Tomato-Okra Raita/Thakkali-Vendaikai Thayir Pachadi

Thayir Pachadi or Raita is a Definite Menu in a Festive Spread in every South-indian Home. It is served as an Accompaniment to the Vadai/Lentil Snack part of the Spread.  Mostly because Vadai/Lentil Snack taste awesome when served hot, but when it is cold, it gets somewhat dry and definitely needs a spicy dip to push it down the throat. 

Raita/Thayir Pachdi is easy to make and taste great with the mild spices in it. Amma used to make a large quantity of this coz, we three siblings used to have it with Curd Rice too. These 7 days Menu had a lot of Bhindi/Okra Recipe, i used it often, since it is easy to make anything out of it. This Raita or Thayir Pachadi is yet another recipe to prove the versatility of this slimy Vegetable.

This recipe can be made using Brinjal/Tomato/Ash gourd/Cucumber also.

Ingredients

8-10 Okra's/Lady's finger/Bhindi or any of the above given veggie.

1 Cup yoghurt, Whisked

1 small tomato 

Salt to taste

Tempering

1-2 tsp Oil

1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds/Kadugu

a sprig of curry leaf

3 nos green chilies, slited lengthwise

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

hing a pinch

Method

• Wash and Pat dry the Okra's/Lady's finger with Kitchen Towel. Trim the head and tail and cut them into 1 inch pieces.

• Heat a tsp of oil in a Non-stick pan, and Saute the Lady's finger in a low flame until it is cooked. The rawness of the vegetable must escape completely and it should be roasted on all the sides. This is will take about 10-12 minutes. Once done, Take it off the flame and Drain it on a kitchen towel.
• Heat another tsp of oil in the same pan, splutter mustard seeds, add green chilies and saute, add hing, turmeric and curry leaf, saute everything for a minute or two.

• Add chopped tomatoes and cook till it turns mushy and oil separates, add the sauteed okra's/Lady's Finger to this and mix well, sprinkle little salt for the veggies.Switch off the stove.
• In a Deep Bowl, add yogurt and salt needed for the yogurt and whisk well. Add the sauteed okra-tomato mixture to this and mix well. Chill until served. Serve as a Dip.

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Nuggekaayi Tili Saaru - A Spicy Clear Soup With Drumsticks

NUGGEKAAYI TILI SAARU 

 We had to break our journey at a relative's place on our return trip after a great holiday. The hostess was my father's cousin and she made us very comfortable with her kind hospitality and treated us with a simple yet delicious dinner.
 The flavoursome and delicious saaru / rasam she served us  made us even more ravenous after the hectic journey.We hungrily waited for the next course, with rice already served on our plates.
 Once again the hostess plunged the ladle into the same saaru vessel. Out came the ladle with a thick nuggekaayi bele huli / sambaar which we thoroughly enjoyed with the hot steaming rice!
 It was amazing the way  the flavoursome tili saaru / rasam and the thick delicious bele huli / sambaar were cooked together in one and the same dish!
 Here is a recipe  for  Nuggekayi Tili Saaru.



INGREDIENTS




Drumsticks - 2 ( cut into three inch pieces )
Tamarind - the size of a plum
Tomatoes - 2 halved
Salt - 3/4 tsp
Curry leaves - a few
Asafoetida - 1 pinch
Coconut gratings - 2 tbsps
Pepper - 1 1/2 tsps

Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1 pinch
Garlic - 2pearls
Ghee - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 pinch
Fresh coriander leaves - for garnishing

METHOD

 1. Soak tamarind and the halved tomatoes in boiling water.
2. Dry roast coriander seeds,  fenugreek seeds and pepper till the pepper crackles.
3. Add cumin seeds and roast till you get a pleasant aroma.
4. Crush the dry roasted ingredients coarsely using a pestle.
5. Add the peeled garlic pearls to the coarse powder, pound together and keep it aside.
6. Squeeze the soaked tamarind and tomatoes, extract the juice and add enough water to make 2 glasses.
7. Add salt, asafoetida, curry leaves, fresh coconut gratings and the cut drumsticks to the juice and boil till the drumsticks are tender.
8. Stir in the pounded ingredients and immediately add one more glass of water in a slow stream so that a foam is formed on top of the saaru.
9. Add chopped coriander leaves, cover with a lid and allow it to simmer on low flame. \
10.Turn off flame before the saaru boils over.
11. Heat ghee and add the mustard seeds and pour the seasoning over the tili saaru when the mustard seeds crackle.



Enjoy the hot Nugge Kaayi Tili Saaru before starting your meal.

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