My Mother-In-Law's Parangikkai Paal Kootu | Yellow Pumpkin Milk Curry | Heirloom Recipe

 'Paal' means ‘Milk’ in Tamil Language. ‘Kootu’ means ’Together’. The Parangikkai Paal Kootu is a traditional recipe that is made using milk and yellow pumpkin. The light sweetness of the pumpkin makes it the most ideal vegetable  for this curry. I have earlier shared my mother's  'paal kootu ', where she uses baby pumpkin and also uses coconut in the spice mixture. Then, I have shared my version of the Paal Kootu without coconut. https://masterchefmom.blogspot.com/2018/03/parangikkai-paal-kootu-yellow-pumpkin.html

Today, I am sharing my Mother -in-law’s version of the kootu. She makes it using jaggery and it is so delicious. It is the season for yellow pumpkin recipes and I am so thrilled to share this simple yet tasty and traditional recipe with all of you. I have grown up watching my grandfather and my father relishing the paal kootu. If you are a person who likes the spicy-sweet combination, then this dish is for you. 

This paal kootu tastes best along with a spicy gravy. My grandmother would make serve it as a side dish to Vathal Kuzhambu or Mendhi/Vendaya Kuzhambu.

This recipe can be made within minutes. If you are vegan, you can substitute dairy with coconut milk , oat milk, cashew milk, soy milk or almond milk. We all know the numerous health benefits of yellow pumpkin , especially to our skin and this recipe is a great way to incorporate it in our weekly diet. 

Parangikkai Paal Kootu by Masterchefmom

Recipe Courtesy:  Prema Pattabiraman

Preparation time : 10 minutes

Cooking time : 20 minutes

Serves : 4

1 cup = 250 ml cup

Ingredients :

250 gm yellow pumpkin ( peeled and cubed)

1/8 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 cups milk  

1-2 teaspoon jaggery ( adjust according to taste)

1/2 teaspoon salt

To Grind:

1 teaspoon rice flour 

1/4 cup fresh coconut

1 green chilli ( add more depending upon your spice requirement)

1/4 cup water 

To temper :

1-2 teaspoon coconut oil

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon urad dal

1-2 dry red chillies (adjust)

1 sprig curry leaves 

Note: The green chilli I used is the very spicy variety. So, just one chilli was good enough. But do adjust the quantity depending upon the variety of chilli you are using. Also, if you gravy becomes too thick, you can add little more milk.

Pre-Work:

1.Peel the the yellow pumpkin skin and chop them into medium size cubes. They should not be too large or too small. 

2.Ready the fresh coconut or frozen. If you are using fresh coconut, then break open a coconut make small cuts and remove the pieces. Then if the skin is too thick, peel them and chop them into small pieces. If you have already done it and have the chopped pieces in the freezer, bring it out and allow it to thaw. You will need just 1/4 cup of coconut.

3.Decide the type of milk you would like to use and keep it ready

4.Check if you have rice flour

Now, you are ready … let’s cook the  Paal Kootu 

Method :

1. To a kadai, add the cubed yellow pumpkin and add 1 cup of water. 
2. Add turmeric powder, salt and allow the pumpkin to cook well. They have to be soft.
3. In the meantime, add all the ingredients given under ‘To grind’ in a mixer and grind it to a smooth paste.
4. Once the pumpkin is cooked, add the ground mixture, jaggery, milk and cook for just 3-4 minutes and switch off.
5. Temper the kootu with ingredients given under ‘To temper’ and pour it into the kootu. 

Your delicious Parangikkai Paal Kootu is now ready to be served!

Do try and share your feedback with me.

Happy Cooking!

With love,

Masterchefmom

Mushroom Pasta | Easy and Quick Macaroni Using Mushrooms | Lunch Box Idea By Masterchefmom

 

Hi Supermoms,

Let me share a secret with you....

I love Pasta 💖 .  I am always excited to make different kinds of pasta . Recently I had shared the Macaroni Pie Recipe with all of you. Hope you try it out soon. 

Today, I am sharing a tasty and easy to make pasta dish using mushrooms. It comes together so quickly and is a perfect lunch box recipe too. You can always personalise the dish depending upon your taste preference. You can use vegetables of your choice and keep the pasta more colourful. 

Even without any sauce, this pasta is sure to impress everyone. Here is a special tip for those packing the pasta for lunch box. Just add a few tablespoons of water that you have used to boil pasta. This way, the pasta does not dry up and is super fresh and tasty during lunch time. 

Now, let me share the recipe...

Mushroom Pasta | Mushroom Macaroni By Masterchefmom

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves: 1 adult or 2 children

1 cup = 250 ml cup

Ingredients:

1 cup macaroni (you can use pasta of your choice)

12 button mushrooms (1 box)

2-3 garlic cloves( finely chopped)

1 onion( thinly sliced)

1/4 cup coloured bell peppers

2-3 tsp black or green olives (optional)

4-5 basil leaves (fresh or use 1/2 tsp dry seasoning)

1/8 tsp black pepper powder(adjust)

1 tablespoon Olive oil

salt to taste

To Garnish:

grated cheese as per liking

Note: 

1. Adjust the quantity of pasta depending upon the number of people you are going to serve.

2. Instead of black pepper powder, you can always use white pepper powder or chilli flakes. 

3. Do not throw away the water that you use to cook pasta. 

4. If you are vegan, just skip cheese. Still tastes delicious.

Method:

1. Heat a pan with olive oil.

2. Add finely chopped garlic and fry them till they are slightly brown.

3. Add onion and fry them till they turn slightly brown. This is an important step.

4. Now add mushrooms, black pepper powder, salt and allow the mushrooms to cook. 

Note: This step takes 5-7 minutes. You can boil your pasta while the mushrooms are cooking.

5. Once the mushrooms are well done, add coloured bell peppers, olives, basil leaves and let it cook for just 1-2 minutes on low flame. 

6. Drain the pasta and add it to the cooked vegetables.Add grated cheese and a few extra teaspoons of the pasta water, mix and switch off.

That's it! Your Mushroom Macaroni is now ready! Enjoy it with few pieces of toasted bread or pack them for lunch box. Either way they are just so yummy!

Happy Cooking!

With love,

Masterchefmom

Lauki Khichdi | Bottle Gourd Khichdi Recipe | One Pot Gluten Free Recipe

 

 Hi Supermoms,

I often resort to comfort desi foods or Pasta 😁. One of my favorite comfort meal is our own “super food”, the "Khichdi". I love my Khichdi with potatoes or fresh seasonal vegetables like carrots, peas, Bottle-gourd etc. Yes, you read it right! Bottle-gourd or what is popularly called Lauki makes an excellent Khichdi ingredient.

Winter has set in and the vegetables are so fresh. The lauki that you get these days are so tasty. I made a very cheerful, soulful bowl of Lauki Khichdi, the recipe of which I am sharing in this blog. This Khichdi is not only soothing to your stomach but will also cleanse your palate especially when you have been eating outside food for many days in a row and longing for a home cooked meal.

The best part is that it requires very less effort to cook it. I made a quick one pot meal and enjoyed with lots of ghee, papad , achaar/pickle and dahi/curd. I am always generous with my ghee😀, how about you?

I know that some of you think that Khichdi is boring, bland or tasteless. Just try making this Khichdi. You will love it. 

If you do not have bottle gourd in your pantry, try using potatoes or carrots. You can make the simple plain  version with just a tadka / tempering if you don’t want any veggies in your Khichdi.

Go ahead and make yourself this superfood.

Lauki Khichdi By Masterchefmom

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves- 2-3

1 cup = 100 ml cup

Ingredients:

2 cups bottle gourd/lauki ( peeled and chopped into small pieces)

1 cup raw rice 

1/2 cup yellow moong dal

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

handful of coriander leaves(finely chopped)

salt to taste

To Temper:

2-3 tsp ghee

1/2 tsp jeera/cumin seeds

large pinch asafoetida/hing

2-3 garlic cloves (finely chopped)

1-2 green chilli 

1 sprig curry leaves

Important Note : If you are vegan, substitute ghee with coconut oil.

Pre-Work:

1. Take one cup rice and 1/2 cup moong dal in a bowl and wash it at least 2 times. Drain excess water and set it aside. You can also add 6 cups water to the mixture and allow it to soak. Adjust water quantity depending upon the type of rice you are using.

2. Peel the bottle gourd and chop them into smaller pieces. This way, it melts in the mouth when you eat. 

3. Finely chop garlic. You can use both red and green chilli for this khichdi. It is surely a personal choice. The green chillies I get now are really spicy. So, just one green chilli was sufficient. Also, I do not chop or make a slit in the chilli. The khichdi has to be soothing both to the palette and stomach😀. So, I kept the khichdi mildly spicy. This way, it appeals to everyone in the family. 

Now that everything is ready, let's start cooking the Lauki Khichdi..

Method:

1.  Heat  pressure cooker with ghee.

2. Temper with ingredients given under "To temper".

3. Add the washed rice and dal mixture with water. If haven't soaked the dal, rice mixture, just add  water ( 2.5 times the quantity of rice and dal)

4. Add salt and half the quantity of coriander leaves.

5. Pressure cook on low/medium flame for 3-4 whistles. 

6. Switch off.

7. Once the pressure releases, open and add the remaining coriander leaves and mix/slightly mash the khichdi using the back of the ladle.

Chef tips: If the khichdi is slightly dry and you like it to be more mushy , add 1/4 cup hot water and place the cooker on flame, mix for 1-2 minutes and switch off. 

Your delicious Lauki Khichdi is now ready to be served! You can add a dollop of ghee when you are serving it along with papad, pickle and curd.

This is truly a divine combo. A must try!

Do try and share your feedback with me.

Happy Cooking!

With love,

Masterchefmom

Macaroni Pie Recipe | Baked Pasta Recipe by Masterchefmom

 

Hi Supermoms,

How are you all? 

It has been a while since I updated my blog with fresh recipes. More than the recipes, I missed clicking pictures for the blog. With instagram reels and Youtube Shorts eating up all my time, I am left with very less energy to update the blog. 

I do not want to give any more excuse... so here I am today with a delicious pasta recipe. Pasta is a favourite of both my daughter and me. We are always finding new excuses to try different kinds of Pasta. My daughter going away to college meant I have started having pasta only once in a while now, since my husband likes more of "Desi treats". 

My daughter coming home for Diwali holidays got me back in to the Pasta street. As soon as she came back,  she requested me to make a pasta. I wanted to make something really special for her and thus was born "Macaroni Pie". It came out wonderfully. 

It has simple ingredients which come together to make an irresistibly tasty dish. Instead of macaroni, you can make it with any pasta of your choice. You can also make this completely vegan by skipping milk and adding a few cashews while grinding the cauliflower. You can also skip the cheese and instead add crumbled tofu and bread crumbs. 

You can make this pie in advance for your guests or can even pack it for lunch box. It is also a great weekend dinner idea. 

My daughter loved the Macaroni Pie  and relished it. But the icing was that Raghu, who is not a big fan of pasta also approved the taste. 

So, just go ahead and give this yummy pasta a try!

Macaroni Pie Recipe by Masterchefmom

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 45 mins

Serves: 3-4

1 cup = 250 ml cup

Ingredients:

For the cauliflower layer:

1 head cauliflower

2-3 garlic cloves

1/8 tsp pepper powder( adjust)

1/4 cup milk

Italian seasoning as per liking (you can always use fresh herbs)

3 tsp olive oil

Salt to taste

For the tangy macaroni layer:

2 tsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves( finely chopped)

1 onion ( thinly sliced)

1/2 bell pepper( thinly sliced)

1 tsp olives( optional)

3-4 tomatoes( ground)

2 cups macaroni 

Salt to taste

For the Cheese layer:

Mozzarella cheese or cheese of your choice

Herbs (dry or fresh) 

Olives 

Method:

1. Add cauliflower and garlic to boiling water and allow it to cook for 7-8 minutes, drain and allow it to cool down.

2. Grind the cauliflower-garlic mixture along with milk to make a smooth and thick paste.

3. Add olive oil, salt, pepper powder and Italian seasoning, mix well and set it aside.

4. To a kadai/pan, add olive oil.

5. Add garlic and fry till it is well browned.

6. Now add thinly sliced onions, bell pepper and mix well.

7.Add the ground tomatoes, chilli flakes, Italian seasoning ,salt and allow the tomatoes to cook well.

8. Add olives, boiled macaroni ( cook as per instructions in the packet) , mix well and cook for just 2-3 minutes and switch off.

Assembling the Pie: 

To an oven safe dish, firstly spoon the tomato macaroni, then add the cauliflower layer and finish off by sprinkling cheese generously. You can garnish with more olives and seasoning. You can even add coloured bell peppers or cherry tomatoes to make it look more vibrant.

Baking the Pie:

Pre-heat the oven at 200 degrees C for 10 minutes. Place the baking dish in the middle tray and bake it at 180 degrees C for 20 minutes. 

Please note that the baking time will vary a little depending upon the oven model you are using. Adjust accordingly. 

You will find that the top layer has browned towards the corner, an indication that the pie is now ready to be served!!

Chef tip : After boiling the cauliflower to make the cauliflower layer, I set aside one cup florets to make oven roasted cauliflower. For that, I simply added some dried oregano and chilli flakes and salt to 2 teaspoons of olive oil and rubbed the oil into the cauliflower florets. Then, I spread them onto a baking sheet and baked them in a pre-heated oven for 20-25 minutes . 

For the garlic bread, I added some crushed garlic, dry oregano, chilli flakes to butter. Mixed it well and spread it on bread. Sprinkled, cheese and veggies on top and baked them in a pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes or till the cheese is melted. 

I served them along with the macaroni pie. It was just divine. I received so much compliments from my family. It was one stunning looking and delicious meal. 

I hope you try this recipe soon. Waiting to hear your feedback....

Happy Cooking!

With love,

Masterchefmom

Karuveppilai Podi | Curry Leaves Podi Recipe | Gluten Free and Vegan

 

Hi Supermoms,

Steaming hot rice with dollops of ghee mixed with a tasty and spicy podi, accompanied with Vadams or Appalams. You are already salivating right?

Nothing is a better palate cleanser than a well made podi rice. While there are many popular podis like, Paruppu Podi , Andhra style gunpowder, Coconut Podi, Peanut Podi, Pepper-Jeera Podi, one of my favourites is the Karuveppilai podi, the Curry Leaf Powder.

Curry leaves are filled with health benefits. Karuveppilai is a super food. It is great for the body internally and externally. Do you know that in the earlier days they even used the leaves to make herbal oil ? They are also used as a medicine for cuts and burns. Isn't it amazing?

You can check out my post on the health benefits of curry leaves, how to preserve, store and use curry leaves for a long period here.

So today, I am going to directly share the Curry leaves Podi Recipe. Like all podi recipes, this one is so easy to make. 

Curry leaves Podi tastes amazing with hot rice and ghee or sesame oil. You can also serve along with idli/dosai. 

There are just a few pointers that you need to remember.

Sharing them below:

1. Make sure that the curry leaves are completely dry before you proceed to roast them.

2. Wash the curry leaves , pat dry and spread them on a kitchen towel to dry. 

3. You can dry them in your kitchen counter itself.

4. Only after it is completely dry, proceed to roast them in a pan . The curry leaves have to be roasted till they are crisp. Make sure not to burn them. Roasting them correctly ensures that your podi gets the right colour and taste. Fry them over low flame. 

5. While grinding, first grind the dal and spices to a coarse powder and then add the curry leaves. 

Curry Leaves Podi Recipe By Masterchefmom

Preparation time: 1/2 day

Cooking time: 10 minutes

1 cup = 250 ml

Ingredients:

1 cup husked black gram/urad dal

1/4 cup cumin seeds/jeera

10-12 dry red chillies

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp sea salt

large pinch asafoetida

1.5 cup Curry leaves

Note : You can reduce 5 red chillies and add 1 teaspoon black peppercorns. That will also be tasty. 

Method:

1. Heat a kadai on low flame and dry roast urad dal till it turns fragrant and slightly brown. Transfer it to a wide plate and place the pan back on low flame.

2. Add jeera and roast it till it starts to pop up and transfer it to the same plate.

3. Next, add a teaspoon of oil and add dry red chillies. Roast them and transfer it to a plate.

4. Now add the dried curry leaves to the pan and over low flame roast them till they turn crisp. 

5. Switch off the gas. 

6. Add salt and asafoetida to the ground ingredients and grind every thing , except curry leaves to a coarse powder.

7. Add curry leaves and grind the podi again. You can grind it smooth or coarsely. It depends upon your taste preference. 

Your Karuveppilai podi is now ready! Transfer the podi to a wider bowl for it to cool. Once the podi has cooled down completely, transfer it to a clean, dry, odour free bottle. The curry powder stays fresh for up to 3-4 months. 

Do try and share your feedback with me.

Happy Cooking!

With love, 

Masterchefmom

Appam Batter Recipe | How to make perfect appam batter with yeast by Masterchefmom

 

As you enter a South Indian coastal food restaurant, the aroma of appam captivates you. 

Just like many of you, I am also a major fan of the fluffy round, bowl shaped Appam. 

I love to feast on it by dunking it in to fresh Coconut Milk or hot vegetable stew with a distinctive coconut flavour. It is one of those dishes which is not only great to eat, but also great to look at. I am always mesmerised when I watch a chef make appam in that special Appa Kadai. A decade ago, I decided to start making them at home.

Though just by looking at the process, it might intimidate the beginners, it is actually quite simple if you get the batter right. 

I have tried to break down the basics into a few simple steps and using a small quantity so that the entire process is manageable. Once you try the recipe for a couple of times, you can always double the quantity. 

 After a couple of time you make the appams, you will agree with me how simple it is to make but also deeply satisfying. You can never stop with just a couple of appams. Let me warm you, they are quite addictive.

I am sharing a fool-proof recipe to make soft and spongy appams in an easy non-sticky manner.  You can either use a non-stick appa kadai/appa chatti or an iron appa kadai. I have used an iron appa kadai. I have shared the method to season an iron appa kadai here. Do check it out. 

This makes the kadai totally non-sticky. The appams slide out of the kadai easily. You can use a small size dosai ladle or the back of the dosai ladle to gently remove the sides of the appam. You can use a paper tissue to rub some oil ( either coconut oil or sesame oil) in the kadai before every couple of appams. There is no need to drizzle oil for each appam. 

Appam Batter Recipe By Masterchefmom

Preparation time: 9 hours

Cooking time: approx 5 mins per appam

Makes: 15 appams

1 glass = 150 ml cup

Note: Use the same size glass/cup to measure rice, coconut and water

Ingredients:

1 cup idli rice

1 cup fresh grated coconut

1/4 tsp yeast

1.5 tsp sugar

1 tsp sea salt

Method:

8 Steps to make a perfect Appam batter

STEP 1: 

Wash 1 glass of  idli rice three to four times and soak it in 2 glasses of water for 3-4 hours.

STEP 2:

Drain excess water and add the rice to the jar of a mixer. Add 1 glass of fresh coconut and grind the mixture to a smooth paste . Add 1/4 cup-1/2 cup water while grinding( adjust)

STEP 3:

Take 1 tbsp of the ground batter in a pan, and mix it with 1/2 cup water without any lumps.

STEP 4:

Place this mixture over low flame and keep stirring till you get a smooth porridge consistency and switch off.

STEP 5:

To this mixture, add 1.5 tsp sugar( you can adjust the amount of sugar as per taste) and 1 tsp salt ( preferably sea salt) and mix well. 

STEP 6:

 If the mixture is still hot, add 1 more tablespoon of batter and mix it along with the cooked batter . The mixture should not be too hot or cold, it should be luke warm. Now, add 1/4 tsp yeast and mix without any lumps. You can add 1/4 cup water and mix well. 

Alternate Method: You can add the cooked batter with salt, sugar, yeast in a mixer instead of mixing with hand.

STEP 7: 

Pour this mixture into the ground batter, mix well with your hands.

STEP 8 : 

Cover and rest for 6-8 hours or overnight. 

Your perfect appam batter is now ready!! 

Important Note: 

Appam batter will be slightly thinner than dosai batter. You can always make the first appam and check for the consistency. If it is too thick, add water to the batter and make the remaining appams. I am sure they will be loved by your family and friends. 

You can serve appams with coconut milk or stew of your choice. Simply divine !

Do try and share your feedback with me. If you liked the video, do share the same with your friends and family. 

Happy Cooking!

With love,

Masterchefmom

Pacharisi Idli | Raw Rice Idli |How to make Pacharisi Idli at home |Gluten Free and Vegan Recipe | Festival Special Recipe

Hi Supermoms,

'Pacharisi' or raw rice idlis are made during special festival days in our home. Raw rice and urad dal are soaked separately for three to four hours and is ground in a stone grinder. The batter is then fermented for 6-8 hours or over night . They are then poured into idli plates and steamed till they are done. Soaking the right proportion of rice: urad is the key to getting soft idlis. 

I am sharing my tried and tested recipe for you. But decide the quantity of urad depending upon the quality of the dal. I have used sona masuri raw rice and split husked gram (split urad dal/urad sabut) to make this recipe.

I served the idlis in thaiyyal illai ( stitched leaves) made from mandarai leaf ( paper mulberry tree) . Delicious !

Pacharisi Idli | Raw Rice Idli:

Preparation time :12-14 hours

Cooking time : 10 minutes

Serves : 10

1 cup = 250 ml Cup

Special Vessel/Equipment : Stone grinder or mixie/mixer/food processor, Idli plates, Idli Steamer or Pressure cooker ( do not use the whistle), thin and clean kitchen towel 

Ingredients :

1 cups raw rice / pacharisi ( I used sona masuri raw rice)

1  cup husked black gram/urad dal ( I used the split urad dal)

1 teaspoon fenugreek/methi seeds

water ( adjust)

salt ( to taste, preferably sea salt)

You can watch the Raw Rice Idli Recipe Video below:

Method :

To grind the idli batter:

1. Wash the rice and soak in water ( approximately 6-7 glasses) for 3-4 hours.

2. Wash the urad dal and fenugreek seeds and soak in a separate vessel (approximately 2 -3 glasses of water) for 2-3 hours.

Chef Tips : The quantity of urad dal will depend upon the quality that is available in your country/area/city. For me, 1 cup works like a charm. You can decide the exact quantity of dal after you try for a couple of times. 

3. Drain the excess water in another bowl and grind the urad dal in a stone grinder 

for 40-45 minutes or until the time the batter turns white , fluffy and light. You can also grind the batter in a mixie/mixer. The idlis turn out equally soft. 

4. Once you have checked , remove/collect the ground urad batter from the grinder/mixer.

5. Drain the excess water from the soaked rice and add it to the grinder and grind the rice to a smooth consistency. Again, you can use a mixie. For this quantity of rice and urad dal, I generally use mixie. When I make a larger batch, I use my stone grinder.





6. Once the rice is ground, remove and add the rice batter to the urad dal batter, add salt and mix well using your hands ( traditional method) or spatula. 

7. Beat the batter to make it more airy and allow the batter to rest/ ferment in a warm place ( covered) for at least 6 -8 hours.

8. During winter months you can keep the batter (covered) on top of your refrigerator or heat up the oven for 5-7 minutes, switch off and place some newspapers inside the oven , place the idli batter inside and keep the door of the oven lightly open .

This helps the batter in fermenting. 

9.You will find the batter fermented well. Do not stir the batter too much. Just gently stir once and spoon the batter into the plates. Freshly fermented batter gives the best texture to idlis rather than the refrigerated batter. When you are using the refrigerated batter, keep the batter outside to thaw for at least 30 minutes. 

10. Grease the idli plates and spoon the batter in the depression.

11. Steam cook the idlis for 10 minutes.

12. Check by inserting a fork/tooth pick in the middle of the idli. If it comes out clean, switch off.

Your delicious Idlis are ready to be served with chutney, sambar and milagaipodi.  You can check out my Traditional Idli recipe to get more detailed tips and stepwise pictures.

Chef Tips for grinding batter :

Tip 1: Run the grinder and add rice little at a time so that it spreads and starts grinding uniformly.

Tip 2:Add the drained water first, little a time.If you add all the water in one go, the rice will not grind uniformly . It will also take more time to grind.

Tip 3: If the stone grinder starts making noise, it indicates that you need to add more water.

Tip 4: You can use a long spatula to remove the residue of rice sticking to the sides of the grinder while grinding.

Tip 5: Do not put your hand inside to check whether it is done when the grinder is switched on.

 Instead, you can use a spatula to remove a small portion of the batter.

Tip 6: Do not add too much water as the Idli batter consistency should be thick and in pouring consistency.

Tip 7: Do not leave the grinder unattended for a long time. 

Hope the recipe and tips are useful to you. Do try this idli recipe and share your feedback with me. 

Happy Cooking !

With love,

Masterchefmom

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Raw Banana Poriyal| Raw Banana Poriyal| Vazhakkai Poriyal/Kari

 

Hi Supermoms,

Everyone loves the Raw Banana chips from South India. It gives a great feeling as you bite in to the thick and crispy chip. Did you know, raw Bananas are very healthy and in South India, many families make a dry subzi which goes very well with lunch thali, especially with Rice and Rasam. We call it the Vazhakkai Curry or the Raw Banana Curry. However you need to cook it carefully to ensure the crispness on the outside and softness on the insides with the right level of spice and salt. I also share tips to ensure that the Banana pieces do not get mashed and mushy. This poriyal is easy to make and incredibly tasty to eat especially with Rasam Rice and Curd Rice. Enjoy the Raw Banana curry.

Now, let me share the recipe..

Raw Banana Poriyal| Vazhakkai Poriyal/Kari 

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves: 2-3

1 cup=250 ml cup

Ingredients:

5 medium size raw banana(peeled and chopped)

1/8 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp sambar powder(adjust)

salt to taste

To temper:

2-3 tsp oil ( sesame/coconut oil or oil of your choice)

1/2" ginger( grated or finely chopped)

3/4 tsp chana dal/Bengal gram

1/2 tsp urad dal/husked black gram

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1 sprig curry leaves

Method:

1. Heat three cups of water, add the chopped raw banana, turmeric powder and let it boil for 5 minutes. The raw banana should be 'just cooked'.

2. Heat a kadai or any heavy bottom pan with oil and temper with ingredients given under 'To Temper'. 

3. Drain the raw banana and add it to the kadai.

4. Add sambar powder, salt and mix well.

5. Allow the raw banana to fry for a few minutes or till the desired (soft/crunchy)consistency. 

Your delicious and healthy Raw Banana Poriyal is now ready!

Tips to prevent raw banana from sticking to the pan and also getting mushy:

1. Use a heavy bottom vessel. A well seasoned iron kadai will work the best.

2. Let the raw banana boil just for 5 minutes. Drain the excess water and you use in the poriyal(explained in the next tip) .

3. In case, the raw banana starts to stick to the pan, sprinkle few drops of the drained water over the sides of the pan and continue to stir. 

4. While chopping the raw banana, make sure that the pieces are not too small, too big or too thin. You can refer to the video to see how I cut them.

5.Always cook them over low flame. 

6. To make the raw banana poriyal, extra crispy, you can add one or two teaspoons of oil over the sides of the pan as they are cooking.

7. If you are cooking in an iron pan, transfer the cooked poriyal immediately to another serving vessel/bowl. 

Hope these tips are useful. Do try the recipe and share your feedback with me.

Happy Cooking!

With love,

Masterchefmom