Anapakaya, alu and vankaya thalimpu (Flat beans, potato and brinjal sabji)

Another dish with avarekayi. We can make this dish with variety of vegetable combinations. I use vegetables based on seasonal availability. Some yummy combinations:

1. Alu, brinjal and drumstick
2. Heerekayi and Avarekayi/Thogarikayi (Ridge gourd and flat beans/tuvar lilva)
3. Thogarikayi, Alu and badanekayi (tuvar lilva, alu and brinjal)
and many more...... Will keep posting as i prepare

ANAPAKAYA, ALU AND VANKAYA THALIMPU:

Ingredients:

100 gms Anapakaya/Avarekai/Flat beans
2 medium sized alu (cut lengthwise)
4-5 green round brinjals (cut lengthwise)
2 medium sized onions
3 tomatoes
7 cloves of garlic
1 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp dhania powder
a pinch of turmeric
1 tsp mustard
curry leaves
coriander leaves (dhania leaves/cilantro)
salt to taste

Method of preparation:

I use the pressure cooker instead of pan as it saves time and i don't have to keep stirring it.

1. Heat oil, splutter mustard, Add garlic, add onions and fry till translucent
2. Add the curry leaves and fry for a minute. Now add the tomatoes.
3. Fry the tomatoes for a minute and add the flat beans. Fry for 2 minutes and then add alu and brinjal.
4. Mix well and fry for a minute.
5. Add all the spice powders and coriander leaves, a little water. Check taste and close the cooker lid.
6. Cook for a whistle. Open the lid when the pressure goes down. there will be a little water in the vegetable so cook the vegetable without the lid for a further 2 minutes till the vegetable is semi dry. Take care not to stir it a lot as it will mash the vegetables.

Enjoy this with hot rice, chapathi or as a side dish for rasam rice.

Bangala Dumpa Puttu (Potato dry sabji)

There are so many different ways of preparing potato dry dish. The recipe given below is my favorite. This combined with dal and rice is comfort food for me.

BANGALA DUMPA PUTTU:

Ingredients:

1/2 kg potatoes (boiled and cubed)
2 medium sized onions
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp urad dal
1 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp dhania powder
a pinch of turmeric
curry leaves
salt to taste
Oil

Method of Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a kadai, add urad dal and as it grows slightly brown splutter mustard.
2. Add the onions and fry till they are translucent.
3. Now, add the curry leaves and all the spice powders.
4. Add the boiled and cubed potatoes and mix well.
5. Fry well stirring gently.

Goes very well with dal rice and rasam rice.

Masala Pongal

I call this pongal because of the main ingredient moong dal which is used in this. This is a slight variation of the traditional pongal and it also dry whereas pongal is semi-liquid. A one dish meal on lazy days.

MASALA PONGAL:

Ingredients:

1 cup rice
1/2 cup moong dal
1 inch cinnamon stick
2-3 cloves
2 tbsp grated coconut
2 medium sized onions (sliced)
2 tomatoes (cut)
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tbsp jeera powder
1/2 tbsp pepper powder
5-6 green chillies
curry leaves
dhania leaves (coriander/cilantro)
salt to taste
1 tbsp oil
4 cups of water (the rice i use needs 1:3 proportion of rice to water)


Method of preparation:

1. Wash the rice and dal seperately and keep aside.
2. Heat oil. Add clove and cinnamon, fry onions till translucent. Add chili, ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell goes.
3. Add curry leaves and stir fry for a minute and then add tomatoes and fry for a further min.
4. Now add the drained dal to this and fry for a minute. Add the spice powders to this and stir fry. Add the rice to this and mix well. Now add water and either pressure cook to 2 whistles or cook it in a rice cooker.

Bendakaya Pulusu (Okra Curry)

This is an okra recipe prepared using coconut.... Very quick and easy to prepare....

Bendakaya Pulusu:

Ingredients:

1/4 kg Okra/lady finger
1/2 cup coconut
1 medium sized onions or 8-10 shallots (sambhar onions)
12-14 cloves garlic
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp chilli powder
1/2 tbsp dhania powder
a pinch of turmeric
salt to taste
curry leaves
lemon sized ball of tamarind


Preparation:

1. Cut okra into 2-3 inch pieces. Roast this in a tsp oil till it turns slightly brown.
2. Peel garlic, cut onions into small pieces (if using shallots, then skin them and keep it whole)
3. Blend coconut, chilli powder, dhania powder, turmeric, salt and tamarind to a smooth paste using a little water.
4. Heat the oil, splutter mustard seeds and fry the onions and garlic. Once onion turns translucent, add the curry leaves and stir fry for a minute.
5. Add the masala paste and stir for a minute. Add water so that the masala does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
6. Add adequate water and boil the curry. Now add the fried okra and let the curry cook for 3-4 minutes.

Don't add too much water to the curry. Serve this with hot rice. Goes well with dosas and idli as well.

Avarekai Uppit

Come avarekai season and there are so many dishes which can be prepared. This is another favorite avarekai dish which is relished by everyone at home. I use the pre-roasted rava which is available in supermarkets. This helps when i'm in a hurry in the mornings getting the kids ready for school. We can also roast it before hand and store it in air-tight containers.



AVAREKAI UPPIT:



Ingredients:

1/2 cup avarekai (cooked to 1 whistle in a pressure cooker)
1 cup rava (roasted)
2 medium sized onions
4-5 green chillies
2 tsps vangi bath powder (i use MTR vangi bath masala powder)
1 tbsp urad dal
1 tsp mustard
curry leaves
dhania leaves
1 small lemon
a pinch of turmeric
salt to taste
3 tbsp oil
2.5 cup water

Preparation:

1. Cook the avarekai to one whistle in a pressure cooker.
2. Heat the oil in a kadai and add the urad dal, once it lightly browns, add the mustard.
3. Add chillies and onions. Fry the onions till it is translucent and add curry leaves.
4. Now add the flat beans (avarekai) and stir fry for a minute. Add salt and turmeric.
5. Add the vangi bath powder and stir for a minute. Add the water and let this come to a boil.
6. Once the water is boiling, add the dhania leaves.
7. Add the rava, stirring simultaneously to avoid forming lumps. Close a lid and let it cook for 2 minutes.
8. Squeeze the lemon juice and switch off the flame.

Serve this hot. I have prepared carrot raita as an accompaniment to this. Recipe for the raita is given below.

CARROT RAITA:



Ingredients:

1 big carrot
1/2 cup thick well beaten curds
1/2 tsp of mustard seeds
1 tsp oil
a pinch of hing.
salt to taste.

Method of preparation:

1. Heat oil, splutter mustard seeds, add hing and add the carrot to this.
2. Stir fry the carrot till it is cooked. This should take around 4-5 mins.
3. Add salt and switch off the flame. When it cools down, add the curds and mix well.

Curd Rice

A very simple dish which is very easy to make and is a great hit with the kids. Can be whipped up in a jiffy. You can make it even more colorful and special by adding pomegrante seeds to it.

CURD RICE:






Ingredients:
1 cup rice
1 cup curds (beaten well)
1/2 tsp mustard
1/2 tsp jeera
1 tsp urad dal
4-5 red chillies
curry leaves
salt to taste
1 tsp Oil

Preparation:

1. Heat oil and add the urad dal.
2. As the dal turns brown, add mustard, jeera and curry leaves.
3. Now add chillies and stir. As the chilli turns bright add the curds and mix.
4. Now add the rice and mix thoroughly. Add salt to taste.
5. Add finely chopped coriander leaves and pomegrante seeds in the end to make it special and colorful.

Cool this before serving. It tastes good when cold. Serve this with roasted curd chillies.

Avarekayi husuli (Flat beans salad)

Come Avarekayi (flat beans) season and every alternate day there is a dish of these beans in the menu. There are so many dishes which can be dished of these beans. Avarekayi uppit, avarekayi bath, avarekayi saaru, huli, hitak bele saaru, sihi gojju and so many more...... Below is a recipe which my kids love and a good way to get them eat their proteins.


Avarekayi Husuli:




Ingredients:

2 cups Avarekaalu (preferably the smaller green ones)
1/4 cup coconut
1 medium onion
4-5 green chillies (cut lengthwise)
curry leaves
coriander leaves
1/2 tsp mustard
1/2 tsp jeera
1 tbsp oil
salt to taste
a pinch of turmeric.
Method of Preparation:

1. Pressure cook the flat beans for 2 whistles with a little salt.
2. Drain the beans of the water.
3. Heat the oil in a kadai, splutter the mustard, add jeera to this.
4. Add the chillies and onions, stir till the onions turn translucent.
5. Add the curry leaves and stir for half a minute, add turmeric and salt. Mix well.
6. Add the cooked beans to this and mix everything well. Add the coconut and coriander leaves to it and stir this for a further 1 minute.

This goes well as a side dish or can be enjoyed individually.