Raw Banana Fry | Vazhakkai Varuval | Vazhakkai Roast

Today I'm going to share Tamilnadu style Raw Banana Fry. We call vazhakkai Varuval in Tamil. It is a very easy and quick side dish that can be made in nearly no time at all. It's one of my most favorite side dish for rice and it tastes awesome with curd rice. You can also check my other recipes using Raw Banana.

• Raw Banana Fry (Vazhakkai Fry )
• Raw Banana Poriyal ( Vazhakkai Poriyal )

Here is the recipe. Scroll down for the Video Recipe and Step By Step Pictures

Ingredients:

• 1 Raw Banana / Plantain / Vazhakkai
• 1/2 tsp Fennel seeds
• 3 to 4 Garlic cloves
• 1 tsp Red Chilly powder
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp Oil

Preparation :
Wash the raw banana, trim the edges, peel the skin with the help of peeler and slice into rounds, say about half an inch thick.

Method :

• Heat oil in a large wide pan, when hot add fennel seeds, garlic, and curry leaves fry for few seconds.

• Then carefully place the raw banana pieces to the pan and spread.

• Then add red chilly powder, turmeric powder, salt and give a good mix, so that spice powders coats well on the banana pieces.

• Then add 1/4 cup of water and mix well. Saute and cook for 2 minutes.

• Flip the raw banana pieces. Saute and cook for another 2 minutes.

• Saute and continue to cook for another one minute or till it gets roasted on both sides.

• Serve with any variety rice recipes or plain rice with sambar, rasam, and curd.

Step By Step Instructions of How to Make Raw Banana Fry / Vazhakkai Varuval

• Wash the raw banana, trim the edges, peel the skin with the help of peeler and slice into rounds, say about one inch thick.

• Heat oil in a large wide pan, when hot add fennel seeds, garlic and curry leaves fry for few seconds.

• Then carefully place the raw banana pieces to the pan and spread.

• Then add red chilly powder, turmeric powder, salt and give a good mix, so that spice powders coats well on the banana pieces.

• Then add 1/4 cup of water and mix well. Saute and cook for 2 minutes.

• Flip the raw banana pieces. Saute and cook for another 2 minutes. Saute and continue to cook for another one minute or till it gets roasted on both sides.

• Serve with any variety rice recipes or plain rice with sambar, rasam and curd.

Potato Bonda, South Indian Style | Urulai kizhangu Bonda | Aloo Bonda

Potato Bonda/ Aloo Bonda is a popular South Indian tea time snack recipe. It is prepared with boiled potato mixed with the spice mixture and dipped in chickpea batter, deep-fried in hot oil and served with coconut chutney and hot tea. There are many versions of making this potato bonda. Here I'm going to share South Indian style spicy version of Potato Bonda.

Here's is the recipe. Scroll down for the Step by Step Pictures and Video Recipe




Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Makes 30 to 35 Bondas
Category : Tea Time Snack / Appetizer
Cuisine: South Indian

Ingredients:

• 4 large Potatoes
• 2 Onions, finely chopped
• 5 Green chillies, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp of finely chopped Ginger
• Few Curry leaves, chopped
• Few Coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• 1 tbsp Split Chickpeas / Channa Dal
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp of Oil
• Oil for deep frying

For the Batter

• ¹⁄₄ kg Chickpea Flour/ Besan Flour / Kadalai Mavu
• 1 tsp Red Chilly powder
• ¹⁄₄ tsp Asafoetida
• a pinch of Baking Soda or Cooking Soda
• Salt to taste

Preparation

• Wash the potatoes and cut into half. Pressure cook the potatoes till soft for 2 to 3 whistles.

• Peel the skin and mash the potatoes and keep aside to cool.

Method:

• In a heavy kadai/ wok, heat 2 tbsp of oil. When hot add mustard seeds and allow it to splutter.

• Then add the split chickpeas and roast for few seconds.

• Next, add the onions and green chillies, Saute.

• Add ginger pieces, curry leaves and coriander leaves and saute till onions turn into pink. (Don't fry till golden brown in colour)

• Bring the flame to low, add the mashed potatoes, salt, turmeric powder and mix well all the ingredients. Once done, remove from the flame and keep aside to cool.

• Once the potato filling is cool enough to handle, take portions of the potato mixture and make small balls/rounds of it and keep aside.

• In a large bowl, place chickpea flour, chilly powder, salt, asafoetida powder. Add enough water and mix the ingredients thoroughly so that a thick yet pourable batter is prepared.

• Meanwhile, heat oil in a large frying pan over medium flame. Once the oil is hot, dip the potato balls in the batter and carefully place them one by one in the hot oil and deep fry the bondas till golden brown in colour.

• Once done remove and drain the excess oil. Serve it with Coconut chutney and Hot tea.

Step By Step Instructions of  How to make Potato Bonda / Aloo Bonda / Urulaikilagu Bonda

• In a heavy kadai/ wok, heat 2 tbsp of oil. When hot add mustard seeds and allow it to splutter. Then add the split chickpeas and roast for few seconds.

• Next add the onions and green chillies, Saute. 

• Add ginger pieces, curry leaves and coriander leaves and saute till onions turn into pink. (Don't fry till golden brown in colour)

• Bring the flame to low, add the mashed potatoes, salt, turmeric powder and mix well all the ingredients. Once done, remove from the flame and keep aside to cool.

• Grease a large plate with little oil to place the potato balls, so that potato balls don't stick.

• Once the potato filling is cool enough to handle, take portions of the potato mixture and make small balls / rounds of it and keep aside. 

• In a large bowl, place chickpea flour, chilly powder, salt, asafoetida powder. Add enough water and mix the ingredients thoroughly so that a thick yet pourable batter is prepared.

• Meanwhile, heat oil in a large frying pan over medium flame. Once the oil is hot, dip the potato balls in the batter and carefully place them one by one in the hot oil and deep fry the bondas till golden brown in colour.

• Once done remove and drain the excess oil. Repeat with the remaining mixture.

•  Serve it with Coconut chutney and Hot tea.

Chickpea Curry , South Indian Style Channa Gravy | Step By Step Pics + Video Recipe | Channa Curry | Simple and Yummy Recipes

Today's recipe is South Indian style, Chickpeas Curry. This curry/gravy is very mild and it requires very fewer spice powders only. I didn't add too many masala powders. This is a coconut-based gravy with simple and very few ingredients, yet very tasty. This recipe is perfect for those who like a mild flavoured gravy.  It pairs perfectly with rice and Rotis.

Here's is the recipe. Scroll down for step by step pictures and Video Recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1½  cups - Chickpeas, raw (Channa) or canned Chickpeas
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• 2 Green chillies
• 1 Onion, large size, chopped lengthwise
• 3 Tomatoes, chopped
• ½ tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
• 1 tsp Red Chilly powder
• ½ tbsp Coriander powder
• ½ tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 cup of grated Coconut.

Preparation:

• Wash the chickpeas thoroughly and soak in enough water for 6 to 8 hours.

• Rinse the water and add the chickpeas to a pressure cooker and 3 cups of water.

• Cook until soft for 3 to 5 whistles. 

• Ground the coconut in a mixie jar or blender to a fine paste.

Method:

• Heat oil in a kadai/wok, add mustard seeds and allow it to splutter.

• Add onions, green chillies and curry leaves and fry till the onions become light golden brown in colour.

• Next, add the chopped tomatoes and little salt to it and cook till the tomatoes become soft and mushy.

• Next add ginger garlic paste, chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and mix well and cook for a minute.

• Now add little water to it so that the mixture doesn't burn or stick to the kadai and cook for 2 minutes.

• Then add the boiled channa/chickpeas and give a good stir.

• Next, add the ground coconut paste and 2 cups of water to it and mix well and bring to a boil.

• Cover the kadai with the lid and cook in medium flame for 10 minutes.

• Switch off the stove and add chopped coriander leaves and mix well.

• Serve it with rice, chappati, roti, poori, dosa, idli etc..

Step By Step Pictures of how to make South Indian style Chickpeas Curry

• Heat oil in a kadai/wok, add mustard seeds and allow it to splutter. 
  

• Add onions, green chillies and curry leaves and fry till the onions become light golden brown in colour.

• Next, add the chopped tomatoes and little salt to it and cook till the tomatoes become soft and mushy.

• Next add ginger garlic paste, chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and mix well and cook for a minute.

• Now add little water to it so that the mixture doesn't burn or stick to the kadai and cook for 2 minutes.

• Then add the boiled channa/chickpeas and give a good stir.

• Next, add the ground coconut paste and 2 cups of water to it and mix well and bring to a boil.

•  Cover the kadai with the lid and cook in medium flame for 10 minutes.

•  Switch off the stove and add chopped coriander leaves and mix well.

• Serve it with rice, chappathi, roti, poori, dosa, idli etc..

#chickpeas curry #cholemasala #chickpea recipes #chickpeas recipes south india #southindian chickpeas recipes

Pasalakeerai Kadayal | Mashed Red Vine Spinach with Dal | Keerai Masiyal

Today's recipe is Mashed Indian Spinach with Dal, a traditional recipe from Tamilnadu. In Tamil we call this as ' Pasalakeerai Paruppu Kadayal'. In English Pasalkeerai is called as various names like Basella alba and also known as Malabar Spinach, Red Vine Spinach, Indian Spinach, Creeping Spinach, Climbing Spinach etc..

This dark leafy green has lots of healthy benefits. It is more nutritious than any other greens. It is rich in iron and calcium. This spinach can be easily grown at home. It is a creeper plant. Below i have attached the picture of this plant which i have it in my terrace garden.

Ingredients :

• 30 to 40 leaves Pasala Keerai / Indian Spinach
• ( Pasala Keerai in Tamil. In English - 
• Basella alba and also known as Malabar Spinach,
• Red Vine Spinach, Indian Spinach, etc..  )
• 10 no of Shallots or 1 Red Onion, medium-sized
• 4 Garlic cloves
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 4 dry Red chilies
• 2 tbsp cooked and mashed Toor dal/ split pigeon peas / Red gram
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp Oil

Preparation :

• Peel the shallots and roughly chop them.
• Wash the spinach leaves, roughly chop.
• Mash the garlic cloves with the help of a knife.
• Cook and mash the toor dal.

Method:

• Heat oil in a pan/ kadai, when hot add cumin seeds and allow it to crackle.

• Add dry red chilies and garlic cloves to it and fry for few seconds.

• Add the chopped shallots to it and fry till it turns a light golden brown color.

• Then add the spinach leaves/ pasala keerai and salt, give them a good mix.

• Saute and cook until it is wilted, say about 3 to 5 minutes

• Then add the cooked dal and 1/2 cup of water and mix well.

• Cook till the water is absorbed.

• Transfer to a bowl for easy mashing or grind it in mixie or blender.

• With the help of wooden masher/ mathu, mash them.

• Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with hot piping rice and a dollop of ghee to it.

↓ Video Recipe ↓

Ashgourd fry | Ashgourd stir fry | Vellai Poosanikkai fry | Winter melon / White Pumpkin Stirfry

Ash gourd is also called white gourd, winter melon, winter gourd, white pumpkin. It can be used to prepare sambhar, kootu, mor kuzhambu etc. But I always make only sambar with Ashgourd and I have never tried any other recipes with it. But for the first time I made stir fry with it. This recipe was shared by my neighbor friend. It's her mother's recipe. It is a very very simple recipe and it is a perfect side dish for rice with sambar, rasam, curd.

Ingredients

• 1/2 kg White Pumpkin / Ash gourd / Winter melon / White gourd
• 1 tsp Red Chilly powder
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp Oil
• Few Curry Leaves

Preparation:
Cut the pumpkin into big slices. Deseed them and slice the flesh and remove the skin. Use only the flesh part for this recipe. Chop them into bite-size pieces and keep aside.

Method:

• Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed kadai / pan. Do not overheat the oil because to avoid the burning of the spice powders.

• When the oil is warm add chilly powder, turmeric powder, salt, curry leaves and mix well and fry for few seconds.

• Now add the chopped pumpkin pieces and mix well and saute for a minute.

• Cover and cook the pumpkin in low flame for 10 minutes. Stir in between.

• After 10 minutes open the lid and cook & saute in low flame for 5 minutes.

• Once done, transfer to a bowl or plate and serve with rice and sambhar / rasam/ curd.

Tomato Biryani in Pressure Cooker | Thakkali Biryani | How to make Biryani in Pressure Cooker | Lunch Box Recipes

A simple one-pot South Indian style delicious Tomato Biryani recipe made using the pressure cooker. It is a one-pot meal, hence it is perfect for a lunch box recipe. It's is very simple and easy to make. 

 ↓ Video Recipe ↓

I love this tomato biryani more than the vegetable biryani. Even you can make it for a quick weeknight dinner. Serve this biryani with simple raitha or potato chips or fryums. It tastes best with potato chips.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 2

Ingredients :

• 1 Onion, medium-sized
• 5 Green Chillies
• 2 tsp Ginger Garlic paste
• 2 Cinnamon sticks
• 4 Cloves
• 3 Cardamon
• 1 Bayleaf
• Few Cashew nuts
• Few Mint leaves ( optional )
• Few Coriander leaves
• 1 tsp Chilly powder
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp Garam masala powder
• 1 cup of Basmati Rice
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp Oil
• 2 tbsp Ghee

To Grind

• 3 or 4 Tomatoes
• 1/2 tbsp Fennel seeds
• 1/2 tsp Poppy seeds

Preparation:

• Chop the onion lengthwise.

• Grind tomatoes, fennel seeds, poppy seeds in a mixer/ blender to a fine paste.

• Wash the rice and soak in 2 cups of water.

Method :

• Heat oil and ghee in a pressure cooker. When hot add cashew nuts, cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom, bay leaf and fry for 30 seconds.

• Add sliced onions and saute till it turns golden brown in color.

• Now add the mint leaves and saute.

• Add the tomato paste, ginger garlic paste, chilly powder, turmeric powder, salt and cook for 5 minutes.

• Next, add the soaked rice along with the water to the cooker ad mix well.

• Add turmeric powder, garam masala powder and bring it to a boil. Taste it and adjust the salt.

• Finally, add the coriander leaves and give a good mix and close the cooker with the lid.

• When the steam releases, place the whistle/ weight and cook for 2 whistles and remove from the stove.

• After the steam goes down, open the cooker and very gently mix the rice.

• Serve along with curd raitha, potato chips, pickle.

Kongunadu style " Peerkangai Bhaji kadayal " / Mashed Ridgegourd gravy - Quick South Indian gravy for Idli and Dosa made using Pressure Cooker

Today's recipe is an authentic kongunadu style " Peerkangai Bhaji Kadayal ".A quick south Indian gravy recipe from Tamilnadu for idli and dosas using Ridge gourd. It's is one of the best side dish for idli, dosa and appam.

Today I'm going to share how this recipe is made using pressure cooker. It's a simple, healthy and delicious dish which can be prepared in a few minutes when using the pressure cooker. It is actually cooked in a mud pot. But its quite time-consuming process, but very tasty. It is quite a spicy gravy. 

 

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1/2 kg Ridge Gourd
• 2 Tomatoes
• 1 Potato, medium-sized
• 1 Onion, medium-sized
• 6 Green Chillies
• 5 Dry Red Chillies
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• little Tamarind
• Salt to taste

For Tempering

• 2 tbsp Oil
• 1 tbsp Channa Dal
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• 2 Spring Curry leaves
• 2 Dry Red Chillies

Preparation

• Wash and peel the skin of the ridge gourd. Chop the ridge gourd into pieces.

• Peel onion, chop onion and tomatoes.

• Peel the skin of the potato and cut the potatoes into chunks.

Method :

• In a pressure cooker place all the ingredients one by one i.e ridge gourd, onion, tomatoes, chillies, tamarind, turmeric powder.

• Add 1 and 1/2 cup of water to it and mix well.

• Pressure cook for 5 whistles.

• Once the steam is released from the cooker, open the lid. With the help wooden masher/ hand whisk (mathu in tamil) , mash them.

• For tempering heat oil in a small pan, add channa dal, then the mustard seeds and allow it to splutter. Add dry red chillies to it and fry. Next, add the curry leaves and switch off the flame.

• Pour over the gravy and mix it well.

• Serve with dosa and idli

Video Recipe here ↓

Paneer Bhurji | Panner Bhurji with Methi Leaves | Scrambled Cottage Cheese with Fenugreek Leaves

Paneer Bhurji is a very popular North Indian recipe made with Indian cottage cheese. To this bhurji i have added methi leaves/ fenugreek leaves to it and made it more healthy. It's very easy, simple and quick recipe. This can be served with roti, naan and chapathi or make a roll using chappathi and serve this as a kids lunch box recipe. 

It can be even substituted with spinach leaves/ palak, instead of fenugreek/ methi leaves, and make ' Palak Paneer Bhurji '. It's an very healthy recipe. This can be served in variety of ways like can be served along with roti or make a roll with it, or make stuffed parathas with it and also can be served as variety rice recipe by mixing this bhurji with cooked rice.

Preparation time : 5 mins
Cooking time : 5 mins
Serves : 2

Ingredients :

• 1 Onion, medium sized
• 2 Tomatoes, medium sized
• 1 bunch Methi leaves / Fenugreek leaves
• 100 gm Paneer / Cottage cheese
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1 green chilly
• 1 tsp Ginger garlic paste
• 1 tsp Red chilly powder
• 1 tsp Coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp Oil

Preparation:

• Crumble or grate the paneer.

• Remove the methi leaves from the stem and wash and keep aside.

• Chop onion and tomatoes & finely chop green chillies.

Method :

• Heat oil in a kadai, when hot add cumin seeds and allow it to splutter.

• Add onions, green chilly to it and fry till the onion turn golden brown in colour.

• Next add tomatoes, all spice powders and salt to it and saute for 2 -3 mins.

• Cook till the tomatoes are soft and mushy.

• Add the methi leaves and cook till wilted.

• Then add grated paneer to it and mix well.

• Saute and cook for one more minute.

• Serve with roti, chappathi, naan etc.

⬇ Video Recipe - paneer Bhurji with Methi leaves ⬇

Jeera Aloo Recipe | How to make Jeera Aloo fry | Aloo Jeera fry | Stir Fried Boiled Potato with cumin seeds | Very Simple Jeera Aloo recipe with Baby Potatoes

Jeera Aloo is one of the easiest and recipe to prepare. It's very simple recipe yet very delicious and all time favourite recipe. There are so many versions of this recipe. Here i have shared the very simple recipe of jeera aloo.

Preparation time : 20 minutes
Cooking time : 5 minutes
Serves : 2

Ingredients :

• 250 gms Baby Potatoes, boiled
• 1 tbsp Cumin seeds
• 4 green chillies, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• Few Coriander leaves, finely chopped
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Salt tot taste
• 1 tbsp of Oil

Preparation :

• Cook the baby potatoes either in boiling water or pressure cook them for one whistle(Don't make it mushy, ). Don't over cook the potatoes. Allow it to cool. Peel the skin and cut them into half and keep aside.

• Finely chop coriander leaves and green chillies and keep aside.

Method :

• Heat Oil in a pan, when hot add add cumin seeds and allow it to crackle.

• Then add green chillies and fry.

• Now keep the flame in medium. Next add turmeric powder, salt and mix well.

• Add the baby potatoes and stir fry for 3 minutes or until it turns light crisp and light brown.

• Finally add the coriander leaves and give a good mix and transfer to a bowl.

• Serve with variety rice, rasam rice, curd rice etc.

↓ Video recipe Link  ↓