SuvaiArusuvai - Veg Recipes of India

 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

Demon Chutney !!!!! Wondering what this is? Though I know the making of this chutney for quite some time, I have been reluctant to make it for the fear of its spiciness. But when I saw this recently in a TV serial while browsing the channel, decided it is high time, I try this. In the serial it was ground in Ammi Kuzhavi. Honestly speaking, though I have tried grinding things in this, I was not able to do it the right way, ending up hurting my fingers. So ended up using our own modern kitchen equipment the mixie. The name Demon Chutney was given by my daughter, after she tasted it.  Ingredients : Garlic - 100 gms Red Chilly - 8 nos Tamarind - small ball       or  Tamarind Paste - 1 tsp Salt (Rock Salt) - To taste Gingely Oil - 1/4 cup Method:        Grind Garlic, Red Chilly, Tamarind and Salt together to a fine paste. Heat a pan, add the gingelly oil, heat it and add it to the ground paste. Serve it with Idly, Dosa or Chappati or even curd rice.    

Garlic Rice is a speciality of Chettinadu Cuisine. Good for health and relieves gastric trouble too. Ingredients: Rice - 2 cups Garlic Pods - 15 nos Red chilly - 2 nos Coriander seeds - 2 spoons Bengal Gram Dal - 1 tspn Urad Dal - 1 tsp Ghee -2 tsp Gingely Oil - 2 tbsp Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp Curry leaves - a few Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup finely chopped Cashew nuts - 8 to 12 Salt to taste Method: Wash soak and pressure cook rice with 4 cups of water. The rice should not be sticky but separate. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and when it splutters add the bengal gram dal, urad dal, coriander seeds and red chillies. Fry them well and when they turn golden in colour add 5 to 6 pods of garlic and saute together. Remove from flame, when cold grind it to a fine powder. Heat 1/2 tbsp of ghee in a pan add the remaining garlic pods and fry them till they become golden brown in colour. Break the cashew nuts into pieces and fry them too till they become golden br

Ingredients: Garlic - 1/2 kg Lemon Juice - 1 1/2 cup Gingely Oil - 150 ml Coriander seeks - 1/2 cup Fenugreek powder - 1 tbsp Red Chilli powder - 3 tbsp Jaggery - 1 tbsp (optional) Mustard seeds - 1 tsp Salt - 1/4 cup  Method: Dry roast coriander seeds and grind it to a fine powder. Peel the garlic and cut it into two halves length wise. Heat the oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. When it splutters, add the garlic pieces and saute it till the garlic becomes soft. Reduce the flame and add the lemon juice to it and allow it to cook for about 5 mins. Add coriander powder, fenu greek powder, chilli powder and salt. Keep stirring all the ingredients till the oil comes out. Add jaggery, mix well and remove it from the flame.  When cool transfer it to a clean and air tight bottle.

Ingredients: Garlic - 1 whole Bengal Gram Dal - 1/4 cup Urad Dal - 1/4 cup Red Chillies - 8 nos Salt to taste Oil - 1 tbsp Method: Add oil to kadai and when hot fry the dals one by one. Fry red chilly too in that. Peel and remove skin of garlic and fry it in the remaining oil for  a few minutes. Let all the ingredients cool. Grind all other ingredients except garlic to a coarse powder. Add garlic and grind it for a few seconds. Store in an air tight container. Serve with Idly or Dosa add gingely oil to it while serving.

Ingredients: Grated Coconut - 1 cup Garlic - 8 cloves Red Chillies - 4 (round vareity) Tamrind Paste - 1 tsp Oil - 2 tsp Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp Hing - a pinch salt to taste Method: Heal 1 tsp of oil in a pan and saute the red chillies along with garlic for a minute. Add the coconut to the pan and fry till it turns golden brown. Let it cool and grind it to a paste along with tamrind paste and salt. Add little water, to make it a paste. Heat oil in a seasoning laddle and add mustard seeds to it, when it splutters add asafodeita(hing) and pour it on top of the chutney. This can be served with Idly or Dosa. (Especially for dosa that is made on the very day when the batter is prepared).

Ingredients: Garlic pods - 100gms (peeled) Ginger - 100gms (peeled and finely chopped) Salt - 1 tsp Oil - 1 tbsp Method: In a flat bottom pan heat oil and add garlic and ginger fry for 2 to 3 mins. Cover and remove from flame. Let it cool. In a grinder add all the ingredients along with salt and grind it to a fine paste. Store in airtight container in fridge. This can be used for almost a month as it is fried. If it is not fried, it have to be used within a week.  Note: Fried or not fried, never use water to grind it.

Bring one or two garlic pods to a boil in water. Thoroughly mash and combine with a cup of steaming milk. Anyone can enjoy this, especially expectant mothers and nursing mothers. If desired, add sugar. The best effects are achieved when the beverage is consumed without sugar. Health Benefits: 1. This beverage will aid with weight loss. 2. Assist with lowering hypertension 3. Assist in lowering the level of cholesterol. 

Ingredients Garlic Peeled - 100gms Chillies - 100gms (red or green) Salt - 1 tsp Oil - 1 tsp Method Heat oil in a hard bottom Kadai. Add garlic and chillies to the oil when the oil is hot. Fry all of them for 2 mins. Switch off the flame and cover it. Let it cool. Use a small grinder and grind it to a fine paste. Let it cool and store it in an air tight container. This can be kept in fridge and can be used whenever required.

This is one paste, which is very useful, while making Pulavs, fried rice, Khurmas etc. Most of the time, we grind it when we do these items or use the ready made pastes that is available in the market. While preparing such dishes only a little of the paste required. For bachelors, office goers and students, this paste is of great help, not only while making the above said items, but this can be used also in Lemon Rasam, or to make Poondu Rasam. Ingredients Garlic - 100 gms Ginger - 100 gms Salt - 1 tbsp Oil - 1 tsp Method Peel garlic, peel and wash ginger. Grind both of them together to a fine paste along with salt. In a pan add oil and add this paste, when the oil separates, remove from flame, let it cool and store in a dry jar and refrigerate. You can also fry ginger and garlic in oil before grinding. Do not add water while grinding. You can use the same method to make ginger paste or garlic paste separately.