Archives for Poriyals & Varuvals category

Chilli Paneer

Ingredients:

  • Paneer (indian cheese) – 2 cups (cut into cubes)
  • Spring Onions – 1 cup (both green and white portions)
  • Green Chillies – 4 slit
  • Green Peppers (Capsicum) – 1 cut into bite sized pieces
  • Soya Sauce – 1 tsp (optional)
  • Tomato Chilli Sauce or Ketchup – 2 tbsp
  • Egg – 1
  • Corn Flour – 2 tbsp (or if unavailable use All purpose flour or Maida flour)
  • Black Pepper powder – 1 tsp
  • Oil – 3 tbsp
  • Salt – according to taste

Method:

Break the egg into a bowl and beat well adding a little salt and pepper. To this add the paneer cubes and mix well. Then add the corn flour  and soya sauce and mix well. Allow to marinate for about 15 – 20 minutes.

In a pan, heat about 2 tbsp of oil, and shallow fry the paneer cubes till they turn a light golden brown. Take them out and keep aside.  In the same pan, add about 1 tbsp of oil (can reduce this if more oil from the shallow fry is still left in the pan) and after it heats up, add the white portion of the spring onions, and saute for a minute. Then add the green peppers and saute till its cooked about 3/4th. Then add the green chillies, pepper powder and salt and mix well and stir fry for a minute. Now add in the fried paneer to this mix and toss well. Finally add in some tomato sauce/ketchup and coat the pieces well and stir fry for a couple of minutes. Garnish with the green portions of the spring onion and serve.

Its been a long time since I have updated my blog.  Today, decided to take the opportunity, thanks to Meena, so I can participate in her giveaway at her blog.

Light Podalangaai Poriyal

Ingredients:

  • Podalangai – 2 cups (diced)
  • Onions – 1 small (diced)
  • Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
  • Gram flour (or Pottu Kadalai flour) – 2 tbsp
  • Salt to taste
  • Oil – 1 tbsp

Method:

In a pan, heat oil, splutter mustard seeds. Add the onions and saute for a few minutes. To this, add the podalangai along with salt and water and allow to cook until the veggie is done. Sprinkle the flour to this and mix well. The flour will absorb the rest of the water. Remove from heat.

Spicy Kovakkai Fry

Ingredients:

  • Kovakkaai – 2 cups (diced)
  • Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
  • Chilli-coriander powder – 2 tsp
  • Ginger garlic paste – 1/2 tsp
  • Oil – 3 tbsp
  • Salt – to taste
  • Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp (optional)

Method:

In a pan, heat oil, splutter mustard seeds. To this, add the kovakkai, along with ginger garlic paste, chilli-coriander powder, turmeric and salt and mix well. Allow to fry well without adding any water (until the kovakkai is cooked well and crispy as well).

Vaazhakkai Chilli Fry

Ingredients:

  • Raw Banana (Vaazhakaai) – 2 diced into 1/2 inch cubes
  • Onions – 1 small (diced)
  • Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
  • Split urad dal – 1/2 tsp
  • Red chillies – 2 (roughly broken)
  • Oil – 2 tbsp
  • Salt – to taste
  • Grated coconut – 2 tsp

Method:

In a pan, heat oil, splutter mustard seeds, add the urad dal, red chillies and fry for a few seconds. Then, add the onions to this and saute. Then add the raw banana and salt along with a little water. Allow the bananas to cook until they are soft and all the water has drained out. Finally add in the grated coconut and mix well. Remove from heat.

Drumstick Leaves Poriyal

Ingredients:

  • Drumstick leaves/greens – 2 cups
  • Onions – 1/2 (diced)
  • Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
  • Garlic flakes – 3
  • Red Chillies – 2
  • Toor Dal – 2 tbsp (cooked)
  • Oil – 1 tbsp
  • Salt – to taste

Method:

In a pan, heat oil, splutter mustard seeds. Add red chillies, fry for a few seconds, then add the garlic and onions and fry for a few minutes. Then add the greens along with a little water and salt. Allow to cook until the greens are done. Finally, add in the toor dal and mix well. Allow to cook on high until all the water has drained out.

Kovakkai Fry

Ingredients:

  • Kovakkai – 2 cups (diced)
  • Onions – 1 medium (diced)
  • Ginger garlic paste – 1/2 tsp
  • Tomatoes – 1 small (diced)
  • Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
  • Chilli-coriander powder – 1.5 tsp
  • Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
  • Oil – 2 tbsp
  • Salt – to taste

Method:

In a pan, heat oil, splutter mustard seeds. Add the onions and saute for a few minutes. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute. Then, add the veggies and the chilli-coriander, turmeric powder and salt along with some water and allow to cook until the veggies are soft. Allow all the water to drain out. Remove from heat.

Crispy Cauliflower

Ingredients:

  • Cauliflower florets (big) – 1 cup
  • Gram flour – 2 tbsp
  • Maida – 1 tbsp
  • Rice flour – 1 tsp
  • Salt – to taste
  • Food coloring (orange) – a pinch
  • Turmeric – a pinch
  • Chilli powder – 1 tsp
  • Oil – for deep frying

Method:
In a bowl, mix all the ingredients except the oil and cauliflower to make a fine paste. Then, dip the cauliflower florets in that one by one and fry in hot oil.

Peas Fry

Ingredients:

  • Green Peas – 2 cups
  • Chilli-coriander powder – 1 tsp
  • Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
  • Onion? – 1 small diced
  • Mustard Seeds – 1/2 tsp
  • Oil – 1 tbsp
  • Salt – to taste

Method:

In a pan, heat the oil, splutter mustard seeds and add the onions and saute. Then, add the chilli-coriander and turmeric powder, and peas along with a little water and required amount of salt and allow to cook until the peas are soft and all the water has drained out.? Can also use dried peas to make the fry. Follow the procedure as in Potatoes-Dry peas fry while using dry peas.

Baby Potatoes Roast

Ingredients:

  • Baby potatoes – 1/2 lb (sliced into 2)
  • Olive oil – 2 tbsp
  • Chilli powder – 1 tsp
  • Black Pepper powder (Coarse) – 1/4 tsp
  • Salt – to taste

Method:

Coat a baking pan, with about 1 tbsp of Olive oil. Then add the baby potatoes to this. Sprinkle the chilli, pepper powders and salt on the potatoes so all the pieces are coated evenly. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes (or until crispy and done) at 400F. Allow a few minutes standing time before serving.

Podalangaai Paruppu Fry

Ingredients:

  • Podalangai (snake gourd) – 1 lb diced
  • Gram Dal (Channa dal) – 1/4 cup
  • turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
  • Chilli powder – 1 1/2 tsp
  • Coriander powder – 1/2 tsp
  • Ginger-garlic paste – 1/2 tsp
  • Oil – 3 tbsp
  • Salt – to taste

Method:

In a large vessel, add the diced podalangai, turmeric powder, salt, chilli, coriander powders, gram dal and ginger garlic paste with about 1/2 cup of water and pressure cook.

In a pan, heat oil and then add the pressure cooked contents and fry well till all the water is drained and oil starts to come out on top/sides. Goes well as a side dish for rice with sambhar.