okra/lady's finger sweet pachadi (Vendakai inipu pachadi)

Vendakai (okra/lady's finger) sweet pachadi preparation time 20 to 25 mins

Ingredients:-
Okra (Vendakai) - 15 to 20
Green chili - 1 (slit in the middle)
Turmeric - ¼ tsp
Mustard seed - ¼ tbsp
Salt - little (to cook with mango)
Jaggery - grated (50 or 75 gms)
Water - very little

Preparation method:-
In a pan add oil, chili, vendakai (ladys finger)and fry till it is cooked.
Add turmeric, sprinkle little water, cook softly and keep separately.
In another vessel boil the jaggery with little water. Filter and remove the dirt from jaggery (if any).
Boil the jaggery to thick consistency and add to cooked ladys finger.
In a tawa add little oil, mustard, urad dhal. Once dhal turns brown add to vendakai and jaggery.
Let jaggery and vendakai boil little.
Vendakai sweet pachadi can be taken with any rice.

Mango sweet pachadi ( Mangai inipu pachadi)

Mango sweet pachadi - preparation time 20 to 25 mins

My dad and husband like pachadi very much. Especially my dad will start with paruppu sadam along with mango pachadi and end with curd rice along with mango pachadi. He likes sweet so, he takes this pachadi with all the rice. Some people like this combination. II used to cook this for my husband. You can also try it out when you get mango.

Ingredients:-
Half ripe mango - 1 (If it is sweet mango it will taste good. Grate mango into pieces. Let the pieces be little thick than potato chips)
Green chili - 1 (slit in the middle)
Turmeric - ¼ tsp
Mustard seed - ¼ tbsp
Salt - little (to cook with mango)
Jaggery - grated (50 or 75 gms)
Water - required amount to cook mango

Preparation method:-
Remove the mango skin and grate.

In a pan add oil mustard seed, urad dhal, chili and roast till dhal is golden brown.
Add the grated mango. Sauté for few mins.
Add pinch of salt, water, turmeric, green chili, sambar powder 1/2 tsp to mango and cook.
In another vessel boil the jaggery with little water. Filter and remove the dirt from jaggery (if any).
Boil the jaggery to thick consistency(one string pagu) and add to cooked mango.

Let Jaggery and Mango boil till it becomes thick.

Garnish with curry leaves

This mango sweet pachadi will go well with rice.

Plantain thandu curry with curd (vazhai thandu mourporiyal)

Plantain thandu curry with curd (vazhai thandu more poriyal) - preparation time 20 mins

Ingredients:-
Plantain thandu - 2 cup/250gms (chopped to small thin strips.)
Mustard seed - ¼ tsp
Sesame oil -2 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tbsp
Chili - 2 (split into 2 pieces)
Coriander seed (Dhaniya) - 1 tbsp
Cumin seed (Jeera) - 1 tbsp
Curd - 3 tbsp
Salt to taste
Turmeric - ¼ tsp
Water - ¾ or 1/2 cup
Curry leaves - 10 (finely chopped)
Coriander leaves - 4 (finely chopped)

Preparation method:-
Crush cumin & coriander seed along with chili, ¼ cup of water and salt. Take the juice of the mixture.
Boil vazhai thandu along with the above extract, turmeric, 1 tbsp of curd and required water.
Cooked till the thandu is soft.
In a tawa/kadai add oil and mustard. Once it splutters add the urad dal and roast till golden brown.
Add little chopped curry leaves, cooked plantain thandu (along with remaing water) and fry for few minutes. If you like add little finely chopped coriander leaves

Note :To chop plantain thandu: - Plantain thandu will be cylindrical. First chop the thandu to small thin circles and immerse in water (mix 1/2 tsp of curd to water so that thandu won’t become black). While making slices remove the thread strings coming out (naar). After that cut the circle into 3 pieces and chop to thin strips and keep.

Tomato paste rasam

Tomato paste rasam - preparation time 15 mins
Some kids take rasam only if it is clear. They don't like tomato pieces or curry leaves while eating rasam with rice. To make them eat (without forcing them) you can try below method. So you and your kid will be happy. Enjoy

Ingredients:-
Tomato - 1
Coriander fresh leaves - 3 or 4 strings
Cumin seed (Jeera) - ½ tbsp
Coriander seed (dhania) - ½ tbsp
Chili - 2
Asafoetida - ½ tbsp
Tamarind paste - 1 tbsp
Curry leaves - 1 string (chop the leaves finely)
Salt - to taste
Turmeric - ¼ tsp
Cooked toor dhal - 3 tbsp (add this to 100 ml of water and mix well)
Mustard seed - ¼ tbsp
Ghee - 1 tbsp

Preparation method:-
Roast dhania, jeera, chili and grind coarse powder.
Grind tomato & coriander leaves to paste.
In a vessel add 20 ml of water, turmeric, tomato & coriander paste, powder, tamarind paste.
Boil this till raw smell of tomato goes off.
Once it is done add the dhal water and switch of before it starts boiling.
In a tawa add ghee, ½ tsp cumin seed. Once it splutters add asafoetida, curry leaves and add to rasam
This can be taken with rice. Some people will be tempted to drink as soup. Take it as you like.

Potato masal for puri (Urulai kizhangu masala)

Potato masal for puri can be taken for chapathi also - preparation time 15 to 20 mins
Our traditional sidedish for puri which is an easy recipe for beginners.

Ingredients:-
Boiled potato - 3 (pressure cook the potato, peel off the skin and chop to big cubes)
Small onion - 10 (chopped to thin strips)
Green chili - 2 (chopped to small pieces)
Carrot - 1/2 cup (optional)
urad dhal - 1 tbsp
mustard seed - ¼ tsp
Sesame oil - 2 or 3 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
Coriander leaves - finely chopped 1 tbsp
Bengal gram flour - 1/4 tsp
Curry leave 1 string - finely chopped

Preparation method:-
In a pan add oil, mustard, urad dhal and fry till the dhal is golden brown.
Add the chopped green chili, onion,carrot(optional), curry leaves, salt and fry till the onion is cooked.

Add turmeric powder, required water to cook. 

Add mashed potato pieces to boiling items.

Mix bengal gram flour with little water and add this paste to boiling gravy it will make the gravy thick and gives the glossy, tempting look.

Leave to boil for few mins so the raw smell of bengal flour goes off.

Finally garnish with fresh coriander leaves

Take this curry with puri.