SuvaiArusuvai - Veg Recipes of India

 Mohanthaal or Mohandal is another dish using besan flour and it is my mom's favourite. The first time I had this dish was in 1988 during my brother's upanayanam. The cook who made this cautioned us that it should be consumed as early as possible as it might get bad quite easily. But we made him making it three times almost as the taste was excellent.  But I did try it once with a lesser quantity at home and it tasted similar as this is the recipe that is shared by that excellent cook. I made it twice once using condensed milk and the other time using milk powder as I could not get unsweetened Khoya.  Ingredients: Besan flour - 3 cups Ghee -  1 1/2 cups Milk powder - 1/2 cup       or  Condensed milk - 1/2 cup Sugar - 2 1/2 cups Cardamom powder - 1 tsp Nutmeg powder - 1/4 tsp Badam - 20 pices sliced nicely Pistachios unsalted - 2 pieces sliced nicely Method: Heat 11 cup of ghee in a hard bottom pan and add the besan flour and mix it well and bring it to a boil stirring it occass

 One of the western states of India, the state of Gujarat has its own unique dishes that have become famous all over India Dhokla Mango Pickle with Kabuli Channa Lemon Pickle Gujarati Style Rabadi Chaas Mohandal

 Kerala - God's own county has its own delicacies I have tasted, tried and tested a few and have shared them here.  Pacha Manga chammandhi Keerai Molagootal Aviyal Kerala Appam with Chutney Lemon Pickle Kerala Style Inji Thayir Parippu Curry Cochin Masala Powder Drumstick Soup - Kerala Style Puliyitta Keerai Stuffed Tender Mango Pickle Venthiya Manga Erissery Uppu Manga Spicy Mango Pickle without oil Appam Recipe for Chammandi Kerala Style Potato Curry Mango Morkozhambu

 Vazahipoo Vadai is a delicious dish that can be made as evening snack or for any special occassion. It also can be made as a starter for any party. The well cooked vazhaipoo and the mixture of dals that gets fried well is enjoyed by every one both kids and adult. The base for the vadai is the base that is used for AamaVadai Ingredients: Vaazhaipoo - 1 medium size Bengal Gram Dal - 2 cups Thuvar Dal - 2 cups Salt to taste Red chillies - 6 to 8 Curry Leaves - 1/2 cup Asafodeita - 1/2 inch piece or powdered asafodeita 2 spoons Method: Clean and chop the banana flower finely. Pressure cook it for 2 whistles along with a pinch of turmeric and 1/2 spoon salt.  Wash and soak the Bengal gram and Thuvar Dal together for almost 1 hour. Grind it along with the other ingredients to a coarse consistency. Mix all the ingredients along with the cooked banana flower (Vaazhaipoo). Heat oil in a pan. Make balls of the dough. Flatten the dough and put it in oil and fry till it becomes golden brown. Remo

 Indian house hold both North Indians and South Indians consume curd a lot. The regular curd have lot of fat content in it so it is better to consume low fat curds. Low fat curd is easy to make at home just like how the regular curd is made. Low fat curd is made using the low fat or slim  milk. This curd is good for diabetics, heart diseases, weight loss, indigestion and also acidity. The healthy bacteria in it helps in easy digestion. Those who have tasted the regular milk might not like the low fat curds initially but once they start consuming it regularly they will get used to it.  To make the low fat curd one need low fat or skimmed milk. After boiling it let it cool and add just 1 spoon of curd to it and mix it well. The milk should be luke warm and it should be left to set atleast for 8 hours. It is always better to make curd in the night and let it settle over night so the next day morning one can consume fresh and unsour curd. It is better to refrigerate to avoid getting sour.

 Halwas are favourites for many. A sweet dish originated from the middle east this dish Halwa got quite famous in India and  the most famous one is the Tirunelveli halwa though there are various halwa recipes from all parts of India. Generally halwas are made using flours, nuts and fruits. Ghee, rose water, milk and saffron are used as additives, honey, sugar, milk powder cocoa powder are used as sweetners. Made either with single ingredient or with a mixture of multiple ingredient, halwa have become an integral part of any feast spread.  Wheat Halwa Mango Halwa Using Microwave Mango Halwa Banana Halwa Badam Halwa Easy Badam Halwa Beetroot Halwa Carrot Halwa Carror Halwa using microwave Moong dal Halwa Ashoka Halwa Kasi Halwa Damroot Halwa Wheat rawa pineapple Halwa Oats Halwa

 Garlic paruppu podi is a recipe from Andhra Pradesh. Many restaurants on Andhra serve this as the first dish along with hot ghee and or gingely oil. The perfect combination of lentils, garlic and spices makes it quite aromatic and is easy to make at home in lesser quantity.Grind it coarse or fine powder according to the family's preference. We prefer a fine powder where as my friend's family prefer a coarse one as they love the crunch while eating with rice.  Ingredients: Garlic - 12 pods with skin (the bigger variety is preffered) Gingely Oil - 1 tbsp Toor dal - 3/4th cup Fried Channa Dal (Pottu kadalai) - 1/2 cup Black pepper - 1 tsp Red Chillies round - 6 nos Asafodeita - 1/2 inch piece Salt to taste Method: Smash the garlic along with skin. Add 1/2 spoon oil to the pan and when it is hot add the smashed garlic to it and saute it a little and remove from flame and set aside.  Add the remaining oil and fry thoor dal when it starts turning brown add the black pepper and red c

 In South India most of the houses have banana tree and many a times 2 or 3 times raw bananas are used. There are different dry curry varieties that can be made using raw bananas. One of them is the vazhaikkai podi. Though it is similar to podimas this vazhaikkai podi is made using a spicy podi that is either ground fresh or can be made in large and stored. I normally use the multipurpose powder that I prepare and keep it handy. This recipe I have shared below caters to 4 people .   Ingredients: Raw Banana - 2 or 3 depending upon the size.  Multipurpose powder- 2 1/2 tbsp Salt to taste Oil - 2 tsp Mustard seeds - 1 tsp Split Urad dal - 2 tsp Hing - 1/2 tsp Curry Leaves - a few Method: Cut raw banana into 1/2 and cook in water till it becomes soft or pressure cook it for 2 whistle. Once done peel the skin and crumble it. Or cut into cubes.  In a pan het oil add mustard seeds and when it splutters add the curry leaves and urad dal and hing saute it well and add the crumbled banana. Add s

  Arisi upma a very easy and healthy dish. I have great memories of having Arisi Upma and Vella thool in Ramanasramam, the taste which no one could recreate, may be because it is a prasadam, it tasted so different and divine. Any ways it is a very filling dish that can be served for breakfast or dinner. My grandma used to make it in Vengala Panai and you get a settled crust at the bottom (Adi pidithal) and we used to wait for her to share it amongst us all. Mom used hindaliya chatti for this and I use non stick. But now as I have decided reduce or not to use non stick as much as possible, I have purchased a cast iron kadai and I am sure the taste is definitely going to be too good.  I make Arisi Upma normally using a mixture of Raw rice, boiled rice, thuvar dal and channa dal. Many people make it just by using thuvar dal along with raw rice. Some also use moong dal too. Let me share my recipe. Actually as I make the base powder for it ready and use it to make thavalai adai, upma kozhuk

 Varuvals - Normally the stir fried vegetables are called as varuvals but in the Tambrahm house hold the ones that is deep fried is called as varuvals. Root vegetables like potato, sweet potato, yam (senaikizhangu) , colocasia (seepankizhangu), raw banana, bitter gourd are used. Varuvals are usually served during festivals as a side dish especially for mixed rice vareities and also during Srardhams. For Srardhams mostly yam, or raw banana or bitter gourd are made. As they are deep fried many either avoid or eat very less quantity of it.  Potato varuval Potato spicy varuval Potato masala varuval Chenai varuval Vazhai varuval Paagarkaai varuval Sweet Potato Varuval

 Lentil crumble, Parupusili is a high protien nutritious side dish which is rich in protien. It can be made plain and also mixed with a few veggies that enhance the taste. In general the parupusili that is made in marriages and big functions are a bit soft but at home when the quantity is less you can make it fried as per your need. But as a house hold we prefer soft parupusili.  The process my mom used to make is quite lengthy and during the early days of marriage I used to dread a lot to make it. But when I learnt the quick way it became a regular in our home. Mom used to steam the dal mixture after grinding the batter then crumble it and then make the parupusili. Some parupusili calls for just moong dal too.  Plain Parupusili Vazhaipoo Parupusili Beans Parupusili Kothavarangai (Cluster Beans) Parupusili Cabbage Parupusili Capsicum Parupusili

 Kootu, means join together. We can make it with single vegetable or mixed vegetables. This dish stands alone and can be used as a side dish and also can be used as a main dish to be mixed with rice. There are different types of kootu vareities and I have shared here those kootus that we make regularly at home. I have also shared recipe for Instant kootu powder. Manathakkali keerai Poricha kootu 7 kari kootu for Thiruvathirai Thalatham for Pongal Keerai Molagoottal Poosanikkai puli kootu Poosanikkai ven kootu Olan Instant kootu Vazhaithandu mor kootu Cucumber mor kootu Keerai kootu Keerai mor kootu Chow Chow kootu Mixed Veg kootu Cabbage kootu Cabbage peas kootu Cauliflower kootu Cauliflower kuruma Peerkangai masiyal

Whenever I ask my hubby the thogayal he wants, his first choice is always thengai thogayal, the spicy and tangy thogayal goes well literally with everything just hot rice or tangy rasam or curd rice. The perfect mixture of dals and coconut makes the taste of this thogayal liked by every one. One of my hubby's friend prefer to eat it just like that in a cup with a spoon. Though he drinks water every other spoon he still relishes it.  Ingredients: Grated coconut - 1 cup Thuvar dal - 3/4th cup Tamarind paste - 1 tbsp Salt to taste Curry leaves a few Red Chillies - 8 nos Gingely Oil - 2 tbsp Method: In a pan add gingely oil and when hot add thuvar dal and when it starts turning brown add curry leaves red chillies. When the red chillies get fried add the grated coconut and mix well. Switch off the flame and add the salt and the tamarind paste. Let it cool and grind it to a coarse paste adding very little water.  Serve it with hot rice and gingely oil. It can also be served with dosa or

A buttermilk or curd based curry of South India which  is a dish that is served with rice and a few people relish it for dishes like Chappati or Adai too. It is infact a comfort food. The dish is tangy and spicy and is also a bit sour in taste based on the buttermilk used. The taste of the morkozhambu differs with the different veggies or ingredients added to it.  It is always better to add the buttermilk or curd at the end and just boil it for a min or two and switch the stove lest the dish could curdle. The entire dish needs to be cooked in slow flame so that it doesnot settle at the bottom of the pan.  Vendaikkai (Lady's finger) morkozhambu Poosanikkai morkozhambu Cheppankizhangu mor kozhambu Chow Chow morkozhambu Brinjal morkozhambu Potato morkozhambu Parupurundai morkozhambu Sundaikai vathal morkozhambu Tomato morkozhambu Vedikka vitta morkozhambu

 In Kerala Chutney is called as Chammandi and one of the native dishes is this Mango Chutney or Manga Chammandi, the tangy and spicy chutney goes well with idly, dosa, chappati or even rice.  I prefer using Kili mookku manga for this recipe though any vareity of mango can be used.  Ingredients: Raw Mango - Medium sized 1 Grated coconut - 1/2 cup Ginger - 1/2 inch piece Red chilly - 1 no Green chilly - 2 nos Oil - 1 tbsp Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp Salt to taste Method: The chutney needs to be thick like that of the thogayals of Tamilnadu. Wash and chop the mangoes to small pieces (Can be made after peeling the skin too). Grind it to a coarse consistency along with grated coconut, ginger and green chilly. Add the salt finally and add the salt and adjust it. Do not add water. The water in the mango is sufficient enough for the chammandi.  Heat tadka pan and add oil and mustard seeds. Once it splutters add it to the chammandi.  Though tadka is optional we love to add it as it gives a flavour

 A typical Palakad recipe this Keerai Molagoottal is one mouth watering dish from Kerala Tamilnadu border. One of the major Keerai used is Molai Keerai though this can be made using Arai Keerai or Paruppu Keerai or Thandu Keerai or even Palak. This is not the typical Keerai kootu but a slight variation.  Ingredients: 2 bunches of spinach - cleaned and chopped (which comes upto 4 to 6 cups) Thuvar dal - 1/2 cup Salt - 1 tbsp Turmeric Powder - 1.2 tsp Oil - 2 tbsp Urad dal (whole) - 2 tbsp Red chilly - 4 nos Grated coconut - 1/4 cup Cumin seeds - 1 tsp Mustard seeds - 1 tsp Hing - 1/2 tsp Urad dal split - 1 tbsp Method: Pressure cook dal with turmeric powder for 6 whistles and mash it well.  In a pan add 1 spoon of oil and saute the urad dal, red chilly and cumin seeds. Once the dal turns golden brown transfer it to a dry plate and let it cool. Once cool add the coconut to it and grind it to a fine paste.  Pressure cook the spinach along with 1/2 tbsp of salt and mash well. Add the groun

 One of the flavourful vathakuzhambu is the one that is made with Poondu Vatha Kuzhambu. Whenever I say lets make Vatha Kuzhambu, my kids vote for Poondu Vatha Kuzhambu. One of the dishes that my brother also likes which I cook.  Ingredients: Garlic - the best one for this is the Malai Poondu vareity the bigger pods one. - 2 nos (you get close to 24 pods) Vathakuzhambu Podi -  4 spoons Curry leaves - few Salt (use coarse rock salt) - 1 1/2 tsp Gingely oil - 6 tbsp Tamarind paste - 8 spoons Water - 2 cups (200 ml) For tempering Mustard seeds - 1 tsp Channa dal - 1 tbsp Methi seeds - 1/2 tsp Method: In a hard bottom pan add gingely oil and when it is hot reduce the flame and add mustard seeds. When it splutters add the channa dal, methi seeds and the garlic pods. Saute them till the garlic turns golden brown. Ensure the dal and methi seeds do not char. Add the curry leaves and saute it for a few seconds.  Add the vathakuzhamby podi and  fry it in the oil. Add 1 cup of water from the si