Banana flower (Koombu) Thoren

We used to have Koombu thoren often at home growing up. I love this dish! So when I found a Koombu (banana flower) at a nearby store, I quickly grabbed one. This is a very traditional side dish and goes well with rice.

Ingredients

1. Banana Flower – 1, roughly chopped
2. Onions – 4 pearl onions, chopped
3. Garlic – 3 cloves, chopped
4. Ginger – 1/4 inch, chopped
5. Green chillies – 5, chop 2
6. Grated coconut – 1 cup
7. Salt – to taste
8. Red chilli powder – 1 tspn
9. Turmeric powder- ¼ tspn
10. Mustard seeds -  1tspn
11. Curry leaves – 1 sprig
12. Oil – 3 tspn

Method

1. Wash the banana flower, and detach the first 2-3 layers. Cut it as shown in the picture into circular pieces, followed by roughly chopping into smaller pieces and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, and curry leaves. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add the ginger, garlic, and the chopped green chilli.
3. Once the garlic, and ginger pieces turn slightly brown, add the onion pieces, and sauté till the onion pieces are translucent.
4. Add the turmeric, and chilli powders to this onion mix. Once the raw smell is gone, add ½ cup of grated coconut, and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
5. Next add the chopped banana flower. Grind the remaining ½ cup grated coconut, with 3 green chilli, and add this to the banan flower mix. Let it cook till the banana flower turns dark.

Bottle Gourd Dal curry

I am always on the lookout for recipes that include vegetables that I have not cooked before. So when I came across this recipe at yummyoyummy blog, I wanted to give it a try. It is simple, and a tasty side dish with rice.

Ingredients

1. Bottle Gourd – 1 medium, wash, peel skin, and cube
2. Chana Dal – 1-1.5 cups
3. Ginger-garlic paste- 1tspn
4. Green chillies- 2, chopped
5. Tomato – 2 medium, chopped
6. Cilantro leaves- 1 bunch, chopped
7. Cumin seeds- 1 tspn
8. Mustard seeds- 1 tspn
9. Chilly powder – 1 tspn
10. Coriander powder  - 1 tspn
11. Turmeric powder – ¼ tspn
12. Oil – 3tspn
13. Salt- to taste

Method

1. Cook chana dal (add enough water to cover them) in a pressure cook for 3-4 whistles or 30-40 mins.
2. Empty the cooker, and cook the bottle gourd cubes in the pressure cooker for 2-3 whistles or in a vessel until it gets soft.
3. Heat oil in a vessel, and splutter the mustard seeds. Add the cumin seeds, ginger–garlic paste, masala powders, and the tomato pieces.
4. Once water oozes out of the tomatoes (10-15mins), add the chopped cilantro leaves.
5. To this mix, add the cooked chana dal, and the cooked bottle gourd pieces along with the water it was cooked in. Let the curry cook for few more minutes.

Enjoy this with rice or hot chapathis!

Tomato Chutney

Tomatoes are rich in carotene lycopene (a natural  antioxidant) which is believed to have many health benefits . Now you can enjoy them in this tasty, and easy to put together dish.

Ingredients

1. Tomatoes – 7 medium, washed, and cubed
2. Onion -  1 medium, chopped
3. Garlic- 5 cloves, minced
4. Ginger – ¼ inch, minced
5. Dry red chillies- 6
6. Pearl onions – 4, chopped
7. Curry leaves – 6-8
8. Mustard seeds- 2 tspn
9. Oil – 2 tbpsn

Method

1. Heat some oil in a vessel, fry 3 dry chillies, ginger, garlic, and onion pieces.
2. Once this is cooked (slightly brown), add the chopped tomato pieces. If you want you can add a little water (1/2 cup) at this point. Cover and cook the  whole tomato mix.(Remember to cover, since this mix is thick, and when it starts boiling, it will splutter in all directions)
3. After about 15mins, take it off the flame, and let it cool down.  Once cool, grind the mixture to a smooth puree.
4. In another pan, heat little oil (2 tspn), splutter the mustard seeds, and fry the pearl onions, remaining dry chillies, and curry leaves.
5. Add this mixture to the tomato puree.
6. Mix them together, cover and cook it for another 2-3 mins

Enjoy this with hot dosas! 

 

   

Beans cabbage thoren

This is a super easy, and super healthy dish. It will make a great vegetarian side to your meal!

With regards to the recipe, I have not added any masalas, so you can still taste the fresh mix of vegetables in each mouthful. There is no need to add water, since the cabbage will release some, and the steam is all you need to slow cook.

Ingredients:

1. Cabbage – 1 medium or large size – cut into thin pieces
2. Green beans – 2 hand/fist fulls – wash, trim edges, and cut in small pieces
3. Green peas – 2 cups
4. Olive oil  - 2 tbspn
5. Salt- to taste

Method:

1. Add oil to the cut cabbage in a cooking vessel  
2. Cover, and cook it at  medium heat for atleast 15mins, stirring it often.
3. Add the cut green beans, and the peas to the mixture. Let the whole mixture cook (15-20mins).  

 

Prawns curry

This was my first attempt at prawns curry. It came out a lot tastier than I expected! This dish took some time in preparing, but it was totally worth the effort!

Ingredients

1. Prawns – 14oz, cleaned
2. Ginger – 1 piece
3. Garlic cloves – 5
4. Pearl onions -4
5. Ginger-garlic paste – 1 tspns
6. Turmeric – ¼ tspsn, Pepper – 2 tspsn, Coriander powder - 3 tspn, Kashmiri Chilli powder – 1 tspn.
7. Curry leaves
8. Tomatoes – 1 meduim, cubed
9. Ghee, Oil
10. Coconut pieces – cut, 1 handful
11. Coriander leaves – chopped, 1/2 cup
12. Coconut milk (optional) – ½ can
13. Tamarind paste – 1 tspn

Method

1. Marinate prawns with ginger-garlic paste, pepper, turmeric, and red chilli powder. Keep aside for atleast 15 mins
2. In the meantime, cut ginger, garlic cloves, and pearl onions into fine pieces.
3. After time set for marination is complete, fry the prawn pieces in 1-2 tspsn of ghee. After that fry the cut coconut pieces. Keep them aside.
4. In the same pan (you might need to add more oil), add the ginger, garlic, and onion pieces, and curry leaves. Once slightly browned, add coriander powder (2 tspn), kashmiri chilli powder, and little turmeric Once the raw smell is gone, add the cut tomatoes.
5. After a few minutes water will start oozing out of the tomatoes. Let the mixture cook for few more minutes.
6. Chop some coriander leaves, and add it to the mixture. Add the fried coconut pieces. Let it cook.
7. Then add 1-2 cups of water, followed by tamarind paste. And let the whole mixture boil.
8. Add the fried prawn pieces. (I added ½ can of coconut milk, and let the whole curry boil for 15-20mins if you want to make the curry thick)

The dish is ready to be enjoyed with hot paratha/ chapathi or rice.