Muttaikose Poriyal / Cabbage Curry

Cabbage is consumed around the world as an ingredient in soups and salads. Cabbage Poriyal (poriyal means side dish) is a typical South Indian dish that goes well with any menu at lunch time. Many don't like cabbage just because of
its distinct smell / odour. The odour arises primarily due to prolonged cooking. A tip
to avoid the odour is to chop the cabbage to a fine extent and then cook it for about 5 minutes.

Ingredients:


Cabbage - 2 cups, finely chopped

Onion - 2 tablespoon, finely chopped

Green chillies - 2 nos, cut in a vertical fashion

Curry leaves - 1 string

Mustard seeds and urid dal - 1/2 teaspoon

Salt - to taste

Grated coconuts - 1/4 cup

Oil - 2 teaspoons

Method:



1) Empty the finely chopped cabbage to a pressure cooker. Sprinkle water and cook for five-seven minutes by closing the lid. Its not necessary to put whistle.

2) Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and urid dal.

3) When mustard seeds start to splutter, add curry leaves and green chillies.

4) After few seconds, add onion and saute them well.

5) Now add the cooked cabbage. Add salt and start mixing slowly.

6) Add grated coconut and mix well. Now remove the contents from stove and transfer it to a bowl.

7) Cabbage Poriyal is ready to be served.

Plain Dal

With no vegetables in your hand or no patience to chop vegetables then the simplest recipe you can depend upon is the 'Plain Dal'. This simple dish satisfies your appetite and goes well with Rasam. You can use any type of pickle as side dish.

Ingredients:

Toor dal - 1 cup

Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon

Salt - To taste

Dry red chillies - 4 nos

Curry leaves - 1 string

Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon

Oil - 3 teaspoon

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Urid dal - 1/2 teaspoon

Water - 2 cups



Method:



1) Wash Toor Dal twice or thrice till the water becomes clear.

2) Add the Toor Dal to a pressure cooker and add 2 cups of water and allow it to boil.

3) Wait for some time until you can see a white foam on the surface water. This is nothing but the fat from the Dal. Remove this white foam using a spoon.

4) Now, add cumin seeds, salt, turmeric powder, asafoetida powder and 1 teaspoon of oil to the dal in the cooker.

5) Cook for 3 whistles and allow the pressure to subside.

6) Take a frying pan, heat the remaining oil. Add mustard seeds and urid dal.

7) Once they splutter, add red chillies and curry leaves. Once they are fried well, you can feel the aroma of red Chili. This is called as seasoning

8) Add the seasoning to Dal.

9) Plain Dal is ready.

Note:
1) If you are not going to serve immediately then close the dal using the lid after you have added the seasoning. The seasoning flavor remains inside till you serve thus providing a nice aroma to the Dal.

Carrot Beans Poriyal / Carrot Beans Stir Fry

This Carrot Beans poriyal is a visual treat for your eyes and a delightful dish for your stomach. It is so colourful, not only by its looks but nourishes your eyes as it is rich in Vitamin A and fibre content.

Ingredients:



Carrots - 1/2 cup,finely chopped

Beans - 1/2 cup, finely chopped

Onion - 1 small one, finely chopped

Grated coconut - 1/4 cup

Salt - To taste

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Urid dal - 1/2 teaspoon

Curry leaves - 1 string

Dry Red Chillies - 4 nos

Method:



1) Pressure cook the carrot and beans mixture. Correct cooking leaves the color intact. Alternatively you can also use a Microwave instead of a pressure cooker which is comparatively simpler.

2) Take a frying pan and heat oil.

3) Add mustard seeds and urid dal. Let the seeds pop up.

4) Add curry leaves, dry red chillies and onion (in the mentioned order). Then saute the contents well.

5) Once sauteing is complete, add the cooked carrot beans mixture. And salt and mix the contents well.

6) Add grated coconut and mix them well again.

7) Hurray! Carrot Beans poriyal is ready to be served. Such an easy dish right?