Urulai Kizhangu (Potato) Puttu

This recipe is entirely different from usual hot and spicy potato stir fry. This goes well with any spicy curry like puli kuzhambu or poondu kuzhambu.

When I served this along with poondu kuzhambu (Garlic curry) today, my hus mistook it as upma. He said "Dont you know I hate upma".. Then I realized that this exactly looks like upma. But the flavors are really amazing and different.

If you want to try a different stir fry with potato, then this would be your perfect recipe.

Ingredients:

Medium sized Potatoes 4
Red Chillies 3
Pearl Onions 6
Mustard Seeds 1/2 tsp
Channa Dhal 1/2 tsp
Ural Dhal 1/4 tsp
Turmeric Powder 1/8 tsp
Salt
Oil

Preparation:

Cook Potatoes in a Pressure Cooker for one more extra whistles. Remove skin and chop into fine pieces. Give a gentle press on the chopped potatoes with a knife or spoon. Need not mash as we prepare for stuffing.

Chop pearl onions.

Method:

In a Pan, heat oil. When hot, add mustard seeds. When they pop up, add Ural Dhal and Channa Dhal. As they turn slightly brown, add Curry leaves, Turmeric powder and Red chillies.

Now add chopped pearl onions. when they turn slightly brown, add mashed (slightly) potatoes. Add salt. Mix well and fry for sometime. This will not take much time as potatoes are already cooked.

Serve with steamed Rice and any spicy curry.

Serves: 2

Potato and Peas Gravy

Chapati is served mostly for dinner at my home. I strongly believe that it is voluntarily included in south indian menu nowadays thinking it would reduce weight. But I came to know recently, it is a myth and rice provides little more calories to chapati, but nothing extra ordinarily as we think.

Well, now towards the recipe.. I am really bored with mixed vegetables in gravy. So thought why not include some other veggies. Potato was lying in my kitchen untouched for so many days. I would say Potato is prepared only when all other veggies go out of stock.  But this time, I pity potatoes and wanted to use it first. So made this curry with Potato and my favorite Peas. 

  
Ingredients:

Potato  (Big) 1
Peas 1/2 cup
Tomatoes (Medium sized) 3
Onion (Medium sized) 1
Cashew nuts 8-10
Ginger Garlic Paste 1 tsp
Grated Coconut 3 tsp
Chilli Powder 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder 1 tsp
Garam Masala 1/4 tsp
Butter and Oil

To temper:

Cloves 2
Bay Leaf 1
Cinnamon a small piece
Fennel and Cumin seeds few

Preparation:

Cook Potato. Chop it into small cubes.  Chop Onions into thin strips. (I read in a food blog, cut onions into half moons, I wonder how innovative the blogger's words are.!!!! )

Grate Coconut. Cut Tomatoes and grind together with cashews.

Method:

In a pan, add butter and oil. When they become hot, all the ingredients mentioned under "To temper" one by one. When they turn slightly brown, add the ginger garlic paste and onions.

Fry till the onions change their color to light brown. Now add the Tomato paste. Fry till the raw smell goes off and the oil separates.

Now add all the Masala Powders. Fry till its raw smell goes off. Pour little water, Salt and Peas. Cook for few minutes and then add boiled & cubed potatoes.

Add enough water and allow boiling. When the gravy is almost done, add the grated coconut and boil until the gravy reaches the desired consistency.

Serves: 2
Serve with Chapati

Pasiparuppu (Moong Dhal) Sambar

I would say this a comfort food. I was given Idli with this Sambar the next day after my every surgery. I had many surgeries by God's grace. This combo was suggested by my Doctor. I gave this to my son as side dish when I first fed him Idli though included spices very less.

My Mom usually prepares this along with Chapati. But this goes well with Idli too.

Ingredients:

Moong Dhal 1/2 cup
Potato (small) 1
Tomato 1
Pepper seeds 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves 4-5
Pearl Onions 5-6
Turmeric Powder 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida 1-2 pinch
Green chillies 2
Salt
Water

Preparation:

Chop Pearl Onions and slit chillies. Chop Potato into thin slices along with the skin.

Method:

Cook Moong Dhal along with Tomato in pressure cooker. 

In a Pan, heat oil. Add Pepper and Cumin seeds. When they turn slightly brown, add Curry leaves, Pearl onions, Chillies, Turmeric Powder and Asafoetida.

Now add sliced  potato. Fry for a while and then add little salt and water.

Meanwhile cut the cooked Tomato into 2-3 pieces. 

When Potato is almost cooked, add cooked Moong Dhal and Tomato. Mix well and add water & salt.

Boil till the Sambar reaches the required consistency.


Serves: 2
Serve with Idli / Dosa / Chapati.

Notes: 

As tomato is cooked with Dhal, it makes the cooking faster. But you can also chop and add raw tomato when adding potatoes. 

This Sambar tastes better when pepper seeds and chillies are added quite more as there is no other spicy or chilly powder is used. My pepper seeds and chillies are very hot here; so have added less. Adjust pepper seeds and chillies according to your taste. If feeding children, add the spices less.

I personally like it very much as it is very easy to prepare and goes well with chapati and nutritious too.. :)

Linking this recipe to Hearty and Healthy event by vimitha of My culinary Trial room..

Peas Biryani

Whenever vegetables go out of stock in my refrigerator, peas have always helped me much. I would end up with peas pulao or biryani. I made it today and served with cucumber raita.

This is an easy recipe for peas biryani. 

Ingredients:

Peas 3/4 cup
Rice 1 1/2cups
Big Onion 1

Chilli Powder 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder 1 tsp
Ginger Garlic Paste 1 tsp
Coriander Leaves to garnish
Water 3 cups
Butter and Oil 
Salt
 
To grind:

Coriander Leaves few
Mint leaves few
Cloves 2
Bay leaf 1
Fennel seeds 1/8 tsp
Big Tomato 1

To temper

Fennel seeds 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds 1/4 tsp
Bay leaves 2
Cloves 2
 
Method: 

Chop Onions. Soak Basmati Rice for 15-20 minutes. Grind the ingredients under "To grind" to a smooth paste.

Preparation:

Heat Butter and Oil in a Pan. When hot, add Cumin and Fennel seeds. After they popped up, add bay leaves and cloves. 

Add ginger garlic paste and onions. Fry till they turn slightly brown.

Now add the ground paste. Fry till the raw smell leaves and the oil separates. 

Add the masala powders, peas and little water. Cook till the water evaporates and they mix well together.

Add the rice. Fry it along with the Masala for few minutes and then add water & Salt. Cook on a high flame.

When the water level decreases the rice level (you can see small holes), simmer the flame (the lowest), close the lid and cook for another 5 minutes. Now open the lid. Use a fork to see whether rice is done. If not, cook for some more time.  If cooking with a pressure cooker, allow one whistle.

Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serves: 2
Serve with any Raita and/or a curry with vegetables