Poriyals / Varuvals

Poriyals are dry curries or vegatables served as an accompanient to plain rice and subjis. He are some poriyals for you to try. If you already do this at home, that's ok. Check out my version too.

Vazhakkai Poriyal:
Ingredients:
Vazhakkai(green plantain)- 1 (medium size)
onion- 1 (chopped)
garlic- 5 (sliced, I love garlic. If you don't want so much reduce the quantity)curry leaves- few
salt
sambar powder- 1 1/2 tsp
turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
besan powder- 1 tbsp

Procedure:
Peel off the outer skin from the plantain. Cut it into any shape you like. Usually I do the rounds. This time I did it different. Keep the cut plaintains in water as it might turn dark when exposed to air. Heat oil in a kadai, fry mustard seeds, urad dal and channa dal (1/2 tsp each). Then fry onions, garlic and curry leaves. When onion turns transparent add the cut plaintains and turmeric and sambar powder. Fry for 2 mins. Then add reqd salt and 1/4 cup water. Close and cook until 3/4 th done. Then remove the lid and allow all the water to dry. Check for seasonings. Add more salt or chilli if you want. When it is dry and almost done add besan powder and mix well. Keep it in medium low flame and roast till done. This curry goes well with sambar rice, rasam rice or curd rice.

Snake Gourd Poriyal:

Next is podalangai or snake gourd poriyal. I do not add turmeric in this.I prefer to maintain it's nice green color. This is such an easy poriyal that even first timers can do it. I've not add enough coconut in my poriyal as my hubby is watching what he is eating. As for me, I cannot make compromises with food. So, you can scroll down and see what I made for me on the same day I made this snake gourd poriyal. Now to the recipe.

Ingredients:
snake gourd-1 (big and firm)
onion- 1/2 (chopped)
Curry leaves- few
red chillies- 2 (broken)
coconut- 3 tsp(add more if you want)

Procedure:
Trim the edjes and cut it into 3 pieces. Scrap off the outer skin and cut into thin long strips. Heat oil and fry mustard seeds, urad dal and channa dal(1/2 tsp each). Then fry onions, red chillies and curry leaves. When the onions are transparent add the vegetable, required salt and 1/4 cup water.

Close and cook till 3/4 th done. Add more water if you want to cook the vegetable further. I like mine cooked but still with a crunch in it. Then remove lid and allow to dry completely. Finally add coconut and mix well. Your curry is ready.See, I told you that it's easy. Serve this with puli kuzhambu or vathal kuzhambu.

Okra Fry:
Finally, it's my fav okra fry. This dish can be done in a jiffy and gives a lift to any ordinary meal. I chose this for me when my hubby is eating healthy. Hey, don't stare at me. No compromises in food and it's ok to enjoy these once in awhile.So, here is the recipe.

Ingredients:
Okra -15 (medium) (cut into 1 1/2" pieces)
onion- 1 (medium, sliced long)
curry leaves- few
salt as reqd
sambar powder- 2 tsp
besan powder- 2 or 3 tbsp(i didn't measure mine, just eyeballed it)

Procedure:
Mix everything without adding water. The stickiness of the vegetabele is enough to hold all the dry ingredients together. Set aside for 15 mins. Mix again. Add little more besan if the okra is not covered well. Heat oil in kadai and fry them in batches until they are golden brown. Drain them on a napkin and serve with sambar rice. Here is a plate for you too. Enjoy!!!

Vendakkai Kuzhambu

This is a sweet, sour, hot and tangy curry. My mommy used to make it during some festival. So I used to call it 'swamy kuzhambu'. This dish is served hot with white rice and appalams are the best combination for this. If anybody does this kuzhambu at home and know it's name please let me know too. So, here is the procedure for this dish.

Ingredients:
Vendakkai/okra - 10 to 15
onion- 1/2 (chopped)
tamarind- 1 1/2 tbsp (can add less or more depending upon one's taste. But the gravy has to be little tangy)
green chillies- 10 (cut into small bits)
coconut- 3 tbsp (shredded)
curry leaves- few
steamed toor dal- 1 cup
turmeric- 1/2 tsp
water- 2 cups
salt- as reqd
jaggery- a little less than 1 /2 tsp
mustard- 1/2 tsp
jeera- 1 tsp

Procedure:
Steam cook toor dal with some turmeric and a tsp of oil. Wash okra and trim of the ends and cut it into two. If the okra is big, cut it into 1 1/2 " size. Chop onions and green chillies. Heat oil in pan. Season with mustard seeds, jeera and channa dal. Then add onions, turmeric and green chillies. Now add okra and some salt. Cook until 3/4 th done. Then add tamarind and water. Combine well and bring to a boil. Now add toor dal and heat it up. Finally add curry leaves and coconut and jaggery. Bring it to a nice boil. check for salt and switch off gas. Serve hot with rice.

Okra Potato Curry

Hey Guys! I'm posting this after reading the comments of my fellow bloggers for the okra recipe. I'm really sorry, I never knew this is such a common curry. I also laugh at myself for thinking that I came up with something new. Thanks Guys for enlightening me on this.

Ingredients:
Okra- 20
potato- 1
onion- 1/2(medium,sliced)
tomato- 1/2 (medium,chopped)
salt
turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
sambar powder- 1 tsp
cumin powder- 1/4 tsp
curry leaves

Procedure:
Heat oil in kadai and fry mustard seeds, urad dal and channa dal. Then fry onions and okra with some turmeric. Fry until half done. Add potatoes and fry for another 5mins. Add salt and tomatoes. Close and cook for sometime. Add the curry powders and blend well. Keep sauteing now and then, taking care that the curry dosen't stick to pan. Cook till done. finally and curry leaves. Can be served with plain rice,sambar or rotis.

Tip: I usually cut my okra and spread it on a white paper and rest it for 2 to 3 hrs. This helps to reduce the slimyness of the okra. In India , my mom used to spread it on a newspaper overnight. But I'm not sure if the ink on the paper is ok to come in touch with food. So, a plain paper or a brown paper bag does the trick.Try it. You will surely be suprised.