Manathakkali keerai kootu (Solanum nigrum Green leaf gravy)

Manathakkali keerai kootu preparation time 20 to 25 mins

Manathakkali is good to bring down the mouth ulcer. When we chew the fresh manathakkali leaves it will reduce the ulcer in mouth which is due to heat or ulcer in stomach
Health Tips: Green contains more iron, low fat, high protein, calcium, fibre and other vitamins so, include more greens. If possible you can make dishes using greens daily.

Ingredients:- Manathakkali leaves - 2 cups (washed and tear away the leaves using hand (without knife) because my in-law used to say when chopped using knife it will be bitter she used to remove the centre vein of the leaf but I won't remove. I just want to utilize the health part of the leaf so we can consume along with slight bitterness if it is healthy  like medicine). 
Turmeric - ¼ tsp
Sambar powder - 1 and 1/4 tsp
Salt - to taste
Water - 1 or 1 ½ cup water (till the greens get immersed)
Cumin seed and crushed black pepper - ¼ tsp
Roasted Cumin seed powder - 1 tbsp
Urad dhal - 1 tsp
Toor dhal (Thuvaram paruppu) - one cup (pressure cooked).
Grated coconut - 2 tbsp (optional)
Sesame oil - 1 tsp

Preparation method:- Boil water with turmeric, sambar powder and salt. When water boils add manathakkali keerai and cook till the greens are tender/cooked. It will take only few mins to cook.
Add cooked dhal to greens and boil.
In a tawa urad dhal (turns golden brown), cumin seed (jeera will splutter) and crushed pepper or if you have thalikkum vadagam (which contains jeera, urad dhal, onion, mustard, castor oil, etc) it can be used. Add to kootu
Add grated coconut and roasted cumin powder to kootu and serve.
Manathakkali kootu will bring down the body heat and is healthy with low fat, high protein, iron calcium, fiber, etc. Keerai kootu can be taken with rice/chapatti/roti.

Note: While cooking greens don't cover the vessel with lid because greens colour will become dark. Immediately transfer to serving bowl to avoid further cooking.

Vellam idiyappam (Jaggery and coconut idiyappam)

Vellam idiyappam (Coconut & Jaggery syrup idiyappam) - Preparation time 20 mins
Make idiyappam using idiyappam flour and idiyappam mould (refer to making of idiyappam dough). Steam it in idli cooker for few mins. Colour will change slightly when idiyappam is done. Transfer to a plate, leave it to cool. It will be like noodles make it to pieces.

Ingredients: Jaggery - 1/2 cup
Cardamom - 3 crushed finely or powdered
Grated coconut - 1 tbsp
Ghee - 1 tbsp (For kids you can add more ghee and for elders you can bring down the quantity of ghee used).
Cashew nut - 5 (chopped)
White idiyappam - 2 cup (make as specified above)
Water to melt jaggery
　
Preparation method:-
Melt jaggery with required water. When it start boils remove the dirt by filtering.
Boil the filtered syrup along with grated coconut, cardamom powder. This jaggery syrup has to be slightly thick (like sticky consistency else the idiyappam will absorb the syrup and become very dry)
Leave jaggery syrup and white idiyappam to cool. In a bowl mix the white idiyappam and jaggery syrup (retain little jaggery syrup so that you can add more if required) well.
In a kadai add ghee and cashew to roast. When cashew becomes golden brown add to idiyappam and jaggery mixture.
This is healthy, tasty and filling break fast. It will also tempt to take more even to people who don't like sweet very much. Try it out.

Basundhi (Sunda kaichiya paal & paal aadai innipu)

Basundhi - Preparation time 45 mins to 1 hr
My dad used to order basundhi when we go to hotel. My husband also told that this dish & will be delicious. As I don't take much sweet I didn't have much idea about this sweet. I thought of trying this dish. I called my cousin and aunt to ask how they will prepare this dish and prepared in my way. Usually when my husband tell me about a dish he will mostly tell what ingredients will be present in it which is enough to bring the required taste.
　
Actually this is a very rich and tasty dish. Even if you take or serve in little amount the taste will linger in your tongue. Surely people who love sweet will like this dish.
　
Ingredients:-
Milk 1 ltr - Boil the milk in low flame and collect the milk skin which appears on top of boiling milk when it is not stir using a ladle. Do this process until the milk become thick i.e 1/4^th
Saffron strings - little
Almond or Badam - 5 (finely chopped)
Pista - 5 (finely chopped)
Cashew - 2 (finely chopped)
Sugar - 3 tbsp
Preparation method:-
Boil thick milk along with saffron (crushed in milk) and sugar.
In a bowl transfer the boiled milk, chopped almond, pista, cashew along with the collected milk skin (paal aadai).
Slightly mix the ingredients and refrigerate it. Let it cool for 1 hr.
You can serve this chilled. This is very good and nutritious for kids. While serving to elders take care because it is high in cholesterol level.
Note : you can try adding little badam paste to make the dish even more rich.

Pulicha(gongura) keerai kadaiyal (Hibiscus cannabinus leave gravy)

Pulicha keerai thogayal (or) gravy - Preparation time 10 to 15 mins
Easy to make recipe. Mom used to make this very spicy to overcome the sour taste but it will be sour even after that. I love this thogayal to take along with steaming white rice, sesame oil(nalla ennai) and roasted papad. This alone will make a good meal along with curd rice.

Ingredients:-
One bunch (oru kattu) pulicha keerai - Remove the leaves alone wash it and remove the water by spreading over dry cloth
Green chili - 3 (or according to your taste)
Salt - to taste
Mustard seed - 1/4 tsp
Sesame oil - 3 tsp
Small onion - 8 to 10 (Remove the skin, wash and chop finely)

Preparation method:-
In a tawa add the green chili, pulicha keerai (gongura) along with 1 tsp sesame oil.
When fried it will become very little in quantity. All the water content will be evaporated.
Cool the leave and grind in a mixer along with required amount of salt.
Heat a tawa. Add remaining oil, mustard to splutter and onion. Let the onion be half cooked so it will be crunchy while eating.
Add ground pulichai keerai to roasted onion and sortae for few mins. Transfer to serving bowl and take with white rice.

Method III -Raw banana or Plantain chips (Vazhakai varuval)

Raw banana or plantain chips (Vazhakai varuval) - preparation time 10 to 15mins
My in-laws used to make raw banana chips in below method. Making raw banana chips will be bit more crispy but the process will take some effort. You try all the method.

Ingredients:-
Raw banana or plantain - 1
Curd - 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Red chili - 2
Oil - to deep fry
Salt - to taste

Preparation method:-
Peel the skin of plantain and cut the plantain to half.
Slice the raw banana in a bowl. Add curd, salt, red chili (break and add), turmeric to the slices and mix well.
Heat the oil and fry till the bubbles subside. Transfer to a bowl, remove excess oil using tissue. 
Kids will love the chips as it has the taste of sour, salt and spice.