Ingredients:

• Cluster Beans (Kothavarangaai) – 2 cups diced
• Onions – 1 small (diced)
• Mustard Seeds – 1/4 tsp
• Split urad dal – 1/4 tsp
• Oil – 1 tbsp
• Grated coconut – 1 tbsp
• Red Chillies – 2
• Salt – to taste

Method:

In a pan, heat the oil, splutter mustard seeds, add the urad dal. Saute for a few seconds. Then break the red chillies roughly and add them to this. Then add the onions and saute. To this, add the kothavarangaai along with a little water and salt. Allow to cook until done. Finally add in the grated coconut and mix well for a few minutes. Remove from heat.

Ingredients:

• Potatoes – 3 peeled, diced (diced into medium bite sized pieces)
• Capsicum (Green Bell peppers) – 1 cup (diced)
• Onions – 1 medium (diced)
• Tomatoes – 1 medium (diced)
• Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Oil – 2 tbsp
• Ginger garlic paste – 1/2 tsp
• Salt – to taste
• Chilli coriander powder – 1.5 tsp
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp

Method:

Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds. Add onions and saute for a while. Then, add the ginger garlic paste to this and fry for a minute. Then, add the veggies along with tomatoes. Add the turmeric, chilli coriander powders and salt along with a little water and allow the veggies to cook until all the water has drained out and oil starts coming out at the sides.

Ingredients:

• Plaintain Stem – 2 cups (diced finely)
• Red Chillies – 2 (roughly broken)
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Onion? – 1 small diced
• Mustard Seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Split urad dal – 1/2 tsp
• Oil – 1 tbsp
• Salt – to taste
• Toor dal – cooked (2 tsp) (Optional)

Method:

In a pan, heat the oil, splutter mustard seeds and add the urad dal, red chillies and fry for a few seconds. To this, add the onions and saute. Then, add the plaintain stem, turmeric along with a little water and required amount of salt and allow to cook until the veggies are soft and all the water has drained out. Finally add in the dal and mix well. Remove from heat.

Ingredients:

• Greens – 2 cups (diced finely)
• Red Chillies – 2 (roughly broken)
• Garlic flakes – 5
• Onion? – 1 small diced
• Mustard Seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Split urad dal – 1/2 tsp
• Oil – 1 tbsp
• Salt – to taste

Method:

In a pan, heat the oil, splutter mustard seeds and add the urad dal, red chillies and fry for a few seconds. To this, add the onions and garlic flakes and saute for a few minutes. Then, add the greens. Place a lid and allow the greens to cook without any water. Then when the greens have started to lessen in volume as they are cooking, sprinkle a little water and salt (Be careful not to add too much salt – since the greens will lessen in volume hugely – 2 cups of fresh greens will yield about just 3/4 cup of cooked poriyal when done). Allow to cook until all the water has drained out. You can make this dish with just about any greens. Optionally can add in some grated coconut to this and mix before taking off the stove.

Ingredients:

• Yam (Karunaikezhangu) – 1/2 lb
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Green Chillies – 2 or 3 (sliced half way through)
• Onions – 1 medium (diced)
• Mustard Seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Oil – 1 tbsp
• Salt – to taste

Method:

Peel the outer skin of the yam and slice them into 1/4x 1/4 x 1 inch pieces.

In a pan, heat the oil, splutter mustard seeds. Then add the onions and saute for a few minutes. To this add the chopped yam along with turmeric, green chillies and salt. Add 1 cup of water and allow the yam to cook until done (until the yam is soft and the mixture has a gravy like consistency)

Alternatively, can pressure cook the yam pieces with a little salt and turmeric and add to the pan instead of adding them raw. Might save some stove time.

Ingredients:

• Yam (Karunaikezhangu) – 1/2 lb
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Chilli-coriander powder – 2 tsp
• Ginger garlic paste – 1/2 tsp (optional)
• Oil – 3 tbsp
• Salt – to taste

Method:

Peel the outer skin of the yam and slice them into 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick and 2 inchx2inch pieces.
Boil these in water along with a little turmeric powder and a pinch of salt until half done (or pressure cook them).

In a bowl, mix chilli-coriander powders, ginger garlic paste and required salt with a little water to make a paste (Please note that you have already put some salt during boiling, so add in just a little more). Dip the yam pieces in this mixture so they are coated well on all sides.

In a flat pan/tawa, heat oil and add in the pieces one by one (Side by side) as a single sheet of pieces. When golden brown and crisp on one side, turn over and cook the other side.? Repeat this for all the pieces.

Ingredients:

• Yam (Karunaikezhangu) – 2 cups (diced finely)
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Chilli-coriander powder – 2 tsp
• Oil – 3 tbsp
• Salt – to taste
• Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp (optional)
• Curry leaves – a few (optional)

Method:

In a pan, heat oil, splutter mustard seeds, add the curry leaves. To this, add the diced yam and fry for a minute. Then, add the chilli-coriander powder, turmeric and salt and mix well. Sprinkle a little water. Allow to fry well until the yam is cooked well and is crispy.

Ingredients:

• Raw Banana (Vaazhakaai) – 2 diced into 1/2 inch cubes
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Chilli-coriander powder – 1.5 tsp
• Onions – 1 small (diced)
• Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Split urad dal – 1/2 tsp
• Oil – 2 tbsp
• Salt – to taste

Method:

In a pan, heat oil, splutter mustard seeds, add the urad dal and fry for a few seconds. Then, add the onions to this and saute. Then the raw banana and the turmeric, chilli-coriander powders and salt along with a little water. Allow the bananas to cook until they are soft and all the water has drained out.

Ingredients:

• Raw Banana (Vaazhakaai) – 2
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Chilli-coriander powder – 2 tsp
• Ginger garlic paste – 1/2 tsp (optional)
• Oil – 3 tbsp
• Salt – to taste

Method:

Peel the skin of the raw banana and slice it into 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick discs. Boil these in water along with a little turmeric powder and a pinch of salt until half done.

In a bowl, mix chilli-coriander powders, ginger garlic paste and required salt with a little water to make a paste (Please note that you have already put some salt during boiling, so add in just a little more). Dip the banana pieces in this mixture so they are coated well on all sides.

In a flat pan/tawa, heat oil and add in the pieces one by one (Side by side) as a single sheet of pieces. When golden brown and crisp on one side, turn over and cook the other side.? Repeat this for all the pieces. Goes well as a side dish with rice and sambhar or other light curries.

Ingredients:

• Paavakkaai (Bitter gourd) – 3/4 lb
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp (optional)
• Chilli-coriander powder – 2 tsp
• Oil – 3 tbsp
• Salt – to taste

Method:

Cut the gourd into disc shaped pieces (thin slices – 3mm thick). In a bowl, mix the turmeric, ginger garlic paste, chilli powders and salt. Dip the pieces in this mixture so they are coated well on all sides.

In a pan, heat oil and add in the pieces one by one (Side by side) as a single sheet of pieces. When golden brown/dark brown and crisp on one side, turn over and cook the other side.? Repeat this for all the pieces. Note: This might be a bit time-consuming, but nonetheless makes an excellent side dish. Since bitter gourds tend to be bitter, this preparation makes it less bitter, so many people prefer to eat this.