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BITTER GOURD RAITHA

| sarapaka
Green in colour, oblong in shape, tender skin, jagged ridges, gentle undulations, triangular teeth, warty surface, central cavity filled with pith and seeds, turns orange-red when ripe, bitter to taste…Mother Nature’s caring gift for us to be in the pink of health. Go bang the store for this veggie, Bitter Gourd, and chill out in the kitchen with this one of a kind cool dish for sweltering summer: Raitha.

Raitha (or Raita) is a popular Indian side dish that is made using curd (or yogurt) and served as sauce, salad or a dip.

 

Dish Type: South Indian Side Dish   BITTER GOURD RAITHA                                                  

Preparation Time: 10 min

Cooking time: 20 min

Serves: 5 persons

Ingredients

For sautéing

Mustard seeds           1 tsp

Bitter gourd                250 gms

Curry leaves              1 sprig

Turmeric pwd             A pinch

Salt to taste               1 tsp approx.

Raw ingredients to keep in a bowl

Curd                            ½ litre

Onion                          1 no.

Tomato                        1 no.

Salt to taste                 ½ tsp approx.

Green chilly                 1 no.

Chilli powder               A pinch

Coriander leaves         1 cup

Directions

Wash bitter gourd, tomato, green chilly, coriander leaves and curry leaves thoroughly in salt water. Transfer them to a colander to drain the water.

Chop bitter gourd into thin round slices or slit the gourd lengthwise and cut into thin 1” long slices.

Heat oil in a kadai. Add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add curry leaves, bitter gourd slices and turmeric powder. Sauté for about 10 min.  Now add salt and resume sautéing for another 10 min. in low flame. Keep alternating between high and low flame while sautéing.

Meanwhile, fine chop onion, tomato and coriander leaves separately into small pieces. Slice green chilly into thin round pieces.

Take a bowl. Add curds, salt, chilli powder and the above chopped ingredients into it.

Just before serving add brown fried and crispy bitter gourd slices into it.

Bitter Gourd Raitha is now ready.

Note:

Other common names for Bitter Gourd (compiled from various sources):

Bitter melon, balsam pear, balsam apple, art pumpkin, cerasee, carilla cundeamor, African cucumber, ampalaya, balsambrine, balsamine, balsamo, bitter apple, bitter cucumber, bittergurke, carilla fruit, carilla gourd, chinli-chih and many more.

MAAVINAKAYI CHITRANNA (RAW MANGO RICE)

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Hey it’s summer…. time to go for Mango! Mark this season with an extremely simple, delicious, most commonly prepared, traditional South Indian rice variety. Classic rice recipe with a mild tangy taste derived by using raw green mango, balanced beautifully by the judicious use of spices and seasonings. Truly a king among the many kinds of Chitranna, this dish features prominently in the menu on festive occasions too.

 Dish Type:  South Indian Rice Variety 

Raw Mango Rice

Preparation Time:  10 min

Cooking time:  20  min

Serves:  4 persons

Ingredients

For cooking:

Rice                        250 gms

Water                   500 ml

For grinding (to make raw mango chutney):

Raw mango                       1 no. (grated)

Methi seeds                       ½ tsp (dry fried)

Mustard seeds                  ¼ tsp

Raw coconut                      ½ coconut (grated)

For seasoning:

Oil                                      4 tbsps

Mustard seeds                  ½ tsp

Groundnuts                      2 tbsps

Green chilly                       4 nos. (slit)

Ginger                              1” pc. (grated)

Curry leaves                     1 sprig

Salt to taste                      1 tsp approx.

Turmeric pwdr                  A pinch

Asafoetida                        A pinch

Raw mango                     1 no. (grated)

Raw mango chutney       4 tbsps approx. (adjust quantity as per taste)

For garnishing:

Fresh coriander leaves  2 tbsps (fine chopped)

Directions:

Wash rice thoroughly. Cook rice along with water in a pressure cooker. After 2 whistles switch off the burner and let the pressure subside from the cooker.

While rice is getting cooked….

Wash raw mango, ginger, green chillies, curry leaves and coriander leaves in salt water. Drain out the water. Grate raw mango, raw coconut and ginger and keep aside. Slit green chillies, fine chop fresh coriander leaves and keep aside.

Now prepare raw mango chutney. For this….

Heat a small kadai. Dry fry methi seeds. Switch off the burner and let it cool.

Grind these dry fried methi seeds along with raw mustard seeds, raw grated coconut and grated raw mango to chutney consistency. Transfer the chutney to a bowl.

Now prepare the seasoning. Heat oil in a large kadai. Add mustard seeds, groundnuts, slit green chillies, grated ginger, curry leaves, ground raw mango chutney, salt, turmeric and asafoetida in that order. Put each of the above ingredients at few seconds interval between them. Saute for about 5 min. and switch off the burner.

When the cooker is cool, remove the lid. Spread the cooked rice on to a big plate. Let it cool a bit (not too much). Sprinkle a tsp of salt on this. Transfer the seasoned raw mango chutney from the kadai on to the rice. Also add raw grated mango. Mix well. Garnish with fine chopped coriander leaves.

Maavinakayi Chitranna (Raw Mango Rice) is ready.

Also view in this blog “Ellina Chitra Anna”

Note:

While mixing mango chutney with rice, keep a portion of the chutney aside. After mixing with rice, check the taste. If required add more of the chutney. This chutney can also be stored in an air tight container and kept in the fridge for later use.

Every grain of the cooked rice must be soft, fluffy and should stand out independently of the other grains. At the same time, rice should neither be half boiled nor too mushy. This can be checked by pressing a few grains between your fingers.

Green raw mango can also be used to make gojju, pickles or used in place of tamarind while making rasam or sambar.

TOOR DAL RASAM (USING LIME JUICE)

| sarapaka
Want to cook a dish really quick n easy, yet “oh so light n delicious”? Don‘t know where to begin…here it is!

Weaned your baby off mother’s milk? Wish to introduce the li’l one to a healthy, tasty, easily digestible solid food? …here it is!

Your tummy throwing tantrums? Yes we are busy cooking medicine for you…here it is!

Dish Type:  South Indian Vegetarian Stew  TOOR DAL RASAM (using lime juice)

Preparation Time:  20 min

Cooking time:  30 min

Serves:  5 persons

Ingredients

For pressure cooking:

Toor dal                       50 gms

Water                          250 ml

Turmeric powder        A pinch

Curry leaves                1 sprig

Ghee                            A drop

For grinding:

Cumin seeds                ½ tsp

Pepper corns               ¼  tsp

Ginger (grated)           ½” piece

Green chilly                 1 no.

Raw coconut               2 tsps (optional)

While boiling

Water                          500 ml

Salt to taste                 1 tbsp (approx.)

For seasoning:

Ghee                            1 tsp

Mustard seeds                        ½ tsp

Cumin seeds                ½ tsp

For flavour and garnishing

Lime juice (extracted from 1 lime) and coriander leaves

Directions

Wash dhal with water, drain and keep aside.

Wash ginger, curry leaves and coriander leaves in salt water. Drain and keep aside.

Cook dhal in a pressure cooker along with water, turmeric powder, curry leaves and a dash of ghee.

While dal is getting cooked….

You can do grinding. For this, first, grate raw coconut. Grate ginger after peeling its skin. Grind all ingredients listed under “For grinding” using a few spoonfuls of water.

Add this ground chutney, water and salt to the cooked dhal and boil it for 5 to 10 min. on low flame. As you feast your eyes watching the light and bright yellow coloured rasam boiling with the jeera-ginger-pepper combine, it’s time to reach out for a small skillet to prepare seasoning.

Heat ghee in this skillet. Put mustard seeds. When they crackle put cumin seeds. Switch off the flame. Immediately pour it on to the boiling rasam.

Squeeze out the juice from fresh lime and add to the rasam. Garnish it with thoroughly washed and chopped fresh coriander leaves.

Toor Dal (with lime juice) Rasam is now ready.

Serve hot with steamed rice or as plain soup.

Note:

Quantity of water, salt and spices can be altered to suit the consistency and taste that you desire.

While there are plenty of Rasam varieties, with a bit of experimentation, imagination and creativity, one can customize and create many more! At Sarapaaka, we present select Rasam recipes that are healthy, nutritious, tried and tested over generations, easy to prepare and kindle you with ideas that help create variations on your own.

VEGETABLE BIRYANI

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A tried and tested recipe that tempts you no end….nutrition rich with a variety of vegetables, filled with fresh flavours from spices, mint, coriander leaves et al. Are you feeling green with envy? Dash to your kitchen and cook this dainty dish…

Dish Type:  South Indian Vegetarian Rice Variety  vb with mint raitha

Preparation Time:  15 min

Cooking time:  45 min

Serves:  8 to 10 persons

Ingredients

For cooking:

Basmati rice                500 gms

Water                          750 ml

Cinnamon                    2 nos. of 1” long piece

Clove                           2 nos.

Cardamom                  2 nos.

Cumin seeds               ½  tsp

Ghee                            ½ tsp

For deep frying:

Ghee                            2 tbsps

Cashewnuts                 50 gms

Raisins                         50 gms

Oil                               2 tbsps

Onion                          2 nos. (Chop them into round slices)

For grinding:

Ginger                         1” pc

Garlic                          2 nos.

Green chilly                 1 no.

Onion                          1 no. (chop it into cubes)

Tomato                        1 no. (chop it into cubes)

For sautéing:

Oil                               50 ml

Onion                          2 nos. (fine chop)

Tomato                        1 no. (fine chop)

Aloo                             1 no. (big size)

Carrot                          ¼ kg

Beans                          ¼ kg

Peas                             ¼ kg

Dhania powder           1 tsp

Jeera powder              1 tsp

Chilly powder              1 tsp

Masala powder           1 tsp

Curd                            ¾ litre

For garnishing:

Deep fried cashewnuts, raisins and onions

Fine chopped fresh coriander leaves or mint leaves or other greens like oregano, rosemary, holy basil and lettuce.

Directions

Wash basmati rice thoroughly. Drain the water and keep it aside for about 10 min.

Wash all vegetables (except onions and garlic) and greens in salt water.

Peel the skin of ginger, onions, garlic, carrots and fresh peas. Remove the ends of beans and the fibre at their sides. Chop onions, tomatoes and fresh mint/coriander leaves finely.  Chop aloo, carrots and beans lengthwise diagonally. Keep them all aside separately.

Heat ghee in a pressure cooker. Deep fry cashewnuts till they turn golden brown and raisins till they swell. Remove and keep them aside for garnishing at the end. To the cooker, now add oil and deep fry round slices of onions till they turn brown and crisp. Remove and use them for garnishing later.

Now put cumin seeds on to the remaining oil in the cooker. When they splutter add cardamom, clove, cinnamon and fry lightly. Now add the soaked basmati rice along with a drop of ghee and water. Pressure cook upto 2 whistles and switch off the burner. Let it cool.

While the rice is getting cooked….make a paste of ginger, garlic and green chilly and keep aside. Remove the paste and now grind 1 onion and 1 tomato.

Heat oil in a kadai. Put ginger garlic paste, then chopped onions and a pinch of turmeric. Fry for a little while till the onions turn soft and brown in colour. Now add fine chopped tomato, onion tomato paste and a pinch of salt. Fry for some time. You will see onions and tomatoes nicely blending. Now add chopped carrots, beans, aloo and peas and continue sautéing. Add salt, dhania, jeera, chilly and masala powders. Let the flavours of the spices sink into the vegetables. Add curd, mix well and let it boil for a minute or two. Now transfer the contents of the kadai to another bowl. In this kadai, put a part of cooked basmati rice. Over this, put a part of the fried vegetable mix. Repeat the process 2 more times. Mix well. Cover the kadai with a lid and place some weight on top of the lid so that the lid is covered tight. Let the contents get cooked for another 10 min. on low flame. Now remove the lid.

Garnish with deep fried onions, cashew nuts and raisins and fine chopped fresh coriander/mint leaves or any other greens.

Vegetable Biryani is now ready…get set and head straight to the dining table!

Also view in this blog other rice varieties “Greens Pulao” “Bisi Bele Bhaath” “Ellina Chitranna” “Raw Mango Rice“

PLAIN DOSA BATTER

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Welcome to “The World of Dosas”! Call it “Crispy Crepe” in its thinner, crispier version or a “Plain Pancake” in its softer, thicker avatar, these rice and lentil based dosas made from fermented batter are here to stay!

Dosa is very common in the Homes and Darshinis (chain of restaurants) of South India. Thanks to its ingredients, Dosa is rich in carbohydrates, poor in saturated fats and sugar, free of gluten, filled with protein, fermenting process further augmenting the Vitamin B and C content.

This heavenly staple dish, indigenous to South India, has its origins linked to Udupi town of Karnataka, India. The earliest mention of dosa can also be found in the 6th century Tamil literature.

  Plaindosa batterHot Steam Dosa getting ready

Dish type: South Indian Breakfast/Supper Dish

Preparation time: 5 min

Soaking time:  5 hours

Grinding time: 45 min

Fermenting time: 12 hrs

Yield: 2 kgs (approx..)

Ingredients

Rice                             1000 gms

Black gram dhal          250 gms

Methi seeds                20 gms

Poha (Avalakki)           100 gms (thick variety)

Salt                              50 gms

Directions

Soak rice and methi seeds together for 5 hours. Soak poha separately for 5 hours

Soak black gram dhal for 3 hours (after 2 hours of soaking rice, methi and poha)

Pour about ½ litre water into the wet grinder and switch on the grinder.

Now start putting rice, urad dhal and poha one after another into the grinder.

Keep adding very little quantities of water and stir the batter at intervals.

The batter keeps sticking to the sides of the grinder. Keep clearing the sides off the batter by pushing the batter towards the centre.

Let the grinding continue till the texture of batter becomes smooth.

Now transfer it to a vessel big enough to hold all the batter in less than half its height. This is to prevent the batter that rises up on fermenting from spilling out of the vessel.

Now add salt and mix the batter thoroughly. Close the vessel with a lid and let it stand for about 12 hours.

Plain Dosa Batter is now ready.

Also view “Curd Dosa” and “Neeru Dosa” recipes in this blog

Note:

Procedure for preparing batter remains the same even when done with “mixie”, a popular short n sweet name for Indian mixer grinders!

You can use this batter to make a variety of dosas like steam dosa, masala dosa, vegetable dosa, etc.

Poha or Avalakki is known by many other names like “beaten rice, “pressed rice”, “flattened rice and “flaked rice”

Also view in our blog, “Instant Poha Mixture”, “Onion Chutney”, “Carrot Chutney” and many other recipes.

GREEN GRAM (Mung Bean) CURRY WITH GREENS

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All izzz well when heart is well. What better way to keep it that way than teeming our lifestyle with this magical green coloured gram called Mung Bean. This tiny bean plays a mighty role in combating heart diseases since its rich magnesium content relaxes arteries and veins keeping the heart healthy.

Dish Type:  South Indian Vegetarian Side Dish Greengram n greens palya

Preparation Time:  20 min

Cooking time:  30 min

Serves:  4 persons

Ingredients

For pressure cooking:

Green gram                75 gms

Water                          250 ml

Ghee                            1 tsp

Turmeric                     A pinch

Dantina soppu             1 bunch (amaranth leaves)

Tomato                        2 nos.

Salt to taste                 ½ tbsp. (at the time of adding chopped greens)

For seasoning:

Ghee                            1 tsp

Mustard seeds                        ½ tsp

Black gram                  ½ tsp

Green chillies              2 nos. (red chillies or salted chillies can also be used)

Onions                         2 nos. (medium size, fine chopped)

Salt to taste                 ½ tsp approx.

For garnishing:

Raw grated coconut    1 tbsp approx. (optional)

Directions

Wash green gram thoroughly. Keep it for boiling on low flame in a pressure cooker along with water, turmeric and ghee.

Wash greens (dantina soppu) and tomatoes thoroughly in salt water. Drain out the water.

Chop greens finely. No need to chop tomatoes.

Peel the skin of onions and finely chop them. Wash the 2 green chillies, slit them and keep aside.

By this time, green gram would have been half cooked. Remove the lid of the pressure cooker. Add the chopped greens and salt and over this, add tomatoes. After 2 whistles, switch off the pressure cooker. Let it cool.

While the cooker is cooling….do spare time to read footnotes given at the end of this recipe.

By now, pressure in the cooker would have subsided. Transfer the contents on to a colander to drain the water to another vessel. Preserve this precious nutritious water, a tbsp. of cooked green gram and greens and the 2 cooked tomatoes aside to make “Green Gram Rasam with Greens”  later. (Recipe posted separately at Sarapaaka).

Now is the time for seasoning. Heat a drop of ghee in a small skillet. Do not heat it too much. When it is just hot, put mustard seeds. When they crackle, immediately put black gram, slit green chillies and then the finely chopped onions. Now add a pinch of salt and the remaining cooked green gram and greens. (Do you remember keeping a tbsp. of this aside to use for Rasam?) Mix them well and toss it for a minute or two. Garnish with raw grated coconut if desired.

Hmmm….Green Gram Curry with Greens is ready. Let this side dish occupy the altar, next to Rothis n Parathas.

Note: Don’t forget to use the remaining cooked green gram and greens and the boiled and drained water to make “Green Gram Rasam with Greens”.

GREEN GRAM (Mung Bean) RASAM WITH GREENS

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Green coloured, sweet flavoured, high in fibre, rich in nutrients, cooks faster, helps control body weight, lowers blood pressure and much more. That’s green gram for you.

Wash it. Soak it. Sprout it. Cook it. Grind it. Make rasam, curry and have it with hot, steamed rice.

Dry roast it. Dry grind it. Use the flour to make tasty rotis or parathas.

Wash it. Soak it. Wet grind it. Generate healthy versions of dosas and idlis.

In this recipe, green gram has been combined with greens. What’s cooking…?

Delicious Red coloured Rasam boiling and a close-to-finish fresh Green coloured Curry tossing!

Dish Type:  South Indian Vegetarian Stew Green gram and greens rasam

Preparation Time:  20 min

Cooking time:  30 min

Serves:  4 persons

Ingredients

For pressure cooking:

Green gram                75 gms

Water                          250 ml

Ghee                            1 tsp

Turmeric                     A pinch

Dantina soppu             1 bunch (amaranth leaves)

Tomato                        2 nos.

Salt to taste                 ½ tbsp. (at the time of adding chopped greens)

For grinding:

Raw coconut                                       ¼ of a coconut

Rasam powder                                    2 tbsps. approx.

Cooked green gram and greens         1 tbsp

Cooked tomatoes                                2 nos.

For seasoning:

Ghee                            1 tsp

Mustard seeds                        ½ tsp

Cumin seeds                ½ tsp

Asafoetida                   A pinch

Garlic pods                  few (optional)

While boiling:

Salt to taste                 ½ tbsp. (when ground mix of rasam powder and raw coconut is added)

Tamarind paste           ½ tsp

Directions

Wash green gram thoroughly. Keep it for boiling on low flame in a pressure cooker along with water, turmeric and ghee.

Wash greens (dantina soppu) and tomatoes thoroughly in salt water. Drain out the water. Chop greens finely. No need to chop tomatoes.

By this time, green gram would have been half cooked. Remove the lid of the pressure cooker. Add these chopped greens and salt and over this, add tomatoes. After 2 whistles, switch off the pressure cooker. Let it cool.

While the cooker is cooling….grate raw coconut. You still have time to spare? Use it to read footnotes given at the end of this recipe.

By now, pressure in the cooker would have subsided. Transfer the contents on to a colander to drain the water to another vessel. Use this precious water as you proceed making the rasam.

Finish grinding using ingredients listed under “For grinding”. Grind it to a fine paste. Add this to the drained water that you stored just now. Add salt. Boil for about 5 min. Add tamarind juice. Let it boil for another 5 min. Switch off the burner.

Now is the time for seasoning. Heat a drop of ghee in a small skillet. Do not heat it too much. When it is just hot, put mustard seeds. When they crackle, switch off and immediately put cumin seeds and asafoetida. Pour it on to the boiled rasam.

Hmmm….Fresh n fragrant Green Gram Rasam is ready.

Serve it hot with steamed rice.

Note:

Use the remaining cooked green gram and greens to make “Green Gram Curry (with Greens)”. Recipe will be posted separately at Sarapaaka

When using greens, there is no need to add coriander leaves or curry leaves.

Quantity of water can be adjusted to suit taste and consistency. Consistency can be as thin as soup or as thick as porridge depending on the amount of water used. Similarly taste can vary from hot and spicy to mildly spicy or made bland.

Same recipe can be followed to prepare rasam using Kadale Kaalu (Chick peas), Hurali (Horse gram), Alasandi kaalu (Cow peas).

Lentils and pulses should be cooked slowly in low flame for a long time to achieve a comfortably creamy texture. While cooking them, it is better to add a pinch of turmeric powder and a tsp of cow ghee. Turmeric has antiseptic properties. Cow ghee gives a rich and pleasing flavour. A tsp of ghee consumed everyday improves blood circulation, lubricates the bone joints and cleanses the liver.

 

GREENS PULAO

| sarapaka
A one course quick meal that comfortably fills your tummy when in a hurry. This healthy, spicy rice recipe, the core of Indian cuisine is a popular Mumbai street food, easy to cook, healthy to eat, with an assortment of greens and veggies of your choice and spice levels well within your control.

While types of pulao are countless, here is a recipe for a pulao kind that is gently spiced and gorgeously green. Wow…all green lights! Zoom ahead to the recipe!

Dish Type:  South/North Indian Rice VarietySoppina pulao

Preparation Time:  30 min

Cooking time:  30 min

Serves:  5 persons

Ingredients

Basmati rice    1000 gms.

Palak soppu (Spinach) 1 bunch (medium size)

Menthya soppu (Methi leaves) 1 bunch (medium size)

Sabsige soppu (Dil leaves) 1 bunch (medium size)

Pudina soppu (Mint leaves) Few sprigs

Coriander leaves 1 cup

Ginger             ½ ” piece

Garlic              5 pods

Onion              4 nos.

Tomato            4 nos.

Lime                1 (small size)

Green chillies  3 nos.

Cinnamon        ½” piece

Cardamom      1 no.

Clove               1 no.

Raw coconut   1 cup (grated)

Turmeric         A pinch

Oil                   100 ml.

Salt to taste     4 tsps. approx. (1 tsp while frying onions and 3 tsps while frying rice)

Directions

Wash rice thoroughly. Drain the water and let rice stand for half an hour.

Wash all vegetables (except onions) in salt water. Drain the water.

Peel the skin of onions and ginger.

Chop all greens finely and keep aside.

Chop 2 onions and 2 tomatoes into thin slices and keep aside.

Grind the other 2 onions and tomatoes to a smooth paste and keep aside.

Grind ginger and garlic to a fine paste and keep aside.

Grind green chillies, raw grated coconut, cinnamon, cardamom and clove. Keep aside.

Keep water for boiling.

While water is boiling….

Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Put ginger-garlic paste, coconut paste and shallow fry for a while. Add onion-tomato paste and continue frying till the raw smell disappears.

Isn’t it half an hour since you washed basmati rice? Yes….then transfer this to the cooker, stir the grains well along with the other ingredients so that every rice grain is coated by the oil, then add chopped greens and resume frying for a little while more.

By now, water would have boiled….right? Now add this boiled water, salt and turmeric. Close the lid of the pressure cooker and relax till you hear 1 whistle. Switch off the burner.

While the pressure cooker cools down, you too can!

Ready to open the lid? Yes…. Tempted to toss it in? Ha.. wait a minute. Just 2 small steps left.

Squeeze lime, pour the juice on to the verdant looking Pulao. Garnish it if you wish with thoroughly washed, finely chopped mint leaves. Gently fluff the rice before serving.

Greens Palav is now ready. Feel the flavour and well, have a field day!

Note:

The quantity of water and duration required for cooking rice varies with the type of rice used.

Other varieties of greens like Dantina soppu, Basale soppu, Harive soppu may also be used to prepare this pulao.

CURRY LEAVES CHUTNEY POWDER

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Lack of time, lazy to cook….here it is, a wholesome recipe that comes in handy just for you when in a hurry…a spicy hero that sits smart by the side of idlis, dosas and steaming hot rice. And listen, don’t hesitate to sandwich this spread between slices of bread!

Curry leaf is a rich herb with excellent nutritional value and a key ingredient in countless varieties of dishes. Yet, more often than not, it is discarded while eating. This spice powder can therefore be sneaked into most types of dishes….gives that added “zing” making them delicious, nutritious and full of flavour.

 

Dish type: Spice powderCurry Leaves Chutney Powder

Preparation time: 5 min

Roasting time: 10 min

Cooling time: 15 min

Quantity: 100 gms

Ingredients

Curry leaves                       1 big bunch (washed and dried indoors)

Black gram                          50 gms

Pepper corns                     10 gms

Jeera                                     10 gms

Red chillies                          2 nos.

Tamarind                             A small piece (marble size)

Dry coconut grated         200 gms

Salt taste                             1 tsp approx.

Directions

Roast all the above ingredients separately over low flame in a pan. After each ingredient is roasted keep transferring to a plate. Let them cool thoroughly at room temparature.

Dhals have to be roasted till they turn light brown.

A drop of oil can be used for roasting red chilies only.

Dry coconut can be roasted last. When you are done with roasting all other ingredients, turn off the flame. Heat that still remains in the pan after switching off the flame is enough to roast dry coconut.

Powder them coarsely. Store in an absolutely dry air tight container.

Also view recipes of many other spice powders in this blog: Bisi Bele Bath Powder, Dry Chutney Powder (Type 1), Dry Chutney Powder (Type 2), Gojju Powder, Sambar Powder, Vangi an Bath Powder

Note:

Curry leaves have to be washed and dried thoroughly (keeping it indoors) before roasting them.

Seasoning for this powder is optional.

Curry Leaves Chutney Powder is especially good for health during winter season.

While preparing any masala powder, it is always advisable to dry fry ingredients separately due to variance in size, thickness and texture of ingredients.

Healthy Tip:

Dry fry washed and dried (indoors) curry leaves with jeera seeds, powder it and have a tsp of this powder first thing in the morning and/or just before going to bed. This helps regulate bowel function.

Please note that this tip is not a medical prescription from us but mere sharing of a leaf from our life experiences!