MURUNGAKKAI PORICHA KUZHAMBU AND VAZHAKKAI PORIYAL

                                We make poricha(poritha to be more precise in Tamil) kuzhambu with different veggies and in two varieties,one is with coconut in it and the other with out  coconut and called “ Raathiri poricha kuzhambu” ( Rathiri  means  “Night time”).

I love the one made with brinjal,my favorite veggie and also this with drumstick,equally,because,this has  a nice flavor! I just love it . My mom makes this often,but i rarely make coz I rarely buy drumstick! These drumsticks I have used is from India,when my BIL came here last week ,my FIL bought and passed it through him. When he was here I dint cook coz he does not like…
Ingredients:

Drumstick	1 or 2 nos.
Moong dal/paasi paruppu	1/4 cup
Sambar powder(ref. Sidebar)	1 tsp
Turmeric powder	1/4 tsp
Tomato	1,chopped
Asafetida powder	2-3 pinches
Salt	As needed

To grind:

Coconut,grated	1/2 cup
Rice flour	1/4 tsp

To temper:

Mustard	1 tsp
Urad dal/ulutham paruppu	1 tsp
Jeera/jeeragam	1 tsp
Curry leaves	1 sprig
Chopped Shallots	1 tblsp
Asafetida	2-3 pinches
Oil	2 tsp

Method:

1. Cut drumstick into long pieces that you have desired.
2. Boil moong dal with tomato,turmeric,sambhar powder and after its half done add drumstick and salt.(If you are comfortable in pressure cooking,just add everything in a pressure cooker with just enough water and give 2 whistles,but I always mess up,either the moong will be uncooked or the drumstick will get broken,so I always be safe )
3. Grind coconut and rice flour with little water and add to the cooked drumstick,moong mixture and give a boil.remove from fire.
4. Season with the items under “To temper” table and brown the onions nicely and mix well and serve with rice!

A SIMPLE PLANTAIN/VAZHAKKAI PORIYAL

          This is very very very easy to make recipe,yet the flavor is really great!  Can be made in a jiffy!

Ingredients:

Vazhakkai/plantain	2 nos.
Sambar powder(ref.side bar)	1 1/2 tsp
Turmeric	1/4 tsp
salt	As needed
Coconut gratings	4-5 tblsp
Arisi kazhani/mandi(rice washed water)	2 cups

To Temper:

Mustard	1 tsp
Urad dal	1 tsp
Oil	1 tsp
Curry leaves	A sprig

Method:

1. Peel the skin of the plantains and cut them to ur desired,bite size pieces!
2. Keep them immersed in Arisi mandi,till you cook it.Wash them thoroughly in it to remove the stickiness of the plantain.
3. Boil it with enough water(just to immerse),sambar powder,turmeric and salt and cook just till done.Takes very less time,don’t over cook.
4. Drain the water and keep aside.
5. Heat a kadai and temper with the tempering items,followed by the cooked plantains and fry just for a minute to make it dry.
6. Add the coconut gratings and fry for a minute, ready!!

Both of these can be made easily and its a very light meal! And so I am sending this to EC of Simple Indian food’s event WYF: Light meal.