Cabbage Vegetable

I have used greengram dal with cabbage.Dal adds to the nutritive value and gives taste to the otherwise bland vegetable.It can be used with rice/rotis.

Ingredients:
Cabbage chopped-2 cups
Greengram dal-2-3 tbsp
Green chillies-2
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds-1 tsp
Urad dal-1 tsp(optional)
Coconut -2tbsp
Oil-1 tbsp
Salt to taste.

Method:

Boil 1 cup water and add greengram dal,cook till it is half cooked.
Add cabbage to it with salt and turmeric powder.
Cook till cabbage is soft and water is absorbed

Heat one tbsp oil in apan add mustard seeds and when it splutters add urad dal brown it.

Add curry leaves,green chillies and coconut mix well.
Add it to the cabbage mix well and serve.

Dal and vegetable rice

This is a time saving main dish you can make easily with all nutirents.
Ingredients:
Rice- 3/4 cup
Toovar dal-1/4 cup
Onion- 2
Tomato-2
Green peas,chopped carrot and potato,drumstick-1 cup(you can use any vegetable)
Red chillies-2
Mustard-1 tsp
Channa dal-1 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Oil-1 tbsp
Salt to taste.
Curry and coariander leaves-for garnishing
Method
Chop onion and tomatoes.
Wash rice and dal.
In a pan heat 1 tbsp oil ,add mustard seeds and chillies.
Add channa dal and saute till brown.
Add onion saute till glassy,add tomatoes fry till wilted.
Add all the cut vegetables and washed rice and dal mixture.
Add 2 to 2&1/2 cups water,salt and pressure cook till done.
Garnish with curry leaves and coariander,
Serve with onion raita,pickle or chips.

GARLIC POWDER

GARLIC POWDER(PODI)
Use garlic powder with idli or dosa or sprinkle on raitas,salads etc.
Ingredients

• Red chillies-4
• Roasted gram-1cup
• Garlic flkes-6 peeled
• Salt to taste
• Tamarind-optional.a liittle

Method

•  Roast red chillies with 1tsp oil.
• Grind red chillies,dal,salt and tamarind to afine powder.
• Add garlic in the end pulse for a few seconds till the garlic is blended.

PONGAL

PONGAL
A savoury rice and dal dish.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rice
• 1/2 cup moong dal(greengram dal)
• 5&1/2-6cups water
• ¼ inch Ginger
• 4 tbsp. Ghee
• 1 tsp. Whole black pepper.
• 1 tsp. Cumin seeds
• 10 - 15 Cashew nuts
• Curry leaves few
• salt to taste

Method:

• Wash  rice and  moong dal .
• Add about 4 times water ,salt to taste and pressure cook until it is  cooked till soft. 
• It should be semisolid/watery.
• You can add more hot water if needed to get right consistency
• Cut or grate ginger into fine pieces.
• Take 1 tbsp ghee in a frying pan and add 1 tsp whole black peppers and 1 tsp cumin seeds.
• When roasted add ginger pieces .
• Add cashew nuts and remove the pan when the cashews are roasted .
• Add this to cooked dal-rice mix.
• Add crushed  curry leaves and mix well.
• Add some ghee while serving.
• Serve with coconut chutney.

      Tips:

•    Open lid of cooker immediately after the pressure subsides.
•  If you leave it for long time pongal will become hard like cake.
• You can use 1/2 tsp each of powdered pepper and zeera also(instead of whole pepper & zeera)

SAKKARAI PONGAL

A sweet rice and dal porridge like dish.

Ingredients:

• Raw Rice – 1cup
• Moong dal/ green gram dal – 1/2 cup
• Jaggery – 1 cup grated
• Milk – 1 cup
• Water – 3cup
• Cashew nuts and raisins – for garnishing
• Ghee – 4tsp
• Cardamom powdered – 1/2 tsp for flavor .

Tip:To powder cardomom microwave it for 30 seconds at HIGH (it will puff up).Powder in a blender/mixie with a tbsp of sugar.You will get a fine powder with out any fibers.Try it and see!

Method:

• Wash moongdal and rice mixture thoroughly.
• Cook in a pressure cooker adding milk and water till soft.
• Meanwhile grate the jaggery add 1/2 cup water, heat till it melts and filter with a fine sieve/filter to remove impurities.
• Remove the cooked rice mixture from pressure cooker and add jaggery to it and mix well. If the rice is dry you can add more water to make it semi solid.
• Add cardomom powder and mix well.
• Take a pan, heat ghee and fry the cashews and raisins in it.
• Pour the ghee with cashews and raisins to the cooked pongal and mix well.
• Serve hot.