Puli Saadam or Tamarind Rice

It was very strange that I tried several new dishes but our favourite puli saadam or tamarind rice never occurred to me all these days. I remember during childhood whenever we traveled long distance or for journey by train or for any local picnics, my mom and maternal grandma used to pack puli sadaam with some thovial . We will all die to have them; somehow our digestive juices would start secreting an hour or two before our usual lunch time if we know puli saadam is for lunch. Gone are the days, but the hunger remains…

Serves: 3

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1.      Tamarind – lemon sized ball

2.    Red chilies – 3

3.    Gingelly oil – 4 tbsp

4.    Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

5.     Mustard seeds – ½ tsp

6.    Urad dal – 1 tbsp

7.     Bengal gram – 1 tbsp

8.    Groundnuts – 3 tbsp

9.    Curry leaves – 1 sprig

10.            Jaggery – a pinch

11.  Fenugreek powder – ¼ tsp

12.Asafoetida – 2 pinches

13.Salt to taste

14.Steamed rice – 3 cups

Method:

Step 1: Soak tamarind in water preferably luke warm water for 15 minutes and then extract juice from it.

Step 2: Heat oil in a kadai and splutter mustard seeds in it, roast groundnuts Bengal gram & urad dal. When they are brown enough add broken red chilies, curry leaves and sprinkle asafoetida and turmeric powder.

Step 3: Now add the tamarind juice to the kadai and boil until it thickens and forms a sauce like consistency. Add salt, jaggery and the fenugreek powder.

Step 4: Turn off heat.

Step 5: Spread the steamed rice in a wide mixing bowl or plate, pour the puli kachal (the prepared tamarind sauce) and mix well without breaking the rice. Adjust salt and oil as required.

Step 6: Serve or pack with pickles or thovials or fryums or plain curds. It is as such good without any accompaniment.

TIPS:

*The prepared puli kachal (the spiced tamarind sauce) can be stored in air tight container and refrigerated for a week which can be mixed with hot steamed rice as and when required.

*If you like to retain the crunch in the groundnuts add it roasted finally while mixing with rice.

Urad Kadhi

I had sprouted some urad dal which I wanted use for another recipe but due to lack of time I made this interesting recipe that I had hit on the net. This is a simple to make kadhi full of nutrition and taste. I had prepared it to accompany hot steamed rice with papad, it was yummm… Kadhi lovers should give it a try; this is kadhi+dal in one dish.

Serves: 2

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1.      Sprouted Urad dal – 1 cup

2.    Gram Flour – ¼ cup

3.    Dahi – 2 cups

4.    Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

5.     Salt as per taste

6.    Water – 1 cup

7.     Oil – ½ tbsp

8.    Mustard seeds – ¼ tsp

9.    Cumin seeds – ¼ tsp

10.            Green chilies – 2

11.  Ginger – 1 “ piece

12.Asafoetida – 1 pinch

13.Curry leaves – 1 sprig

14.Coriander finely chopped – 2 tbsp

Method:

Step 1: Whisk the curds, water, turmeric powder and gram flour in a bowl till smooth and thin. Keep aside.

Step 2: Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds, cumin seeds, add slit green chilies, and curry leaves, chopped ginger and sprinkle asafoetida.

Step 3: Sauté sprouted urad dal in it for 3-5 minutes until it is soft.

Step 4: Add the curd mixture and stir continuously in low to medium heat.

Step 5: When it starts boiling, the gravy thickens and nice aroma emanates from it. At that point, turn off heat and transfer the kadhi to the serving vessel.

Step 6: Garnish with chopped coriander and relish with steamed rice or roti.

Kakori Kebab

I am surprised to hear many people do not consume snake gourd. I don’t remember any vegetable that was avoided in my mom’s kitchen. We were strongly discouraged to have any favorism for a particular vegetable; we simply were not allowed to avoid a veggie though we are choosy at times about what is cooked with it. This starter recipe can actually get you started with eating snake gourd if you are not used to it.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Serves: Yields 15 kebabs approx

Ingredients:

1.     Snake gourd – 1 medium sized

2.     Boiled and peeled potato – 1 large

3.     Capsicum – 1 small

4.     Bread crumbs – 1 cup

5.     Corn flour – 3 tbsp

6.     Cumin powder – ¼ tsp

7.     Pepper crushed – ¼ tsp

8.     Chaat masala – ½ tsp

9.     Chili powder – ¼

10.             Salt as per taste

11.            Lemon juice – 2 tbsp

12.             Cardamom powder – 1 pinch

13.            Sugar – ¼ tsp

14.            Oil for deep frying

Method:

Step 1: Peel and grate the snake gourd; mash the potato.

Step 2: Now in a mixing bowl, mix together all the ingredients except bread crumbs and oil.

Step 3: Check the taste and adjust consistency by adding bread crumbs to get a soft but not watery mix such that you can mould them with your fist.

Step 4: Shape them into finger length cylinders like in the picture below and roll them on bread crumbs. Repeat for the entire mix.

Step 5: Heat oil in a kadai and deep fry the kebabs until they get a nice brown color.

Step 6: Serve hot with ketchup or green chutney.

TIPS:

*You can prepare and refrigerate the rolled kebabs in advance to fry while serving; especially when made for guests we don’t want to do messy things in the last minute in front of them.