MORINGA GREENS THOKKU/DRUMSTICK LEAVES THOKKU/முருங்கைக் கீரை தொக்கு

Thokku calls for a somewhat specific method to work out with herbs like moringa or murungai keerai, curry leaves Coriander greens or methi or fenugreek leaves in generous addition of Sesame oil and Tamarind to restore the considerable shelf life. Lesser the water added, more the shelf life is. We add tamarind, jaggery powder, salt and a generous amount of sesame oil to increase its shelflife. If it is mixed with hot steamed rice, have it with any tiffin like chappathi, Puri, Idlies and Dosas, We will get addicted to its divine taste.

In other words, the six tastes blend in perfect proportion in much more concentrated gravy or dry gravy.

Let's make this yummy thokku using the Moringa greens or murungai greens which are well known for its richness of iron and other important nutrients..

Ingredients we need:

Murungai greens one bunch

Jaggery powder 2 tsps

Coco rinds or Kudampuli or tamarind 3 pcs

Himalayan rock salt 1/2 tsp

Water 50 ml

Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp

Dry roasted fenugreek powder 3/4 tsp

Grated garlic 1 tsp

Turmeric 1/2 tsp

Red chilly flakes 1/2 tsp

Sesame oil 4 tbsps

Groundnut oil 1 tbsp

Asafoetida 2 pinches

Dried red chillies 3-4 pcs

Procedure:

Pluck the murungai leaves along with its tender stems.

Place them in a mixer jar up to 3/4 th level'

Add red chillies, kudam puli, Jaggery powder, Himalayan rock salt and 5o ml water.

Grind at high speed to a coarse paste.

Now heat the heavy bottomed vessel with one tbsp groundnut oil.

Add mustard seeds to crackle.

Once they start to crackle, add Grated garlic, Turmeric and red chilly flakes and saute on low flame.

Turn off the heat and add greens paste.

Saute on medium heat for one or two minutes until the greens changed its colour.

Add asafoetida and fenugreek powder.

Mix to combine.

Add sesame oil 2 tbsps little by little on keeping the flame on a low level.

Mix to combine.

Add another two tbsps of Sesame oil at the final stage and mix to combine well.

Murungai greens thokku is ready to be consumed.

Thokku means pounded herb or vegetable with specific spices sauteed in sesame oil.

சிவப்பு அவல் வெல்லப் பொங்கல்/RED BEATEN RICE SWEET PONGAL/RED POHA SWEET PONGAL

Red Poha/Red Beaten Rice/Red flattened Rice/சிவப்பு அவல் is one of the healthiest options, packed with iron and vitamin B and other important minerals that are needed to our body health.

It is more trending now across India. Red Poha/Aval is made from red rice. The red colour of the rice is due to the presence of pigment, Anthocyanin which is also a flavonoid. The bran layer remains intact in Red Poha/Aval/Red Beaten Rice, while processing. This bran contains rich fibres, Vitamin B and minerals such as calcium, manganese, zinc, iron,  magnesium and other antioxidants that help in fighting free radicals thereby preventing cancer.

Red Beaten Rice Jaggery Pongal/Sivappu Aval Vella Pongal/Red Poha sweet Pongal can be easily made in quick-fix mode.

Ingredients:

Red Poha/Red Beaten Rice/Red Flattened Rice/Red Poha/Sivappu Aval 200 g

Water 3.5 cups

Organic Jaggery 250 gm

Fresh Desi Ghee/Cow ghee/Clarified Butter 4 tbsp+1 tsp

Raisins 10 pcs

Whole Cashews 15 pcs

A mustard size Edible Camphor

Freshly crushed Cardamom seeds 1/2 tsp

Procedure:

Dry roast the red Poha/Beaten rice/Aval on medium heat for 2 minutes.

Bring 3.5 cups water to a rolling boil with one tsp ghee.

Once water gets boiled, add dry roasted Poha/Aval/Red beaten rice and stir to combine.

Let the red Poha/Beaten rice/Aval cooked soft and entire water utilized for cooking.

Now add roughly crushed jaggery and stir to melt and dissolve.

Once jaggery blended with aval/Poha, add fried cashews, raisins. Add 2 tbsp ghee again.

Add crushed cardamom seeds and a mustard sized edible camphor.

Mix well to combine on low heat for 5 seconds.

Turn off the heat.

Ready to serve/offer/enjoy

Cooking Time 10 minutes

Yield: 4 servings.

அவல் கேசரி/AVAL KAESARI/POHA SHEERA/BEATEN RICE SWEET

Aval kaesari is an easy to make delicacy that can be served as offering during festival celebrations or family get together or any other auspicious family occasions.

Ingredients we need:

Aval/Poha/Beaten rice 200 g
Sugar 175 g
Fresh Ghee 4 tbsps
Freshly cardamom seeds crushed 8 pods
Edible camphor a tiny bit crushed
Raisins 10 pcs
Broken Cashews 20 pcs
Saffron strands 8 pcs
Water 500 ml

Procedure:

Dry roast Aval/Beaten rice/Poha
for 5 minutes on medium heat.
Set aside to cool down.
Grind to a coarse textured powder (Rava texture)
Bring water to a rolling boil on medium heat.
Add one tbsp ghee, kaesar powder and saffron strands.

Once the water starts boiling, add poha powder keeping on stirring constantly.
Let the powder cooked soft.
Add sugar and fold several times to combine.
Add 2 tbsps ghee and cook all the ingredients combine and non sticky on low heat.
Fry the cashews and raisins in one tbsp ghee until golden brown in a separate tempering pan.
Transfer the fried  ingredients to cooked poha.
Fold to incorporate.
Final touch of adding flavour is the sprinkling of cardamom seeds powder to be given.

Poha kaesari is ready to be served.

FOXTAIL MILLET PONGAL

Foxtail millet is rich in iron and minerals and dietary fibre.  It is totally pest-free. It lends a yummy taste in Upma, Kichadi, meal and Pongal. It is a very healthy alternative to rice and wheat. Diabetic-friendly food. Low glycemic food; We can make so many healthy twists using this wonderful millet. foxtail millet Pongal is easy to make.

Do follow the steps below:

Ingredients, we need:

Foxtail millet 150 gms
Moong dal 50 gms
Water 250 ml
Cashews 10 pcs chopped
Groundnut oil 2 tbsp
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Pepper 1 tsp
Ghee 1 tsp
Green chilly  slit
Curry leaves 20 pcs
Rock salt 3/4 tsp

Procedure:

Wash the foxtail millet +Moong dal with water twice.
Drain the water. Add 250 ml water.
Heat 3 lit cooker with groundnut oil on medium flame.
Add cumin seeds and pepper 
Once they start to fry add green chilly, curry leaves.
Transfer the millet-dal contents 
Add rock salt/salt
Allow boiling. 
Check the salt taste. add if needed.
Close the cooker and place the whistle.
Allow 2 whistles and simmer it for 2 minutes.
Set aside to cool down. (15 minutes)
Heat the tempering pan with one tbsp ghee.
Add cashews and fry until golden brown.
Transfer the cooked millet Pongal and fold gently.
Pongal is ready to serve hot/warm.
Pongal tastes yummy and it goes very well with coconut chutney and sambar.
We like to have solo with one tsp ghee.

Happy and comfort cooking!

MIND BLOWING PALLIPALAYAM CHICKEN/KONGU SPECIAL CHICKEN STIR FRY

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Pallipalayam chicken is named because of its origin of an eponymous town which is the village linked to Erode. This dish is a dry-ish recipe made with the chicken bite and dry chillies deseeded

and garlic flavours. 

The robust, non-vegetarian delight is a traditional recipe. There is a wide array of spectacular Kongu regional non-vegetarian recipes beg to be documented. 

How to make this classic chicken Pallipalayam stir fry?

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Yield: two liberal servings.

Ingredients:

Broiler chicken 350 gms (well washed and drained)

Garlic grates 35 gms

Dried red chillies 15 deseeded and segmented 6 gms

Shallots peeled and chopped 50 gms

Salt 1/2tsp

Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves 20-25

Turmeric 1/2 tsp

Cold compressed Groundnut oil  2 tbsps

Coconut oil 1 tbsp

Coriander greens 2g

Procedure:

Heat the pressure pan with groundnut oil.

Add mustard seeds to splutter.

Once it started to splutter, add shallots, red chilli segments and curry leaves

Saute until the shallots turn transparent.

Add garlic grates and fry for two seconds on medium flame

Add turmeric.

Now add chicken bits and saute until they shrivelled.

Add salt.

Add coriander leaves.

The water remains in the drained chicken is enough to cook the chicken tender.

Now cover the pressure pan with its lid and place the weight.

Allow 1 or 2 whistles and turn off the heat.

Set aside to release the pressure.

Remove the weight and open.

Litter water in the pan is still there. 

We have to saute for few seconds to absorb water entirely.

Sauting continued.

The final touch is to be given by topping of coconut oil and mix well to coat every bite.

Now the dried and finely fried Chicken bites are ready to serve hot.

Dish out the fried chicken in a serving bowl.

Serve hot as a yummy starter.

Squeeze lemon juice over the chicken bites to balance the spiciness and enhance the taste.

Enjoy!

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TONGUE TICKLING CITRON PICKLE/NARATHANKAI PICKLE

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This Citron pickle is an excellent appetite stimulant.

Ingredients:

Citron Fruits 400 gms
Salt (Tata Salt) 200 gms
Dried Red chilly  25 gms
1/2 tsp fenugreek powder
Water 150 ml to mix the chilly paste
Sesame oil 150 gms
Fennel powder 1 tsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Whole Urad Dal 1 tbsp
Curry leaves 20-25 pcs
Turmeric 1/2 tsp (optional)
Asafoetida/Hing 1/2 tsp

Procedure:

Wash the Citron fruits and cut longitudinally
Chop them into chunks
In a dry jar, add a portion of salt. Then, add a portion of chunks.
Again salt and chunks.
The final addition of the remaining salt on the top 
Cover it tightly.
Shake well so that the chunks are being well coated with the salt.
Let the chunks sundried from 9 a.m to 4 p.m daily for five days.
Now the seasoning starts:
Mix the dried red chilly powder, fenugreek powder and mix well.
Add water 150 ml and make a thin paste.
Set ready.

Heat the oil in a dry pan on a medium heat.
Add mustard seeds to crackle.
Once crackling starts, turn off the heat.
The heat of the pan is sufficient to fry all the remaining items to avoid the burning.
Add curry leaves.
Add asafoetida/hing.
Now transfer the red chilly contents.
Stir well.
Now turn on the heat.
Let it boil and bubble on medium heat.
Occasional stirs to be done.
Add fennel powder at this stage.
Transfer the chunks with the salt contents.
Stir again to blend all the ingredients together.
Let the boiling and bubbling continued further.
Until the chunks cooked soft and sesame oil with the whiteness of salt separates.
Observe the oil on the top of the pickle.
The oil and the salt are the preservatives in this pickle.
Set aside until cool down.
Store the pickles in a dry jar and refrigerate for long shelf life.
Use always the dry spoon to take the pickle out.


Trust my method of cooking!
Give a try!