traditional food recipes

Keerai mandi, also known as Chettinad spinach stew, is a traditional South Indian dish made with spinach, lentils, and spices. Here's a recipe for you to try:

Ingredients:

1 cup Toor dal (split pigeon peas)

2 bunches spinach leaves, cleaned and chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 tomato, chopped

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

2 green chillies, slit lengthwise

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp garam masala powder

Salt to taste

2 tbsp oil

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Instructions:

Rinse the toor dal and add it to a pressure cooker along with 3 cups of water. Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles until the dal is cooked and soft.

In a pan, heat oil and add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and fennel seeds. Once they start spluttering, add chopped onions and sauté until golden brown.

Add ginger garlic paste and slit green chillies. Cook for a minute or two until the raw smell disappears.

Add chopped tomatoes and cook until they turn soft and mushy.

Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, and garam masala powder. Mix well and cook for a minute.

Add chopped spinach leaves and mix well. Cook for a few minutes until the spinach leaves are wilted and cooked.

Add the cooked toor dal along with its water to the pan. Add salt to taste and mix well.

Cover and let the stew simmer on low heat for 10-15 minutes until the flavors are well blended.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with steamed rice.

Enjoy your delicious Keerai mandi/Chettinad spinach stew!

Kootu or aviyal is a traditional South Indian dish that is typically made with a variety of vegetables, lentils, coconut, and spices. The dish is popularly served with rice and is a staple in many South Indian households.

To make kootu/aviyal with all country veggies, you will need a variety of vegetables such as pumpkin, drumstick, yam, beans, carrots, potato, raw banana, and eggplant. You can also add other vegetables of your choice. Here's a recipe to make kootu/aviyal with all country veggies:

Ingredients:

2 cups mixed vegetables (pumpkin, drumstick, yam, beans, carrots, potato, raw banana, and eggplant)

1/2 cup moong dal (split yellow lentils)

1/2 cup grated coconut

1 tsp cumin seeds

4-5 green chilies

1 tsp turmeric powder

Salt to taste

Water as required

For Tempering:

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

2-3 dry red chilies

A few curry leaves

Instructions:

Wash and chop all the vegetables into small pieces.

Wash the moong dal and pressure cook it with 1 cup of water and a pinch of turmeric powder for 3-4 whistles. Keep it aside.

In a pan, add the chopped vegetables, turmeric powder, salt, and enough water to cover the vegetables. Cover the pan with a lid and cook on medium heat until the vegetables are tender.

In a mixer grinder, grind the grated coconut, cumin seeds, and green chilies to a fine paste.

Once the vegetables are cooked, add the cooked dal and coconut paste to the pan. Mix well and cook for another 5-7 minutes.

For the tempering, heat coconut oil in a small pan. Add mustard seeds, dry red chilies, and curry leaves. Once the mustard seeds start to splutter, add the tempering to the kootu/aviyal.

Serve hot with steamed rice.

This kootu/aviyal is a healthy and nutritious dish that is packed with the goodness of vegetables and lentils. It is a perfect accompaniment to steamed rice and can be enjoyed as a wholesome meal.

Paruppu beans usili is a popular South Indian dish made with a combination of beans and lentils. Here is a recipe for you to try:

Ingredients:

1 cup paruppu (split pigeon peas)

1 cup finely chopped green beans

2 tbsp oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

2-3 dry red chillies

A pinch of asafoetida

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Salt to taste

Method:

Soak the paruppu in water for about an hour. Drain the water and grind the paruppu into a coarse powder.

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add cumin seeds, dry red chillies, and asafoetida.

Add the chopped beans and sauté for a few minutes. Then add the turmeric powder and salt to taste.

Cover the pan and let the beans cook for a few minutes until they are tender.

Add the paruppu powder to the pan and mix well. Cook for a few more minutes until the paruppu is fully cooked.

Serve hot with rice or roti.

Enjoy your delicious and nutritious Paruppu beans usili!

Murungakeerai paruppu usili is a popular South Indian dish made with drumstick leaves and lentils. Here's a recipe to make it:

Ingredients:

2 cups drumstick leaves, washed and chopped

1/2 cup toor dal (split pigeon peas)

1/4 cup chana dal (split bengal gram)

2-3 dry red chillies

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp turmeric powder

Salt to taste

Oil for cooking

Instructions:

Soak the toor dal and chana dal in water for 30 minutes.

Drain the water and grind the dal to a coarse texture without adding any water.

In a pan, heat some oil and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and dry red chillies.

Once the mustard seeds start spluttering, add the ground dal and sauté for 2-3 minutes.

Add turmeric powder and salt to taste. Mix well.

Add the chopped drumstick leaves and mix well. Cook for 5-7 minutes on low heat.

Cover the pan and let it cook for another 5 minutes until the leaves are cooked and the dal is well mixed.

Serve hot with rice or roti.

Enjoy your delicious Murungakeerai paruppu usili!

Vendakkai kootu or ladiesfinger stew is a South Indian dish that is typically made with okra, lentils, and coconut. Here is a recipe to make Vendakkai kootu:

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped Vendakkai (ladiesfinger/okra)

1/2 cup toor dal (split pigeon peas)

1/4 cup grated coconut

2-3 green chillies, slit

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

Salt to taste

2 tsp oil

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp urad dal (split black gram)

A few curry leaves

Instructions:

Rinse the toor dal and cook it in a pressure cooker with 2 cups of water, turmeric powder, and salt for 3-4 whistles. Once the pressure releases, mash the dal with a spoon or a masher and keep it aside.

In a pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add urad dal and curry leaves. Fry until the dal turns golden brown.

Add the chopped Vendakkai and sauté until they turn soft.

In a blender, blend the grated coconut, cumin seeds, and green chillies to a fine paste. Add this paste to the pan and mix well.

Add the mashed dal to the pan and mix everything together.

Add water if required to adjust the consistency of the kootu. Let it simmer for a few minutes.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with steamed rice.

Your Vendakkai kootu is ready to be served. Enjoy!