K for Kaju - Karivepaku Annam / Cashew - Curry Leaves Rice

I am here with a south Indian style rice preparation for today that has curry leaves as the star ingredient. Curry leaves is an indispensable ingredient in south Indian kitchens and used in daily cooking there. It is mostly used in tempering as a flavoring agent in many spicy dishes ranging from lentil broths, curries to rice preparations. People who are acquainted with the flavorful curry leaves do not need any convincing about how good this curry leaves based rice tastes. Growing up in a region where most home back yards boast a curry leaves tree, this dish naturally attracted me, when I happened to watch this on a cook show. The version is different than the version I usually prepare and it equally tastes aromatic and delicious. This is a great lunch box / meal idea if you have a stock of curry leaves.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup cashew nuts
1 cup Basmati rice
1 tbsp. oil 
1 cup curry leaves
2 dried red chillies
2 green chillies
1 tsp. coriander seeds
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. ginger, finely chopped
Salt to taste
For tadka / tempering:
1 tbsp. oil 
1 tsp. split chickpeas / chana dal, 
1 tsp. black gram / urad dal
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. cumin seeds
A pinch of asafoetida
* The quantity of chilies can be changed depending upon the heat preferred.

 Method:
* Soak the cashews in water for few minutes and drain.
* Rinse and soak rice in water for about 10 minutes. Drain the water and pressure cook rice adding about 1.5 cups water.
* Heat oil in a pan and add red chilies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, green chilies, ginger, curry leaves in that order. Saute for about 30 seconds. Curry leaves do not need to change the color.
* Grind the toasted ingredients to a thick paste, adding little water.
* Heat oil and add split chick peas, black gram, mustard seeds, and cumin seeds. When the dals start turning reddish, add asafoetida, soaked cashews, curry leaves, salt and the ground paste and saute.(Soaking cashews can be skipped and they can be toasted to golden brown and added to the rice.)
* Next add the cooked rice and mix well to combine. Serve immediately with papad / wadis.

Recipes so far in A - Z Rice Dishes,
A for Achaari Chole Pulao
B for Bhuna Khichuri
C for Chintapandu Pulihora
D for Dindigul Thalapakatti Veg Biryani
E for Ellorai / Ellotharai  
F for Fodnicha Bhaat 
G for Gongura Pulihora 
H for Hare Moong ki Chaaswaali Khichdi 
I for Iyengar Style Kadambam 
J for Jodhpuri Vegetable Pulao


Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 68.
An InLinkz Link-up

Comments

Karivepaku Annam / Curry Leaves Rice

This is a spicy rice dish that I had tried a few years back after seeing on a food blog and has been a regular in my home since, though I cannot recall the source now. The recipe is based on curry leaves and so, the rice is obviously a flavor filled one. It doesn't taste like curry leaves powder mixed with rice though both recipes use almost the same ingredients. The spice powder can be prepared ahead for a quick and yummy lunch box idea or for a lazy meal. And don't be fooled by the long list of the ingredients in the recipe. This is indeed a simple and quick dish and most of the ingredients are either ground or go into tadka /seasoning.

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked rice (I used sona masuri rice.)
Salt to taste

Ingredients to toast:  
2 tbsp. urad dal / black gram
1 tbsp. chanadal / split chickpeas
4 to 5 dried red chillies
1 tsp. tamarind
1 cup tightly packed curry leaves  
A pinch of methi seeds / fenugreek seeds
1/2 tsp. black peppercorns

Ingredients for seasoning:
2 tbsp. oil
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. urad dal / black gram
1 tsp. chanadal / split chickpeas
A generous pinch of asafoetida
2 tbsp. cashews
1/8 tsp. turmeric powder

 
Method:
* Wash the curry leaves and pat them dry.
* Heat a pan and dry toast chana dal, urad dal, red chillies and tamarind. When the dals start to turn reddish, add peppercorns, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. Toast them for another minute.
* Transfer them onto a plate and let cool. Grind the toasted ingredients into a coarse powder.
* Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, chana dal and urad dal. When the dals almost start to turn reddish add the cashews and toast them as well to golden brown. Add asafoetida and turmeric to the pan and turn off the stove. 
* Now add the rice, spice powder and salt and mix well. Serve warm.
(If less spice level is preferred, start with adding half of the spice powder. Taste and adjust the quantity of spice powder as needed.)
  
This goes to Blogging marathon #58 under the theme 'Rice Dishes'. Check the link to see what other marathoners are cooking.

Comments

Oats Adai

Adais are healthy, quick alternative to the regular dosas and also the short soaking period and no fermentation makes them suitable during time crunches. Adais can be prepared immediately after grinding or the batter can be refrigerated until use. Replacing the rice with oats make them more healthier and they do taste exactly the same as the regualr rice version adais.

Ingredients:
1 cup oats (I use rolled oats.)
A handful each - toordal, urad dal, moongdal and chana dal
A handful each - cilantro and curry leaves
2 pinches of asafoetida powder
6 - 8 dry red chillies
1/4 cup fresh, shredded coconut
Salt to taste
1/2 cup finely minced onion

Method:
* Wash and soak dals together in water for a couple of hours or in hot water for an hour. Throw away the water after the soaking period.
* Add all the ingredients except onion to a blender. Add sufficient water and grind into a thick, coarse batter. The batter should not be runny.
* Next add the minced onion to the ground batter and mix well.
* Heat a tawa / iron griddle. When it is hot enough, pour a ladleful of batter at the center and spread it into a circle. Pour 1/2 tsp oil around the edges and cook for about a minute on medium flame. When it appears done on the bottom side, flip the adai. Pour another 1/2 tsp oil around the edges. Cook for another 30 seconds and remove the adai.
* Repeat the procedure with the remaining batter.
* Adais can be served with chutney / aviyal / sambhar or even plain if they are made spicy. I prefer it with jaggery powder. :)

This is my Day 4 "Oats" post and check what my fellow marathoners are cooking during BM#16.

Comments

Mango - Peanut - Cilantro Chutney

I keep jotting down the recipes that interest me with an honest intention of trying them in near future. J I have been doing this even before I started to cook on my own and this has resulted so far in 3 books filled with hundreds of recipes. Particularly, when the recipe comes from my mother or any family member I have to note it down since there is no option of copying the link as in the case of websites / books. I must however admit that so far I have mastered a very small fraction of those recipes while majority of them haven’t been tried at all. L

Today’s post is one such recipe from my book. This mango peanut cilantro chutney from a Telugu cook show caught my attention because of the unusual combination of the ingredients. It was tempting enough that I tried it immediately after entering it promptly in my cookbook.

Mango pachadi / chutney needs no introduction but the aromatic curry leaves – cilantro combo and the sweet peanuts add new flavors to this yummy chutney. We liked it so much that M got another mango the next day for some more chutney.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp oil

2 Tbsp urad dal

1 tsp cumin seeds

Green chillies (I used small sized 6 Serrano peppers.)

2 stalks of Curry leaves (or about 15 - 20 leaves)

1/4 cup peanuts

1 cup green mango cubes

1/4 cup cilantro / coriander leaves

A pinch of asafoetida

Salt to taste

Method:

* Heat the oil in a pan and add urad dal, cumin seeds and peanuts.

* When they all start to turn reddish add green chilies and curry leaves. 

* Sauté for a few seconds and then add the mango cubes, cilantro, salt, asafoetida and continue toasting.
* Continue to cook for about five minutes, stirring and turn off the stove.
* Cool the mixture and grind it coarsely.

This is going to be a part of Design a Menu - Second edition.

Comments

Spicy, Curry Leaves Powder / Karivepaku Podi

Most of the South Indian backyards are adorned with a curry leaf tree since the curry leaves happen to be vital to the local cooking. There is absolutely no substitute to these highly aromatic leaves and no other ingredient in any kitchen can impart that much flavor to a dish and make it extra special.
The leaves are appetizing and said to have digestive properties. These flavorful, fragrant leaves are combined with spices and dals to prepare this delicious karivepaku podi. Elders in our household believe that a meal started with karivepaku podi - rice combo is good for minor stomach ailments, especially in the case of little kids.

Spicy, curry leaves powder / Karivepaku podi:



In Telugu, curry leaves are called karivepaku which literally means black neem leaves.

Ingredients required:
2 cups curry leaves
1/4 cup chanadal
1/4 cup uraddal (can reduce by 1 Tbsp)
1 Tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
A few peppercorns (optional)
10 red chilies (quantity depends upon the spiciness preferred)
A small ball of tamarind or to taste
Salt to taste
2 - 3 tsp oil

The 'How' part:
Heat oil in a sauté pan and add chanadal and uraddal to it. Sauté them on low flame. When they start to turn reddish, add coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, pepper and chilies in that order and toast them as well. Finally add curry leaves and toast them till they turn crisp. Turn off the stove and add tamarind to it. Cool the mixture. Coarsely grind it adding salt in a blender and store it in an airtight container.
Serve this podi with hot steamed rice and a spoon of ghee for a heavenly experience.

Note: If preparing in small quantity, lemon juice can be substituted for tamarind. However, it doesn't have a longer shelf life.

Post a comment