BEETROOT PORIYAL

INGREDIENTS :
Beetroot         1/4 kg
Onion             1 no
Red   chillies   2 no
Coconut  grated    2 tbsp
Oil                      2 tbsp
Mustard              1 tsp
Urad dal              1/2 tsp
Channa dal          1 tsp
Salt                     to taste
Curry leaves        Few

METHOD :
Peel skin and chop the beetroot finely and also the onions.
Heat oil in kadai add mustard, urad dal and channadal one by one. When it changes to golden colour add slit red chillies, onions and curry leaves.Saute till the onions turn to pink.
Add beetroot and saute for 2-3 mins.This is done to remove the muddy smell in the beets.Add salt and little water. Cover and cook.When cooked add coconut, mix and serve.
Serve for steamed rice or curd rice.

MIXED VEGETABLE PORIYAL

INGREDIENTS :
Carrot       2 no
Beans       1/4 kg
Potato       1 no
Onion        1 no
Green chillies  4-5 no
Turmeric powder  a pinch
Coconut       1/4cup
Cashew       2 no
Oil              3-4 tbsp
Mustard     1 tsp
Urad dal    1 tsp
Curry leaves   few
METHOD:
Chop the vegetables finely.Slit the chillies. Grind coconut and cashews to fine paste.
Heat oil in kadai add mustard and urad dal. Then saute onions, curry leaves and green chillies.
Add the chopped vegetables with turmeric powder and saute in medium flame for about 5 mins.
Add enough  water and salt.Cover and cook.
When the vegetables are cooked add coconut paste and mix well.
Cook for another 3-4 mins.When the water is fully absorbed switch off the gas.
Serve for chappathis or rice items.

AMARANTH LEAVES PORIYAL

INGREDIENTS:
Amaranth leaves     1 bunch
Onion                  1 no
Green chillies       2-3 no
Moong dal         2 tbsp
Coconut grated   2 tbsp
Turmeric powder    a pinch
Mustard seeds  1/2 tsp
Urad dal, channa dal       1/2 tsp
Salt        to taste
Oil             2 tbsp
METHOD:
Clean and chop the amaranth leaves.Chop onions and slit green chillies.
Cook moong dal till soft.Drain water and keep aside.
Heat oil in kadai and add mustard seeds, urad dal and channa dal.
Add onions and green chillies and saute till soft.
Add chopped greens, turmeric powder and salt.Mix well.Cover and cook.
When the greens are cooked  and  the mixture is free from moisture, add moong dal and coconut.
Serve for lunch.

RAW MANGO PACHHADI

INGREDIENTS:
Raw Mango  1 no
Chilly powder    1/2  tsp
Turmeric powder   1/4 tsp
Jaggery               1/2 cup
Mustard seeds    1 tsp
Urad dal            1/2 tsp
Hing                a pinch
Salt                1/2 tsp
Oil                1 tbsp
Curry leaves    few
METHOD:
Peel the skin of mango and cut into cubes.
Heat oil add mustard, urad dal, hing and curry leaves.
Add mango cubes,chilly powder, turmeric powder and salt. Mix well.
Add enough water, cover and cook.
When the mangoes  are cooked add crushed jaggery.Cook to jam consistency.The mangoes must be cooked well.

VALAIKKAI PODI CURRY

INGREDIENTS :
Valaikkai (plantain)  1 no (chopped into cubes)
Big Onion    1 no
Turmeric powder   1 pinch
Salt   to taste
Oil            3-4 tbsp
Hing          a pinch
Mustard      1 tsp
Urad dal     1 tsp
Channa dal  1 tsp
Curry leaves  few
For the podi:
Channa dal    2 tsp
Red chillis    4-5 no
Dhania        1 tsp
Jeera          1 tsp
METHOD:
Fry the items given for podi in a tsp of oil to golden colour.Cool them and grind to  fine rawa consistency.
Heat oil in kadai and add season with mustard, urad dal, channa dal, hing and curry leaves.
Now add chopped onion and saute till pink colour. Add the cubed plantain and saute for about aminute.
Add turmeric and salt. Sprinkle some water and cover and cook.
when the plantain is cooked add the masal podi and mix well.
Cook till masala blends well with the vegetable.
Best for sambar,rasam, curd rice and other chitranna varieties.

LADIES FINGER PORIYAL

INGREDIENTS :
Ladies finger   1/4 kg (chopped)
 Big Onion           1 (Chopped)
Tomato        2 tbsp (chopped)
Sambar powder     1 tbsp
Turmeric powder    1/4 tsp
Coconut            5 tbsp (grated)
Oil                    4-5 tbsp
Curry leaves    few
Mustard seeds   1 tsp
Urad dal            1 tsp
Channa dal        2 tsp
Hing                 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste.
METHOD:
Heat 2 tbsp oil and add mustard, urad dal and channa dal.
Then add curry leaves, onion and tomato and saute till the tomato is mashed.
Now put the chopped ladies finger  and saute well for about 5- 10 mins stirring occasionally and adding a tbsp of oil at intervals.
Add turmeric powder, sambar powder and table salt and mix well.
SPRINKLE little water. Cover and cook.
When done add coconut, give it a mix and serve.
Ideal for lunch and chappati.
Note: By sauting for 10 mins, the greasiness in ladies finger will be reduced to a great extent.If you over cook the greenishness and crispness of the vegetable will be lost.

RADISH PORIYAL

INGREDIENTS :
Radish     1/4 kg(chopped finely)
Onion      1 no
Green chillies    2 no
Moong dal    1/4 cup(cooked)
Ground nuts    1/2 cup
Turmeric powder    1/4 tsp
Coconut           3 tbsp
Salt                to taste
Oil               2 tbsp
For tempering:
Mustard seeds  1 tsp
Urad dal           1 tsp
Channa dal       2 tsp
Curry leaves     few
METHOD :
Dry fry groundnuts lightly and crush them coarsely.
Heat oil in kadai and temper with the items given.
Add chopped onions and greenchillies and saute them.
Now put the chopped radish and saute for 3 mins.By doing this the pungent smell in radish can be removed.
Add turmeric powder and salt. Cover and cook. Do not add water.
When the radish is cooked add dal and coconut and saute for about a minute.
Atlast add crushed groundnut and mix well.
Serve for rice items.

SNAKEGUARD USILI

Traditionally prepared usili will consume more oil. But today many of us are health concious.This method will consume only little oil.Just give a try... perfect for rasam sadam.
INGREDIENTS :
Snakeguard   1/2 kg
Onion          1 no (chopped)
Curry leaves   few
Red chillies   2 no
For tempering:
Oil      6 tbsp
Mustard    1 tsp
Urad dal    1 tsp
Hing          1/4 tsp
For usili:
Channa dal   1/2 cup
Toot dal        1/2 cup
Saunf            2 tsp
Red chilllies   2 no
Salt  to taste.
METHOD :
Soak all the items given for usili except salt. Grind coarsely. Add salt and mix well.Do not add too much of water. The batter should be like  masal vada batter.
Apply oil in idli plates and steam cook the dal batter.When cools completely cut each idli into 4 pieces and put in the mixie and scramble only once.Use 1st speed alone.
Chop the snake guard and add 1 tsp of table salt and mix well. Keep aside for 15mins.Then rinse well and drain.
Heat 2 tbsp oil ina nonstick  kadai and add the items for tempering. Then add red chillies and onions and saute well.
Add snake guard and saute well. Cove and cook for about 5-7 mins.
Add the scrambled dal to the vegetable and saute well.
Add oil at intervals and cook till the dal is crunchy.This process make take about 15- 20 mins.Check for salt.
Serve for any type of south indian lunch items.

YELLOW PUMPKIN PORIYAL

INGREDIENTS :
Yellow pumpkin  1/4 kg
Onion                  1 chopped
Sambar powder   1 tbsp
Turmeric  powder 1/4 tsp
Coconut  grated   1 tbsp (opt)
Oil                        2tbsp
Salt                       to taste
Seasoning:
Mustard       1 tsp
Urad dal       1 tsp
Channa dal    1tsp
Hing              1/4 tsp
Curry leaves   few
METHOD :
Heat kadai  with oil and add the seasoning items one by one in the given order.
Add chopped onions and saute for 2 mins.Add the chopped pumpkin along with turmeric powder, sambar powder and salt.Mix and saute for 2 mins.
Cover  and cook.Do not add water.
Garnish with grated coconut.
Serve for rice.

AVARAIKKAI (BROAD BEANS) THUVATTAL

INGREDIENTS :
Broad Beans   1/4kg
Big Onion        1 no(chopped)
Chopped Tomato    2 tbsp
Garlic              2 cloves
sambar Powder     2 tbsp
Turmeric powder   1/2 tsp
Coconut grated     2 tbsp
Salt    to taste
For Seasoning :
Oil      2 tbsp
Mustard     1 tsp
Urad dal     1 tsp
Channa dal    2 tsp
Hing              1/4 tsp
Curry leaves   few
Method :

• Chop the broad beans into 1" pieces.
• Heat oil in kadai and add the items for seasoning one by one in the given order.
• Add chopped onion, garlic and tomatoes and saute well till the tomatoes are soft.
• Add chopped broad beans and saute for 2 to 3 mins.
• Put turmeric powder, sambar powder and salt. Mix well, add little water and close with a lid.
• When cooked (there must be no water left in the kadai) add grated coconut and serve.
• This goes well  with sambar and curd rice. I like to have this mixed with plain white rice.

CARROT PORIYAL

Carrots are rich in vitamins and minerals.It is power packed food. This is my own version of carrot poriyal and it is best suited for sambar rice and curd rice.Children will love it definitely.

Ingredients
Carrot      1/4kg (grated)
Big Onion    1 No
Green chillies  3No
Garlic             3pods
Oil                 3tbsp
Salt                to taste
Sombu           1tsp
Mustard seeds 1tsp
Turmeric powder    a pinch
Curry leaves      few
Coriander leaves   few
Method:
Heat kadai  with oil. Season with mustard seeds , sombu, crushed garlic and curry leaves.
Add chopped onions and green chillies.Saute well.
Then add carrot, turmeric powder and salt. Saute well for few minutes. Sprinkle water and cover and cook.
When done, garnish with chopped coriander and serve.

BEANS PORIYAL

South Indian lunch is always accompanied by kootu, poriyal and varuval. The reason behind this custom is to include the vitamins and minerals present in the vegetables and legumes in our daily diet.Beans is rich in fiber and thus aids in digestion.
INGREDIENTS:
Beans (finely chopped) 1/4 kg.
Onion 1 No.
Green chillies 3 Nos.
Cooked Toor Dal 2 Tbsp.
Grated coconut 2 Tbsp.
Salt To taste.
Oil 4 Tbsp.
Seasoning:
Mustard, Urad dal, Hing and curry leaves.
Method:
Finely chop the onions and slit green chillies.
Heat oil in a kadai, add the items for seasoning one by one. Add onions and green chillies and saute well for 2 mins.
Add the chopped beans and mix well. Add little water and cover to cook.
Add salt and mix well.
When the beans are cooked ,add the dal. If water remains wait to evaporate.
At last add grated coconut and serve.