Sundakkai kootu (turkey berry/prickly nightshade/devils fig gravy)

Sundakkai kootu (Turkey berry gravy) - Prepartion time 15 mins
Select tender sundakkai for making this kootu. Sundakkai is very good for digestion. We like sundakkai kootu very much the taste of this kootu will be unique. Even if we cook the kootu in same method like other vegetable the taste of sundakkai kootu will be different. Try out yourself it will be tasty if the turkey berry is tender.

Ingredients:- Sundakkai - 1 cup (chopped into half and mix with curd or it will become brown)
Toor dal - 1/2 cup (pressure cooked)
Sambar powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - required amount
Coconut - 1 tbsp
Sesame oil - 1 tbsp
Water - required amount
Thallikum vadagam (or) -1
Mustard seed - 1/4 tsp, Urad dal- 1 tsp

Preparation method:- In a vessel heat water with sambar powder, salt, turmeric. When it is boiling add the chopped sundakkai and cook till it is tender.
Mash cooked toor dal and add to sundakkai. Cook for few mins and switch of the flame.
Add grated coconut and mix well.
Heat oil, add mustard to splutter, urad dal to brown (or) fry the thalikkum vadagam and garnish the sundakkai kootu.
This goes well with rice and ghee along with roasted or fried papad. It will be unique in taste.

Pudalangai arachuvitta kootu (Snake gourd and spice paste gravy)

Pudalangai arachuvitta kootu (Snake gourd and spice paste gravy) - preparation time 15 mins
I used to make pudalangai poriyal. I tried this one, it came out well. I tasted a similar kootu in my aunt's house it tasted delicious (might be because of her 60 yrs of cooking experience). This kootu will be heavy and filling try it out.

Ingredients:-
Snake gourd - chopped to thin semi circle (remove the inner portion of snake gourd) 1 cup
Toor dhal - 1/4 tsp
Black pepper - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seed - 1/4 tsp
Red chili - 2
Coriander seed - 1/2 tsp
Grated coconut - 1 tsp
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Salt - to taste
Water - to cook snake gourd
Curry leaves - 5
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Sesame oil - 1 tsp

Preparation method:-
In a vessel add water, turmeric, salt and boil the snake gourd. When it is cooked softly switch of and keep aside.
In a tawa roast coriander seed, cumin, pepper, red chili & cumin. After cooling grind to coarse paste along with coconut and little water.
Add this paste to cooked snake gourd (pudalangai) and boil. This will become thick. Transfer to serving bowl.
For garnishing - Heat a tawa. Add sesame oil, mustard to splutter, urad dal to golden brown, curry leaves and add to the pudalangai arachuvitta kootu.
This will go well with rasam rice.

Onion & green chili (Vengayam, pachhai milagai) chutney

Onion & Green chili  (Vengayam, pachamilagai) chutney - Preparation time 15 mins

Onion with green chili taste good and spicy for idli.

Ingredients:-
Onion - 2 chopped (1 cup)
Green chili - 2
Tamarind paste - 1/4 tsp
Salt - to taste
Sesame oil - 1 tbsp (to fry and garnishing)
Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp

Preparation method
Heat a pan with little oil, add onion & chili. Cook till raw smell of onion goes off
Leave them to cool. Add this to mixer jar along with tamarind paste and salt.
Grind to paste by adding little water.
Transfer to serving bowl. In a pan add remaining oil, mustard to splutter & urad dhal to golden brown.
Add this to chutney and serve with idli or dosai.

Easy Vegetable fried rice

Easy Vegetable fried rice (My version) - Preparation time 30 to 35 mins
Vegetable fried rice is not my favourite but my husbands like this dish very much. I tried preparing this rice in an easy way. It came out well. The process might be bit long but bit simple when compared to making more than one item for weekend lunch. As we are adding variety of vegetables it will be filling. You can accompany this with an onion raitha, kuruma & chips.

Ingredients:-
Raw rice - 1 cup (i used normal rice instead of basmati rice)
Onion - 1 or 1/2 cup (chopped to thin strips)
Carrot - 2 (cut into 1 inch pieces)
Beans - 15 or (1 cup of carrot & beans)
Spices - (1 inch cinnamon, 2 cloves, saunf - 1 tsp, bay leaf - 1)
Garlic pods - peeled - 10, crushed with skin - 5
Ginger - peel the skin and crush 1 inch piece
Oil - 1 tbsp & Ghee - 1 tbsp
Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp (chopped finely)
Pudina(Mint) leaves - handful
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Red Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Green chili - 2 (slit vertically)
Salt - as required
Water - 2 & half cup

Preparation method:-
First keep all the above ingredients ready in a plate (spices, chopped vegetables, crushed garlic & ginger, chopped coriander and pudina leaves - keep little pudina leaves to add finally)
Heat a pan . Add oil, ghee, spices when aroma comes add crushed ginger & garlic, garlic, green chili, chopped onion, vegetables and fry for few minutes.
When half cooked add coriander & pudhina leaves. Now goes turmeric & chili powder into fried vegetables.
Add washed rice and fry for few minutes (it will become slightly white)
Measured water (2 & (half or 3/4)) along with salt to the fried vegetable and rice. Mix well and leave for 5 mins
Transfer this to a vessel and pressure cook for 4 to 5 whistle.
You can cut bread into small cubes and fry in ghee (to garnish finally).
When pressure goes off very gently mix the rice with fried bread and few more fresh pudina leaves
Hot and spicy vegetable fried rice is ready. You can serve with vegetable kuruma or mild potato onion kuruma along with potato chips & onion raitha.
Enjoy your weekend with this special rice.