Mixed Vegetable Cashew Curry

MIXED VEGETABLE CASHEW CURRY

This mouth watering curry was prepared by my son when we returned hungry and tired after a hectic outing while my daughter-in-law rolled out hot and puffy pulkhas. I prepared the same yesterday with one spoon less of sambar powder and one spoon less of salt . My grand daughter who loves cauliflower enjoyed it to the core.
The recipe as given by my son :

Mixed Veggie Cashew Curry

INGS:

3 tablespoons oil
2 teaspoon jeera seeds
5 methi seeds
1 tabelspoon back pepper powder
2 red chillies
2 green chillies
1 onion- diced
1 tabelspoon garlic paste
1 tablespoon ginger paste
3 tomatoes chopped
3 carrots chopped
1 head gobi chopped
1 capsicum chopped
2 teaspoons amma's sambar masala podi ( Or as required )

2 teaspoons salt ( Or as required )
cashews a lot ( 2 fistfuls)
H2O if needed

Procedure:

Heat the oil in a big kadai.
Add in the jeera, methi, pepper and red chillies.
Once the jeera pops add in the green chiies, onion, ginger paste and garic paste.
Saute until the onions become transparent.

Add in the tomatoes and salt.
Stir, cover and let the tomatoes cook down.
When the tomatoes have broken apart add in the rest of the veggies and cashews.
Cook covered untill all the veggies are ' al dente' or almost done.
To prevent burning add in a little water if necessary.
When the veggies are almost done, remove the lid, add in the masala podi and cook untill the veggies are nice and tender.

Eat and enjoy!

Parangikkai Vathakuzhambu / Butternut Squash in Tamarind Gravy

Vathakuzhambu is a typical Brahmin household dish. I love the tangy tamarind taste of this dish and it goes best with steaming rice with a little bit of ghee and also with Venn Pongal. It is a very very simple dish to make and can be made with a variety of veggies like Okra, Shallots, Banana Squash, Taro Root, Drumsticks and Sweet Potato. It can also be made with dried Vathals like Manathakkali / Black NightShade and Sundakkai / Turkey Berry.

Ingredients:

Banana Squash - Chopped - 1 cup
Tamarind Concentrate - 1/2 cup
Sesame oil - 2 Tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Chana Dal - 1 tsp
Fenugreek Seeds - 1 tsp
Dry Red Chillies - 3-4
Turmeric Powder - 1 Tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1Tsp
Asafoetida - A pinch
Sambar Powder/ Vathakuzhambu Powder - 1 Tbsp
Curry Leaves - A few
Cilantro - A few to garnish
Salt - To Taste

Method:

• Peel and cut the Banana Squash into bite sized pieces and keep it aside.

• Take a lime sized ball of tamarind and soak it in hot water and squeeze out the pulp concentrate in a bowl.
• If you are using tamarind paste, dissolve 1/2 tbsp of the paste in hot water and keep it aside.

• In a pan, heat the sesame oil and add the mustard seeds.

• Once the mustard seeds have popped, add the chana dal.

• Then add the fenugreek seeds and the dry red chillies.

• Add the Banana Squash and mix it well with the seasoning.

• Allow the squash to cook on medium heat for 3-4 minutes and add the tamarind concentrate to the squash.

• Add about 1/2 cup of water to the squash mixture.

• Then add turmeric powder and red chilli powder.

• Add a pinch of asafoetida and add some salt according to taste.

• Add Vathakuzhambu powder/ Sambar powder and cook for 3-4 minutes.

• Add some curry leaves to the Vathakuzhambu / Sambar.

• Allow the gravy to thicken. The Vathakuzhambu / Sambar has to reduce and form a sauce like consistency.

•  Then add some Jaggery to this and simmer and cook for 5 minutes.

• Garnish the Vathakuzhambu / Sambar with cilantro and serve hot.

• Vathakuzhambu tastes the best when served hot and goes very well with Venn Pongal.

• Enjoy !!

French Beans Curry/ Beans Poriyal

It has been a very very long time since I have posted something here. I have been so very busy the past few days. I just celebrated my Second Wedding Anniversary yesterday and the day was just so good. I had some surprise friends over and so many wishes. With the remaining energy that got passed on from yesterday I am sitting down now to finish up some of my very pending posts on my blog.

It is a South Indian meal calling now. So here I am with my French Beans Curry/ Beans Poriyal.

Ingredients:

French Beans - Chopped - 2 Cups
Oil - 2 Tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 Tsp
Urad Dal - 1 Tsp
Chana Dal - 1 Tsp
Dry Red Chillies - 2-3
Coconut - Freshly grated - 1/2 cup
Salt - To Taste

Method:

• Wash the French beans and chop it and keep it aside.

• In a pan heat the 2 Tbsp of Oil.

• Once the Oil is hot add the mustard seeds. 

• Allow the mustard seeds to pop up.

• Then add the Urad Dal, Chana Dal and the dry red chillies.

• Then add the chopped French Beans and mix it will.

• Now add salt according to taste and mix it all well.

• Cover and cook for about 8-10 minutes on medium heat.

• Keep stirring in-between once or twice so that it does not burn at the bottom.

• If the curry gets too dry, then sprinkle a few drops of water and cover and cook again.

• Once the French Beans are cooked, add the freshly grated Coconut.

• Mix it well and cover and cook for 3-5 minutes.

• Turn off the heat and French Beans Curry/ Beans Poriyal is ready to be served.

• You can serve this hot with Sambar Rice, Rasam Rice or Rotis.

Notes:

• Red Chillies are added instead of green chillies so that they can be differentiated well amidst the Green Beans.
• You can also use dry dessicated coconut in case the freshly grated ones are not available.