Tantalising Pachadis & Salads for the weight-watchers

Fruit & Curd Salad - this can constitute a meal !

Seedless grapes - ¼ cup

Pineapple cubes - ¼ cup

Chopped apple - ¼ cup

Curd - 1 cup ( hang tied in a thin cloth to drain water )

Grated carrot - ¼ cup

Coriander chutney ( any recipe) - 1 tbsp

Lime juice - 1-2 tsp

Pepper - ½ tsp

Salt

Mix strained curds, salt, green chutney & pepper.

Mix chopped fruits & carrot & mix with lime juice to prevent discolouration.

Chill both separately.

Just before serving, mix both.

Note:

Some people have an allergy to raw pineapple. Stew the pineapple with little sugar & very little water in a vessel in MW for 5 mts or pressurecooker for 1 whistle.

 

Banana-stem (vazaithandu) Salad - a very crunchy, healthy dish.

This recipe is posted on request from an I L ite. One can make a meal out of this dish – such is its taste !

For this select banana-stem ( vazaithandu) which is very fresh and very tender.
First slice them thin, gathering the fibre in the fingers. Put them immediately in water to which a little buttermilk or vinegar is added, to prevent discolouration. Then chop the fine – do not use mincer.

Chooped vegetable - 1 cup

Green chillies - 2, chopped or slit

Lime juice - 1-2 tsp

Salt, chopped coriander leaves

To temper:

Oil - ½ tsp

Mustard seeds - ½ tsp

Hing - a pinch

Generally the vegetable is used (if fresh & tender) uncooked for the salad.
If preferred, it can be lightly steamed.

Cool, add all other ingredients, mix well & temper.

Goes very well with any kuzambu saadam.

 

Banana Stem Pachadis - two recipes !

One is with tamarind and the other is with curds.

Banana stem puli pachadi:

For this select banana-stem ( vazaithandu) which is very fresh and very tender.
First slice them thin, gathering the fibre in the fingers. Put them immediately in water to which a little buttermilk or vinegar is added, to prevent discolouration. Then chop the fine – do not use mincer.

Chopped vegetable - 1 cup

Tamarind paste - 2 tsp ( or less, if a mild taste is preferred)

Salt

Jaggery - a marble size ( optional)

Grind together:

Red chillies - 2,3

Jeera - ¼ tsp

Raw rice - 2 tsp

Grated coconut - 1 tbsp

To temper:

Oil - ½ tsp

Mustard seeds - ½ tsp

Red chilli - 1

Curry leaves - ferw

Boil vegetable in minimum water, till soft.

Add tamarind paste mixed with ½ cup water & salt.

Boil for 3, 4 mts & add paste.

Mix well & boil together.

Simmer, adding water to get the required consistency.

Add jaggery & simmer till it dissolves.

Remove & temper.

The photo is posted below.

Banana stem Thayir Pachadi:

Chopped vegetables - 1 cup

Thick fresh curd - 1 cup

Salt

Grind together:

Grated coconut - 1 tbsp

Green chillies - 2

To temper:

Oil - ½ tsp

Mustard seeds - ½ tsp

Red chilli - 1

If the vegetable is very fresh & tender, directly add it to the curds with salt, paste & temper.

If preferred, the chopped vegetable can be steamed lightly.

 

Lapsi Salad - something different, yet tasty !

Lapsi - ½ cup

Shredded cabbage - 2 tbsp

Finely shredded capsicum - 2 tbsp

Thin tomato slices - 2 tbsp

Green tops of spring onion - 2 tbsp ( optional)

Dressing:

Thick low fat curds - ½ cup

Mint or coriander chutney - 1 tbsp

Soak lapsi in warm water for 1 hr.

Drain well & add all vegetables.

Mix curds & the chutney.

Pour on the salad & serve.

 

Senai Araichukalakki - a simple, but tasty pachadi.

Senai Araichukalakki - a simple, but tasty pachadi.

Senai is elephant yam.
For this, the senai must be very fresh & very good quality. Make sure it is not the itchy variey, since no cooking is involved.

Beaten curds - 2 cups

Salt

Grind together:

Senai grated - 1 cup

Coconut - ½ cup

Green chillies - 3, 4 ( or to taste)

To temper:

Oil - 1 tsp ( coconut oil tastes best)

Mustard seeds - ½ tsp

Red chillies - 2

Curry leaves - few

Mix the ground ingredients, beaten curd & salt thoroughly.

Temper & chill before use.

Goes well with mulakootal, mulakashyam, thogayal sadam etc.

 

Three Bean Salad - Protein + fibre + taste

Rajma beans - ¼ cup

Kabul (or black) channa - ¼ cup

Black eyed beans - ¼ cup

Spring onions, chopped - ½ cup

Tomatoes, chopped - ½ cup

Omum (ajwain) - ½ tsp

Lime juice - 1 tsp

Salt, pepper

Coriander leaves - to garnish

Mix the beans & soak with a pinch of soda overnight.

Wash well, add a little salt & pressurecook for 15 mts.

Cool & drain.

Mix all ingredients together gently.

 

French Beans salad - goodness of dietary fibre.

This salad is unbelievably good, if the beans are fresh.

Fresh tender beans, 1” long pieces - 1 cup

Seasame seeds (white) - 2 tsp, lightly roasted, till it splutters

Grated cheese - 1-2 tbsp

Salt

Oil - ½ tsp

Lightly steam the beans.

When warm, toss in all other ingredients.

If you want to avoid cheese, add crumbled panner.

Serve warm.

 

Tomato Sweet Pachadi - the way it is served in “dinners” !

This is one of the standard recipes in wedding menus.
Level of sweetness & thickness can be varied to individual taste.

Select ripe, bright red tomatoes.

Blanched & chopped tomatoes - 1 cup

Sugar - ½ cup

Cornflour - 1 tbsp mixed with ½ cup of water

Cardamom powder - ¼ tsp

Pachai Karpuram (edible camphor) - a grain

Salt (be careful!)

To temper:

Ghee - ½ tsp

Mustard seeds - ½ tsp

Boil tomatoes with sugar & salt, till soft.

Add cornflour Mixture & cook on a low flame to prevent lump formation.

When a sauce like consistency is reached, add spices.

Remove & temper.

Second method:
Cook finely chopped tomaoes - 500 gms with 400 gms sugar. Add 150 gms of raisins+chopped dates. Cook till done, Add cardm powder & cashews fried in ghee.

 

Moong Sprout Salad - healthy, filling & colourful:

Moong sprouts - ½ cup

Chopped onion - 2 tbsp

Finely chopped tomatoes - 3 tbsp

Freshly grated coconut - 1 tbsp

Lime juice - 1-2 tsp

Freshly powdered pepper - ½ tsp

Honey - 2 tsp

Salt

Mix all ingredients & serve chilled.

 

Broccoli Salad - crunchy, mildly sweet but full of iron !

Select fresh, btight green broccoli. Cut into medium cubes. Immerse in salted warm water for 10 mts & drain.
Next, drop in boiling water & switch off the flame after 1 mte.
Drain, cool & use. This is known as blanching.

Blanched broccoli - 2 cups

Tender ginger juliennes - 3 tsp

Coarse chilli powder - ½ tsp

Honey - 2 tsp

Orange rind - 1 tsp

Orange juice - ¼ cup

Salt

Toss everything together & keep in the fridge.

Serve chilled.