This rice was introduced to me by my sister in law, Shanthi during my visit to Detroit.This rice was packed and taken while going out for a picnic.Be it India or US, the attitude of some or even most of us carrying packed food remains unchanged.
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| Cabbage Rice |
Ingredients :
Rice 1 cup.
Cabbage 400 gms ( approx.)
Onion 2
Garlic 5 pods
Chilly Powder 1 tsp.
Oil 2 tbsp.
Mustard, Salt, Curry leaves.
To dry roast and powder in the mixer :
Channa Dhal 2 tsp.
Coriander seeds 6 tsp.
Fenugreek 1/2 tsp.
Hing
Method :
1. Cook the rice. The grains must be separate.
2. Cook the sliced cabbage with little water and salt for 1 or 2 whistles in a small pressure
cooker. Release the pressure slowly and carefully so the Cabbage is not overcooked.
The cabbage can be cooked in any cooking vessel,if pressure cooking is not preferred.
3. Heat oil in a Kadai,add Mustard,Curry leaves, then the crushed Garlic,later the sliced
Onions and salt, if necessary.Add the Chilly Powder and the cooked cabbage. Saute on
a medium flame till the raw smell leaves, Instead of Chilly Powder, broken red chillies
or sliced green chillies can also be added. Grated coconut can also be added.
4. Allow the rice to cool for a few minutes in a broad vessel. Then mix the cabbage little
by little without breaking the rice. Mix 2 tsp.of the powder which gives a spl.flavour
and taste. Store the remaining powder in an airtight container.This can be called as
the Taste Maker Powder. This Powder is added with Puliodharai.It gives a spl.aroma
to the Sambar,if added in the end.
5. Garnish with the roasted Grounnut or Cashew depending on availabiliy and preference.
Thakkalikkai Kichadi has a different taste from the Kichadi made of ripe tomatoes.They seem to be less sour and goes well with tiffin items. The tomatoes must be green in colour.
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| Thakkalikkai Kichadi |
Ingredients :
Raw green tomatoes 7
Onion 1
Pasiparuppu / Moong Dhal 3 tbsp.
Grated coconut 3 tbsp.
Green chillies 3 to 4
Red chilly 1
Mustard, Oil, Curry leaves
Method :
1. Soak the dhal for 1o mins. and cook with the sliced tomatoes and sliced green chillies
in a small pressure cooker for 3 to 4 whistles.
2. If you are mashing it manually using a Stainless Steel Kuzhi Karandi ( cup shaped ladle)
mash it, when it is hot as it is easy. If you are using a blender, whip it just for 15 to 20
secs. Take care it is not crushed finely.It can also be mashed with the wooden Keerai
Mathu ( also called Paruppu Kadayara Mathu )
3. Heat oil, add Mustard, broken red chillies, Hing and Curry leaves.Then add the sliced
onions and saute well.
4. Add the mashed raw tomatoes, salt, coconut and boil on a low fire for 5 mins.The tasty
gravy full of fibre is ready to be taken with the Idlis, Doasi etc.
Earlier Noolkol and Turnip were not common in our cooking as my mom and mom in law had not used them. Once when I started cooking, we always enjoyed the taste.Both of them can be used in the mixed veg. Kuruma and also in Sambar.At times,Noolkol may be little hard even if pressure cooked.But Turnip is always soft and has its own taste.
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| Turnip Poriyal |
Ingredients :
Turnip 4
Onion 1
Oil, Mustard, Curry leaves
To grind in the mixer :
Grated coconut 3 tbsp.
Zeera 3/4 tsp.
Green chillies 1
Small onions 4
Method :
1. Peel off the outer skin of the Turnip, slice and pressure cook for 3 whistles in a
small pressur cooker with 1/2 cup water and salt.
2. Heat oil in a Kadai, add Mustard, Curry leaves and then the sliced onions.
3. When the onions turn golden brown, add the cooked Turnip and the ground coconut.
Saute on a medium flame for 4 to 5 mins.
Note :
Those who do not like the taste of the ground coconut, can add the grated coconut and red chillies.
Some may react, What a combination of Katharikkai and Potato! But it is a special and a very tasty fry of the Kongu region. The Brinjals, combined with the Potatoes is believed to neutralise the gastric problem caused by the Potatoes.Anyhow, even the children and those who do not like Brinjals will definitely relish this fry, that goes very well with any gravy,prepared for rice.
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| Brinjal, Potato Fry |
Ingredients :
Brinjals 5
Potatoes 5
Onion 1
Oil 2 tbsp.
Chilly Powder 1/2 to 1 tsp.as desired.
Salt, Turmeric Powder, Mustard, Curry leaves.
Method :
1. Slice the Brinjals and Potatoes as long pieces and cook in a small pressure cooker with
1/2 cup.of water and 1/2 tsp. of salt for 1 or 2 whistles. Release the pressure slowly
and carefully after 1 minute.They can also be cooked in any cooking vessel if you do not
like to cook the veg. in a pressure cooker
2. Heat the oil,add Musatrd and Curry leaves.Then add the sliced onions and saute well.
3. Then add the cooked vegetables, salt, Turmeric and Chilly Powder.Mix well and saute
well on a low fire till every thing gets mixed well and the raw smell of the powders
leave.As the veg. are pre cooked ,
the last step is easy, fast and better also than
directly frying in the oil.
Note :
Those who are very particular of the taste of frying the veg. directly in oil without
cooking, can add the vegetables after the onions.
This Katharikkai Thuvaial is a very tasty chutney, full of fibre.It is a unique and special chutney of the Tirunelveli region.
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| Katharikkai Thuvaial |
Ingredients :
Brinjal 4
Urad Dhal 2 tbsp.
Oil 2 tbsp.
Red chillies 3 or 4
Grated coconut ( optional ) 1 tbsp.
Tamarind 1 small piece
Salt, Hing, Curry leaves.
Method :
1. Heat little oil in a Kadai and roast the Urad Dhal till they give an aroma.Set aside.
Then roast the red chillies.Soak the tamarind in warm water.
2. Heat 2 tbsp. of oil in the Kadai and saute the Brinjals on a medium flame initially and
later the flame can be reduced.Add little salt.Saute till the outer skin of the Brinjals
shrink and become loose.Switch off and let them cool.Then peel off the outer skin.
3. In the small mixer jar, first powder the Urad Dhal and red chillies coarsely. Then add
the coconut, Brinjal, Tamarind, salt and little water. Grind together,not very finely.
4. Transfer to the serving bowl and season with Mustard, Hing and Curry leaves.
Potato Coconut Rice was just tried by me and it turned out to be good.
This Variety Rice is a modification of the routine Coconut Rice .
The children also relish this as Potatoes are always their favourite, making this, a wonderful lunch box recipe.
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| Potato Coconut Rice |
Ingredients :
Cooked Rice 1 cup
Sliced Potatoes 1/2 cup
Onion 1
Grated coconut 1/2 cup.
Chilly Powder 1 tsp.
Oil 2 tbsp.
Salt, Mustard,Turmeric Powder, Curry leaves.
Roasted ground nuts / Cashew Nuts.
Method :
1. The rice must be in separate grains but cooked soft.The hot rice can be allowed to cool
in a plate after mixing a tsp. of oil.
2. Heat the oil in a Kadai, add the Mustard, Curry leaves and then the sliced onions.Later
add the Potatoes and saute till they are almost cooked.A tbsp. of water can be mixed,
if desired.
3. Add the salt, Chilly Powder and Turmeric Powder. Stir well on medium flame for 3mins.
4. Add the coconut and saute for 2 mins.
5. Mix with the rice. Roasted ground nuts or cashew can be added for enhanced taste.
Palak Potato goes very well with rice, Chappathi, Idli, Dosai etc.
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| Palak Potato Gravy |
Ingredients :
Sliced Palak Keerai 1 cup.
Sliced potato 1 cup
Onion 1
Tomato 1
Chilly Powder 1 tsp.
Coriander Powder 1 tsp.
Ginger, Garlic Paste 1 tsp.
Pattai, Sombu
Grated coconut 4 tbsp.
Method :
1. Cook the Palak and Potatoes in a small pressure cooker just for 1 or 2 whistles. Slowly
release the pressure carefully to retain the green colour.
2. Heat 1 tbsp.of oil, add Pattai, Sombu and then the sliced onions. Saute well.Add the
GG Paste,Chiily Powder, Coriander Powder, then add finely sliced tomatoes ans saute
till they shrink.
3. Add the cooked Keerai, Potato, salt anf the finely ground coconut. Mix well. Allow it to
boil on a low fire for 4 to 5 mins.
Note :
If you are very particular about the white colour of the gravy, chilly powder, coriander powder can be avoided. Instead, 1 green chilly and 1 tbsp. of Pottu kadalai can be added with the coconut whili grinding. Those who want to reduce the coconut can also reduce it and add little Pottu Kadalai.
This is a tasty and nutritious Kootu variety, full of iron and Protein.
We always take this Kootu only as a side dish,taken with plain rice mixed Sambar, Rasam, Kuzhambu or any gravy. The Kootu can also be mixed with plain rice, ghee and eaten. Then you have to take it with Appalam or some other side dish.
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| Palak Keerai Kootu |
Ingredients :
Sliced Palak Keerai 2 cups
Moong Dhal / Pasiparuppu 3 tbsp.
Oil, Mustard, Split Urad Dhal, Salt
To grind in the mixer :
Grated coconut 3 tbsp.
Zeera 3/4 tsp.
Green chillies 2
Small onions ( optional )
Method :
1. Soak the Moong Dhal in 1 cup of water for 15 mins. which makes the cooking fast.Cook
soaked Dhal and the Keerai in a small pressure cooker just for 1 or 2 whistles.
After 1 minute, slowly release the pressure to retain the green colour.
2. Add the ground coconut mixture and salt to the cooked Keerai.Mix well Add little water
if necessary.Let it boil on a medium flame for 3 to 4 mins.
3. Season with Mustard and Split Urad Dhal.The healthy Kootu is ready to be taken as a
side dish for rice.
