Poondu-Milagu kulambu is a traditional Tamil recipe, but this one is different from Tamil and a Sourashtrian one. All the Sourashtrian people love this recipe and they prepare it in special occasions.

Ingredients:

Garlic pods - 10 - 13
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Black Pepper - 3/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Red chillies - 2 or 3
Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
Grated coconut - 2 tsp
Salt
Asafoetida - a pinch
Oil - 3 tbsp
Tamarind puree - 1 1/2 cups

For seasoning:
Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - 5



Direction:

1. Heat oil in a pan and add black pepper, cumin seeds, coriander seeds and red chillies. When they start to pop up, add garlic pods and chopped ginger and fry for for a few seconds.



2. When garlic pods turn into slight brown, add grated coconut, salt and asafoetida powder and fry for a few seconds and remove from flame.

3. Cool it down and grind it into a smooth paste using a processor with enough water.

4. Add tamarind puree to the blended paste.

5. Now heat oil for seasoning and add mustard seeds and curry leaves. When they start to pop up, add the mixed-up curry to the pan and add a little water if necessary to bring it to the curry-like consistency. Add salt if necessary.

6. Boil the curry until oil from it separates. It takes about 10 minutes.

7. Poondu-milagu kulambu can be served with hot-rice with a tsp of ghee and pappadam.

My dear friend Mangala of Recipes 24X7 was kind enough to pass me on these awards. Mangala, I am really touched and encouraged by these awards.







Thank you very much dear! I promise to be a jewel of a friend and try to be a good chef. :)

I would like to pass these awards on to my best friend Deepa of Simple Home Cooking who inspired me to start my own blog and introduced me to a whole new blogging world. She is also an important part of my life and deserves these awards most.

I named it "Simple" because it is so simple to prepare with no grinding involved. Whenever we don't feel like cooking something elaborately, we can always have this option for chapathi. My mom used to make it all the time and now I prepare it once in a while. :)

Ingredients:

Potatoes - 2 or 3
Onion (medium) - 1/2
Tomato - 1
Green chilli - 1
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Besan flour - 2 tbsp
Curry masala powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt
Oil


Direction:

1. Pressure cook the potatoes, mash them and keep aside.

2. Heat oil in a pan, and add mustard seeds. When they start to splutter, add chopped onion and green chilli and fry till onion turns golden brown.

3. Add chopped tomato and turmeric powder and fry till tomatoes are soft. Add 1 cup of water and bring it to a boil.



5. Add besan flour, curry masala powder and fry for a couple of minutes. Then add the mashed potatoes, salt and enough water to bring it to consistency.

6. Boil the masala for 5 minutes. This potato masala can be served with roti or naan.




Simple Potato Masala is my entry to CFK-Potato hosted by Deepa, initiated by Sharmi.

Keerai (spinach) Kootu is a very common yet healthy side dish for rice varieties. It can be prepared with variety of spinaches (available in South India). But in US, such varieties are not available. So I ended up with this spinach. It can be used as side dish for adults or directly mixed with cooked rice and given to kids.

Ingredients:

Spinach - 1 bunch
Onion - 1/2
Red (or) green chilli - 1 or 2
Cooked Thor daal (or) Uncooked yellow Moong daal - 1/2 cup
Salt
For seasoning:
Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - 5
For garnishing:
Grated coconut - 2 tbsp




Direction:

1. Clean and pick the spinach leaves.

2. In a pressure cooker, cook spinach, chopped onion, cooked thor daal (or) yellow moong daal, salt, red chilli along with 1 cup of water (3 whistles should do).

3. Season mustard seeds and curry leaves in oil in a separate pan.

4. After the pressure has gone, open the pressure cooker and add the tadka and garnish with grated coconut.