Chettinad Eral Sukka/ Prawn Sukka/ Shrimp Dry Recipe

                It has been long time since I am blogging. Yet my long pause has been resumed by a damn delicious recipe, (after trying you ll too accept with me) Prawn Sukka.  Rather than saying me as Non- vegetarian, I would exclaim myself as a lover of Sea Foods. Prawn is a perfect one of the sea food group.

Dal Palak / Spinach Dal Recipe

                               Spinach is considered to be a pregnancy superfood. Spinach and many other greens are recommended for pregnant women, as for the iron content, antioxidant property, etc. This helps to ease the constipation problems especially during pregnancy. That too greens with a dal, is a complete side dish. 

Idli Podi / Idly Milagai Podi / Spiced Chutney Powder Recipe / Gunpowder for Idli and Dosa

                          Whatever may be the side dish for idli and dosa like sambar, chutney, thokku, gotsu I would like to end up eating with the idli podi (and oil). For me this idli podi will accompany with curd rice and rice kanji's also.

                         Atleast once in a weak my hubby will ask for these podi idlis for his lunch. He is a great fan of it. My brother will make his regular presence to Murugan Idli Shop only for having the tasty idli podi.

                       My amma will make very tasty idli podi and ellu podi's too. In my native they usually make very fine version and little coarse version of idli podi's. I usually add a little of sesame seeds(or ellu) along with these idlipodi's. Sharing this recipe with you the fine version.

Prep time 5 mins
Cooking time 15 mins

Ingredients

1 cup Urad Dal (I used black urad dal)
1/2 cup Channa Dal
1/4 cup Sesame Seeds
28-30 nos Dried Chilies 
8-10 nos Garlic Pods
Half lemon sized Tamarind  
1 inch sized Asafoetida Solid or 1 tsp Asafoetida Powder
5 springs Curry Leaves
1 tsp Oil
As per taste Salt

Procedure

1) First we have to dry roast urad dal and channa dal.

2) Dry roast sesame seeds (This amount is for susiyam also) . Then add 1 tsp oil and roast asafoetida, curry leaves, garlic and dried chilies.

3) All the roasted ingredients should be let to cool.

4) Now we have to grind the ingredients one by one.

• first grind channa dal, after powdered coarsely 
• add urad dal, powder together
• after finely powdered add dry chilies, garlic, tamarind, curry leaves and asafoetida
• when all the above are powdered, add the sesame seeds at the last 

5) When finally the grinding is done, dont keep the mixer grinder closed, let it open to get cool down.

                          The ever yummy podi is ready.

                              

                             Note:

• The channa dal is bit harder than urad dal so usually I grind it at the first.
• It is optional to add garlic and tamarind, but adding gives good flavor.
• The colour of the podi depends on the type of chilly used.

Adding oil along with podi will give a divine taste.

Spicy and Tempting Tomato Thokku / Tomato Pickle/ Thakkali Thokku

                    Pickle making according to me is a very difficult task, because any small mistake made will spoil the whole pickle itself. So I ll always be back of my grandma for making perfect pickles for me. But tomato pickle is one which we make easily and surely will not go wrong as the end product.

                  Now a days the tomatoes are very  cheap, so i thought of making a pickle/ thokku out of it. I have read in many articles that we have to take plenty of fruits/ veges that are available in those seasons.
 
                 This tomato thokku is like an all rounder thokku as it goes well with idli, dosa, chapattis, parathas and especially with curd rice ,etc.

Prep time 15 mins
Cooking time 20 mins                
                       

Ingredients
6-7 nos Tomatoes (Ripe)
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
1/4 tsp Hing
2 inch sized Jaggery
As per Taste Salt

To Roast and Grind
1 tsp Fenugreek Seeds
1/4 tsp Mustard Seeds
12-14 nos Dried Red Chilies

To Temper
7 tbsp Sesame Oil
1 tsp Mustard
1 Spring Curry Leaves


Procedure

1. First dry roast the fenugreek seeds and mustard seeds. Powder it and keep aside.

2. Dry roast the red chilies and powder it coarsely. (I roasted more chilies for some other dishes).

3. Wash the tomatoes and make puree out of it. You can also cube the tomatoes very finely. Add the turmeric powder and hing along with the puree.

4. In a heavy bottomed vessel (i used mud pot), add the sesame oil and temper with mustard and curry leaves.

5. Followed by powdered chilly and fry without burning.

6. Add the tomato puree and salt.

7. In low flame let it cook for 10 minutes, now add the powdered fenugreek and mustard and the jaggery.

8. Let it cook for five minutes. At this stage you can see the oil oozing out. Now we can turn off the stove and let it to cool down.

                  Note:

• For this thokku country variety tomatoes will taste better than the hybrid ones.
• Instead of adding powdered dry chilies you can also add the chilly powder itself.
• When you refrigerate and use it will have shelf life of months.

Green Gram Curry

                Usually the recipes using green gram are simple and tasty. Cooking with green gram is fast when compared to other pulses because the soaking and cooking time is less for green gram. For this simple recipe no grinding is also required.

Prep time 10 mins

Cooking time 15-20 mins

Ingredients 

1/2 cup Green Gram

2-3 Small Onion (Sambar Onion)

2 Tomatoes Medium sized

1 Green Chilly

1 tsp Cumin Seeds

1/2 tbsp Chilly powder

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1pinch Hing

as per taste Salt

For Seasoning

2 tsp Oil

1 Dried Chilly

1 tsp Mustard Seeds

1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds

Few Curry Leaves

Procedure

    First dry roast the green gram lightly ( until a good smell comes). Cut the small onion and green chilly lengthwise, and also cut the tomatoes.

   Then in a pressure cooker put the roasted green gram, cut onion, tomatoes, chilly along with cumin seeds, chilly powder, turmeric powder and hing. No need to add salt while pressure cooking. Let this cooker for 8-10 whistles. 

Now open the cooker, add salt as per your salt and mix the boiled green gram with your ladle.

Finally season the curry. Garnish it with Coriander leaves.

                 Note:  As we have not soaked the green gram 8- 10 whistles is needed.

• if you are soaking the green gram then 4-5 whistles will be enough for cooking
• the same can be done by sprouting the green gram also.

               While cooking the green gram it should not turn so mushy also.

The simple tasty green gram curry can be taken along with rice, roti, even idli and dosa.