Karivepaku Rice / Curry Leaf Rice

Karivepaku Rice :

Curry Leaves – my new found love.

I’ve learned it’s a “deal”. Has lots of goodness.

I’m not exactly sure – when did I fall in love with thismagical herb.

Looks so amiable, motherly n cool.

Aroma – makes me mad.

One of those lazy, sick or disturbed mornings – I crushthese leaves and smell them.

Aroma alleviates all kinds of sickness. By nature too - Iheard it’s given to early-pregger women who experience nausea. Said to relieve-the “pregger – nausea”/ morning-sickness.

This is so simple and such a quickie recipe and turns outreally yummyyyy.

I’d term it to be more of a bachelor kind of recipe – forits simplicity. On a busy weekday; this would be a time & money saver J

Ingredients:

• Curry Leaf – 1 Bunch
• Green Chillies – 3-4
• Tamarind – 4-5 flakes
• Garlic – 5 Pods
• Jeera – 2 -3 Tsp
• Salt – Acc to taste
• Cooked Rice – 2 Cups
• Dry Coconut Powder – 5 Tsp
• Cooked Rice - 2 Cups

For Tampering:

• Oil – 3 Tbsp
• Ghee – 2 Tbsp
• Mustard Seeds – ½ Tsp
• Jeera – ½ Tsp
• Urad Dal – 1 Tb Sp
• Broken Red Chilies - 2

Method:

• Heat oil in a skillet.
• Add jeera, once they splutter add garlic, tamarind flakes, green chillies
• Add fresh washed curry leaves, salt.
• Fry for 5 mins
• Put off the stove and let it cool
• Grind this mixture – I prefer coarsely.
• For the tampering - take a huge bowl – as wewould add curry paste/rice to it.
• Heat – it and add oil
• I usually don’t follow any serial order inadding the tampering ingredients.
• I collect all of them in a small bowl and throwinto the hot oil.
• I would not have time to add one by one –holding the spice box. I’m rather careless.
• Once the ingredients splutter – add the currypaste.
• Add dry coconut powder.
• Mix well.
• Now add rice – gradually – keep mixing – such that the curry paste is spreaduniformly.

Serving Tips:

Serve it with curd, raita.

I had aloo kurma in myrefrigerator – I had it with.

Turned out yum combi.

BG - Moong Dal (BG - Bottle Gourd)

I like lentils/Dal/Pappu  as bland as possible.

I dislike any thing that dominated the flavor of Dal and make it weird.

And for me these are a threat – Tamarind (tops the chart), mustard seeds, red chillies.

When I was a kid/unmarried ( J ) : Whenever my mom prepared this typical southy style dal – it was time for me to have my food at neighbors. By God’s grace – since my childhood I always had Sindhis/Jains/Gujjus as our neighbors. It was never really hard on me to consume “tamarind-infused” dal. I used to have peeeka watery dal at Sindhis – simply bland coriander dal at jains and “sweet n sour”-watery dal at Gujjus. And I loved them that way. I literally drink dal. Its really post-marriage the trouble began. My husband is a big fan of Tamarind. And ; I had to change  my aversion for tamarind to a “neutral –peaceversion” L .

Ever since we moved into a new place – as the kitchen is not yet totally set and there were limited resources available – I’ve been making “tomato-pappu”, “palakura-pappu” and the likes with eww tamarind( I don’t even like to touch it) , mustard, red chillies. But now; I reached a saturation poin – a “break-even-point”. I’ve declared to myself and the house – that its my day & my dal. YAY!!!

Eager to find palak /some green leafy veg – I’ve opened the refrigerator. I’ve found this “Kaddhu” in the basket. I recollected – the way I used to savour this plain – bland dal back “pre-marriage” days. One roti and 3-4 bowls of dal – while my siblings stare at me (like an “alien”)

Ingredients:

1.       Moong Dal/Pesara Pappu – 1 Cup
2.       Water – 5 Cups
3.       Oil – 2 Tbsp
4.       Ghee – 2 Tbsp
5.       Jeera – 2 Tbsp
6.       Green Chillies – Slit – 2
7.       Garlic Pods-Crushed/Minced : 5
8.       Onion – Medium Size – Sliced : 1
9.       Turmeric – ½ Tsp
10.   Tomato – Medium Size – Cut into cubes – ½
11.   Kaddhu/Sorakaaya/Anyapakaaya – 200 Gms
12.   Salt as per taste
13.   Red Chilly Powder – 1 Tsp
14.   Coriander Powder – 1 Tbsp 

PPreparation Method:

 

• In a cooker pan – add ghee + oil.
• When this fatty liquid is hot enough – add jeera, minced garlic, green chillies.
• After 30 seconds ; add onions.
• Let onions turn translucent/pink – haldi, kaddhu cubes, tomatoes, dal, salt, chilly powder.
• Mix well.
• Add water – cover and let it whistle for 3-5 times.
• When the pressure is out and it is safe enough to open –
•        Check for consistency
•        Taste to adjust seasoning
• Add more water if you want it to be soupy/liquidy – bring to a boil
• Add coriander powder , finely chopped cilantro – mix well . 

 

Boom!!! Your’re done. Quickie office-rush hour – yummy dal .
Simply love the bottle gourd flavor in this dal.
I had it with steamed rice n lemon pickle. Was “AWESOME” !!!

Curry Leaf Infused - Maggi Pazzta W/Baby Corn

I’ve been to supermarket and found this new product from Maggi.

Pazzzzzzztaaa.

There were around three flavors on the shelves.

I cant recall them but I took a red colored one – could be a tomato flavored/curry flavored.

I really wonder how cant I recall what I ate.

I used loads of baby corn and curry leaf – I don’t remember what masala was that.

Anyways – I so much wanted to try out this new product – grabbed it(Paid for it – Ofcourse! )

It was this lazy morning – not exactly lazy – but I was so much sunk into this book called “Freedom At Midnight”. Basking in the sunrise, sipping my tea – while all these tiny tiny butterflies all over me – that was a heavenly feeling. I did not realize it was 9:00 Am – until I felt “hunger pangs”

I go open my “mini-pantry” for muesli – it was then this Pazzta toppled over and was eager to be cooked. Since – we still have’nt set up for home yet – I did’nt find any of my sauces . So I thought of giving it a southy tamper. I went to the refrigerator to pull out green chillies – but I found these b’ful, sleek n cute baby corns . And; also my house-maid got so much Curry Leaves that I was eager to get done with them  - lest they get rotten. Curry leaves were fresh and baby fresh. I’ve decided this pazzta would go “curry leaves-baby corn” pazzta. I’m a crazy fan of curry leaves – their smell and also the taste. Usually – finely chop them – enjoy that b’ful strong fragnance.

Here goes my spicy, southy pazzta:

Ingredients:

1.  Maggi Pazzta – 1 Packet
2. Oil – 2 Tb Sp
3.  Mustard Seeds – ½ Tsp
4. Zeera – ½ Tsp
5.  Curry Leaves – 20
6. Green Chillies – slit - 3
7.  Onion – Medium Size – 1
8. Baby Corns – Cut into thin circles - 5
9. Turmeric  Powder– ¼ Tsp
10. Salt – Acc to taste

Preparation Method:

• Take a skillet and add oil
• Once the oil is hot enough add mustard seeds, Jeera.
• Once they splutter – add finely chopped coriander,  green chillies.
• After say; 30 secs add – sliced onions.
• Let the onions turn pink n translucent.
• Add turmeric powder, salt , baby corn.
• Mix well.
• In a bowl – take ½ cup water .
• Cut out the maggi masala – mix in the water using finger tips.
• I do this to avoid any lumps while add this masala powder to the skillet.
• Back to the aroma-emanating skillet.
• Add water – how much water ??? I cant tell you that. I’m not a strict follower of “Directions” behind the wrap.
• All I knew was Pasta consumes lots of water – for it to become soft .
• So I’ve added around 10 Cups of water.
• Bring water to boil – then add the “lump-free-masala”.
• Add pasta to it.
• Simmer-  believe in “super-slow-cooking”. So I’ve minimized the flame.
• Cover the skillet with a lid.
• Should take 10 mins for the pasta to be edible. Check the seasoning and adjust accordingly.
• Before take off – I’ve added finely chopped coriander.

Serve immediately.

We’ve fell in love with it. Spicy, tangy, curry-leaves/coriander not to forget the “baby-corn” factor.

Atleast for me ; It was rich in terms of minerals/vitamins.

Though it was too hot  for me – my husband relished it.

I had to gulp in some orange juice later J