Simple and quick amaranth leaves gravy (mullai keerai kootu)

Simple and quick amaranth leaves gravy (mullai keerai kootu)  - Preparation time 10 to 15 mins
When my husband went out of station, became lazy to cook and eat proper food. Since I had amaranth leaves in home I want to try some easy to cook recipes so that i can take with white rice.

If am cooking greens I would like to retain the green color so that the dish will look good and we can get the nutrient values to some extent as we won't  be able to consume raw.

Another important input - don't ever close the vessel when your are cooking greens, also cook for correct time (don't overcook).

Ingredients:-
Amaranth leaves (Mullai keerai) - 1 cup (Cleaned well and chopped to small pieces)
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Sambhar powder - 3/4 tsp
Mustard, Cumin, urad dhal - 1/2 tsp (all together)
Sesame oil - 1/4 tsp
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1
Salt to taste
Green chili - 1
Toor dhal - 2 tbsp
Water to cook dhal and greens

Preparation method:-
In a vessel add washed toor dhal, onion, tomato, little turmeric along with required water (till the ingredients get immersed). Pressure cook this for 3 to 4 whistle and switch off.
Boil water, add salt, sambhar powder along with  remaining turmeric. When water start boils add chopped mullai keerai and cook. When cooked softly, add the slightly mashed toor dhal, onion and tomato.
Leave the gravy to one boil and transfer to serving bowl immediately because keeping the greens in hot vessel will also change the color of the keerai.
Heat a kadai, add oil, mustard (to splutter), urad dhal (to brown) and cumin to splutter. Garnish this over the keerai.
Tasty, healthy and easy to prepare mullai keerai kootu is ready to eat along with white rice and roasted pappad.

Manathakkali keerai soup (Solanum nigrum leaves soup)

Manathakkali keerai soup (Solanum nigrum leaves soup) - Preparation time 10 to 15 mins
Manathakkali is good to heat the ulcer. Mom used to ask us to chew the leaves raw and drink the juice extract of the leaves so that the mouth ulcer will get healed. Similarly taking raw grated coconut or coconut milk is also good to heal the ulcer. So i am going to use both manathakkali leave and fresh coconut for this soup.

Ingredients:-
Manathakkali leaves - 10 (medium size)
Grated coconut - tbsp
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Crushed pepper - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seed - 1 tsp
Toor dhal - 1 tbsp
Water - 2 cup
Salt - to taste
Sesame oil - 1/4 tsp
Lemon juice - 1/2 tsp

Preparation method:-
Pressure cook the toor dhal with water and mash to smooth paste. Mix one cup of water to dhal and keep
In  a kadai add oil, cumin seed to splutter, chopped manathakkali leaves,turmeric, pepper and sortae for few mins. 
Add water and boil till the leaves are cooked and soft. Now add the toor dhal paste water.
When it starts boiling switch of the flame. In you hand take the grated coconut add little water and crush and juice into the boiled manathakkali soup and finally add the crushed coconut also.
This will be tasty and healthy healing soup. You can add grated and slightly fried vegetable like beans, carrot and cabbage to make it color full for kids.

Fresh ginger tea (Ingi tea) - Preparation time 5 to 10 mins

Fresh ginger tea (Ingi tea) - Preparation time 5 to 10 mins
I liked only dry ginger tea in my childhood but dad will ask for fresh ginger tea. I haven't tasted ginger tea for very long time. For past few years i love the flavor of fresh ginger tea a lot than dry ginger tea.
It will be very tasty and healthy drink surely all will love it and include in your daily menu.

Ingredients:-
Milk - 3/4 cup
Water - 1/4 cup
Brown sugar (pannam kalkandu)  - 1 or 1.5 tsp
Tea leaf along with big granules of tea- 1 heap of tsp
Ginger - 1 or 1.5 tsp (using cheese grater grate to fine strips and keep)

Preparation method:-
Boil milk along with water. Add the tea to boiling milk (increase or decrease the tea according to the texture of tea that you like. I like medium dark not too lite or dark)
When tea is boiling and dark, add the grated ginger and brown sugar (pannam kalkandu).
Let this boil for few seconds. Using tea stainer filter and serve the hot, healthy tea to your friends and family.