Karuvepillai/Curry Leaves thuvaiyal Version 2.0

Ingredients:
Curry leaves - 1 3/4 cups
Bengal gram - 1 tbsp.
Black gram whole (dehusked)- 1 tbsp.
Dry red chillies - 3 (or per taste)
Salt (to taste)
Garlic - 6 cloves
Tamarind - small gooseberry size
Sesame oil

Method:
Wash the curry leaves and keep them aside.
Heat 1 tsp. of sesame oil and add Bengal gram, black gram and garlic.
Sauté till they turn golden colour. Remove. Add red chillies sauté till crispy. Remove.
Add a little more oil and sauté the curry leaves for 2 to 3 minutes.
Grind all ingredients including tamarind, salt into thick paste by adding only little water.

For rice:
Mix the thuvaiyal with rice along with ghee.

For idlis and dosas:
When served with idlis or dosa, do add a few drops of sesame oil to enhance the taste.

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Vankaya Kothimeera Vepudu/Brinjal With Coriander Leaves

Ingredients:
Brinjal - 9
Salt (as required)
Oil - 2 tbsp.
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Whole black gram (dehusked) - 1 tsp.
Curry leaves - 10
Turmeric powder - a big pinch

For paste:
Coriander leaves with tender stalks - 1 cup (firmly packed)
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Garlic - 6 cloves
Ginger - a small piece
Green chillies - 3

Method:
Wash the coriander leaves and keep aside.
Slice the brinjals and drop them in a bowl of water.
Heat oil and add mustard, cumin seeds and black gram. Allow the seeds to 'crackle' and add the brinjals without any water.
Sauté for 3 minutes. Now add the turmeric powder, salt, curry leaves and start to sauté in low flame.
Meanwhile grind the given ingredients into a paste.
When the brinjals are 70% cooked, add the paste and mix well.
Now start sautéing till the brinjals are cooked well and dry along with the coriander paste. The raw smell of the paste should disappear while sautéing continuously.

We enjoyed the side dish with tomato pappu and curd rice.

Note: Sauté the brinjals periodically to avoid burning.

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Murunga Keerai Poriyal/Drumstick Leaves Stir-fry

Ingredients:

Drumstick leaves - 2 cups
Shallots/china vengayam - 12
Garlic - 10 cloves
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
White whole urad dal - 1 tsp.
Bengal gram - 1 tsp.
Dry red chillies - 2
Oil - 1 tsp.
Salt (to taste)
Grated coconut - 1 tbsp.

Method:
Peel the onion skins. Wash the onions and slice them. Peel the garlic and crush them.
Wash the leaves and keep aside.
Heal the oil and add the mustard, cumin, urad and bengal gram. Allow the mustard to crackle and dals to change into golden color. Break each chilli into halves and sauté for a minute. Now add the shallots and garlic. Sauté till the shallots become translucent. Now add the leaves and continue sautéing. Sauté in between till they are completely cooked. Now sprinkle required salt and mix. Finally add the coconut. Remove and seve with sambar or rasam rice.

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Coconut Coriander Chutney

Ingredients:
Grated coconut - from 1/2 a coconut
Green chillies - 2 (or as per taste)
Ginger - a small piece
Coriander leaves with stalks - a small bunch
Salt (to taste)


To temper:
Mustard seeds + cumin seeds + urad dal - 1/2 tsp.
Oil (as required)
Curry leaves - a few


Method:
Grind coconut, green chillies, ginger and coriander leaves with salt into a thick paste.
Temper with the given ingredients.
Serve as a side dish for idli and dosai.

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Nellikai Sevai ~ Gooseberry in Rice Noodles

Ingredients:
Gooseberry/Nellikkai - 3 (big)
Instant sevai - 2.75 cups
Oil (as required)
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Urad dal - 1 tsp.
Chana dal/bengal gram - 1 tsp.
Asafoetida - 2 pinches
Peanuts - 1.5 tbsp.
Cashew nuts - 2 tbsp. (broken)
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Green chillies - 4 (slit)
Whole red chilli - 1
Curry leaves - a few
Salt - as required
Ginger - a small piece (chopped)


Method:
Cook sevai/rice noodles as per instructions in the packet. Keep aside.
Grate the gooseberries and keep aside.
Heat the oil and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, chana dal, asafoetida, peanuts, cashewnuts, red chilli, green chillies, ginger, curry leaves, grated goose berry and turmeric powder one by one and saute.
Mix the cooked sevai and required salt and enjoy with hot chutney.

Note:

The chutney I prepared for this sevai wasn't a perfect combo. It gave a bland taste. Better to have the sevai with a hotter side dish.

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Ulli Theeyal

Ingredients:
Shallots - 1 cup (sliced)
Tamarind paste - 2 tsp.
Coconut oil - as required
Salt (as required)
Mustard seeds - 3/4 tsp.
Fenugreek seeds - a pinch
Curry leaves - a few
Whole red chilli - 1
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp.
Coriander powder - 2 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp.

Method:
Mix 1 cup of water to the tamarind paste. Keep aside. Heat the oil and saute the coconut till brown color. Add the red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder  and cumin seeds to the coloured coconut and saute for a few seconds. Grind into a paste. Heat the oil and saute the onions for a few minutes. Pour the tamarind water and bring it to a boil. Sprinkle required salt. Mix the paste and if required, add a little water. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Meanwhile in another small pan, heat the oil and add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, broken red chillies and curry leaves. When the mustard seeds crackle, pour it over the theeyal. Enjoy with rice.

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