Poosanikai pulippu kootu/ Tangy Ash gourd or winter melon curry

This dish is made out of a squash so its easy on digestion and can be had with Chapatti as well as rice.


Things we need
Poosanikai - Washed, skin peeled and cubed
Channa Dal = 1/2 cup
Tamarind Paste - 3 spoons
Turmeric powder - 1/4 spoon
Whole Channa Dal (Garbanzo Beans) - 1/4 cup
Salt


For masala
Channa Dal - 1 spoon
Coriander seeds - 1 spoon
Red Chilli - 3
Asafoetida - 1 pinch
Grated Coconut - 1 spoon


For Seasoning
Ghee
Mustard seeds
Urad Dal
Peanuts
Curry Leaves

Pressure cook the 1/2 cup channa dal with little turmeric

You can soak the garbanzo bean overnight & pressure cook it along with the channa dal. Else You can get the canned one.

Take a cup of water add tamarind paste, salt and cook the pumpkin till it is soft. Do not add too much water.
In a skillet,  take 1/2 spoon oil, add red chillies, channa dal, coriander seeds, asafoetida and coconut. Allow it to cool and grind them well.
Add this ground masala to the pumpkin and allow it to boil . Then add the cooked channa dal to it. Allow it to thicken.

Now the seasoning. In a skillet, add a little ghee. When its hot, add the mustard seeds and allow it to spurt, then add the urad dal and the peanuts. Roast until brown then add the curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida.
Add this to the kootu.

Serve hot with Chapatti or Rice.

Aloo channa Dal Papad Kootu. Urulaikizangu Kadalai Paruppu Appala Kootu

This Particular recipe is one I tried from a Aval Vikatan, a tamil magazine.
It was realy tasty & real handy when we run out of vegetables.

Things we need:

Potato - 2 /3
Onions - 2 chopped
Channa dal - 1/2 a cup
Papad 2 / 3
Cocunut - 2 spoons (grind them well)
Saunf - 1/2 spoon
Green chilles - 3/4 well sliced
Turmeric Powder
Chilli powder
Corriander Leaves
Ginger - 1/2 spoon Grated
Cinnamon - a little
Cloves - 2 nos
Curry Leaves
Oil
salt

If need be One can use Garlic too

Pressure cook the potatoes. In the cooker you can also pressure cook Channa dal with turmeric, chilli powder & salt. Then Mash the potatoes well & add the cooked Channa dal along with it. Fry the papads & keep them aside.
In a Kadai, take a little oil, add cinnamon, cloves,saunf & onions. Then add curry leaves, green chillies, ginger (add the crushed garlic at this time if you are wanting to add). When they are cooked, add the potatoes + Channa dal mix. add a little water and salt. Then add the ground coconut. Mix them well. When done, add the papads and then garnish with Corriander leaves.
The dish is done. It is good with Rice.
(In the pic I did not add Corriander Leaves, as I didn't have any at that time. They were tasty too)

Vendaikai Thalar. (Bendi/ Okra Masala)

Vendaikai Thalar

Ingredients

Okra - 1/2 kg

Mustard Seeds

Toor Dal 1 1/2 cup

Channa Dal

Urad Dal

Peanuts

Red Chillies

Green Chillies

Ginger

Asafoetida

Turmeric Powder

Tamarind

Oil

Preparation

Pressure cook 1 cups of Toor dal. Keep it aside.

Take the tamarind, prepare the extract & keep it aside.

Cut Okra into small rounds.

Take little oil, when it's hot, add Mustard, when it spurts add Channa Dal, Urad Dal, Peanuts,

Red Chillies, Green Chillies, Ginger, Asafoetida.

Then add the cut okra, when its half cooked, add the tamarind extract. Allow it to cook fully, then add the cooked toor dal.

The peanuts add a special flavor to this dish. So do make sure to experience that.

That is all. A yummy dish is ready