Shakambari-Vegetables unlimited

Olan - a "must " for Kerala Sadhya !

This is a bland dish, but has a nice, subtle flavour & is used as a side dish for morkuzambu or sambar.

Like mulagootal, you can consume a bowl of this, cutting down your rice intake.

Traditionally it is prepared quite thin, with or without adding coconut milk. I have modified it slightly, including cornflour to give a creamy consistency, which is delicious ! I hope the “puritans” don’t frown !!

The yellow pumpkin used must not be very ripe, preferably tender with green skin.

Black eyed beans

(Karamani in Tamil & perumpayaru in Malayalam) ½ cup

Chop the following 2 vegetables into thin slices about 3 cm by 3 cm

White pumpkin ( Poosanikkai or Elavan) chopped 2 cups

Yellow pumpkin (Parangikkai or Mathan ) chopped 2 cups

Green chillis slit 4

Grated coconut ½ cup

coconut oil 1 tsp

Cornflour 1 tsp

Salt, Curry leaves

Lightly roast the whole dhal and soak it in water for 8 hrs.

Wash & strain well.

From coconut take first milk-1/2 cup & second milk-1/2 cup.

In a pressure pan add dhal, both vegetables, chillies, and second coconut milk.

Close, keep the weight and pressurize till first whistle comes.

Remove from stove & cool.

Open, add salt & first milk mixed with cornflour and simmer stirring till the flour is cooked and all the ingredients are well blended.

Add coconut oil and curry leaves.

If you prefer the dhal to be very soft pressurize it first separately for 2-3 whistles and then proceed.

It is safer to add salt at the end because the volume shrinks after cooking and you can judge better.

Variations:

If you do not prefer to use coconut milk, first pressurize with ½ cup water & add cornflour mixed with ½ cup ordinary milk.

This can be made with whole dhal & tender yellow pumpkin only.

Some prefer to add slices of snake gourd, seppankizangu, ridge gourd, potato, long green variety of brinjal (called vazuthalangai in Kerala ) etc. There is nothing wrong in adding them, if you like the taste !

 

Brinjal Gotsus - 5 Varieties to choose from !

Gotsus in TamiNadu cooking are different from the Gojjus of Karnataka.

Gotsus go well with pongal , arisi upma etc.

Gotsu is a “must” item in all functions, served with breakfast, with or without onions.
For Easy Pressur pan Gotsu, please go to
Upma Kozakkattai with pressurepan Gotsu

Gotsus Without Moong dhal:

1 – Big Brinjal Gotsu –there is no cooking in this.

This is made with deep puple coloured big brinjal , nearly as big as a coconut.

Select light brinjals with bright green stems – if they are light, they will have less seeds & be fresh as well. Roast it as for Baingan Bartha.

Lightly smear it with oil, roast it well on a medium flam till the skin turns completely black. You can do this in the microwave, easily – make 2,3 slits(to prevent bursting), wrap in clingfilm & microwave for 5 mts on Hi, turnig it twice in between. Keep it in a container for some time till it cools completely. Peel the skin as much as possible – a little unpeeled skin, here & there, does not matter.

Do not show it under water from a tap. See that you don’t remove the flesh with the skin ! Mash it coarsely.

Brinjal - 1 (about 250 gms)

Green Chillies - 2,3

Tamarind paste - 2 tsp (or less)

Hing powder - ½ tsp

Salt

Coriander leaves - few

To temper:

Oil - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - ½ tsp

Add about 2 cups of water to the tamarind paste, mix salt & hing powder.

Slit the green chillies, add it to this water along with brinjal pulp & thoroughly mix all ingredients to blend well – this is generally done with hand, crushing the chillies lightly, to release the flavour fully.

If it is not your preference, use a potato masher.

Temper & garnish with coriander leaves.

In this, the tamarind water shoud be used thin, so that the gotsu will not be mushy.



2 – Brinjal – Tomato – green chillies

Any tender variety of brinjals can be used.

Cubed brinjals - 1 cup

Cubed tomatoes - ½ cup

Green chillies - 2,3 chopped

Oil - 2 tsp

Tamarind paste - 1 tsp

Besan - 2 tsp

Salt, hing

To temper:

Oil - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - ½ tsp

Small onions - 5,6 (finely chopped)

In a kadai, fry in 2 tsp oil, brijals, tomatoes & green chillies till well fried.

Add tamarind paste with water, salt & haldi.

Allow to boil in a medium flame, till brinjal becomes soft.

Mix beasan in ½ cup of water, add, stirring continuously to prevent lump formation.

When well cooked, remove.

Temper as given – chopped onions should turn brown.

Garnish with coriander leaves.



3 – Brinjal – Tomato – sambar powder.

Take the same weight of brinjals & tomatoes.

Brinjal can be medium or big variety, not the small variety, because roasting has to be done.

Brinjals - 250 gms

Tomatoes - 250 gms

Sambar powder - 2 tsp

Tamarind paste - 1 tsp (optional)

Salt, haldi

Coriander leaves - to decorate

To temper:

Oil - 2 tsp

Mustard seeds - ½ tsp

Urad dhal - 1 tsp

Gram dhal - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - few

Hing powder - ½ tsp

Roast brinjals & lightly mash the pulp.

Blanch, peel & liqidise tomatoes.

In a kadai, heat oil, temper the given ingredients & add tomato pulp.

When the pulp starts boiling add tamarind paste (if you are using it), water, haldi sambar powder, brinjal pulp & salt.

Add enough water to get the correct consistency.

When the mixture becomes well blended & cooked, remove.

If you like, you can fry in 1 tsp oil, green chillies & small onions, both finely chopped & add as garnishing along with coriander leaves.

4 - With moong dhal:

Moong dhal ½ cup

Brinjals ( small or medium) - 3, 4

Onions - 2

Tomatoes - 2,3

Green chillies - 2

Oil - 1 tbsp

Tamarind paste - 1 tsp

Salt, haldi

Coriander leaves - to garnish

Soak lightly roasted dhal in boiling water for 1 hour.

Chop brinjals, onions, tomatoes & green chillies into small pieces.

In a pressure pan, heat oil, add onions & green chillies, tomatoes,& brinjals adding each one after the previous ingredient is well fried.

Add dhal, correct amount of water, salt & haldi.

If you are using tamarind paste, add at this stage.

Close the cooker & cook for one whistle – 2, if you prefer it soft.

Cool, open, lightly mash & garnish.

You can omit tamarind paste & add lime juice instead.

Temper ½ tsp mustardseeds in ½ tsp oil.

5 - Kalyana Gotsu

Moong dhal ½ cup

Chow chow ½

Ridge gourd a piece

Potato 1 medium

Tomatoes 4

Small onion ½ cup

Green chillies 3-4

Curryleaves & coriander leaves

Salt, haldi & hing powder

Oil 2 tbsp

Mustard seeds 1 tsp

Udad dhal 2 tsp

Gram dhal 2 tsp



Soak moong dhal in 1 ½ cups boiling water for I hr.

Chop all vegetables &green chillies into small pieces.

In a pressure pan heat oil , temper mustard seeds , udad dhal , gram dhal , hing powder– when done add finely chopped onions , fry – then add other chopped vegetables & green chillies.

Fry for sometime & then add chopped tomatoes .

When tomatoes start getting cooked add dhal, water, salt &curry leaves .

Close the cooker , keep the weight & cook for 2 whistles.

Cool, open & lightly mash if you like.

If you prefer it very soft , you can cook for 1 or 2 more whistles.

If you like it sour add some tamarind water with dhal.

Garnish with coriander leaves.

Kalyana gotsu photo is posted below.

 

Gotsus are Alrounders !

Dear Jyoti,
since gotsus have a gravy, they can be used with everything - even roti, if you like.
Since we always mention our food as combinations like, idli-chutney, roti-sabji etc, we say pongal-gotsu, that's all. In fact in weddings even if there is no pongal, gotsu is a must. That is why i put kalyana gotsu. My mother got that recipe from the cook who made that for my wedding ! Imagine, It is as ancient as me !!!!!
Regards,
Chithra.
I am surprised you made a note of it though it does'nt show in the index yet !

 

Ways with Keerai – Gives us this day, our daily Iron !

The ways in which we can cook keerai in South Indian style are far too many.

I am just mentioning the outline of each method.

For these any variety available can be used. Many cook the keerai & liquidise in the blender. I feel it becomes very mushy. My suggestion is to avoid that & use either a potato masher or an electric hand blender for just, 5,6 secs – not more.

Then it is creamy & does not become like a paste. Anyway this is one’s choice.

Always chop as fine as possible, wash in plenty of water 2,3 times & drain very well. Keerai lends itself to microwave cooking very well. The green colour is retained so beautifully. Again this is optional. Always add salt at the end to any keerai dish because the volume can be judged only after cooking keerai.

Dry Varieties:

Keerai Sundal:

In a kadai, heat oil, add red chilli, mustard seeds, urad dhal & finally keerai.Keep the stove on medium. Turn the contents over frequently for uniform cooking. When all water has evaporated, add

1- plain coconut

2- coconut “crushed” with red chilli & jeera

3- moong dhal boiled grainy + coconut

If you like you can fry few small onions, finely chopped when you temper.Then omit coconut.

You can make a powder thus – dry roast 1 red chilli, 1 tsp rice & 1 tsp udad dhal till aroma comes & powder. This can be also sprinkled on the sundal to make it dry.

Keerai Masiyal:

In minimum water, cook keerai with a pinch of raw jeera & hing. When cooked, add salt & blend well. The tempering is red chilli, mustard seeds & urad dhal in 1 tsp oil. Instead of red hilli, dry curd chilli (called mormilakai in Tamil) is most suitable for keerai.

You can

(1) add 2 tbsp of thick coconut milk for taste.

(2) grind 1 tsp tur dhal, 1red chilli & a pinch jeera – (all presoaked) & add when the keerai is cooking.



Keerai Kadayal:

Add one green chilli, small onions , 5,6 garlic , tomatoes (with or without little tamarind paste)– all finely chopped when you cook keerai.Then mash everything together. You can also make this with green chillies, garlic & tamarind without onions & tomatoes. This is very tasty. Temper only mustard seeds & red chilli.This is a favourite in many houses.

Puliyitta Keerai:

Without dhal: Boil chopped keerai with finely chopped green chillies, hing & tamarind. Mash well. You can make this quite hot & piquant.

With dhal: In addition to the method given above, cooked dhal is added at the end – you can add tomatoes along with tamarind.

Instead of green chillies, sambar powder is added in the same recipe, for a different taste.

If you like, fry some chopped small onions along with tempering & add.

Keerai Aviyal:

For this red variety of keerai with tender stems is very good.

Along with keerai, jackfruit seeds can be added.

Keerai is boiled – grind red chilli+coconut+jeera-add with little thick tamarind pulp – if you like add 3-4 tbsp curds to give a good colour.

In mango season, chopped mangoes can substitute tamarind.

Keerai Sambar:

Chopped keerai is well fried in little oil till it shrinks well.

Then make usual arachuvitta sambar using keerai instead of vegetables.


An excellant Keerai-Dhal Gravy:

Soak 2 tbsp each of tur dhal, gram dhal & moong dhal in boiling water for 1 hr.

In a pressurepan heat 1 tbsp oil add chopped onions & tomatoes- chopped ginger & green chillis- then red chilli powder, dhaniya powder,hing, haldi & finally the chopped keerai.

When well fried add the strained dhals, water &salt.

Cook for 2 whistles.
Cool, open & lightly mash.

Temper with red chilli, mustard sees & urad dhal.

The photo is posted below.

 

Parangikkai Pal Kootu - mildly sweet & a general favourite.

Tender yellow pumpkin cut into cubes - 3 cups

Green chillies - 2-3 (slit)

Flour used (as given below) - 2 tsp

Milk - ½ cup

Sugar or jaggery - to taste

Salt

To temper:

Oil - 1 tsp

Red chilli - 1

Mustard seeds - ½ tsp

Urad dhal - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - few

Only tender yellow pumpkin is used.

Cut into cubes & cook in minimum water with slit green chillies &salt.

Judge the salt carefully, since volume decreases on cooking !

When cooked, add little rice flour mixed with milk & give a boil.
( we can add cornflour in place of rice flour for a fine, smooth texture.).

Jaggery or sugar is added in small quantity to make it subtly sweet.

Temper in oil with a red chilli, mustard seeds, udad dhal & curry leaves.

 

Vegetable Kurma - South Indian Style.

Mixed vegetables containing carrots, beans, peas, cauliflower, potatoes, baby corns, butter beans etc - 4 cups

Onions - 2, chopped

Tomatoes - 2, big, chopped

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp (more or less to taste)

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Grated coconut - ½ cup

Haldi - ¼ tsp

Grind together:

Green chillies - 2,3

Ginger - 1”

Garlic - 4,5 pcs

Khus khus (soaked) - 2 tsp

Cashewnuts - 7,8

Saunf - ¼ tsp (optional)

Coriander leaves - ¼ cup, chopped

To temper in 2 tbsp oil:

Pepper - 1 tsp

Cinnamon - 2”

Cloves - 3

Cardamom - 3

Cut into 1 cm cubes & lightly steam all vegetables.

Add 2 cups of warm water to coconut &extract milk.

In a pressure pan, add oil, temper given ingredients & add in the given order, adding each after the previous one is well fried - chopped onions, chopped tomatoes, spice powders & finally the ground paste.

Fry till the raw smell of paste goes,

Add steamed vegetables, coconut milk & salt.

Cook for one whistle.
.

 

Masal Kizangu - very famous in Madurai !

This is a dry dish.

Delicious is the only word for this spicy vegetable.

Potatoes - 4 ( boil just right & chop into big cubes)

Besan - ½ cup

Chopped small onions - ½ cup

Oil - ½ cup

Chopped garlic - 1 tbsp

Chopped green chillies & ginger - 2 tbsp

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Saunf - 1 tsp (or little less )

Salt, haldi, curry leaves, chopped coriander leaves

Heat ¼ cup oil, temper mustard seeds, saunf &then add onions, garlic, green chillies,&ginger fry well.

Mix besan, salt, haldi , chilli powder & ¼ cup oil to a bread crumb consistency.

Add this mixture & the boiled potatoes to the fried ingredients..

Lower the flame, cover & cook for 5 mts.

Open, mix thoroughly all the contents.

Add chopped curry leaves &coriander leaves.

Oil cannot be cut down in this recipe !


This goes very well with any rice or with parathas..

 

Yes.

Dear Vidhukumar,
Yes, olan can be made with just white ashgourd also.
Regards,
Chithra.