Pumpkin peel thuvayal

Recently I read an article in "The Hindu" detailing the nutrition contained in the skin of different vegetables and fruits. So I thought of sharing this recipe here. It is a very tasty and nutritious thuvayal. Those who like less of coconut can relish this thuvayal.

My son likes this thuvayal very much and has given a name "Vitamin thuvayal". It can be used along with cooked rice and ghee or with dosa, idly etc.

Ingredients


chopped Pumpkin peels and the inner flesh - 1/4 cup
grated coconut - less than 1/4 cup
Tamarind - size of gooseberry
Coriander seeds - 3 tsp
Urud dhal (split or whole) - 3 tsp
Red chilli -3 nos
asaphoetida (perumkayam thul) - pinch
salt - to taste
cooking oil - 2 tsp

Method:
Peels and inner flesh of yellow or orange pumpkin can be used. It can be chopped into small pieces or grated. Seeds may be removed as it may not grind properly.

Put little oil in a pan, and put the pumpkin peels and flesh. Let it fry to become soft on low flame. If required sprinkle little water in between. When it is soft and there is change in the colour, keep it to cool.

With little oil fry the coriander seeds, urud dhal and red chillies to brown.

Grind all the above along with some grated coconut, salt, tamarind and asaphoetida powder to a fine paste. Do not add water. The delicious thuvayal is ready.

To read the article in Hindu

http://www.hindu.com/mp/2007/10/11/stories/2007101150820200.htm

Yummy Groundnut masala

This is an easy to prepare nutritious evening snack for children. It also reminds us the "masala chundal" at the Marina beach chennai.

Sometimes I prepare snacks and we both go to the terrace. Abhi's friend may also join...and we have a small camping out!

Ingredients:

Cooked groundnuts - 1/2 cup

Chopped onions and tomatoes - 1/4 cup

Chopped fresh corriander leaves

Khara boondi - less than 1/4 cup

pinch of chilli powder or garam masala powder

lemon juice - 2 tsp

Method:

Take the required amount of cooked groundnuts in a kids bowl. Mix the chopped onions and tomatoes. Top it with the kara boondhi (or any crspies like potato chips crushed) and chopped coriander leaves. Add lemon juice and pinch of spice if required.

Yummy nuts is ready to savor!

Plan for the week ahead.

To make cooking easier, set apart little bit extra time to plan and keep certain things ready and handy for the week ahead. Always have air tight containers of different sizes in which things can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

I have listed below few of the things which I keep refrigerated.

• Grated coconut
• Sprouts of green grams, soaked green peas etc. Have quantity as needed for 2-3 days only. Alternate the grams and peas.
• Tomatoes
• Tomato sauce, Chilli sauce etc
• Grated Carrots
• Lemon
• Fresh Corriander leaves
• raisins, tuty-fruity etc
• Cheese, butter

A quick garnishing and decorated topping can be done for all children;'s dishes using raisins, grated carrots, lemon, tuty fruity etc ...I am sure children will love to eat.

Nellikkai Arachu Kalakkiyathu

This is an easy to make side dish. This is more a Kerala style Kitchadi recipe. Since nellikkai kitchadi wil be sour, it will taste better if the other side dish is of bland taste like Kuttu, Olan etc. That is why the traditional "Sadya" will have each side dish kindling different taste buds. Kitchadi is sour, whereas Pachadi is sweet, Thoran and avail may be more spicier.

See previous post for preparing neer nellikkai.

Ingredients
1. Neer Nellikkai - 4 or 5
2. Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup
3. Green chilli -1
4. Oil - 1 spoon
5. Mustad - 1/2 spoon
6. Curry leaves
7. Red chilli -1
8. Curd - 1/2 cup

Method:

Remove the seeds from the "neer nellikkai". Mix the ingredients 1 to 3 above in a mixer to form a fine paste. Mix the curd and stir to mix it uniformly.

Heat oil in a tawa. Put mustard seeds and Red chilli. When the mustard sputters, add the curry leaves. Add this as garnish on top.

This is a favourite for many children, as it retains the sour, bitter and sweet tastes of the gooseberries.

Neer Nellikkai

You need:

Nellikkai (Gooseberry)
Turmeric powder
Salt – 2 to 3 spoons
Water – enough quantity so that water level is above the berries.

Method:
Boil the water in a bowl; add the salt and turmeric powder. Bring the flame to low and add the gooseberries. Boil the gooseberries for some more time, till the berries become little soft. When cool, keep in Glass or porcelain jars. DO NOT use plastic containers.

This is the traditional way to preserve gooseberries for quite long time. It can be kept in refrigerator also to preserve for a longer time.

This can be used as pickle along with Curd rice, especially for children. Also these preserved berries can be used to make chutneys and pickles, which I will write in later posts.

For an additional Flavor, add 1 or 2 green chilies and little chopped ginger.