Saagu

This is one of my favorite curries that my mother prepares. My mother got this recipe from her friend. This is a very simple dish which takes less than 20mins in preparation. Not too many spices yet very tasty.
Ingredients:
Potatoes - 1 big or 2 small
Carrots - 1big or 2 small
Chow Chow - 1
Beans - 1 cup
Green Peas - 1/2 cup

Masala :
Fresh coconut - 1 small cup
Dalia (Putnala Pappu) - 1 handful
Green Chilli - 3,4 (small)
Gasagasalu (Poppy seeds) - 2 spoons
Coriander Leaves - 1 cup
Paste: Grind the above ingredients into a smooth paste adding very little water.

Method:
1. Peel the skin and cut potatoes, carrots and chow chow into medium size cubes. Also cut the beans.
2. In a pressure cooker, add the vegetables and 1 cup water, pinch of turmeric and pressure cook them for 2 whistles.
3. In a pan, add 1tbsp oil, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves and dry red chillies and hing, once they start to splutter, add the boiled vegetables along with the water. Cook it uncovered in more than medium flame.
4. After the water evaporates, add salt and the masala paste.
5. Cook on a medium flame for 5-7mins until the mixture thickens.
6. Turn off and serve hot with phulka.

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Carrot-Peas-Coconut Koora

Ingredients:
Carrots - 4
Peas - 1 cup
Shredded Coconut - 1 cup

For Seasoning:
Oil - 2tbsps
Mustard Seeds - 1/2tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/2tsp
Curry Leaves

Method:
1. Peel the carrots, cut them into small pieces. Boil them and keep them aside.
2. In a pan, take some oil, when its hot, add the mustard seeds, cumin and urad dal and curry leaves.
3. Now add the boiled carrot and peas. Keep stirring for 5mins until the water evoporates.
4. Now add salt, chilli powder and sugar. Finally add the grated coconut.
5. Keep on low flame for 2-3mins and turn off the stove.

Serve with hot rice and ghee.

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Aviyal

Aviyal is a Kerala dish prepared with different vegetables, coconut and yoghurt. The most commonly used vegetables for this dish are potatoes, raw plantain, long beans, yam, pumpkin, drumsticks, carrots. In some parts of kerala ( south), this dish is prepared with tamarind or mango instead of yoghurt.

Ingredients :
Potatoes - 1 big or 2 small peeled and cubed
Carrots - 2 peeled and cubed
long beans - 1 cup chopped
drumsticks - 1 cup
raw plantain - 1 peeled and cubed
yam - 1 peeled and cubed
Sour Curd ( yoghurt) - 2 cups finely beaten
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

For the mixture :
coconut - 1/2 - 1 cup
cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Green chilli - 2-3

In a blender, grind all these 3 together to a fine paste adding little water. Keep this aside.

Preparation :
Take all the cut vegetables in a pressure cooker and cook until 1-2 whistles. If you are cooking them in a microwave, cook them for 15mins. Once the vegetables are cooked, drain some water( keep this vegetable stock) and add all the vegetables in a cooking pan, add turmeric, salt and cook covered for few minutes. After few mins, once all the vegetables are soft to touch, add the coconut-chilli paste to the vegetables , stir it now and then and cook it covered on med flame. After 5mins, add the finely beaten curd to this . Check the consitency and add water( vegetable stock) if required. Finally when the avial is ready, do the seasoning.

For Seasoning :
Oil ( coconut oil or any oil) - 1tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1tsp

In a tadka pan, add the oil and when its hot, add the mustard seeds. when they crackle, take off the stove and add to the avial.

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