Kathirikai & Palakottai kootu (Brinjal and jackfruit seed gravy)

Kathirikai & Palakottai kootu (Brinjal, jackfruit seed kootu) - Preparation time 20 mins
We will buy jack fruit and eat the delicious, sweet jack fruit and throw off the seed part. But the seed will be good when we roast and eat or cook with vegetables as kootu. Next time if you get jack fruit don't thrown the seed try this kootu.

Ingredients:-
Jackfruit seed - 6 crushed
Brinjal (Kathirikai) - 8
Sambar powder - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Toor dhal - pressure cooked 1 cup.
Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Urad dhal - 1 tsp
Cumin - 1/2 tsp
Water - to cook brinjal
Sesame oil - 1 tsp
Curry leave - 6 (chopped finely)

Preparation method:-
Pressure cook the jack fruit seed for 2 to 3 whistle (you can keep this when you cook white rice. don't worry it will be cooked well) and keep aside.
In a vessel add water, turmeric, sambar powder, salt and boil. Add the chopped brinjal cubes. When cooked half way add cooked jack fruit seed.
Once brinjal is cooked add mashed toor dhal and leave it to boil.
In a kadai add sesame oil, mustard to splutter, urad dhal to brown & cumin to splutter, curry leaves. Garnish the kootu and boil.Serve hot with white rice.

Keerai puli kadaiyal (Sour Green gravy)

Keerai puli kadaiyal (Sour green gravy for rice) - Preparation time 15 to 20 mins)
Many people love pulicha keerai gravy which we usually get in most of Andra hotels when we visit balaji temple. But in some places we don't get the pulicha keerai (greens with tamarind taste - Sorrel or gongura) in that case you can try this one. Surely you will love the taste.

Ingredients:-
Green - cleaned and chopped 2 cup (I tried out in 2 type - Mullai keerai & Arakeerai)
Green chili - 2
Roasted coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Tamarind paste - 1 - 2 tbsp (if you want too sour you can take 2 tbsp)
Salt - to taste
Mustard seed - 1/4 tsp
Sesame oil - 2 tbsp
Water - to cook the green
1/2 Onion - chopped finely

Preparation method:-
Cook the greens with required amount of water, salt and green chili.
When keerai (green) is cooked add the tamarind paste. Cook till tamarind raw smell goes off.
Cool the cooked keerai. Grind in mixer to paste.
Heat a tawa add oil and mustard to splutter. Add chopped onion, little salt & coriander powder. Fry till onion is cooked.
To this add the grind keerai paste and mix well. Switch off the flame after 5 mins.
Delicious keerai puli kadaiyal is ready with available keerai. You don't miss the taste of gongura any more.
Try it out. It goes very well with white rice and roasted pappad.

Thakkali Vengaya thokku (Tomato & Onion thokku)

Thakkali Vengaya  thokku (Tomato & Onion thokku) - Preparation time 20 to 25 minutes
Annaivarukkum Thamizh Puthandu Vazhthukkal.
This i tasted when i went to temple with my mom's friend. She brought breakfast for us. She also told that my husband will scold on seeing the amount of oil used for making this thokku. It was tasty and spicy so i asked her the recipe to make so that i can try on my own with less oil :-). I also took input from person who is helping me in my household work. I tried my own way of making the thokku and making it little more innovative (by including health vegetables and spices). You can also try including items without excluding the basic items i.e. tomato, onion, fenugreek seed powder, cumin seed powder & coriander seed powder.


Ingredients
Onion - 1 (very finely chopped)
Tomato - 3 to 4 (Take a mix of sweet and sour tomato i.e. nattu thakkali & bangalore thakkali. only if available else you can use available type)
Ginger - half inch (finely chopped one tsp)
Garlic - 7 to 8 (finely chopped)
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Cumin powder - 1 tbsp
Fenugreek powder - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seed - 1/4 tsp
Chili powder - 1 tbsp (you can alter according to your taste)
Tamarind paste - 1/4 tsp
Salt - to taste
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Sesame oil - To cook onion and tomato. 6 to 10 tbsp
Curry leaves - 10

Preparation method:-
In a kadai heat oil. Add mustard to splutter. In a slow flame include ginger, garlic, onion, little salt and fry till onion is cooked.
Now add the spice powders -Chili, turmeric, coriander, cumin & fenugreek. Fry slightly and add tomato and cook till the oil separates out.
Finally add the tamarind paste, curry leaves and cook till the raw smell goes off.
If you want you can add little more oil and some roasted fenugreek powder after switching off the flame. The smell of fenugreek will remain.
This will be in thick paste consistency. Goes very well with dosai, idli and chapathi. As we used it will stay for few days. If you are using less oil refrigerate and use of few days.
If you are carrying during travel take care else too much oil might spell out.
Surely you will like this thokku. Try out and provide your feedback.