Capsicum Sambar recipe, Paasi paruppu sambar

Capsicum Sambar recipe| Kudamilagai sambar| Paasi paruppu sambar, recipe with step by step pictures, no onion no garlic version of Sambar, pairs well with idli, dosa, pongal and also with rice. We usually add ladies finger, drumstick, small onions, brinjals, Pumpkin to Sambar. During my childhood days, capsicum is a rare thing to find in our place. Also it used to be very expensive too. So whenever we get capsicum in our market, amma makes Capsicum bajji. After i got married and moved to chennai, capsicum used to be available in most of the shops at reasonable price. I was introduced to Capsicum Sambar by my mil. She loves capsicum and puts in aval upma, sambar.. The smell of capsicum sambar used to be so divine for me, i still enjoy making sambar with capsicum.
This sambar i made using yellow moong dal | paasi paruppu. Generally sambar is made using toor dal in our homes. Paasi paruppu sambar is made for Tiffin items like idli, dosa and pongal. Do give this sambar a try and let me know how it turned out.
Also check out my

• Kalyana sambar
• Varuthuaracha sambar

Don't miss to check out the complete collection of No onion no garlic recipes. 

Vazhakkai puttu, Vazhakkai podimas recipe

Vazhakkai putu| Vazhakkai podimas recipe, a dry curry with raw banana, cooked in a simple South Indian way. We generally make vazhakkai podimas without the addition of onion and garlic. I have shared a version of Vazhakkai podimas with video, in which we use a freshly ground spice powder. This vazhakkai puttu recipe i learnt from my friend, who shared with me the recipe of thakkali gotsu. She has been telling about this for a long time, but recently during  our morning walk, i asked her for the recipe and she shared the same. We loved the Vazhakkai podimas | Vazhakkai puttu with poondu rasam.
Check out my

• Chettinad style raw banana curry
• Vazhakkai fry

Ellu podi recipe

Ellu podi recipe, a simple south Indian podi recipe, perfect accompaniment for rice. I wanted to try this ellu podi recipe for a long time, recently while talking to amma, asked her for the recipe. This ellu podi recipe is a perfect bachelor recipe. Even you can mix this with hot rice and temper with mustard seeds and pack for lunch box too. I have posted some interesting podi recipes in Jeyashri's kitchen. Check out

1. Pavakkai podi
2. Puliyodarai podi

I used white sesame seeds for making this ellu podi, you can use black sesame seeds also.

Cabbage poricha kootu recipe

Cabbage poricha kootu recipe, with step by step pictures and video, a traditional South Indian kootu recipe made using veggies, dal and freshly ground masala. Poricha kootu is a very common item made in Tamil brahmin houses. We make it almost weekly once or twice. I personally prefer to have this with spicy Vatha kuzhambu. During our childhood days, especially when we have summer vacation, my athai used to make mixed veggies Poricha kootu in a large quantity and fry papads and keep. That combo will be so awesome and without bothering about the carbs intake we used to have 3-4 servings of rice for that poricha kootu appalam combo.
I have posted few varieties of kootu recipe in Jeyashri's kitchen. Do try this cabbage poricha kootu at home and share your feedback.
Also check out

• Raw banana kootu
• Pongal 7 kari kootu
• Drumstick kootu

Andhra style peanut podi recipe

Peanut podi | Palli podi recipe with step by step pictures and full video, a perfect accompaniment for rice and also pairs well with idli| dosa too. I was looking for a perfect andhra style peanut podi for rice. Recently one of my friend's sister who visited her, shared me this Palli podi recipe, which she learnt from her mother in law. I tried the recipe few weeks ago, and it was a super hit in the family. So i wanted to share the recipe of the verkadalai podi. Though this goes very well with idli| dosa, i personally loved this with hot rice, ghee and papad. Do check out my other popular podi recipes

• Andhra style paruppu podi
• Kothamalli podi
• Nalla karam podi

Karuveppilai thogayal recipe

Karuveppilai Thogayal recipe with step by step pictures, an easy to make South Indian thogayal recipe using curry leaves pairs well with rice and tiffin varieties. We South Indians make varieties of thogayal at home. More than pickles we all love thogayal as an accompaniment for curd rice. I have posted karuveppilai thokku recipe in jeyashris kitchen. Few weeks back when we friends met for potluck, one of them brought this karuveppilai thogayal. Though the method is same we make, the addition of onion and garlic enhanced the taste even more. I wanted to try this version at home from that day, finally made this today. It tasted yum and we enjoyed with plain rice and cabbage thoran.
Check out my

• Thengai thogayal recipe
• Raw mango thogayal recipe

Vendhaya keerai thokku, Methi leaves thokku

Learn how to make Vendhaya keerai thokku with video and step by step pictures. Methi leaves thokku| vendhaya keerai thokku is a popular no onion no garlic thokku available in Grand sweets chennai. I have tasted this long time back in a friend's place during Navaratri and was too much hooked by its taste. After that i completely forgot about the thokku. Recently while i was seeing the fresh vendhaya keerai in the market, i thought i will try out this vendhaya keerai thokku. As it is holiday season, this Vendhaya keerai will be perfect for long distance travels. Also this is a perfect one to send it for kids who study abroad. They can mix this with rice and have it with plain yogurt too.

In South Indian Thokku varieties, pickle varieties, podi varieties, asafoetida plays a great role in enhancing the taste and flavour. It gives a nice aroma to the dish. I used SSP asafoetida, the no gum added asafoetida, the new shaker bottle and that did a magic in the taste. I have used SSP asafoetida in my coconut hing chutney recipe. This time we get the asafoetida  in a new shaker bottle which is super easy to handle. Asafoetida is used in South Indian cuisines more widely. And in rasam, sambar and kootu recipes it is one of the main taste enhancer.  Though it is slightly priced higher compared to other brands, but a very tiny pinch of  SSP asafoetida gives more flavour to the dish. So if a recipe calls for 1/4 tsp of asafoetida, when you are using SSP perungayam, you can use 1/8th tsp of it. Their products are available Amazon and for my readers in Singapore, you can buy from Saravana stores Singapore, located at Rangoon road. They have a wide range of products and i used Ultra powder asafoetida in this recipe. To buy SSP asafoetida Please visit  Amazon link for purchase and also the SSP pandian website to see about their wide range of products.

Vendhaya keerai thokku

• Recipe Cusine: Indian
• Prep Time: 10 Minutes
• Cook time: 35 Minutes
• Serves: 1 cup
• Author: Jeyashri
• Recipe Category: Lunch | Dinner| Breakfast
• Description: Learn how to make Vendhaya keerai thokku with video and step by step pictures.

     Vendhaya keerai  2 cups
     Red chili    10-12
     Urad dal  1 tblsp
     Channa dal  1 tblsp
     Dhaniya | coriander seeds  1 tblsp
     Asafoetida | hing  1/4 tsp
    Sesame oil  3 tsp + 2 tblsp
    Salt  as needed
    Tamarind  a small lemon sized.
    Mustard seeds   1/4 tsp
    Jaggery   a small piece

Method  :

• Wash the vendhaya keerai| methi leaves and pat dry it. 
• Take out the leaves and keep it aside. No need to chop the keerai.
• Soak the tamarind in hot water and keep it aside.
• In a pan add 1 tsp oil and add the red chili, coriander seeds, chana dal, urad dal and 1/8th tsp of asafoetida. I used SSP powder asafoetida. 
• Saute till the dals turn nice golden colour.
• Once done switch off the flame. 
• Add the venthaya keerai to this. Saute in that heat itself and allow this to cool completely. 
• Let it be in the pan itself. 
• Once it is cool grind this into a fine paste. 
• You can add water to this. I added 1/2 cup of water while grinding. 
• Extract the tamarind juice from the soaked tamarind using 3/4 cup of water.
• In a pan add 2 tblsp sesame oil and add the mustard seeds. 
• Add the 1/8th tsp of asafoetida. 
• Once the mustard splutters add in the tamarind extract. At this stage always simmer the flame or better to switch off an add the tamarind juice. 
• Add the ground vendhaya keerai paste to this. 
• Add salt and the jaggery to this.
• Mix well.
• Cook this in a medium low flame for 10- 15 minutes. 
• The mixture will come to a thokku consistency.
• Do not cook in high flame as this will splutter. 
• Switch off the flame and smear 2 tsp of sesame oil. This step is optional. Add oil only if you want. 
• But it gives a nice glossy texture and enhances the taste. 
• Allow this to cool completely.
• Transfer this in a clean dry jar.
• Store this in the refrigerator. If using for travel, you can easily keep it in room temperature for 2-3 days. As the summer is too high we can't keep it outside for more than 3 days.
• Enjoy the vendhaya keerai thokku with curd rice, idli, dosai and chapathi.
• You can mix this thokku with rice and temper with peanuts and pack for lunch box too. 

Notes:

1. Always keep this thokku in a clean dry jar and use clean dry spoon to handle it.
2. This Vendhaya keerai thokku stays good for 20-25 days in refrigerator.

    

    Video of how to make Vendhaya keerai thokku

        

Method with step by step pictures :

• Wash the vendhaya keerai| methi leaves and pat dry it. 
• Take out the leaves and keep it aside. No need to chop the keerai.
• Soak the tamarind in hot water and keep it aside.
• In a pan add 1 tsp oil and add the red chili, coriander seeds, chana dal, urad dal and 1/8th tsp of asafoetida. I used SSP powder asafoetida. 
• Saute till the dals turn nice golden colour.
• Once done switch off the flame. 

• Add the venthaya keerai to this. Saute in that heat itself and allow this to cool completely. 
• Let it be in the pan itself. 

• Once it is cool grind this into a fine paste. 
• You can add water to this. I added 1/2 cup of water while grinding. 

• Extract the tamarind juice from the soaked tamarind using 3/4 cup of water.
• In a pan add 2 tblsp sesame oil and add the mustard seeds. 

• Add the 1/8th tsp of asafoetida. 

• Once the mustard splutters add in the tamarind extract. At this stage always simmer the flame or better to switch off an add the tamarind juice. 

• Add the ground vendhaya keerai paste to this. 
• Add salt and the jaggery to this.

• Mix well. 
• Cook this in a medium low flame for 10- 15 minutes. 
• The mixture will come to a thokku consistency.
• Do not cook in high flame as this will splutter. 
• Switch off the flame and smear 2 tsp of sesame oil. This step is optional. Add oil only if you want. 

• But it gives a nice glossy texture and enhances the taste. 
• Allow this to cool completely.
• Transfer this in a clean dry jar.
• Store this in the refrigerator. If using for travel, you can easily keep it in room temperature for 2-3 days. As the summer is too high we can't keep it outside for more than 3 days.
• Enjoy the vendhaya keerai thokku with curd rice, idli, dosai and chapathi.
• You can mix this thokku with rice and temper with peanuts and pack for lunch box too. 

Notes:

1. Always keep this thokku in a clean dry jar and use clean dry spoon to handle it.
2. This Vendhaya keerai thokku stays good for 20-25 days in refrigerator.
    

Ash gourd raita recipe, Poosanikai thayir pachadi

Ash gourd raita | Vellai poosanikkai thayir pachadi recipe, south Indian pachadi | raita variety made using white pumpkin, a perfect summer coolant. Raitas also called as Thayir pachadis in tamil, are a perfect accompaniment for a South Indian meal. We all love raitas and the most favorite among all is the Carrot capsicum pachadi. The same ash gourd raita can be done using cucumber, but you can add raw cucumber in the raita.
We generally make kootu or pitlai or mor kuzhambu or kasi halwa using white pumpkin in South Indian cuisine. This is the first time i tried poosanikai raita. We had this with puliyodarai and it tasted so yum. Check out Jeyashri's kitchen Instagram page to see the lunch menu updates. Do try this ash gourd raita and let me know how it turned out.

Kerala Mango pickle recipe,Instant Mango pickle

Kerala Mango pickle , Instant mango pickle |Kadumanga aachar an easy and quick mango pickle recipe, recipe with video and step by step pictures. I have heard about Kerala mango pickle  but never know what it is about. This is very similar to the Instant mango pickle which i posted earlier but with a small difference. Recently i met my friend's mom who is a native of Kerala, asked her the recipe of Kadumanga pickle and tried it the next day at home. It was quite tasty and we enjoyed with bisi bela bath. Check out my

1. Maavadu recipe
2. Avakkai pickle recipe

Chow chow thogayal, Chow chow chutney recipe

Chow chow thogyal recipe| Chow chow chutney is an easy South Indian recipe made using Chayote  squash also called as seema kathrikkai or bangalore kathrikkai. We usually make thengai thogayal at home, which is our family's favorite one. Recently my cousin was asking insisted me to post Chow chow thogayal, which her mom makes so often. I have posted Peerkangai chutney, which is similar to this chow chow chutney recipe. As i am travelling this week i want to share simple recipes, so tried the thogayal and sharing the recipe of the same. It tasted similar to the thengai thogayal.
Do check out the

1. Kovakkai thogayal
2. Raw mango thogayal
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Drumstick masala recipe, Murungakkai masala

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Cabbage Paruppu usili recipe

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Do not forget to check the notes section at the end of the post to see the tips.

Garlic podi recipe, Poondu podi for rice

Garlic podi recipe, poondu podi, an aromatic South Indian spice powder| podi made using chana dal, urad dal, red chili and garlic. This garlic podi can be mixed with hot rice and ghee or can be had with idli or dosa too. I make the andhra style garlic paruppu podi, with toor dal and it is my family's favorite too. This poodu podi, i recently tasted in a restaurant and wanted to make it at home. It turned out so aromatic and tasty. If you are a podi lover and love garlic flavour, do try this aromatic garlic podi recipe. Let me know how it turned out.
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• Andhra nalla karam podi
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Methi dal recipe| Methi dal fry, using toor dal, a simple, healthy  dal recipe with methi leaves pairs well with rice, chapati and pulaos. Dal is always a staple food at me place and it is quite comforting too. As Methi leaves are freshly available in the market i thought i will post this simple Methi dal recipe. I have already given this recipe in my Kuttis kitchen cook book. I was travelling for the past 3 days and after returning back home made this easy dal recipe and clicked the same for the post. If you are looking for easy and healthy recipes then you must try this Methi dal recipe.
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Dill leaves Dal recipe, Shepu or Suva dal recipe

Dill leaves dal | Shepu or Suva dal, with step by step pictures, using moong dal and dill leaves as the main ingredient, a popular dal variety of Karnataka. Dill leaves, i have seen in the market but never attempted to pick the pack and cook it at home. For us Vegetarians, dal is a staple food, which i include in my daily meal. I usually make Dal palak or Green moong dal sabji. Traditionally in karnataka they put dill leaves in Akki roti. I have heard from many that dill leaves give an acquired taste and a pungent smell too. Recently my friend shared a small portion of dill leaves with moong dal. That was the first time i tasted dill leaves dal. I liked the taste and i wanted to give it a try. I got a small bunch of dill leaves from the nearest Indian shop and tried the Dill leaves dal also called as Shepu|suva dal. I was waiting for the response from the family but everyone had the dal without any complaints. Generally dill leaves is given for lactating mothers. It has lots of health benefits too. Go ahead and try out this healthy recipe and do let me know how it turned out.

Pavakkai podi recipe, Bitter gourd podi

Pavakkai podi recipe, Karakaya karam, Bitter gourd podi is a simple and easy podi made using bitter gourd, pairs well with hot rice and even curd rice too. I have tried this recipe twice at home but never clicked the pictures. Recently when i got a bunch of bitter gourd from the nearby Indian shop, i thought i will attempt to make a click of the pavakkai podi also called as Karakaya Karam in Telugu. I adapted this recipe from my favorite Vahchef and everytime i make this podi, it turns out so yum. I have given some tips and slight variations in the notes section, so please check the post till the end to read those tips.
I am a huge fan of bitter gourd and i have posted bitter gourd fry, bitter gourd curry and the traditional tamil brahmin pavakkai pitlai recipe in Jeyashri's kitchen. If you are a big fan of podis, then you must give a try on this bitter gourd podi and also try out my Andhra style paruppu podi, kothamalli podi and Nalla karam podi . 

Tomato Saaru recipe, Mangalore style rasam

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I was so surprised to see that they don't add black pepper in this rasam. Also they boil the rasam after adding the dal water, which we usually don't do for our Tomato rasam recipe. And tempering is made first and then after that the rasam is boiled for 20 minutes. Generally this rasam is served as a soup and also along with rice in Mangalore weddings. As such i love to try out traditional recipes from other States of India, so this recipe is a super hit among them. Do try this rasam and let me know how you liked it.

Pirandai KaruveppilaiThuvaiyal recipe, Pirandai chutney

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Sundakkai Kara Kuzhambu recipe, South Indian gravy

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Kollu Thogayal recipe, Horse gram chutney

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Check out my

• Thengai thogayal
• Pottukadalai thogayal