Green beans lentil curry

Medicine consists of a patient, physician, prescription and nursemaid-each commanding four parts. Thirukural

Green beans lentil curry

Green beans are rich source of dietary fiber, vitamin A, Vitamin B6, thiamin , vitamin C, and it also has healthy amount of iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese and potassium which are very essential for body metabolism.  Apart from these beans also contain phenolic antioxidant such as lutein.  Fresh green beans are good source of Folate, which is essential for pregnant women.

This Green beans dry curry is very simple side dish for rice and also adding dhal to this curry will supply us the essential protein for the day.

Preparation time : 20 minutes

Cooking time : 1 hour

Ingredients

• Green beans chopped - 1 cup
• Toor dhal  ( yellow pigeon peas) - 1/2 cup
• Onion chopped - 1/4 cup
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - to taste

For tempering

• Red chilies – 2 ( adjust to your taste)
• Mustard - 1tsp
• Urad dhal - 1tsp
• Curry leaves - 1 sprig

How to make

1. First boil the toor dhal in a pressure cooker for 3 whistles, do not overcook..
2. Heat oil in a pan, add all the ingredients for tempering one by one. (Let the mustard crackle first and then add other ingredients).
3. Next add chopped onion and fry till it is translucent.
4. Then add chopped green beans and turmeric powder, salt and sauté it.
5. Also add enough water (Dhal water can also be used for this) and cook until the beans become soft, next add the boiled toor dhal without water and mix it well. Wait for few minutes and switch off the stove.
6. Serve it with rice and karakuzhambu.
   Notes we can also add grated coconut just before switching of the stove.

Peas pulav

An erudite doctor offers healing remedy after heeding, the patient’s nature, the disease’s nature and the time of year. – Thirukural

Green peas contain a healthy phytonutrients a polyphenol called coumestrol which lowers the risk of stomach cancer. Another phytonutrients saponin in green peas has anti oxidants and anti inflammatory benefits. Pea plants are environmentally friendly, they are nitrogen fixing crops.

Peas pulav is a easy to make one pot meal, I usually do this with malai koftha or simply onion raitha.

Ingredients

• Basmati rice - 3 cups
• Green peas - 1 cup
• Onion chopped - 1 cup
• Ginger - 1 inch
• Garlic – 4 cloves
• Green chilies - 5 (adjust to your taste)
• Water – 4 ½ cups

For tempering
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
Cloves - 6
Cinnamon - 2 inches
Cardamom - 3
Cumin seeds- 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Oil - 1/2 cup

How to make

1. Soak Basmathi rice in water for half an hour.
2. Then drain the rice and fry rice in a low flame till water evaporates from the rice.
3. Boil water in a separate vessel.
4. Heat oil in a pan add tempering ingredients one by one.
5. Grind ginger, garlic and green chilies in a mixer grinder. Add this paste to the oil and fry till raw smell goes away.
6. Next add chopped onion and fry till it is translucent.
7. Then add green peas and fry for few minutes.
8. Add rice and salt, mix it well. Next add boiling water, in the ratio of 1:1 and ½. For 3 cups rice, I usually add 4 ½ cups water.
9. Cook for one whistle, and then simmer it for five minutes. Switch off the stove.
10. Serve hot with spicy gravy or onion raitha.

Potato peas masala

Diagnose the illness, trace its cause, seek the proper remedy and apply it with skill – Thirukural

Potato peas masala

  

Potatoes are good source of potassium….more potassium than a banana. Also potato has 6% of the recommended daily value of Iron. It has vitamin B6 and vitamin C.   Isn’t this amazing , we can munch more potatoes as we wish…

Potato masala is very easy side dish,  it goes well with dosa, Chappathi, puri and also it can be served along with kara kuzhambu rice.

Ingredients:

• Potatoes medium sized – 4
• Green peas – ½ cup
• Onion chopped – ½ cup
• Green chilies – 2 (adjust to your taste)
• Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
• Chilly powder -  ½ tsp
• Coriander powder – 1 tsp
• Coriander leaves for garnishing

For tempering

• Mustard – 1 tsp
• Urad dhal – ½ tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Procedure:

1. First boil the potatoes in a pressure cooker up to  4 0r 5 whistles and then remove the skin , mash the potatoes well and mix turmeric powder with it.
2. Then heat oil in a pan, add all the tempering ingredients one by one, wait for it splutter.
3. Then add onion, green chilies, ginger garlic paste and saute it for 2 minutes.
4. Then add green peas, chilly powder, coriander powder  and cook it well with little water.
5. Finally add the mashed boiled potatoes and mix it well. Add salt to taste and cook for few more minutes. Then switch off the stove. Garnish with coriander leaves
6. Serve hot with Dosa (masala dosa) or with roti.

Spinach onion kulcha

Disease is but deficiency or excess of three life forces, defined in learned texts as air, fire and water. – Thirukural.

Spinach onion kulcha

Spinach has flavonoids – a phytonutrient with anti-cancer properties. It maintains low blood sugar, prevents constipation and it has anti-inflammatory properties. The vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, manganese, zinc and selenium present in spinach all serve as powerful antioxidants that combat the onset of osteoporosis, atherosclerosis and high blood pressure. Spinach protect the eye from cataracts and age related macular degeneration. High amount of Vitamin A  and Vitamin K in spinach also protects skin, bone, brain and nervous system.

After understanding all the goodness of spinach, I decided to make this stuffed spinach kulcha, I felt the taste of spinach with onion in every bite. It was so delicious...

Ingredients:

• APF ( Maida) –  3 cups
• Yogurt –  3 tsp
• Baking powder – 1 tsp
• Baking soda – a pinch
• Salt – to taste
• Sugar – 2 tsp
• Oil –  2 tsp

Makes upto 10 -15 Kulchas

Stuffing:

• Spinach  chopped – 1 cup
• Onion chopped – ½ cup
• Green chillies  - 2 (adjust to your taste)
• Cumin – ½ tsp
• Oil – 1 tsp

Procedure:

1. Mix all the ingredients and make dough of chapathi dough consistency. Let it rest for half an hour.
2. While the dough rest, prepare the stuffing.
3. Heat oil in the pan, add cumin seeds followed by chopped green chilies.
4. Then add chopped onion and fry until it become translucent. Add chopped spinach and fry until raw smell goes away and the spinach should be half cooked. Add salt to taste. Switch off the stove, let it cool down.
5. Take some portion of dough and roll out circle using a rolling pin. Keep the prepared stuffing in the center of the dough and roll out like a stuffed paratha.
6. Heat pan on a medium heat and cook stuffed kulchas on both sides with little oil.
7. Serve hot with yogurt or pickle.