Happy Makar Sankranti Wishes!

Pongal and Boorelu

Lilva Thuvar Aloo Subzi (pigeon pea gravy)

 

Ingredients
1 cup fresh green Thuvar
1 cup baby potatoes
1 large onion
2 medium tomatoes
2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
2 large green chillies (slit)
2 tbsp Poppy seeds
1 tbsp fresh methi leaves
2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves to garnish
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp kitchen king masala
1 tsp Garam masala
1 tsp cumin seeds
a dash of asafoetida
2 tbsp oil
salt to taste

Preparation

Soak poppy seeds in 2-3 tbsp water for 1 hour. Grind poppy and tomato to make paste. Pressure cook Green thuvar and potatoes separately in cooker for 2 whistles. In a pan add 2 tbsp oil and add the baby potatoes after removing the skin. Fry them till golden and crisp along with few methi leaves. Set aside. Heat a pan, add oil, cumin seeds and let it splutter. To this add asafoetida, onions, ginger-garlic paste, chillies and saute. When onion turns slight golden add the tomato- poppy paste, all the masalas except garam masala. Let it cook on medium till the mixture leaves oil. Add the thuvar and bring to boil. Simmer the heat,  add potatoes, Garam masala, mix and turn off the heat. Garnish and serve hot with Rotis!

Tangy plantain curry/ Aratikaya Kura

This recipe is my mom-in-laws speciality. It tastes very good with rice and rotis!

Ingredients
4 medium size Plantains cut in cubes
2-3 medium tomatoes pureed
2 tsp tamarind pulp (optional if you do not prefer lot of tangy flavour)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
salt to taste

For Tempering
2-3 red chillies
sprig of curry leaves
1/3 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp split urad dal
1/2 tsp chana dal
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
a dash of asafoetida
4 tbsp oil

Preparation

Heat a wide pan with 2 tbsp oil, add the plantain cubes and fry on high heat for 2 minutes.
To the Plantain add salt, turmeric, chilli powder, tomato puree, mix well and cover with lid. Cook on medium to low heat till the plantain absorbs all the moisture and becomes soft. This might take about 5- 7 minutes.
Open the lid, add tamarind pulp and cook on  high heat for 2 minutes till crisp. Turn off the heat.
For tempering in a pan heat 2 tbsp oil, mustard seeds. After they splutter, add urad, chana, fenugreek , asafoetida, red chillies and curry leaves in the given order! Add this tempering to the plantain and toss. Serve warm with rice or roti!