Katharikkai_Sambar

#KatharikkaiSambar  #BrinjalSambar : I have been preparing sambar only  in a pressure cooker [ by pressure cooking ] since I started cooking. I always used to prepare mixed vegetable sambar with two or three vegetables from vegetables like brinjal [ katharikkai ], drumstick, radish, ridge gourd, bittergourd, jackfruit seeds, chow chow, bottle gourd, yellow pumpkin, pumpkin, potato, etc.,...

Sometimes I used to do sambar for tiffin from katharikkai & green gram and also prepare another dish called katharikkai chutney [ katharikkai gothsu ] from katharikkai. But their preparations are completely different from the sambar for lunch. I have never done sambar using only katharikkai till I started living in Chittaranjan. What compelled me to make katharikkai sambar now is that I have brinjal plants in my garden. So I am getting steady supply of fresh and organically cultivated brinjals.

When I make sambar with katharikkai in a pressure cooker, the katharikkai pieces get over cooked and disintegrate into the sambar. The sambar looks like a katharikkai porridge. The reason might be that they are coming to the kitchen straight from the garden and also this particular variety takes lesser time to cook soft.

So henceforth I have decided not to prepare sambar by pressure cooking method when I use this katharikkai [ kathirikai ].

Thuvar dal alone is being pressure cooked in a pressure cooker.
But the sambar is being cooked in the pressure cooker without closing it by its lid.

Preparation Time                : 15 Mins
Cooking Time                     : 15 Mins
Quantity prepared               : 2 1/2 to 3 Cups approx.

Ingredients :
1/3 Cup	Thuvar Dal [ Pigeon Pea ]
3 - 4 medium size	Katharikkai [ Brinjal ]
Amla size	Tamarind, Soak in warm water
2 Tsp	Sambar powder
1/2 Inch long	Turmeric Tuber
Small piece	Asafoetida
1 Tsp	Coriander powder
8 - 10	Small Onion, peeled & halved
15 - 20	Curry Leaf
2 - 3	Green Chilly, slit lengthwise
1 Tsp	Mustard seed
1 1/2 Tsp	Gingelly oil [ Sesame / Til oil ]
1 1/2 Tsp	Salt [ Adjust ]
2 - 3 sprigs	Kothamalli Ilai [ Coriander leaf ] to garnish
1 Tbsp	Murungai keerai [ Moringa leaf ] to garnish

Note : Turmeric powder can be used if turmeric tuber is not available.

Method :
Take thuvar dal in a 3 litre pressure cooker.
Wash it twice with clean water and drain.
Now add 1 Cup of water, thinly sliced & crushed turmeric tuber and asafoetida.
Close the pressure cooker with its lid and put the weight on.
Pressure cook on HIGH for 5 whistles and reduce the flame to SIM & cook for 5 minutes.
Wait till the cooker ran out of steam.

Open the cooker and mash the cooked dal with the back of a ladle or with a potato masher.
Add Sambar powder and Coriander powder.
Mix well adding a cup of water.
Keep on a stove over medium heat.
On another burner of the stove heat a kadai with oil over medium flame.
Crackle mustard seeds once oil starts smoking.
Then add curry leaves after tearing them with hand.
Next add green chilly and onion in the order.
Saute till onion turns translucent.
Then add tomato and stir for another minute.
Transfer into the cooker.

Again keep the kadai on the stove and add 1/2 Tsp of oil.
Add katharikkai pieces and saute for two minutes.
Turn off the stove and transfer into boiling dal mixture.
Stir well with a ladle and close with a plate.
Cook till katharikkai become soft.

Now squeeze tamarind adding half a cup of water.
Strain its juice into the boiling sambar.
Add salt and let it boil for another 2 - 3 minutes.
Finally add curry leaves & murungaikeerai [ drumstick leaf ]
and turn off the stove.

Transfer into a serving vessel.
Garnish with curry leaves and coriander leaves.

Take hot white rice in a plate, pour a ladle full of sambar and a dash of ghee or
gingelly oil [ sesame/til oil ].
Mix well with hand and enjoy with your favorite stir fry or curry.

Sambar is a great accompaniment to paruppu sadham [ rice mixed with lentil and ghee ].
And also goes well with curd rice.

Other recipes you might like to try

Katharikkai Idli sambar

Vangi Bath with Black Pepper

Katharikkai Chutney

Katharikkai morekuzhambu

Katharikkai Varuval [ Brinjal Fry ]

Aviyal

Venthaya kuzhambu

Manathakkali vathakuzhambu

Vadai morekuzhambu

Vazhaipoo Kuzhambu

Curry Index

Lunch Index

Recipe Index

Lemon-Rasam-with-Karpooravalli

#LemonRasamWithKarpooravalli : 
#Karpooravalli [ #Omavalli ] is a semi-succulent perennial herbal plant. Karpooravalli and mint belong to the same family Lamiaceae and its scientific name is Plectranthus amboinicus.
It is known by various names such as Indian borage, country borage, Cuban Oregano, French Thyme, Indian Mint, Mexican mint, Spanish Thyme, soup mint. The leaves are pungent in taste and Ajwain [ ஓமம் ] like flavor and odour. When #Omavalli leaves are crushed they gives out a smell just like omam [ ajwain ] smell. It is edible and can be consumed raw.

The leaves are used in the treatment of cough and cold. I regularly prepare chutney from the leaves and use chopped leaves in salads and to garnish soups. But what I feel is that it is advisable to consume fresh leaves to get relief from cold, cough and throat infection. I also found out that its pungent omam taste remains intact when it is taken fresh.

I brought the plant cuttings from my native place and planted in my garden. Now it has grown with many branches having healthy leaves after rains. Now regular advisory from doctors is that to eat immunity boosting food in our daily diet to ward off corona pandemic.
I sometimes used to garnish rasam with crushed Karpooravalli leaves along with Coriander and mint leaves. But this time to reap its full health benefit, I used them in the preparation of rasam masala mix.

Usually the taste of my rasam happens to be sour. Adjust the quantity of lemon juice according to your taste. In the same way increase or decrease the number of chilly also.

Preparation time                : 10 - 12 min
Quantity                             : 2 Cup approx.
Serves                                : 3 to 4 persons

Ingredients :
1 medium size	Thakkali [ Tomato ]
1 Tsp heaped	Madras Rasam Powder
2 medium size	Lemon
1 1/2 Tsp	Salt [ Adjust ]
4 - 6 sprigs	Kothamalli fresh [ Coriander fresh ]
3 - 4	Karpooravalli leaf [ Indian Borage ]
8 - 10	Karuveppilai [ Curry leaf ]
6 - 8	Pudina fresh [ Mint fresh ]
Ingredients for Tempering
1 Tsp	Kadugu [ Mustard seed ]
1/2 Tsp	Saunf [ Fennel seed]
1/2 tsp	Jeera [ Cumin seed ]
1 Tsp	Gingelly oil [ Sesame/til oil ]
4 - 6	Karuveppilai [ Curry leaf ]
Ingredients for Rasam mix
4 - 5	Karpooravalli leaf [ Indian Borage ]
15 - 20	Karuveppilai [ Curry leaf ]
6 - 8	Pudina dried [ Dried Mint leaf ] - optional
10 - 15	Milagu [ Black pepper ]
1/2 Tsp	Kothamalli vidhai [ Coriander seeds ]
1/2 Tsp	Jeera [ Cumin seeds]
1/2 Tsp	Saunf [ Fennel seed]
2 Pinches	Omam [ Ajwain ]
4 - 5 pods	Poondu [ Garlic ]
1/2 in. piece	Inji [ Ginger ]
1/2 in. piece	Manjal kizhangu [ Turmeric tuber ]
1 - 2	Pachai milagai [ Green chilly ]
1 - 2	Sigappu milagai [ Red chilly ]
2	Krambu [ Clove ] - optional
1	Yelakkai [ Cardamom ] - optional

Method :

Take all things given under Ingredients for Rasam mix in a mixie jar.

Grind coarsely without adding water.

Wash tomato and cut it into eight equal pieces.

Put tomato pieces, salt, Madras Rasam Powder in a vessel.

Transfer the prepared rasam mix into the vessel.

Wash mixie jar with half a cup of water and pour into the vessel.

Add 1 1/2 cup of water into the vessel.

Heat on a stove over medium flame.

Allow to boil until rasam starts foaming up.

Turn off the stove.

Squeeze in lemon Juice.

Adjust lemon juice according to your taste.

Tear some curry leaves and put over hot rasam.

Cut the stem portion from the coriander sprigs and add over the hot rasam.

Keep the vessel closed.

Heat a kadai with oil on a stove over medium flame.

Crackle mustard seeds once oil starts fuming.

Then add jeera and fennel and turn off the stove.

Now add curry leaves and stir for few seconds.

Pour the tempering over the hot rasam.

Just before starting lunch garnish rasam with chopped coriander leaves, chopped pudina leaves

and chopped karpooravalli [ omavalli ] leaves.

Take hot white rice in a plate.
Take out one or two pieces of tomato from the rasam and put over the rice.

Slightly mash tomato and rice together by hand.
Now add plenty of rasam and mix well.
Enjoy along with any spicy curry of your choice.

Rasam mixed rice also goes well with  Vegetable Stir fry [ thuvatal ]

or onion fryums.






Other recipes you might like to try

Ammaan Pacharisi Thuvaiyal [ Asthma plant chutney ]

Kokum Rasam

Kollu Rasam

Lemon rasam with Vallarai [ centella ]

maangai herbal chutny

Variety of dishes for Lunch

Recipe Index

Clove-Tea

#CloveTea : I have been making an aromatic powder mix since 2015 using various spices. It is used in the preparation of an aromatic drink that would lift up one's sagging energy during intense work at office or anywhere else and refresh both mind and body. It took me so long to share its preparation with you all as I didn't click photos every time whenever I made the powder.

When we were in Mysore, my husband told me that he couldn't serve tea for visitors as there was no tea shops near his workshop. He asked his office staff to make black tea with lemon. But that wasn't working well. During that time I watched a health show on a TV channel where a dietician told taking clove tea would be refreshing while on work at office. So I powdered a small quantity of cloves and asked him to try tea from it. The next day he served cloves tea and everyone started asking what kind of tea it was! One of his office staff added some cardamom powder to it. The new powder mixture of clove and cardamom was a great hit among his office staffs and visitors as well. My husband told me that everyone started demanding clove tea or visiting him only to taste clove tea.

Subsequently my husband asked me to make clove tea powder in large quantity since the demand has risen sharply. Haha... I then started making aromatic clove tea powder twice a month!!

Now we are living at Chittaranjan in West Bengal and we came here and set up home in the month of July last year. Here again he asked for same tea powder for his office. I supplied him and saved some portion from it for home visitors. Daily I have been serving clove tea to our gardener, house keeper, helper and maid in the morning. I am regularly preparing Clove tea powder once in two months or according to the need.

#Clove : #Cloves are aromatic flower buds of a medium size tree which grows to a height of 8 - 12 m. It belongs to Myrtaceae family and its scientific name is Syzygium aromaticum. It is widely used as spice due to its aromatic and flavorful nature.  It has been in use as medicine in traditional medicines for many centuries. In traditional medicine, the oil extracted from cloves contains a substance called eugenol. It is effective in the treatment of tooth ache and other types of pain.
Cloves are rich in antioxidant.
Cloves are antimicrobial and found to be effective against several bacteria and fungal strains.
Cloves are antiviral also
The tea made from cloves,, cinnamon and cardamom drives away cold due to its microbial activity and anti viral property..
Cloves promote digestion and help the system to absorb nutrients well into the system.
Cloves are good at preventing acidity and also dispel gas.

Source : Cloves

#Cinnamon : #Cinnamon is the common name for several species of tree whose inner bark is used as a spice in a variety of cuisine world over. The commercial product, sheets of inner bark from these trees is also known by the name Cinnamon. These species belong to the genus Cinnamomum in the family Lauraceae.
Ground Cinnamon composed of around 11% water, 81% carbohydrates [ including 53% dietry fiber ], 4% protein and 1% fat. A sample amount 100 gm of cinnamon powder contains Calcium [ 100 % of daily value, DV ], Iron [  64 % DV ]and Vitamin K  [ 30 % DV ]
Traditionally used in cuisines as a flavoring agent and as a digestive aide in traditional medicine.
A study shows that regular intake of cinnamon reduces cholesterol and triglycerides.
Cinnamon is rich in antioxidants
Cinnamon has anti inflammatory properties
Cinnamonis good for our heart

Source : Cinnamon

#Cardamom : Cardamom is a strong flavorful spice of seeds of several plants in the genera Elettaria and Amomum in the family Zingiberaceae. It is used in cuisines extensively for its unique taste, strong flavor and intense aroma.
Cardamom is also rich in antioxidant and diuretic which help to lower blood pressure.
It is anti inflammatory and helps to treat digestive problems including ulcers.
It has antibacterial properties that helps in the treatment of infections.

Source : Cardamom

I usually prepare clove tea powder mainly using cloves, cardamom and cinnamon. But recently I have started including black pepper as it is rich in antioxidant, anti inflammatory property, improves brain function, lower cholesterol level and also improves gut health. Also because It has been in use since ancient times as the best home remedy for cold, cough and fever.
I also included a small piece of nutmeg last time when I ground powder for its intense flavor and felt that the drink happens to be even more tastier than before.

I have been searching the web world for the past two - three days to gain knowledge about these spices to write this post. After going through various articles in wikipedia and other websites, I realized that I have been making this aromatic powder for a long time without knowing its real value. Now I can firmly say that the drink made from this powder is not only refreshing but also a health booster.

Ingredients :
1/2 Cup	Clove
6 - 8	Cardamom [ can add more also ]
1 Tsp	Cinnamon powder OR
2 - 3 pieces	Cinnamon stick
1 Tsp	Black Pepper [ Optional ]
Small piece	Nutmeg [ Optional ]

Method of making Powder :
Heat a kadai on a stove over slow flame.
First add Cardamom once the kadai becomes hot.
Stir for a minute and then add Cloves.
Keep stirring till cloves slightly become hot and emanates aroma.
Take care not to roast them till they start smoking.
Turn off the stove.
Keep stirring for two to three minutes.
Transfer into a bowl or plate and allow to cool down.

Then take all the ingredients in a mixie jar.
Grind into a fine powder.
If the jar gets heated up stop running the mixie.
Wait for some time and then resume again.
Store in a clean and dry bottle.

Always use a clean & dry spoon to take powder from the bottle.

Making Clove Tea :
Tea can be brewed in two ways.

Method I :
Heat one tea cup of water in a vessel and bring it to boil.
Add 2 pinches of prepared #CloveTeaPowder.
Reduce flame and simmer for a minute.
Turn of the stove and strain through a filter.
Transfer into a tea cup.
Serve Hot without adding anything.
Or add honey or jaggery powder. [ recommended ]
Or add sugar for taste.



Method II :
Put two pinches of #CloveTeaPowder in a tea cup.
Pour hot water over it.
Close the cup with a lid.
Wait for 2 to 3 minutes.

Ah!! Super aromaa!!...
If available drop some crushed pieces of Mint [ Pudina ] leaf or Karpooravalli [ Omavalli ] leaf or Tulsi [ Holy Basil ] leaf over the tea.
Enjoy a sip at a time.!!
Definitely you will feel rejuvenated!!

You might also like to try

Bael fruit - Vilva pazha juice

Ammaan Pacharisi Thuvaiyal

Green Tea with Tulsi & Orange

Mango Milk Shake

Lemon Rasam with Vallarai

For other Juice, Soups and Porridge varieties

Refreshments


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