(Keerai Kadainjathu) - Fresh Greens Mashed

(Keerai Kadainjathu) - Fresh Greens Mashed

Figured it is time I made some contribution to the Green Blog Project after enthusiastically declaring that I wanted to participate but you see my garden was not cooperating, the plants are still growing and no harvest to be made anytime soon. But I had plenty of greens (thandu keerai) ready to be picked and thought they would make a great entry for the GBP. I eagerly look forward to these tasty fresh greens (Amaranthus) every summer. The ones I have here are all green and they grow comfortably among the other plants. Pick out the bad leaves and put them in salted water for about 20 minutes to clean them. I have the recipe for the most simple of keerai preparations, use the leaves and stem they are after all thandu keerai. The tender stems can be used but discard the ones that are too thick, they are stringy.



There is a also a plant quiz in there to spice it up.


Ingredients

1. 2 1/2 cups of roughly chopped greens (thandu keerai)
2. 1/2 onion diced
3. 3 slit green chillies
4. 1/4 tsp cumin powder, freshly ground black pepper
5. seasoning, cumin mustard
6. 1/4 tsp and few drops of ghee

Method
1. In a pressure cooker or pan, heat the oil and ghee and add the seasonings
2. Add the onion and saute till translucent
3. Add the green chillies and the cumin powder and some fresh ground black pepper
4. Add the greens and salt and mix well. (don't add any extra water)
5. Close the lid for one whistle.
6. Mash the greens with a mathu or using the back of a laddle.




Serve with rice.

I like to do this in the cooker because I feel it preserves all the nutrients without getting them evaporated.

Pudalangai/Snakegourd kootu

Pudalangai/Snakegourd kootu

Ingredients

Moong dal-1/2 cup
Pudalangai/Snakegourd -1/2 cup chopped
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Green chillies-2
Onion - 1 medium sized chopped

For tadka
Ghee - 2tsp
Jeera-1/2tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2tsp
urad dal-1/2tsp
Curry leaves


Method

Cook moong dal in a pressure cooker for 1 whistle.Now, add chopped pudalangai,slit green chillies,chopped onion,salt, turmeric powder and pressure cook again for 1 whistle.Do the tadka and add that to the cooked dal mix.

Chow Chow (Bangalore Kathirikai) Poricha Kuzhambu

Chow Chow (Bangalore Kathirikai) Poricha Kuzhambu

Ingredients:

Chow Chow – 1 No
Green Gram Dhal – ½ cup
Coconut gratings – 1 tablespoon
Jeera – ½ teaspoon
Green chilli – 1
Sambar powder – 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder – a pinch
Salt – ½ teaspoon
Oil – 1 teaspoon
Mustard – ½ teaspoon
Curry leaves – few

Method:

Cook green gram dhal along with a pinch of turmeric powder till soft.

Remove the skin from chow chow and cut into small pieces. Put it in a vessel and add just enough water to cover the vegetable. Add sambar powder, turmeric and salt and cook till the vegetables are soft. Add the cooked dhal. Allow to boil.

Grind coconut, green chilli and jeera to a fine paste. Add this to the vegetable and mix well. If the kuzhambu is too thick, add little water and make semi liquid. Season it with mustard and curry leaves.

Note: You can also add a small onion chopped finely while seasoning.

You can make the above Kootu using snakegourd (Pudalangai) instead of chow chow. Chow chow is also called as "Chayote".

Keerai Kootu

Keerai Kootu

Ingredients:

Keerai- 1 bunch - (You can use any greens)
Green Gram dhal – ½ cup
Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
Onion – 1/2 chopped finely
Sambar powder- 1 tsp
Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
Coconut gratings – 1 tablespoon
Jeera – 1 tsp
Oil- 2 tsp
Salt – ½ teaspoon

Method:

Cook green gram dhal till soft. Remove the roots and wash the keerai thoroughly. Chop the keerai finely. Place the chopped keerai in a thick bottomed vessel. Add salt, sambar powder and turmeric powder. Close it with a lid. Cook the keerai in slow flame. No need to add water since the keerai will cook in its own water content. When the keerai is cooked, add cooked dhal mashed nicely. Grind coconut and jeera to a paste and add this also to the keerai. Add little water and make semi liquid. Allow to boil. Season it with mustard and chopped onion finely fried.

The Lean Veggie - Thengai paal kootu

The Lean Veggie - Thengai paal kootu

If i were to make a list of my mom's best recipes, this is surely number 1. There are days when I am tired of north indian and south indian food, but not in a mood for pizzas and sandwiches. This dish perfectly fits the bill then. The rich flavor comes not from a big pile of spices, but simply from ginger, fresh coconut milk, and cilantro. This recipe allows the flavor of all the veggies to shine through without getting overpowered by the gravy. Serve it with pulao, or fresh basmathi rice, or phulkas or idiappam. I made some instant sevai, but it is not the best accompaniment. The kootu is so flavorful, you need a bland side dish to go well with it.

Ingredients -

* 2 cups of chopped vegetables - beans, carrots, cauliflower, peas, zucchini squash, lima beans(any combination and proportion works)

* 1 peeled chopped potato

* 1/2 cup chopped tomato

* 1/2 cup sliced onion

* 1 tbsp chopped ginger

* 5 curry leaves finely chopped

* 1 tsp cumin seeds

* 1/2 can coconut milk (try to avoid the lite milk varieties)

* 3 tbsp finely chopped cilantro

* 2 green chillies slit lengthwise

* 1/4 tsp turmeric powder

* 1 pinch hing

* 1/2 tsp chilli powder

Method -

Try to use a pressure pan for quick cooking. If a pressure pan is not available, use a big saucepan with a well fitting lid.

1) Heat the pressure pan and add 2 tsp oil. While waiting for the oil to heat, perform step 2

2) Finely slice the onions, chop ginger, curry leaves, green chillies and tomatoes3) Add jeera to the oil, take care not to let it burn, and add the ingredients from step 2

4) Stir fry for 5 minutes

5) Add all the veggies, turmeric powder, chilli powder and stir fry for 5 minutes

6) Add enough water to cover all the veggies, close the lid of the pressure pan, add the weight and cook till you hear two whistles. Immediately turn the heat off. After 5 minutes, place the pressure pan on a cool surface. This is important to make sure the vegetables do not get over cooked. If using a saucepan, simply place a lid and cook till the vegetables are done

7) Open the pan, and add salt and the coconut milk and heat through. Make sure that you do not boil the curry, as the coconut milk's flabor gets altered if over heated. Check the taste and add more salt, chilli powder and a pinch of sugar if needed

8) Garnish with the chopped cilantro