Brinjal and potato podi poriyal

This is a very common and traditional brinjal dish. My DH likes this brinjal dish a lot among other variations. We can make this dish without the potato as well. I clicked pics of this dish so sharing it :)

You need: serves two
Brinjal -  1 large / 8 small - (Chopped 2 cups)
potato - optional - 1 large - (chopped 1 cup)
curry leaves - 4-5
cilantro / coriander leaves - for garnish

for the masala /podi
coriander leaves - 1 1/2 tbsp
peanuts- 1 tbsp
cumin/jeera - 1/2 tsp
garlic- 2 cloves (optional)
red chillies - 3
chana dal- 1 tsp
urad dal - 1 tsp
dry coconut /copra - 3 tsps
clove - 2 (optional)
elaichi / cardamom- 1 (optional)
dalchini / cinnamon - 1/2 " strip (optional)

Tempering
mustard - 1/4 tsp
jeera - 1/4 tsp
red chilli - 1
hing - a pinch
salt - to taste
cooking oil (sun flower / olive)- 1 tsp

Procedure
Masala / podi
Dry roast all the ingredients in a kadai / pan
let them cool and grind them into a coarse powder...keep aside
Veggies
wash and chop the veggies into 1" cubes or long 1/2" slits (the veggies need to hold up to being cooked and then being sauted with the podi)
microwave or steam the veggies separately until they are half done


The dish

1. Pour oil into the kadai and add tempering ingredients - mustard (let them crackle) and then add dals cumin red chillies, curry leaves in that order and saute
2. add the steamed potato cubes and saute for a minute, and then add bringjal 
3. Add salt, turmeric powder, hing/asafoetida and stir lightly
4. Sprinkle water (1 tbsp or so) and cover the kadai for a 2 minutes 
5. when the veggies look almost done, add the podi ( 1 spoon at a time) and keep stirring lightly
6. Once all the masala/ podi is mixed with the temered veggies, turn down the flame and simmer for a minute or so
7. If you like the poriyal well done and crispy, transfer it to a baking tray and put it in the oven for 8-10 minutes at 350 on the top rack (include the preheat time as well)
8. garnish with cilantro/coriander leaves and serve with roti varieties or rice and accompanied with khadi/moru kuzhambu, rasam and dal...yum!!!!

Trivia

Jeera rice and methi dal go very well on the menu with this dish :)..try and enjoy

This podi poriyal is very similar to vangi bath masala

Heart(h) and Home ~ Subasri's Tuscan inspired Kitchen

I have been a fan of Subasri's photography for a long time now. For people who are active on flickr, Sri needs no introduction. She is a supermom!! a wonderful cook and an amazing photographer. She also manages to squeeze in her art and craft projects along the way! I am glad she agreed to let us peek into her beautiful Tuscan inspired kitchen.

Hop on to soak in all the yummy goodness...one can find her artwork in every corner :)

Same space with a little change in decor...a huge fan of the cute masala box /the wooden box with ceramic cubbies 

In love with her accessories :-)..all the paintings and pottery are hers and her daughters' work

Beautiful display needle point work by her grandmother

A few changes and the same space looks so different..loved her artwork on the wall

view of the dining area 

I am floored :)....Creativity oozing from every accessory in her lovely kitchen- Mexican pottery used for storing onion and potatoesHide all

a close up

And as I mentioned she is a wonderful cook :)...another yummy dish in the making

Creativity ~ can make everyday kitchen ingredients look so classy.

Take a deep breath and let the yumminess sink in...

Hope you liked the tour ...If you like to see more of her work..here is the link to her FLICKR stream!

Images: Subasri

PS: more kitchen tours >> Kitchen tours ~ Heart(h) and home

Snake Gourd Perugu pacchadi (twist) ~ Thayir pacchadi ~ Yogurt Dip / dressing

I had posted snake gourd seed recipes earlier and am back with a small twist to the usual thayir pacchadi / perugu pacchadi. Snake gourd (including seeds) in curd- making a flavoured variety of curd/yogurt dressing or dip.

This perugu pacchadi is very simple and is a neat way to serve this veggie to people who dont like it :)

All you need - serves 2 or 3

Yogurt /curd /thayir -1 1/2 cup ( beaten)

Water - 2/3 tbsp

Snake gourd - 1 cup (chopped along with the seeds)

Green Chillie- 1 

Red Chillie - 1

Curry leaves - 3

Ginger - 1/2 tsp (optional)

salt- to taste

asafoetida (hing)- a pinch

Turmeric - a pinch

Tempering

mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp

urad dal - 1/2 tsp

chana dal - 1/2 tsp

jeera /cumin - 1/4 tsp

coriander seeds -1/2 tsp (optional)

 cooking oil (prefer til or sunflower oil) = 1/2 tsp

Garnish (optional)

ghee or til oil - 1/tsp

cumin - 1/4 tsp 

mustard seeds - 1/4tsp

urad dal - 1/4 tsp

chana dal - 1/4 tsp  

Topping

coriander/cilantro -1/2 tsp

What you do

Wash and chop the snake gourd use the seeds as well. 

In a pan, pour the oil for tempering and add the tempering ingredients (mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, cumin seeds, coriander seeds) in that order and roast for a minute or so.

Add curry leaves, red and green chillies, ginger and saute

Add snake gourd and the coconut, salt, turmeric, hing(asafoetida) and keep stirring until its done 

Let the mixture cool and then grind it into a smooth paste (add a little water if necessary)

In the meanwhile, prepare the curd - Add 3 tbsp of water to the beaten curd and add the ground mixture to the curd 

Now tempering - in the same pan, add ghee or til oil and put in a little mustard seeds, urad and chana dals, cumin and roast it until mustard crackles and the dals turn a golden brown 

Let it rest for a minute or so and then pour it over the prepared thayir pacchadi (never pour in anything hot into curd or butter milk- it curdles it up and separates the water content from the curd)

Garnish with cilantro/coriander leaves 

On the menu 

Chinna vengayum sAmbAr, Oven roasted Cheppankazhangu with the thayir pacchadi

Serving suggestion: With steamed rice or rice varieties (jeera rice, vegetable rice, pilaf/pulao etc), parata, and works wonderfully as a salad dressing.  :)

trivia:
Tamil kitchens make podalanga kootu and mooru kootu & telugu kitchens make pappu, and perugu pacchadi with the roasted version of this vegetable. My version of the perugu pacchadi is what i call an extension of the same genre but with a twist in presentation and use of the veggie