Kobbari Perugu Pachadi (Coconut in Yogurt)

Ingredients:

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Beerakaaya Thokku Pachadi (Chutney with Ridge Gourd Peels)

This is another yummy pachadi prepared by DH recently. It tasted so good and is so easy to prepare with simple ingredients. 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Ridge Gourd Peels (బీరకాయ తొక్కు)
• 1 small Onion, chopped
• 2 Tomatoes, chopped
• 6 or 7 (or as desired) Green Chilies, chopped
• 1 tsp Black Gram (మినప్పప్పు, Urad Dal)
• 2 tbsp Coriander Seeds (ధనియాలు)
• 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
• ½ tsp Cumin Seeds
• 1 tsp Tamarind Pulp
• A pinch of Turmeric Powder
• A pinch of Asafetida (ఇంగువ, Hing)
• 1 tsp Oil
• Salt

Preparation:

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When they pop, add cumin seeds + black gram + coriander seeds and sauté well. 

Then add ridge gourd peels + tomatoes + onions + green chilies, mix well and sauté. 

Add tamarind pulp + turmeric powder + asafetida and stir well. 

Keep the contents on medium flame for some time just until the veggies become little soft and then turn the flame off.

Allow the contents to cool down for some time and grind into a smooth paste adding salt and water (very little) as needed. 

Enjoy this great smelling and great tasting pachadi with rice as well as chapathis.

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Quinoa Pongal

These days I’ve been trying to cook different dishes with Quinoa, a healthy grain. Recently I tried making pongal by substituting rice with quinoa and it turned out so yummy. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Quinoa
• 1 cup Moong Dal (పెసరపప్పు)
• 1 tsp Black Pepper Powder (can be replaced with peppercorns)
• 4 or 5 Green Chilies, chopped
• 1 Tomato, chopped
• 5 cups Water (4 + 1 extra)
• Salt as needed

For Seasoning/Tempering:

• 1 tbsp Oil
• 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
• ½ tsp Cumin Seeds
• Few Curry Leaves
• Few Cashews
• 1 Red Chili

Preparation:

Wash quinoa + moong dal well and mix together. Place them in a bowl, add green chilies + black pepper powder + tomato + salt and pour water. Mix well with a spatula. 

Cover and place this bowl in a pressure cooker and cook for 3 whistles. Turn off the flame allow all the pressure go away. 

Later, heat oil in a small pan and add mustard seeds. When they pop, add cumin seeds + red chili + curry leaves + cashews and sauté well until cashews turn into golden brown in color. 

Pour this seasoning on top of the cooked pongal and mix well. Enjoy the steaming hot pongal with desired chutney. Yummy and healthy!!

I am linking this post to Kavi's Healthy Cooking Challenge - Healthy Lunch, an event initially started by Smitha. 

On a different note:

Kalyani of Kalyani’s Platter passed me some cute awards last week, but I forgot to mention it in my previous post. Thank you for sharing the awards Kalyani! So nice of you :)

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Cluster Beans with Moong Dal

This is another simple recipe with very little ingredients. 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups diced Cluster Beans (గోరు చిక్కుడు కాయలు )
• ½ cup Moong Dal (can be reduced to ¼ cup) (పెసర పప్పు)
• ½ tsp Red Chili Powder (can be adjusted according to taste)
• A pinch of Turmeric Powder
• Few Curry Leaves
• 1 tsp Oil
• 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
• ½ tsp Cumin Seeds
• Salt

Preparation:

Wash and soak moong dal for an hour. 

Place cluster beans in a microwave safe bowl, add a little water, cover and microwave for 10 minutes. 

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When they pop, add cumin seeds + curry leaves and sauté well.

Then add the cluster beans + turmeric powder + moong dal and mix well. Add little amount of water so that moong dal cooks well. Also add salt and mix well.

Cover and leave the pan for some time until all the water gets absorbed and the curry becomes dry. 

Check for doneness and turn the flame off. Transfer the curry to a serving bowl and enjoy with steaming hot rice and rasam. Yummy!!

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Healthy Ridge Gourd – Carrot Juice

I always make some kind of juice or milkshake during weekends with breakfast. This is one of such healthy juices I made recently. I feel happy when my family gives me thumbs up for my preparations and I should say they liked this vegetable juice so much and said it was so yummy!!!

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