Nimmakaya Karam (Spicy powder with lemon)

A nice accompaniment with idly, dosa or steamed rice with a dollop of ghee. A visitor to my blog requested for this recipe and here I go.... Its so simple and easy too.

We need ....

bengal gram/chana dal - 1/4 measuring cup

urad dal/minapappu - 1/4 measuring cup

methi seeds - 1/4 tsp

hing/asofetida - 1/4 tsp

Dried red chillies - 10 (increase or decrease according to your spice level)

Salt to taste

Lemon juice - 3 tbsps (increase or decrease according to your taste)

Oil - 1 1/2 tsp

How to.....

1. Heat oil in a pan, fry methi seeds till they turn light brown in color.

2. Add asofetida, urad dal, chana dal, dried red chillies and fry on medium flame till the raw smell of the dals disappears. Take care that the dals don't get burnt. keep stirring continuously. This process takes about 5-7 mts.

6. Switch of the flame. Allow to cool off , add salt and grind it to lightly coarse powder.

7. Mix lime juice, adjust salt and store in an air tight container. Goes well with idly, dosa and even steamed rice too.

Vankaya chikkudukaya kura (Brinjal - Indian broad beans curry)

One of my favourite dishes I loved since childhood especially the one cooked by my atta. Not a big fan of greens during when I was a child so I used to pick up the beans from this curry and leave aside the skins but now am a die hard fan of both. Here's a glance at the recipe.... Brinjals of any kind can be used to cook this dish. I used the purple colored ones here. Make sure you pick up tender broad beans and brinjals.

What we need...

Brinjals - 6 (chopped to small chunks)

Broad beans (chikkudukaya) - 15 (each cut into two halves)

Onions - 3 medium size (chopped finely)

Green chillies - 2 (slit lengthwise)

Garlic - 3 cloves (crushed)

Curry leaves - 2 sprigs

Jeera/Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Chilly powder - 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Coriander leaves - for garnish

Oil - 2 tsps

Milk - 1 cup

Water - 1 cup

How to.....

1. Heat oil in a kadhai, add crushed garlic and green chillies. fry for a minute on medium flame.

2. Add curry leaves, jeera, chopped onions, and turmeric. Fry till onions turn to golden brown.

3. Add brinjal chunks and broad beans pieces to fried onions, salt. Cover and cook on low flame till brinjal and chikkudukaya turn soft. This would take about 10-12 mts.

4. Add a cup of water, mix, cover and cook on medium flame till the beans are cooked.This would take 6-8 mts. Adjust salt and chilly powder if required.

5. Add a cup of milk and cook till it forms to thick gravy consistency. Garnish with coriander leaves.

6. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Beerakaya - mullakada palu posina kura (Ridge gourd-drumsticks cooked in milk)

Todays version of beerakaya/Ridge gourd curry is very simple and easy to cook. Drumsticks cooked in milk tastes yummy. I simply love the mild sweet flavor of this veggie when cooked in milk. This was one of the curry I loved since childhood and never made any fuss when it was cooked at home. In india this curry is cooked with lots of garlic and served for breast feeding mothers. Lets jump to the recipe.......

What we need ...

Beerakaya/Ridge gourd - 2

Drumsticks/mullakada - 1 (cut into 2 inch pieces)

Garlic - 6 cloves (crushed)

Green chilies - 2 (Slit lengthwise)

Dried Red chilies - 5

Curry leaves - 2 sprigs

Coriander leaves - small bunch (finely chopped)

Cumin seeds/jeera - 1/2 tsp

Onions - 4 medium or1 large onion sized finely chopped

Milk - 1/2 cup

Oil - 2 tbsps

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

How to...

1. Wash and peel the ridge gourd and hey don't throw away the peeled skin. Scraped of skin combined with pea nuts added with few more ingredients, a delicious chutney is ready. I'm gonna post that recipe soon.

2. Heat oil in a kadhai, and throw garlic. Fry till light brown. Add curry leaves and fry for 10 seconds.

3. Add green chilies, red chillies and fry for a minute. Add cumin seeds and fry for another minute on medium flame. Throw in the onions, add salt and turmeric and fry till onions are soft and light brown.

4. Throw in the chopped onions, drumsticks, add turmeric, drumstick and fry them till light golden brown.


5. Add in ridge gourd pices, mix gently. cover and cook till soft on medium flame. About 6 to 8 minutes.

6. Add warm milk to cooked ridge gourd. Milk tends to curdle up if its cold, warm milk does the trick here. Cook till the milk evaporates and curry truns to thick gravy base.

7. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot with steamed rice/chapathis. Tastes perfect with steamed rice.

Note : The Onions that I get from the stores here are very big. I usually take care of giving an accurate measurement for the number of onions used in the posts that I blog but request the viewers to increase or decrease the quantity according to the gravy required.

On the same note I'd like to add that a cup when I write in the blog is generally 1 measuring cup. Pls drop a note to mommyskitchen@gmail.com if you have any questions while trying the recipe. I'd be happy to help you.