEP PICTURES

Wash and chop Drumstick into finger size pieces. Chop onion, tomato and garlic finely. Keep the chopped drumtsick in  a bowl.  Heat oil in a pressure cooker base. Splutter mustard seeds, urad dal, Cinnamon and cloves. Saute onion, garlic and curry leaves till transparent.  Add tomato and saute till mushy. Add turmeric powder, salt, sambar powder and mix well. Grind coconut and fennel seeds to a smooth paste. Add to tomato mixture. Mix well. Add required water. Take chopped drumstick pieces in a bowl and keep it inside the cooker. No need to add water to drumstick pieces. Close the pressure cooker and cook in low flame for one whistle. Switch off the flame and open the cooker after the steam is released. Remove the drumstick bowl and add to the cooker. Mix well and check for consistency. Boil for few minutes if its watery OR add little water if its too thick. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice.

Note

Adjust the quantity of spice powders as per your taste. For variations, you can grind cinnamon and cloves along with coconut instead of sauting in oil.

Try this easy and tasty Murungakkai kuzhambu for rice and enjoy !

Technorati Tags: Murungakkai kuzhambu,murungakkai kulambu recipe,drumstick kuzhambu,drumstick kuzhambu recipe,kuzhambu varieties,kulambu varieties

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Snake gourd kootu – Pudalangai Kootu Recipe

I learnt this Snake gourd kootu / Pudalangai kootu recipe from my MIL during my recent trip to Salem. Its a simple and easy one pot recipe. Its a good side dish for Vatha kuzhambu / Kara kulambu and sambar. We all loved it.

Friends, do try this easy Tamil nadu style Pudalangai kootu recipe. You will love it too.

 

Pudalangai kootu / Snake gourd kootu recipe

Pudalangai kootu / Snake gourd kootu recipe for rice

 

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Side dish

Serves: Serves 3

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 20 Minutes

Total time: 30 Minutes

 

Chitra Ganapathy

INGREDIENTS

1 cup = 250ml Snake gourd - 250gms Moong dal - 1 tbsp Cooking oil - 1 tbsp Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp Urad dal - 1 tsp Curry leaves - few Hing / Asafoetida - a pinch Red chilli - 1 Onion - 1 (finely chopped) Ginger - 1/2 inch piece (finely chopped) Tomato - 1 ( finely chopped) To grind Grated coconut - 1/4 cup Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp Green chilli - 1 Rice flour - 1 tsp

HOW TO MAKE SNAKE GOURD KOOTU

1. Wash and chop Snake gourd into small pieces.
2. Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Splutter mustard seeds, urad dal, red chilli, curry leaves, hing, ginger, onion pieces and saute well.
3. Add snake gourd, tomato pieces and mix well.
4. Grind coconut, chilli, cumin seeds adding rice flour to a smooth paste adding required water.
5. Add in the cooker. Mix well. Add salt, moong dal and turmeric powder. Mix well.
6. Pressure cook in low flame for one whistle. Open the cooker. Boil for a minute to adjust consistency.
7. Serve with rice, sambar, vatha kuzhambu and rasam. Enjoy !

METHOD - STEP BY STEP PICTURES

Wash and chop snake gourd into small pieces and set aside. Grind coconut, green chilli, cumin seeds and rice flour to a smooth paste adding required water. Set aside. In a pressure cooker base, heat oil and splutter mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves, hing, ginger bits and onion pieces. Saute till onion becomes transparent. Add Snake gourd, tomato pieces and saute well adding salt, turmeric powder. Lastly add the coconut paste, moong dal, required water and mix well. Pressure cook in low flame for one whistle. Open the cooker after the steam is released. Mix well and boil for a minute if necessary to adjust the consistency. Serve with plain rice, sambar rice, rasam rice and vatha kuzhambu. Enjoy !

Note

Adjust the quantity of chilli as per your taste. You can use sambar powder instead of grinding green chilli.

Try this easy Snake gourd kootu in a pressure cooker and enjoy with rice !

Technorati Tags: Snake gourd kootu,snake gourd kootu recipe,Pudalangai kootu,pudalangai kootu recipe,how to make snake gourd kootu,snake gourd recipes

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Vazhaithandu Sweet Pachadi – Banana Stem Pachadi Recipe

Vazhaithandu inippu Pachadi – Banana Stem sweet Pachadi Recipe is our family favourite recipe using banana stem. Usually we make Vazhaithandu poriyal, Vazhaithandu sambar and Kerala style Vazhaithandu pachadi with curd. But among all these recipes, we love this banana stem sweet pachadi more. It tastes so good with sweet and mildly sour taste. Its a good side dish for sambar and rasam.

Recently I went to Salem and stayed with my in-laws for a month. We made few banana stem recipes. I asked my MIL and prepared this sweet pachadi easily in a pressure cooker. It tasted so good. I enjoyed it with sambar sadam and appalam.

 Friends, do try this Vazhaithandu sweet pachadi for a change and enjoy with your family.

Vazhaithandu sweet pachadi recipe / Banana stem pachadi recipe

Vazhaithandu sweet pachadi recipe / Banana stem pachadi recipe

 

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Side dish

Serves: Serves 3

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 20 Minutes

Total time: 30 Minutes

 

Chitra Ganapathy

INGREDIENTS

1 cup = 250ml Banana stem - 1 cup Powdered jaggery - 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup Green chilli - 1 (finely chopped) Tomato - 1 (finely chopped) Salt - a pinch Water - as needed To grind Grated coconut – 1/4 cup Rice flour – 1/2 tsp To temper Coconut oil - 1 tsp Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp Urad dal - 1/2 tsp Red chilli - 1 Curry leaves - few

HOW TO MAKE VAZHAITHANDU SWEET PACHADI

1. Wash and chop Vazhaithandu into small pieces.
2. Immerse in buttermilk till use.
3. In a pressure cooker, drain and take chopped vazhaithandu, green chilli, tomato, salt and little water.
4. Pressure cook in low flame for one whistle. Its cooked well. Mash it slightly and set aside.
5. Grind coconut and rice flour to a smooth paste. Add to vazhaithandu.
6. Add grated jaggery and boil everything well till it becomes thick like pachadi.
7. Lastly temper in oil and add to the pachadi. Mix well and serve with sambar, rasam rice.

METHOD - STEP BY STEP PICTURES

Wash and chop Banana stem into small pieces. Immerse in buttermilk till use to avoid discoloration. Squeeze the vazhaithandu and add to pressure cooker. Add finely chopped green chilli, tomato, a pinch of salt and little water. Pressure cook in low flame for one whistle. In the mean time, grate jaggery. Grind coconut and rice flour to a smooth paste adding water. Open the cooker after the steam is released. Add ground coconut paste and jaggery along with some water if needed. Mix well and boil till thick.  Lastly temper mustard seeds, urad dal and red chilli in little oil and add to pachadi. Mix well and serve hot with sambar rice, rasam rice etc.

Note

You can skip tomato and add little tamarind extract instead. You can also use sugar instead of jaggery but jaggery gives a better taste and healthy too. Tempering one red chilli at the end gives a mild spicy taste and flavour to the pachadi.

Try this easy, healthy and yummy Banana stem sweet pachadi. People who don’t like banana stem too eat with pachadi without any complaints !

 

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Here is a crispy Kovakkai chips / Ivy gourd chips recipe which is deep fried adding wheat flour, sambar powder and other spices. My daughter who is not fond of this vegetable loves this chips very much as it’s crispy when hot and turns soft when cold. She likes to have it as side dish for sambar rice, rasam rice or simply as an evening snack to relish with tomato ketchup. As it is deep fried, I am trying to restrict it once or twice in a month for her. 

Friends, do try this crispy Kovakkai chips recipe for rice and snacks. You will love it for sure. You can make the same with bitter gourd, lady’s finger too.

 

Kovakkai chips / Crispy tindora chips recipe

Kovakkai chips / Crispy tindora chips recipe for lunch and snacks

 

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Snacks

Serves: Serves 3

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 20 Minutes

Total time: 30 Minutes

 

Chitra Ganapathy

INGREDIENTS

1 cup = 250ml Tindora / Kovakkai - 250 gms Wheat flour - 2 to 3 tbsp Sambar powder - 1 tsp Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp Hing / Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp Salt & water - as needed Cooking oil - to deep fry

HOW TO MAKE KOVAKKAI CHIPS / TINDORA CHIPS RECIPE

1. Wash and thinly slice the kovakkai into roundels.
2. Drain the water and take it in a wide bowl.
3. Add wheat flour, sambar powder, turmeric powder, hing and salt.
4. Sprinkle water to coat the masala. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
5. Heat oil and add kovakkai in a sprinkled manner. Deep fry in batches.
6. Toss and cook both sides till bubbles cease. Remove and drain in a tissue paper. Enjoy !

 

METHOD - STEP BY STEP PICTURES

Wash and thinly slice the Kovakkai into roundels. Mix wheat flour, sambar powder, turmeric powder, hing and salt.  Sprinkle water to coat the masala well. Heat oil to deep fry. Take the coated kovakkai and sprinkle in hot oil.  Deep fry both the sides till bubbles cease. Remove from oil and drain in a tissue paper. Serve with rice. Enjoy !

Note

Adjust the quantity of sambar powder as per your taste. Adjust the quantity of wheat flour to coat the kovakkai.

  
  Crispy Kovakkai chips / Ivy gourd chips is ready to use.

Technorati Tags: kovakkai chips,kovakkai chips recipe,ivy gourd chips,tindora chips,dondakaya chips

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18 Pulao Varieties - Different Types of Veg Pulao Recipes

Here is the list of 18 different types of vegetable pulao recipes from my blog. Most of them are prepared directly using a pressure cooker and its preparation time is less than 30 minutes. So anyone can cook it easily within less time during busy morning hours and pack it for yours and kids lunch box. I have shared both South Indian and North Indian style pulao recipes. Choose and try these flavour packed, healthy veg pulao varieties at home for weekend special lunch or for lunch box. I am sure you will love it.

I have also made a collection of vegetarian biryani varieties. Do check it out !

Lets start this collection with a basic post for beginners on How to cook basmati rice perfectly for Biryani and pulao.

HOW TO COOK BASMATI RICE

BENGALI MISHTI PULAO – SWEET PULAO RECIPE

Here is a Bengali style sweet pulao recipe which is called as Mishti pulao. With the sweet taste and the flavor of spices, this pulao tastes awesome and unique.

 MUSHROOM PULAO

Spicy and tasty pulao recipe with Mushroom that can be prepared directly in a pressure cooker with easily available ingredients at home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KARNATAKA STYLE VEGETABLE PULAO

This pulao is a must try recipe in my blog. Its a show stealing and crowd pleasing recipe. So you can try it for birthday parties and get togethers. Its a fool proof recipe.

 

AVAREKALU BATH RECIPE   

In Karnataka, this pulao / Rice bath is a must try during Avarekalu season. Its a healthy and tasty rice variety that people make it at least once in a week during the season. Its an easy, one pot recipe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KARNATAKA STYLE AVAREKALU METHI PULAO

 

This is yet another version of Karnataka style pulao recipe adding Avarekalu / Field beans and methi leaves. It can be made in a pressure cooker directly and tastes so good. 

 

 

 BEETROOT PULAO / BEETROOT RICE

Colorful and healthy beetroot pulao. Ideal for kids lunch box. Tastes so good !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CABBAGE PULAO / CABBAGE PEAS RICE

Flavourful cabbage pulao / Cabbage rice in a pressure cooker. Try it for your weekend lunch or lunch box. You will be surprised to know its taste.

 

 

KASHMIRI PULAO

 

Mild sweet tasting pulao adding colourful fruits, vegetables and nuts. Kids would love it !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 PALAK PULAO / PALAK RICE

Yet another healthy, tasty and colourful palak rice / Palak pulao also known as Green pulao. Try it out !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PANEER PULAO / COTTAGE CHEESE RICE

Easy, peasy Pulao recipe with Paneer and mixed vegetables. Tastes yum !

 

 

SPROUTS PULAO

I made this Pulao for my husband’s lunch box during his weight loss journey. Tastes great and keeps you full for long time.

 

SWEET CORN PULAO

Easy and yummy sweet corn pulao that can be prepared for your kids lunch box and birthday parties.

TAWA PULAO

One of the most popular North Indian street food, Tawa Pulao recipe. It can be prepared instantly if you have left over rice in hand.

 

 

TOMATO PULAO

Its a different South Indian style Tomato pulao recipe with full of masala flavor. Check this out !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

  

 

 

KARNATAKA STYLE TOMATO PULAO/ TOMATO BATH

Karnataka style Tomato bath is a must try recipe from my blog. Its a popular rice variety in Bangalore.

 Its mostly served in temples and functions as prasad.

TRI COLOR PULAO / TIRANGA PULAO RECIPE

Colourful and tasty tri color pulao with 3 flavours. With Paneer, it tastes great and different. Ideal to attract your kids. 

 

 

 

SPICY VEGETABLE PULAO

 

Restaurant style vegetable pulao recipe for birthday parties and get togethers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 EASY VEGETABLE PULAO RECIPE

Easy vegetable pulao made directly in a pressure cooker. Its a less spicy, quick and easy pulao to make it for your kids lunch box.

Try these pulao varieties, enjoy and please don’t forget to share your feedback with me.

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