Tantalising Pachadis & Salads for the weight-watchers

Small Bittergourd Pachadi - bitter, sour & sweet

This bittergourd is known as " mithi pavakkai " in tamil. It is just 2 cms in size.

Small bittergourd - ¼ kg

Amchur powder - 2 tsp

Tamarind paste - 2 tsp

Salt

Jaggery - to taste

Grind together:

Tomato - 1 ( deskin)

Grated coconut - 2 tbsp

Green chillies - 3-4

To temper:

Ghee + oil - 4 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Green chillies - 3,4

If the bitter gourds are small, use them whole, or cut into two.

Cut the ends & slit into two.

Smear salt, haldi & amchur powder.

Add little water & soak for 15 mts.

Then remove & squeeze them.

Heat oil & ghee, temper & add the bittergourds & shallow fry till brown.

Add tamarind paste, salt, haldi & 1 cup water.

Allow to boil.

When the vegetable becomes soft, add the ground paste & jaggery.

Simmer everything together for a few mts.

 

Beetroot-tomato Pachadi -the attractive dish served in functions !

This is served in weddings & functions as sweet pachadi.

Beetroot gives it a very attractive colour.

Medium beetroot - 1

Ripe tomatoes - 2

Sugar - 1 cup

Salt - a pinch

Edible camphor ( pachai karpuram) - 2 granules

Boil beetroot whole, peel the skin & cut into small cubes.

Deskin tomatoes & chop.

Mix ¼ cup water with sugar & heat on a low flame to melt it completely.

When it just becomes sticky, remove & cool.

Add both vegetables , a pinch of salt & edible camphor ( pachai karpuram) .

If you like, sugar can be decreased & honey added.

 

Bananas in Tomato Tamarind Sauce - Try this with Puris !

Ripe bananas - 3,4

Sauce:

Tamarind - 80 gms

Ripe tomatoes - 2

Raisins - 1 tbsp

Crushed jaggery - 3 tbsp ( more is optional)

Dried mint leaves, crushed - 1 tsp

Salt

Red chilli powder - to taste

Lightly roast & grind:

Jeera - 1 tsp

Dry ginger powder - 1 tsp

Black salt - ½ tsp

Hing - ¼ tsp

Soak tamarind in 3 cups of water for 1 hr.

Squeeze well & strain.

Clean & soak raisins in water & drain.

Deskin tomatoes & puree.

Add all ingredients to tamarind water & boil till sauce consistency.

Cool.

Peel bananas & float on the sauce.

Serve with puris.

 

Sweet Chutneys - Stocking either one of them in the fridge is very handy !

The following chutneys can be used as an accompaniment to any dish of your choice.

They are ideally served with samosa, kachori, Thayir Vadai, Bhel puri etc.

Date Chutney:

Chopped dates - 1 cup ( 100 gm packet)

Tamarind - lemon size

Powdered jaggery - ½ cup

Chilli powder - 2 tsp

Roasted jeera powder - 2 tsp

Salt

Soak dates in just enough water overnight.

In the morning add cleaned tamarind & jaggery.

Liquidise till smooth.

Add salt, red chilli powder & jeera powder.

If you prefer it thick, simmer to desired consitency.

Tamarind – Jaggery chutney:

Tamarind - 100 gms

Jaggery - 200 gms

Black salt - 1 tbsp

White salt - 1 tbsp

Roasted & powdered jeera - 1 tbsp

Chilli powder - 1 tbsp

Soak tamarind in warm water till soft.

Mash & strain.

Add all ingredients & mix till smooth.

Sonth sauce:

Tamarind - 80 gms

Salt

Red chilli powder - 2-3 tsp ( or to taste)

Mint leaves, crushed - few

Jaggery powder - 3 tbsp

Jeera - 1 tsp (lightly roast & powder)

dry ginger powder

Black salt - ½ tsp

Hing - 1 tsp

Soak tamarind in 3 cups of water for 2 hrs.

Strain, add all ingredients & boil it, stirring.

Reduce to 1 cup.

 

Ginger pulikachal - Perfect companion for mulakootal, dosai, pongal, idli etc

The spice level of this dish can be increased or decreased according to one’s preference.

It can be kept in the refrigerator & used for 4-5 days.

Finely chopped ginger - 2 tbsp

Finely chopped green chillies - 2 tbsp

Tamarind paste - 4 tsp

Salt, haldi

To temper:

Oil - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - ½ tsp

Red chillies - 2, 3

Methi seeds - ½ tsp

Hing - 1 tsp

Roast dry, powder & add: ( however, this is optional)

Seasame seeds - 1 tbsp

To garnish:

Finely choppped ginger - 2 tsp

Mix tamarind paste with 1 cup of water.

In a kadai, heat oil & temper as given.

Finally add chopped ginger & green chillies & fry well.

Add tamarind water, salt & haldi.

Boil & then simmer till it reduces a little.

Add the powdered seasame seeds, just before removing.

Remove & add very little raw ginger as a garnish.

This is also optional.

This pulikachal is not at all thick, in fact, thinner than sauce.

 

Cucumber Kosemalli - Offering for SriRamaNavami

This is a tasty salad.

Yellow moong dhal - 2 tbsp

Cucumber - 1, medium

Grated fresh coconut - 1 tbsp

Green chillies - 2

Lime juice - 1 – 2 tsp

Hing - ¼ tsp

Salt

To temper:

Oil - ½ tsp

Mustard seeds - ½ tsp

To garnish:

Chopped coriander leaves - few

Wash & soak dhal for 2 hrs & drain well.

Peel & chop cucumber fine.

Chop green chillies.

Mix drained dhal, cucumber, green chillies & coconut lightly.

Temper as given.

Add salt just before serving.Garnish as given.

Serve chilled.

 

Mango-Neemflower Sweet Pachadi - Let us be tradition bound for Tamil New Year.

This is sour, hot, sweet and bitter.

Do not select very sour mango.

Medium sour mango, peeled & chopped to ½” cubes - 1 cup

Green chillies - 2, 3 – slit into two

Powdered jaggery - ½ cup ( more or less is your option)

Neem flowers - 2 tbsp

Ghee - 1 tsp

Salt, haldi

To temper:

Oil - 2 tsp

Red chillies - 2

Mustard seeds - ½ tsp

Methi seeds - ¼ tsp

Hing - ¼ tsp

Curry leaves - few

In a kadai, heat 2 tsp oil & temper as given.

Finally add the chopped mangoes, green chillies & saute a little.

Add 1 cup of water, salt & haldi.

Cook on a medium flame till the mangoes are soft.

In another stove, add 2 tbsp of water to jaggery in a vessel& dissolve on a low fire.

Allow to boil till it reaches honey consistency.

Strain & add to the mangoes.

Let everything simmer together for 3, 4 mts.

The consistency should be like sauce.

Fry the neem flowers in ghee till crisp & add.






The same pachadi can be made without neem flowers for regular use.

 

Boondi-Pomegranate Raita - Suddenly popular!

Fresh karaboondi - 1 cup

Pomegranate seeds - 1 cup

Very fresh curds - 2 cups

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Salt, sugar

Chopped coriander leaves - to decorate

Beat curds with salt, sugar & chilli powder.

Gently mix karaboondi & pomegranate seeds.

Chill & serve, garnished with coriander leaves.

 

Paneer–Spinach Salad - Make a meal out of this !

Finely chopped spinach - 3 cups

Paneer, chopped into small cubes - ½ cup

Chopped tomato - ½ cup

Minced green chilli - 1 tsp

Tomato sauce - 1 tbsp

Lime juice - 1 tsp

Salt & sugar

In a dry kadai, sauté the spinach without adding oil till it dries up well.

Mix all ingredients together.

Serve chilled.

 

Chinese Moong Sprout Salad - Typical Chinese taste.

For Chinese cooking, always make sure the sprouts have grown for atleast 3 days, so that they are sufficiently long.

Bean Sprouts - 1 ½ cups

Shredded cabbage - 2 tbsp

Shredded carrot - 2 tbsp

Tomato, sliced into rings - 1

Soya sauce - 1 tsp

Vinegar - 1 tsp

Sugar - 1 tsp

Oil - 1 tsp

Salt

Boil 1 cup of water, add the sprouts & ½ tsp salt.

Cook, uncovered for 1 mte.

Drain & cool.

Mix sprouts, cabbage & carrot.

Pile on to a plate & chill.

Mix together in a bowl, soya sauce, vinegar, Sugar, oil & a pinch of salt.

Pour over the pile just before serving & garnish with tomato rings.