Manathakkali Keerai Paal Saru

#ManathakkalikeeraiPaalSaru - #BlacknightshadeLeavesCoconutMilk : 

Actually the name of this dish is #kazhaniSaru or #thanniSaru,

But we used to call paal saru since coconut milk is used for preparing this dish.
Kazhani means the washed water of rice in Tamil.
Kazhani is a rich source of Vitamin B.
But now it is not advisable to use kazhani as insecticides are sprayed over the gunny bags of rice to protect against infestation.
Whenever we get mouth ulcers we used to take manathakkali keerai paal saru and within 2 days no trace of any ulcers!!! 

Manathakkali is a rich source of vitamins such as vitamin A, B and C and minerals like iron, calcium, phophorous and magnesium. As I have mentioned before these leaves are more effective than any other medicine for mouth and stomach ulcers.
Coconut milk has to be added to the preparation to make it more effective against ulcers and also to subside the bitterness of the leaves. 
Now let me present the way of preparing paal saaru.

Ingredients :
Manathakkali keerai                                      : 1 cup
Onion ( small is preferred )                           : 1 tblsp [ chopped ]
Cumin ( Jeera )                                              : 1/2 tsp
Salt                                                                : 1/2 tsp ( adjust )
Oil for tempering                                          : 1/2 tsp
Coconut scrapings                                        : 1/3 cup ( can take some more also )

Method :
Wash manathakkali leaves ( keerai ) well in clean water and chop nicely.

Take 1/2 cup of water in a vessel and keep on stove over a slow flame.
Add chopped leaves ( keerai ) into the vessel.
Close with a lid and cook till the leaves ( keerai ) become soft.

Do not over cook the leaves ( keerai ).
Add salt and Keep aside.
Now keep a kadai on a slow flame with oil.
Splutter cumin seeds and add diced onions.

Saute for few seconds till the onion turns pink color.
Pour it over the cooked keerai.

Extracting milk from coconut scrapings :

Now take coconut scrapings in a mixie jar.

Run for 2 or 3 rounds only.

Add less than 1/4 cup of lukewarm water and again run 2 or 3 round.

heat water till air bubbles start coming at the bottom

Now strain through a colander into the vessel containing cooked keerai.

Follow the above method for 2 more times to take milk and add to the keerai.
Adjust salt. Ahh!!... PAAL SARU is ready.

Note : Keerai can also be cooked in a pressure pan/cooker.
Take washed & cut keerai with 1/2 cup of water in a pressure pan/cooker.
Close lid with weight on.
Keep on high flame & allow only one whistle.
Immediately remove weight to release pressure.

Transfer into a serving bowl. Then add coconut milk and temper cumin & onion.

Take hot rice in a plate.
Mix well adding liberal amount of paal saru.
Relish with sambar or any kara curry.
Wow!! thats the taste!! no chance at all!!!....

Note :
Coconut milk should be prepared and added to the cooked keerai just before start serving food.




You may also like to try

Manathakkali keerai Rice

Murungai keerai paal saaru

venthayakeerai dhal

Vazhaipoo Koottu

noolkhol leaf lentil

vegetable pulillacurry

venthayakeerai thakkali koottu

For other tasty dishes

Recipe Index

Ideas for breakfast and dinner

Tiffin Varieties

For Lunch Dishes

Lunch Recipes Index

Idiyappam

#Idiyappam is traditionally prepared from rice. It is also known by name #RiceSevai. We can call it #RiceNoodles in modern term.
We don't have to take rice to flour mill to grind the rice into flour. Nowadays rice flour is readily available in local shops and also in super markets.  Idiyappam is very easy to prepare at home and  the taste depends on the type of rice flour used and the way we prepare the dough. It only requires little care to prepare the dough for Idiyappam and takes very less time to steam cook them [ of course less than the time taken to steam cook idli ]. The steam cooked #ricenoodles [ Idiyappam ] can be stored in a bowl and can be relished with kadalai curry, kurma, or preparing lemon idiyappam, puli Idiyappam, etc.,...
To make mixed idiyappam, the plain idiyappam has to be cooled down to room temperature just the same way we do for mixed rice.
Here I have taken the rice flour available in departmental store.

We need murukku making press to prepare idiyappam.

Ingredients :

Rice flour                               : 1 cup
Salt                                        : 1/4 tsp
Water                                     : 2 cups

Method :
Keep a thick bottomed kadai on slow flame and dry roast the rice flour till the flour becomes slightly hot. Turn off the stove.
On another burner heat the idly maker/kadai with water over medium flame .

Transfer the roasted flour into a wide mouthed vessel like basin.
Add salt and mix well.
Heat water on slow flame in a vessel.

When small water bubbles are seen at the bottom of the vessel, pour less than 1 cup of hot water over the flour and knead with a ladle.

If needed add some more water little by little and make slightly loose dough but not watery.
If the dough is too thick its very difficult to press through the murukku press.
Now take idly plate and spread a wet cotton cloth over it.
Place idiyappam making plate [ achu ] inside the murukku press and fill with prepared dough.


Spread idiyappam over the cloth by pressing the maavu.



Keep the idly plate inside the idly maker/kadai.
Close with lid to steam cook the maavu.
It takes less than 10 minutes to get soft idiyappam.
Transfer the cooked idiyappam over a plate.

Again squeeze maavu through idiyappam achu over idly plate to steam cook one more plate.
Keep repeating the process till the dough got over.

Even after that some dough may be sticking to the inner side of the idiyappam press and also over the surface of the vessel in which the dough has been made.
The amount of left over dough may not be sufficient to fill up the idiyappam press.
So add one or two tea spoon of coconut scrap and mix well.
Make small small balls and steam cook just like we did for idiyappam.
The steam cooked balls are very very tasty when taken hot.
These balls can also be added to the prepared idiyappam as well.



Make lemon idiyappam, pulikaichal idiyappam or sweet idiyappam with sugar/jaggary & coconut scrap or relish idiyappam by pouring sweet coconut milk over it

sweet idiyappam with jaggary and coconut

Recipes you might like to try

Lemon Idiyappam - Lemon Rice noodles

Instant lemon Idiyappm

Sweet Idiyappam - Sweet rice noodles

Paal Idiyappam - Idiyappam in milk

Pulikachal Idiyappam - Puli rice noodles

Boli Maavu

#Boli is a sweet paratta/sweet stuffed roti/sweet bread done in Tamil Nadu. It has sweet stuffing called kadalai paruppu ( gram dhal ) pooranam inside a maida outer covering. 

Here we will see how to prepare the maavu ( dough ) for boli.

Ingredients :
Maida                                                    : 1 cup
Salt                                                        : 1/4 tsp
Gingelly oil ( till oil )                            : 5 to 6 tsp
Water                                                     : 1/4 cup
Yellow color or Turmeric powder        : a pinch ( optional )

Method :

Take maida in a wide mouthed vessel like basin.
Add salt and mix well.
Add water and make a loose dough.
Knead the dough well by adding a tsp spoon of gingelly oil  at a time.
The oil gets absorbed by the dough.
Then add one more spoon of oil.
Keep on kneading till the dough attains elasticity and if it is pulled up the dough will not break away.
Coat the surface of the dough with a Tsp of oil.
Keep it covered with a lid for 5 to 6 hours.
After 6 hours the dough will become even more softer and can easily be spread on a banana leaf / plastic sheet after stuffing the pooranam inside.

• The dough prepared with given ingredients is enough to make 8 to 10 bolies.
• The excess dough can be stored in fridge after liberally coating it with oil for one more day.

Recipes to try

potato paratha

carrot boli

Whole wheat dough

Carrot Halwa

other boli varieties

Great ideas for Breakfast/Dinner

Tiffin Recipes


For apt accompaniments

Chutney Recipes