Milagu, Jeeraga (Pepper and Cumin) Rasam

Milagu and jeeraga (Pepper & Cumin) rasam - preparation time 10 to 15 mins
Best recipe for rainy season. Can prevent cold as we are adding spices like pepper and cumin. Surely include this rasam in your weekly/ once in 15 days. Healthy diet.

My mom used to make this rasam monthly once. It will be tangy, spicy and tasty. We love it with white rice and roasted papad. It will be hot and spicy but, anyway we will like and eat it. We feel very refreshed when we take this rasam. When mom cooks and transfers to serving vessel surely we will take a sip. Mom used to make in tradition way. In below recipe i have modified a bit.

She used to roast the whole pepper in ghee and grind it along with soaked tamarind pulp along with rock salt in the stone grinder i.e. ammi & kozhivi. As i don't have them in my apartment kitchen; i choose below method. If you are going to cook for big family you can follow my moms method and grind to paste in mixer.

Health tips: Pepper contains medicinal values to reduce cough and cold. So ground pepper can be roasted in ghee and taken for cough. It is good for digestion and can be used for cooking so that the chili powder can be added in less quantity. It is a good antioxidant, Can be included in food for people who have constipation and cold problem. Ulcer patient don'consume any spicy food (which contains chili or pepper)

Ingredients:-
Pepper - 2 tbsp (Don't take in heap. The pepper have to be grounder coarsely and used. If you use finely grounded powder the rasam will be like kashayam (medicine) so take care)
Cumin seed - 1 tbsp
Tamarind paste - 1 or 2 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Toor dhal paste - 4 or 5 tbsp (Pressure cook toor dhal and mash. Dilute with 2 cup of water )


Preparation method:-
In a tawa add ghee, cumin seed. When cumin seed is roasted add the pepper powder and roast slight. Add the tamarind paste and little water (so that the pepper won't burn i.e. karugathu).
Let this boil till the raw smell of tamarind juice goes off. Finally add the dhal water and leave it to boil.
This is best rasam during rainy season, people who are sick, people who are tired or with body pain.
You can increase the spice level by adding more pepper powder. This has to be taken with white rice and roasted papad. You cant stop eating so surely you will also cook more frequently.
I hope surely you people try it out and provide your feedback.


Note: If you want you can also add coarsely ground cumin seed along with pepper powder. It will also taste good.

Kovakkai poriyal (Ivy Gourd dry curry)

Kovakkai poriyal (Ivy gourd dry curry) preparation time 15 to 20 mins

In my moms place they wont cook certain vegetables (like kovakkai, vellarikai, pudalanga). Only in my in-laws place they used to cook these vegetables. Since my husband like these vegetables i started cooking them along with other vegetables. Only few months before i cooked this kovakka poriyal. I haven't tasted in my in-laws house so, i really don't know the taste and what to add. I cooked in my style. After tasting my husband told it is good but, when my mom cooks it wont shrink and will get some saunf taste. The second time i tried the below one.

Health Tips :- Kovakkai (Ivy Gourd) is very good for diabetic patient. So they can add Kovakkai weekly once. This is rich in beta carotene according to research. Contains vitamin and nutrient values.

Ingredients:-
Kovakkai chopped - 1 cup (chop to circle not too thin or too thick)
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Salt  - To taste
Saunf - 1 tbsp (or you can take little according to your spice taste)
Garlic pods - 2
Water - 3/4 or 1 cup
Mustard seed - 1 tsp
Chili powder - 1 tsp
Sesame oil - 2 tbsp
Curry leaves - 5


Preparation method:-
In a vessel boil water along with turmeric. Add chopped kovakkai and cook till it is tender.
Crush the saunf along with garlic pods and keep aside.
In a tawa add oil, mustard. Leave it to splutter. Add the curry leaves, boiled kovakai, salt, chili and mix well.
Cover it for few minutes. Stir and see whether the kovakkai is slightly brown over the edges. If so then the dry curry is done.
You can take this yummy kovakkai poriyal with thakkali or poondu rasam. I hope you and your family will like it. If want you can add grated coconut (optional) after switching of the flame. 

Coconut Garlic Onion chutney

Coconut & Garlic onion chutney - preparation time 10 mins
Coconut is good when taken uncooked and limited quantity. We can make it much more health by adding few other ingredients. Last week i tried adding garlic and small onion and tried our normal coconut chutney (i.e. coconut, roasted gram & green chili). It came out well and nice with ven pongal. As garlic is good for heart and it will be difficult to consume raw you can add it chutney. So we will be able to take it raw. Happy and healthy living.

Ingredients:-
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Green chili - 2 (you can add according to your spice level)
Garlic pods - 2
Small onion - 2
Roasted channa spilt (Pottukadalai) - 1 ½ tsp
Mustard - ¼ tsp
Urad dhal - 1 tsp
Sesame oil - 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Water - required amount

Preparation method:-
In a mixer add grated coconut, green chili,garlic, small onion and blend to smoot paste. Finely add roasted channa, salt and little water (don’t add too much water it will bring down the taste of chutney. Add water which is required to grind) and grind again.
Heat 1 tsp oil to tawa with mustard, urad dhal and fry till dhal is light brown. Add this to chutney and take with idli/dosa/chapatti.
If you provide feedback it will be valuable for me and i will come to know whether you like tradition cooking with some healthy fusion.