Avarakkai Poriyal / Broadbeans Curry

Avarakkai Poriyal is prepared in two ways. One by adding chili powder and another one just by using dry chilies. First one goes well with Roti / Chappathi. The second one is best suited for Rice. Here, I shall discuss about the first recipe that is prepared using chili powder.

Ingredients:



Flat beans / Avarakkai - 180 Grams

Onion - 1 small size, finely chopped

Grated coconut - 1/4 cup

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Split urid dal - 1/2 teaspoon

Curry leaves - 1 string

Oil - 2 teaspoon

Red chili / Masala powder - 1 full teaspoon

Turmeric powder - a pinch



Method:



1) Wash the flat beans twice. Remove the edges from both the sides and the fibres (naar in Tamil). Then cut them into small pieces.

2) Boil the flat beans using 1/2 cup of water with salt. You can also microwave it for 4 minutes just by adding salt.

3) Take a frying pan and heat the oil.

4) Add mustard seeds and urid dal. Let the seeds splutter.

5) Add curry leaves and onion and saute them well till they turn translucent.

6) Add cooked flat beans, salt to taste, red chilly powder and turmeric powder.

7) Fry them for few minutes and add grated coconuts.

8) Mix well and wait for 20 seconds. Then remove from stove.

9) Avarakkai Poriyal is ready to serve now.

Gobi Manchurian Dry

Gobi means Cauliflower in Hindi and Manchurian means a mixture of sweet and sour taste. This dish is a fusion of Indian and Chinese cuisines. Though you might find the preparation steps lengthy, the final outcome is delicious and it serves as a good appetizer.

Ingredients:



For Gobi Fry:



Cauliflower - 1 medium size

Maida / Besan (Gram Flour) - 1/2 cup

Corn flour - 3 tablespoon

Ginger paste - 1/2 teaspoon

Garlic paste - 1/2 teaspoon

Red chilly powder - 1 teaspoon

Salt - To taste

Oil - 2 cups, for deep frying



For Manchurian:



Onion - 1 large / chopped onion - 1 cup

Capsicum - 1

Chopped spring onions - 1 cup

Green chillies - 2 chopped

Ginger paste - 1 teaspoon

Garlic paste - 1 teaspoon

Coriander leaves - 3 strings

Red chili powder - 2 teaspoon

Soy sauce - 2 tablespoon

Red chili sauce - 2 tablespoon

Tomato sauce - 2 tablespoon

Oil - 3 teaspoon

Salt - To taste



Method:



For Gobi Fry:



1) Cut the cauliflower into small uniform size florets.

2) Add these florets to boiling water. Add a pinch of salt to the water and close the container with a lid and leave it for 5 minutes.

3) Drain the water and keep it aside.

4) In a mixing bowl, add maida / besan, cornflour, ginger paste, garlic paste, red chili powder and salt. Add a little bit water and prepare a batter.

5) Batter should be appropriately diluted. It should not be too watery nor it should be too thick.

6) Take a frying pan and heat the oil in it.

7) Dip the cauliflower florets in the prepared batter and fry them.

8) Fry florets well till they turn golden brown and crispy to taste.



For Manchurian:



1) Take a wide pan and heat the oil in it.

2) Add onions and saute them well.

3) Add ginger garlic paste and fry for few seconds.

4) Add green chillies, spring onions and capsicum. Saute them well for 3 minutes.

5) Add red chili powder and salt. Fry them well for another 5-10 minutes.

6) When all ingredients in the mixture appear cooked, add soy sauce, red chili sauce and tomato sauce.

7) If required add little water and mix the contents well.

8) Now the Manchurian is ready.

9) Add the fried crispy florets to this mixture and mix it gently.

10) Make sure Manchurian sauce blends well with the fried florets.

11) Reduce the flame and leave it for few minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves. You can also add spring onions for garnishing.

12) Transfer the contents from the stove to a bowl and after 10 minutes your tasty Gobi Manchurian is ready to be served.

Broken Wheat Upma

Broken wheat is also called as Dalia or samba wheat. It can be served as a breakfast or as a dinner recipe. This healthy food goes well with curd. During early times it was prescribed as a standard dish for lunch for school going kids.



Ingredients:



Broken wheat / Dalia / Samba wheat rava - 1 cup

Water - 2 cups

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Split urid dal - 1/2 teaspoon

Curry leaves - 10

Green chillies - 3 nos

Onion - 1 medium size,finely chopped

Oil - 2 teaspoon



Method:



1) Heat oil in a wide pan/kadai. Add mustard seeds and urid dal.

2) When mustard seeds splutter and pop up, add curry leaves and green chillies.

3) Add onions and fry them well.

4) Now, add salt and water and allow the water to boil.

5) Once the water starts to boil, add samba wheat slowly and stir continuously.

6) It requires continuous stirring for best results, otherwise it results in the formation of lumps .

7) Wait till the mixture is well cooked.

8) That's it. Samba wheat upma is ready to be served.



Note: You can carry on the same procedure in pressure cooker instead of a kadai till step 5. After step 5, close the cooker with its lid and wait for 2 whistles. Once the pressure decreases, open the lid and mix the contents well. This method is comparatively simpler.