Green Beans Thoran/Stir Fried Green Beans

Ingredients Used:

1. Beans – I bunch
2. Onion – 1 chopped fine
3. Green chilies – 3
4. Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
5. Urad daal – 1 tsp(optional)
6. Dry red chilies – 4
7. Curry leaves – 2 sprigs 
8. Turmeric Powder – ¾ tsp
9. Salt to taste
10. Coconut Oil/Vegetable Oil – 1 tbsp.
11. Grated Coconut – ¼ cup(optional)

Preparation Method:

• Wash and drain the beans, pat dry them with towel/paper towel. Chop them fine and set aside. Finely chop onion and green chilies
• Heat up a wide pan or Kadai, pour Oil to the pan. Add mustard seeds and wait till they splutter. Reduce the heat to medium
• Add urad daal, curry leaves, dry red chilies and stir for a minute or till the urad daal turns golden color
• Add Onion, green chilies and sauté till the onion turns translucent. Add turmeric powder and stir for few seconds
• Add chopped beans, sprinkle the salt and stir well. Cover with a tight lid and keep the heat in low-medium.
• Let it cook for five-seven minutes, make sure you lift the covered lid and stir well couple of times making sure the beans do not stick on to the bottom of the pan and burn.
• Open the pan and check if the beans are cooked enough by gently pressing them, beans will turn soft as you press them
• If they are not cooked enough cover and cook for another three-five minutes. Open the lid, check for the salt and adjust accordingly. Switch off the stove when they are cooked enough.
• Add the grated coconut and stir well to combine. Add more curry leaves and keep it covered till they are ready to serve.
• Move to a serving bowl and serve warm with Rice or Roti !!

Broccoli Rabe(Rapini) Thoran/Broccoli Rabe Stir Fry

Winter is winding up and Spring blossom is here. Our local food market have loads of fresh green goodness, some of which I do not even know the names. This Brocolli Rabe Rapini was in demo in a near by store and my hubby liked the simply stir fry the Vendor provided flavored with garlic and dashes of lemon juice. Vendor said it is bit bitter but adding lemon juice will reduce them. I brought it home, made this Thoran, flavored with garlic, curry leaves and served with splashes of lemon juice. Adding grated coconut is optional which can reduce the bitterness too but I made it without coconut as well. I wonder where all the bitterness go, we couldnt even feel any :-) It tasted great, goes well with Rice/Roti. Try out this fresh green goodness, Enjoy !!!!

Ingredients:-

1. Broccoli Rabe - a bunch
2. Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
3. Green chilies - 3 small
4. Shallots - 3 or 4 or half of a medium sized onion chopped finely
5. Curry leaves a spring or two
6. Grated coconut (optional)
7. Garlic - 2 cloves
8. Oil - 1 table spoon
9. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tea spoon
10. Lemon Juice from ½ or 1 Lemon
11. Salt to taste

Method:-

·         Rinse the broccoli rabe well in water and chop it .

·         Heat oil in a wide pan and add mustard seeds. When it splutters reduce the heat to medium and add Shallots/Onion, Garlic, Curry leaves, green chilies and salt. Saute for few minutes till onion turns translucent and garlic leaves it raw flavor.

·         Add the turmeric powder and sauté for few swconds. Add chopped broccoli rabe. Saute well to combine everything.

·         Cover and cook for just 2-3 minutes, Open the lid and sauté for few more minutes till the water is fully absorbed and leaves are soft. Make sure leaves don’t go mushy.

·         Increase the heat to full/high and add the grated coconut and saute for another two minutes or until it is dry. Remove from heat.

·         Sprinkle juice of lemon when the stir fry is ready to serve and mix well. Serve warm with Rice or Roti.

Achinga Payar Thoran - Long Yard Beans Stir Fry

Ingredients:-

1. Achinga Payar/Yard Long Beans - 1 Bunch(~ 1 lb/oru kettu)
2. Onion - 1
3. Green Chilies - 4
4. Salt ~ 3/4 tsp(to taste)
5. Turmeric powder ~ 3/4 tsp
6. Grated Coconut ~ 3tbsp
7. Coconut Oil - 2 tsp
8. Mustard seeds - 1tsp
9. Dry Red chilies - 3
10. Curry leaves few

Preparation Method:-

• Wash and pat dry the beans, chop them fine, add salt, turmeric powder, chopped onion, green chilies and mix well with clean hands or spoon.
• Heat up a kadai/pan, pour coconut oil, add mustard and let it crackle. Add curry leaves, red chilies and the yard beans mix. 
• Saute it well for two-three minutes, simmer the flame to medium heat and let it cook till done or till raw smell of beans vanishes.
• Add grated coconut, few more curry leaves and saute well again. Take off the stove and drizzle a spoon of coconut oil if desired(It adds taste). Serve with boiled Rice and Moru Curry.

Linking this to The Kerala Kitchen hosted at Erivum Puliyum

Cabbage Thoran with Green Peas n Carrot/Cabbage Stir Fry with Green Peas n carrot(Sabzi) and an Award

Cabbage thoran is Keralite's favorite side dish, very simple and elegant sabzi that holds a very important place even in 'Kerala Sadya'. This is one of my family favorite side dish that goes well with boiled Rice and can be served with Roti as well. Most of the time I add carrot and green peas along with cabbage to make it a veggie pack side dish and the color combo of three is just great. So sharing with my readers the simple and humble Cabbage thoran with Green Peas and Carrot. Enjoy!!!

Ingredients:-

1. Cabbage - 1/2 lbs
2. Carrot chopped - 1 
3. Green peas - 1/2 cup
4. Onion chopped - 1
5. Green chilly - 3
6. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
7. Dry red chilly - 2
8. Urad dal- 1 tsp
9. Curry leaves a sprig
10. Turmeric powder - 3/4 tsp
11. Salt as needed
12. Coconut oil or any oil of your choice - 2 tbsp
13. Grated coconut - 2 tbsp

Preparation Method:-

• Chop the cabbage into fine strips, wash them well in a colander and let the water drain completely. 
• Heat up a kadai/frying pan, pour oil, crackle mustard seeds. Add urad dal, few curry leaves, dry red chilly, green peas, chopped carrots, salt and stir fry for two-three minutes. 
• Add the turmeric powder and stir to mix. Add chopped cabbage, stir fry for a minute. 
• Cover and cook in medium heat for another two-three minutes, check for the salt and switch off the stove.
• Add grated coconut and stir well to mix and move to a serving plate.
• Serve warm with Rice/Roti

Sending this to The Kerala Kitchen Event hosted by Kaveri @ Palakkad Chamayal

I'm really thankful to Julie @ Erivum Puliyum for honoring me with this Happy Blogger Award. Julie is a very enthusiastic and active blogger who comes up with very innovative recipes and always encourages the fellow bloggers with her comments and suggestions. I'm really happy to have her on my small space and happier to follow her space to check on her culinary skills, so friends check out her space @ Erivum Puliyum to find some great recipes and ideas :)

Now let me pass this award to these wonderful fellow bloggers :)

1. Manju's Eating Delights
2. Mayeeka
3. Kurryleaves
4. My Favorite Foods
5. Good Food
6. Cook With Fun
7. Ruchi
8. Kitchen Corner - Try it
9. Spicy Treats
10. Torview

Vazhakoombu Thoran - Plantain Flower Stir Fry(Sabzi)

Ingredients Used:-

1. Vazhakoombu/Plantain flower - 1
2. Onion Chopped - 1
3. Green chilly chopped - 2 
4. Grated coconut - 3 tbsp(more or less)
5. Turmeric powder - 3/4 tsp
6. Salt to taste
7. Coconut oil - 2 tbsp
8. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
9. Parboiled Rice - 1tbsp
10. Curry leaves a sprig or more
11. Dry red chilly - 2

Preparation Method:-

• Remove couple of dull petals of vazhakoombu/banana petals till you see soft n fresh colored inside.

• Finely chop the flower leaving the bitter n harder part inside.(shown in the picture)

• Wash well once or twice to remove stains, squeeze out any excess water.
• Add chopped onion, green chilly, few curry leaves, salt, turmeric powder, grated coconut and toss with a spoon or mix with your clean hands(I mix them well with hands)

• Heat up a kadai or frying pan, pour coconut oil, crackle the mustard seeds. Add dry red chilies, curry leaves and parboiled rice and saute for a minute or till rice pop up. Add the vazhakoombu/flower mix and stir well.
• Cover and cook in medium flame, open and keep stirring in between. Switch off the stove when done.
• Move to serving dish and serve warm with boiled Rice/Roti

Sending this to The Kerala Kitchen event hosted by Kaveri @ Palakkad Chamayal and the New U event hosted by Vardhini @ Zesty Palette

Burdock Root Thoran - Burdock Root Stir Fry(Sabzi)

Burdock Root is yet another vegetable I buy from Asian/Korean Market and my family love it especially my two year old daughter. Once cooked it taste really good, a bit chewy and crunchy and the taste is almost like 'Vazha thandu(Kambu) - Banana Stem(tube, the inside part of banana stem which is white in color)'. I'm just trying to make you feel the taste of it and I felt it is just close to the 'Vazha Kambu -Banana Stem' especially because of its chewy and crunchy nature.

As I mentioned in my earlier posts I just try different veggies from Asian markets and try it my own way. Some turns out really good, some of them I feel just reasonable and I post only those recipes which really satisfy mine and my family's taste buds. I try to get the nutritious info online and these are the nutritional facts I found about 'Burdock Root', a really healthy and nutritious vegetable.

Information Source : LiveStrong.com , http://herbalmusings.com/

Health Benefits:  Extract derived from the root of the burdock plant has been used historically to help reduce blood sugar and remove excess fluid from the body. Burdock root may also reduce symptoms associated with inflammatory skin conditions, such as acne or psoriasis. Additional health applications include treatment of HIV/AIDS, cancer and gout; however, additional human clinical research is necessary to support these purported effects of burdock root.

For centuries, the root of burdock has been used as a blood purifier, helping the liver and kidneys to eliminate waste. There is also a strong belief that the root stimulates the gallbladder and encourages the regeneration of liver cells. An infusion of the leaves, taken as a tea, or used as an external wash, is reputed to be excellent for skin disorders. Fluid extracts made from the fresh root, which also contains inulin and at least 14 different polyacetylene compounds, have genuine beneficial application in the treatment of eczema, psoriasis, and other skin disorders. Two of these compounds possess antibacterial and antifungal qualities; the commercial dried root, however, has considerably less quantities of each. There is sufficient evidence to suggest that inulin serves to correct irregularities of the immune system and inflammatory mechanisms, and checks microbial activity which lead to staph infections, all of which are conditions typical of eczema sufferers. 




Find more info related to Burdock see the following link.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/367175-burdock-root-information/
http://herbalmusings.com/Burdock.htm

These are pictures of the Burdock Root which I bought from H-Mart. So next time you guys find it in any store grab one or two of them and try this at home.

 

Now Let us make the awesome Burdock Root Thoran/Sabzi, Quite Ezee and Simple

Ingredients:-

1. Burdock Root - 1or 2 lbs(I used around 1 1/2 lbs Burdock)
2. Chopped onion - 1 
3. Chopped Green Chilly - 3
4. Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
5. Oil - 2tbsp
6. Par-boiled Rice - 1 tsp
7. Chana dal - 1 tsp
8. Urad dal - 1 tsp
9. Curry leaves a sprig
10. Dry Red chilies - 2

Preparation Method:- 

• Peel off the skin of the burdock root and cut into three/four pieces length wise to make the chopping easy. Chop them into small pieces.

   

• Soak them twice in water for 10 minutes each and wash them well to remove the stain.
• Toss together the chopped burdock root, onion, green chilies, few curry leaves, salt and turmeric. Set aside.
• Heat up a kadai/pan pour oil and crackle mustard seeds. Add in the parboiled rice and stir for few secs till they start expanding.
• Add in few curry leaves, dry red chilies, chana dal, urad dal and saute for few seconds. Add in the tossed vegetables and saute well to mix.
• Sprinkle a handful of water, stir and cook it covered for 10-12 minutes in medium heat. Open the lid in between for couple of times and stir so that they do not stick to the bottom of the pan and burn.
• Open the lid and check if it cooked, check on salt and adjust accordingly. This will not be very soft when cooked mostly bit crunchy and chewy but the raw smell should vanish.
• Once cooked switch off the stove and add more curry leaves if desired. Moving to a serving dish and serve warm with Boiled Rice/Roti.

Sending this to The Kerala Kitchen Event hosted by Kaveri @ Palakkad Chamayal and New U event hosted by Vardhini @ Zesty Palatte

  

Achinga-Vanpayar Thoran/Red Chori-Yard Long Beans Stir fry(Sabzi)

Ingredients:-

1. Vanpayar/Red Moong Dal/Red Chori - 1/2 cup
2. Achinga Payar/Yard Long Beans - 1 small bunch(around 1/2 lb, oru kettu)
3. Onion - 1 finely chopped
4. Green chilly slit into halves - 4
5. Curry leaves a sprig or more
6. Dry Red chilly - 2(broken into halves)
7. Turmeric powder - 3/4 tsp 
8. Mustard seeds - 1tsp
9. Grated Coconut - 1/4 cup
10. Coconut oil - 2tbsp(preferably or oil of ur choice)
11. Water  around 1/2 cup to cook the vanpayar/red moong
12. Salt to taste.

Preparation Method:-

• Wash and drain the red moong and soak for 30 minutes. Cook it till tender by adding  1/2 tsp salt (give it a whistle or two in pressure cooker or cook it covered till soft -don't overcook). Set aside.
• Wash and pat dry the yard beans, chop them and set aside

• Heat up a kadai or non-stick pan, pour the oil and crackle mustard seeds. Add in curry leaves and broken red chilies and saute for few seconds.
• Add in the onion, green chilies, salt and saute for a minute. Add the chopped yard beans, turmeric powder and saute well to mix everything. 
• Cover and half cook the yard beans in medium heat without adding water. Stir in between so that they don't stick onto the pan and burn
• Add the cooked red moong/red chori and stir well to mix everything. Cover and cook for some more time say five-seven minutes till yard bean and red moong blend well and is cooked properly. Check for the salt and adjust accordingly.
• Add the grated coconut and more curry leaves and saute to mix well. 
• Switch off the flame and serve warm with Rice/Roti. Enjoy!!!!!!

Sending this to The Kerala Kitchen event hosted by Kaveri @ Palakkad Chamayal and New U hosted by Vardhini a@Zesty Palatte

I am really honored and happy for receiving the 'Top Contributor Award'  and 'Participation Award' from Ramya of Ramya's Recipes for the participation in her Cakes for Christmas Event. Thanks a lot Ramya for this cute awards.

                        

Cabbage Thoran(Bhaaji/Sabzi)/Cabbage Stir Fry

Thoran means a vegetable side dish (veg bhaji/sabzi) served with rice. In Kerala we make thoran's with variety of vegetables and it is a mandatory dish served daily with rice or chappathi. Cabbage thoran is Keralites favorite and this dish is lucky enough to get a special place in even Kerala Sadya dishes. I have started using the Violet cabbage instead of white one after coming to US sinve it is rich in Iron and vitamins and also is easily available in market. Cooked violet cabbage looks awesome and tastes great :). So here comes the authentic Kerala recipe of cabbage thoran, you can use white or green cabbage which ever you have handy at home. Serve with rice and Moru/yogurt curry!!!

Ingredients: -

Cabbage chopped lengthwise - 1 small
Onion finely chopped-1 medium
Chopped Green chilly – 4
Grated coconut -3 tbsp
Turmeric pwdr- 1tsp
Curry leaves few
Salt to taste
Coconut oil -2 tsp
Mustard seed – 1 tsp
Urad daal – 1 tsp
Whole red chilly – 2

Preparation Method:-



1) Mix chopped cabbage with onion, green chilly, turmeric powder, salt, few curry leaves and grated coconut and set aside (mix these entire things well with hand).
2) Heat up a frying pan, pour coconut oil, add mustard seeds and let it crackle. Add urad dhal, remaining curry leaves, red chilly and sauté for a minute.
3) Add the cabbage mix to this and stir well. Close the pan with the lid and let it cook for another 2-3 mins.
4) Open the lid, stir well and check for the taste. Switch off the flame if the cabbage is cooked enough. You really don’t have to cook this for long, the crispy cabbage tastes better.

5) Cabbage Thoran is ready to serve with Rice/Roti.