Sirukeerai Soup and Sirukeerai Rajma Kuzhambhu

Sirukkerai, a variety of Greens, is said to be good for Kidney's. I remember my ammumma buying a bunch of green's for 50 paise, now it has ended up to Rs.6. As every Child, i too had much hatreds with Green's. when i was ill with Jaundice, i was served different variety of greens daily for my lunch. some varieties like Manja Karusulanganni, Ponnankanni, and many other special greens. There started my Green Affair...

As Summer started over here, i prepare at least one dish with Greens for lunch daily. These Sirukkerai soup,Sirukeerai Rajma Curry dishes were the one's that i thought worth of sharing it with you all..

Sirukeerai Soup:

Method to Prepare Sirukkerai Soup:

This is very easy to prepare and its a big energy booster.


* Separate each leaf from the bunch and collect it in a basin.
* Now wash it for at least 3 time's to remove the Mud and small particles.
* In a Pan, have ¼ tsp of oil and saute the leaves.
* In a minute or two, it gets cooked. Cool them.
* Grind them with a cup of water and salt into a paste.
* Now in a pan, heat the grounded paste and let it boil.
* Have 1 tsp of corn flour mixed in a cup of water without any lumps.
* Add the corn flour mix to the pan, and stir well.

* Now the soup gets thicker.
* Add pepper and salt according to your taste.

Sirukeerai Rajma Curry:

I tried a little to find the english name for Sirukeerai. but got only latin names. if any one could share its english name, it will be very use full. okay, why have i combined this Sirukkerai/Green with Rajma/Kidney Bean's. These Kidney Bean's do real good to Kidney's. so why not it combined with sirukeerai for the maximum benefit..

Believe me, it tasted so good. the combination worked out very well. its better to try with this faded Rajma rather than Merone Red Rajma. These Faded Rajma gets cooked fast and is so soft. its nice to have it in the Kuzhambhu/curry.

Ingredients:

• Sirukkerai-cleaned and washes leaves of one bunch
• Rajma/Kidney Bean's-1 cup (Soaked Overnight and pressure cooked upto 3 whsitles)
• Red onion-1(medium size)
• Tomatoes-2
• Dry Red chilli's-3
• Curry leaves-8
• Garlic-3
• Mustard-1/2 spoon
• Fenugreek-5
• Asafoetida powder-1/4 spoon

List of Powder's:

1. Turmeric Powder-a pinch

2. Chilly Powder-1 spoon
3. Corriander Powder-2 spoons
4. Cumin Powder-1/2 spoon



Method:

In a Kadai. Heat 3 tsp's of oil. add mustard, when it cracks, add fenugreek seeds, curry leaves, garlic pods and red chilli's. fry them well. Now add Finely Chopped onions, fry them. add finely chopped tomatoes and mix well with the onions. Now add the green's and cook them for 2 minutes. Now add Rajma/Kidney Bean's to it and mix well. add all the Powder's mentioned in the order. add sufficient water and close the kadai with a lid. slower the flame and let them sit on low flame for about 5 minutes.

Now iam sending this Curry for Legume Affair started by Dear Susan and this month hosted by Laurie.

RReminder:

Hope you havent forgot to cook for my RCI-Lucknow. Keep Pouring in.......

I know, you all find it difficult to find vegetarian Lucknowi recipe's. you can look for awadhi cuisine's veg recipe's too.

Below are few link's that will help you to explore more on lucknowi cuisine..

• SurfIndia
• Wiki-UttarPradesh Cuisine
• Food indif
• Recipe for Lucknowi Kofta
• NDTV GoodTime's Lucknowi ( i will link it back soon)

Happy Holi !!

Very Small Bitter Melon Pitlai

I read in a Siddha Medicine Book, that these very small bitter gourd's are good than the big one's. In Pazhamudhir Cholai, i spotted these small bitter gourd packet's. after buying it, I could'nt think beyond the pitlai recipe, as it was so tender.

The Pitlai Recipe is of my Grand Mother's. I love the freshly grounded spice in the tuvar dal along with the bittery taste. If you are bored of trying sambhar's, you can give this a shot once a while.

About Bitter Melon's:

It's Very much Good for the Diabetic's, as it lower's the sugar level in the blood.
It's not good, when you consume if you have Kidney Stone Problem.
It's not Good to consume while you are Pregnant or Nursing your Baby.

Ingredients:

Small Bitter Melon's-20
Tuvar dal-1/4 cup [Boiled and Mashed]
Tamarind-of a small lemon size

Roast the Below and Grind them into a Coarse Paste

Oil-1 tsp
Urad dal-1 tsp
Chana dal-1 tsp
Pepper-1 tsp
Dry Red chilli-3
Cumin-1 tsp
Corriander Seed's-1tsp
Coconut grated-5 tsp's


For Tadka:

Oil-2tsp
Asafoetida powder-a pinch
Mustard-1/4 tsp
Split Urad Dal-1/4 tsp
Curry leaves-6
Coriander Leaves-2tsp [to Garnish]

Method:

First cut the Bitter Melon's into thin round slices and boil them in adequate water. after it is cooked, Add the Grinded paste to it and mix well. Now add the Tuvar Dal and a pinch of turmeric powder and mix well. add tamarind water and let it boil. add salt to taste. Now do Talippu/Tadka and pour over it before switching off the flame.

It tasted the same as the big one's. we liked the small thin slices in the dal. give a try when u find some of these..

Remember to send me your entry for RCI-Lucknow.

Announcing RCI - Lucknow Cuisne for March 2009

It’s really great to host Lucknow cuisine here at my blog. Thanks Lakshmi & Vanamala for giving me this chance, which helped me to explore on Lucknow cuisine.

I was almost waiting for a year to host this RCI event. Now the most awaited takes its turn on me. Here I go..

About Lucknow:

It’s the Capital City of Uttar Pradesh(UP).
This Multi-cultural city is the most populous state in India.
It is also called as City of Nawab’s.

Places to visit in Lucknow:

1. Bada Imambada
2. Hussainabad Imambada
3. Shah Najaf Imambada
4. Residency
5. Rumi Darwaza
6. Kaiserbagh Palace Complex
7. National Botanical Research Institute
8. State Museum and Zoo

For more details on places, visit here.

About Luknow Cuisine:

It’s a Rich Cuisine, where most of the cooking methods were formed to cook for the mughal kindgdom. It is also called as Nawabi style cuisine. It has a style of cooking called Dum Style Cooking(Cooking in low flame). The spice proportion will also be so defined and perfect here.

Many speciality’s of this cuisine are

1. Dum Briyani
2. Kebab’s
3. Kofta’s
4. Indian Bread’s Naan, Kulchaa’s, Paratha’s, Roomali Roti’s and Roti
5. Chaat Item’s

So Cook a Royal Rich Nawab Dish for your Nawab’s , picture it and send across to me.

Here are the Simple Guidelines for the RCI-Lucknow Cuisine.

(a) Prepare a Dish that is a Vegetarian[Egg’s are allowed].
Only Non-Vegetarian not allowed.

(b) Post as many Luknow Dishes with Recipes as you like on your blog this March 2009. More entries per person are allowed, but the rule is, it should come under Luknow Cuisine.

(c) Link back to this RCI-Lucknow Cuisine event announcement and to Lakshmi’s blog is a must.

(d) If you can include any regional info you would like to share about the lucknow cuisine in your post, it is very much appreciated.

(e) If you have any tip’s you wish to share on Lucknow dish, it will be so usefull.

(f) Use of the Logo to the event is also appreciated.
Url of the logo image: "http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3370/3328443940_0ff71b972a_m.jpg"

(g) I will also accept your old post’s, but you should link back to this announcement post and to Lakshmi’s blog.
Re-Publishing old post’s for RCI-Lucknow Cuisine will make me more happy!

(h) E-mail me to glassofhoney(AT)gmail(dot)com

with SUBJECT as RCI-Lucknow and along with the following details..

Your Name:
Your Blog Name:
Name of the Dish:
Link/URL of the Post:
Attach a Picture of the Dish. Size does not matter.

(i) Deadline for all the entries will be the 6'th of April-2009. I will do the roundup by 10'th of April-2009.

(j) If you don't have a blog, but you want to be part of this wonderfull event, you can send me your Recipe along with the picture of the dish. Dont forget to mention your name and your location.

So Iam eagerly looking forward for your entries.

If you need any clarification’s on the above feel free to mail me glassofhoney(AT)gmail(dot)com or leave a comment below.

Courtesy: Wiki

Update:

Hope you havent forgot to cook for my RCI-Lucknow. Keep Pouring in.......
I know, you all find it difficult to find vegetarian Lucknawi recipe's. you can look for awadhi cuisine's veg recipe's too.
Below are few link's that will help you to explore more on lucknawi cuisine..

SurfIndia

Wiki-UttarPradesh Cuisine

Food indif

Recipe for Lucknawi Kofta

NDTV GoodTime's Lucknawi
Vegetarian Kebab's in Lucknow
Keep Sending me ur entrie's..