Maasi Kuzhambu (Maldives Dry Fish Curry)

This is one curry that transports me to my childhood vacations in my mooma's (maternal Grandmother) house. It was to my eyes at that time of life at the end of the world. We had to walk around two km from the bus stop to reach the bungalow. But those times were some of the happiest times of my life.

Maasi Kuzhambu with Idiyappam..mmm delicious.

Maasi is preserved Tuna fish. It is mainly produced in Maldives. The red meat tuna is boiled whole in fish stock, then the flesh is taken apart in large chunks and smoke dried. This results in a horn shaped piece looking like half burnt piece of log.So the whole piece is called kombu (meaning horn in tamil). Good quality Maasi costs around 700 to 900 rs per Kg, so dont be temped by a cheap deal, because that may be a duplicate made from white meat fish. You will know the difference only when you grind it for use.

When split into flakes, the inside is red in colour and there is no strong smell. I usually bring powdered maasi from India. In Middle East, you can find it in stores selling Srilankan speciality foods.

Some people toast maasi before using it thinking it is like kariwaadu (salted dried fish). But that is not necessary as it is already cooked. Anyway, coming to the recipe:

Ingredients:
Maasi Powder - 3 tbsp
Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Pepper jeera Powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Cocnut milk powder - 4 tbsp heaped.
Salt to taste
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Sombu (sonf) - 1 tsp
Jeera - 1 tsp
Onion - 1 finely chopped
Tomatoes - 2 nos finely chopped.
Oil - 2 tbsp

Heat oil in a kadai or pan, add sombu & jeera, then add curry leaves. Add finely chopped onion and fry till golden. Add salt and maasi powder. stir a little and then add chopped tomatoes, chilli powder, pepper jeera powder and turmeric powder. Add water and let it boil a while. Dissolve coconut milk powder in warm water and add to the boiling curry. let it boil a few more mins and the curry is ready.

This is served mainly with idiyappam. It also goes well with aappam and my husband even likes it with plain rice and pappadom.

Maasi is an unusual item not known by many fish eating people even. Even in TVM, many of our friends did not know what it was. It is a great alternative to karuwaadu as it is not as smelly. It dosen't contain excessive salt like karuwaadu.

In my moomas place maasi kuzhambu and idiyappam was the standard menu for unexpected guests, with maybe eggs on the side from the hens roaming around the Coconut grove.

I am sending this to Learning to Cook : Dish Name Starts with M and Spotlight - Curries/Gravies guest hosted by Chandrani for Indrani's Event

Puliangudi Special - Ulundhamparuppu Curry - Udad Dal Curry

I wanted to make my 50th post something special, everybody does it with sweets, but I wanted to do  something different. I decided upon this Ulundham paruppu curry as it is special to me.

This is one of the recipes that is unique to my native place, it is made in Puliangidi, Kadayanallur, Vallam Sengottai areas. I think Udad dal dishes are prevalent in this area because udad is the crop used in rotation between the rice crops.

During season, green udad bean pods are available (directly from the fields). These are boiled whole in salted water and then peeled and the green beans inside are eaten. Let me tell you they are really delicious and it is something I looked forward to when I visited during my summer holidays.

Girls who have attained age and pregnant and post partem women are given ulundh kali, ulundham paruppu curry, Ulundhu vadai, ulundhu choru in fact in Unlundhu/Udad Dal in as many forms as possible because it is said to srengthen the pelvic muscles and the back bone. The kali has a bitter taste due to the addition of aliyam vidhai. I remember being force fed the kali when I attained age. But I am grateful now, because I am relatively free of the backpain that seems to be so prevalent among women of my age in my acquaintance. I will post the recipes for the other items in future, if the almighty wills.

aromatic and creamy ulundham paruppu curry

Now for my favourite Ulundham paruppu curry.
First Step:
Udad Dhal - 1/2  cup
Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Garlic Cloves 2-3
Cook all the above together with water to cover till the dal is cooked but seperate.
Second step:
1/2 cup grated coconut
1/2 tsp Sombu / perunjeeragam/ sonf
1 " piece Cinnamon
1/2 tsp jeera
1 " piece Ginger
2-3 Garlic Cloves
Grind all the above to a fine paste.
Third Step:
1 Big Onion Chopped or a handful of Sambhar onions (preferable)
One tomato - fimely Chopped
two green chillies Slit
1 tsp Chilli Powder (Omit for post partem ladies and can use a bit of black pepper powder instead)
4 tsp Malli Masala Powder
salt to taste
1 tsp Mustard seeds
two sprigs curry leaves.

Heat oil in a kadai. Add mustard, after it splutters, add curry leaves and chopped onion. When onions change colour, add tomato peices, green chillies, salt, chilli powder, malli masala, and stir till raw smell of chilli powder goes. Add the ground coconut paste. Add water to make thick gravy and simmer till the masala is cooked. Last add the cooked udad dal with its water. Adjust for salt and serve with plain boiled rice and tomato chutney or any spicy curry. We had it with Pavakkai waruval & cauliflower jeera stir fry (recipes following soon).

Variations:
When the masala is boiling you can add Drumsticks or Raw mango to it and boil till cooked to get a really different and delicious flavour.
For a non veg variation, after the dal is added, eggs are broken into the gently simmering gravy and cooked. This is also good, but my husband dosen't like it, so I take a little in another pan and do it seperately.
Instead of the cinnamon and sonf in the coconut masala, you can add a tsp of garam masala powder, but I prefer not to do so.
Remember not to overcook the paruppu/dal, if the dal disingerates, the curry will take on a slippery texture which is not palatable to some people.

I am sending this to Foodelicious - Only South Indian Event, Vegan Diet - Only Plant Based, Any One can Cook series 45, Healthy Morsels, Vidhya's and Vardhini's  - Love Locked - Legumes.

Spinach & Chana Curry

This is a curry I started making when I wanted something low carb as usually I paired it with Parotta made from maida, or Khubz same maida but baked so I console myself healthier. There's something fascinating about the huge round oven in which the baker puts the flat disc of dough inside and it puffs beautifully into Khubz. We have been having Khubz regularly for years because my Hubby like arabic food.
I try to compensate by overloading the fiber factor in the accompaniments, it has worked so far because even though we regularly take parotta or khubz, we are free from constipation, cholesterol etc...

Weelllll coming to the recipe, this is a very healthy recipe full of the goodness of Spinach and Chana.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Cooked Chana (or one can)
2 cups - chopped spinach
1 cup  - Chopped Onion
1 cup - Chopped tomato
1/4 cup - Chopped corriander leaves
2 Nos - Chopped green chillies
1 Tbsp - Ginger garlic paste
1 Tbsp - Corriander powder
1 tsp - Chilli Powder
1/2 tsp - garam masal powder
1 tsp - Pepper - jeera powder
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt to taste
Oil as required.

Heat oil in a kadai, sautee onions till golden.
Add ginger garlic paste and the chopped green chillies and sautee till it turns colour.
Add chopped tomatoes and a little salt and cook till tomatoes are mushy.
Add all the spice powders excepting pepper jeera powder and stir till masala is aromatic.
Add Chopped spinach and stir a little, add a little water and allow the spinach to cook till semisoft.
Mash the cooked spinach with the back of the spoon.
Stir in the cooked chana and corriander leaves and let it simmer for five mins or so to blend the flavours.
The consistency should be semi solid, add water as required and check for salt level.
After switching off the stove, stir in the pepper jeera powder and the lemon juice.

This amount was just right for the three of us, but it will serve four persons witha little more water added to the gravy.

When I had a larger fridge, I used to soak and sprout 1 kg chana at a time, pressure cook with salt to taste and divide into four or five parts and freeze. The chopped spinach usually was kept aside when I made poriyal the previous day or the day before. So all that remained was chopping the onion, tomatoes and green chilles. This you can do while the pan is heating on the stove so it was a quickie recipe for me. It takes maybe fifteen to twenty mins if all the ingredients are in hand.

Ladies pressed for time and energy can use canned garbanzo beans, frozen spinach. There is no problem in using what resources you have available to make a home cooked meal for your loved ones.

We have this with chappaties, poories or when tired with parottas from the nearby cafeteria or Khubz from the bakery.

I am sending this to Chel Al Dente's Gimme Green, Taste of Pearl City's Healthy Morsels, Vidhyas and Vardhinis Love Locked - Legumes, Srav's Vegan Diet - Only Plant Based, Show me Your HITs Series 2 Fiber Rich Foods

 

Iam also sending this to Taste of Pearl City's : Any One can Cook Series - 45

Black-eyed Peas Curry

Black-eyed Peas Curry

Black-eyed Peas - 1.5 cups.
Onions - chopped  - 1 big
Tomatoes - Chopped - 2 nos
Tamarind paste 1 tsp or extract from lime sized amount.
Green Chillies - 2 slit vertically
Curry Leaves - 2 sprigs
Chilli powder 1 tsp
Corriander masala powder - 2 tbsp
Turmeric pdr - 1/4 tsp
Hing Powder (Perungayam Asafoetida) - 1/4 tsp or two shakes from the dabba
Salt to taste
Corrander leaves chopped - for garnish
Coconut Milk from two tablespoons of powder  (Optional)
Mustard - 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds (Methi, Vendhayam)- 1 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp

Cook Peas with salt and turmeric powder till soft in pressure cooker or outside. If you plan ahead, you can soak them overnight. I soak them 1 kilo at a time and portion them in baggies in the freezer, so for me one whistle from the pressure cooker is enough.
Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard, Fenugreek seeds, hing, curry leaves in that order. Add chopped onions and stir till light brown. add tomatoes, salt, and spice powders. sautee till tomatoes are well cooked.Add cooked peas and tamarind paste. simmer for ten mins. Add coconut milk if using.simmer for another five mins. Garnish with corriander leaves. Serve with rice or roties. The black-eyed peas are rich in protien and fibre and if you limit the oil and coconut milk, this makes a lowfat, healthy side dish for rice & chappaties.

 I am sending this for Anyone can cook - 26 series and Iftar Moments Hijri 1432 by Ayeesha at Taste of Pearl City and to Cook it Healthy - Proteinicious by Good Food.

Potato Curry

Looks like I will be having internet connection for another few days. I thought of not posting but manasu kekkalai. On the home front things are quite chaotic but slowly coming to order. Hopefully I will be able to organise everything withing five or six days.
Today I made a simple potato curry to go with Chappaties. I thought why not post it, something dosen't have to be complicated to be tasty. So here goes:

Potato Curry

Potatoes - 3 fist sized (My fist)
Onion - big  - 1 nos Chopped fine
Tomato - 2 nos Chopped
Green Chillies - 2 slit vertically
Curry Leaves - 2 sprigs
Chilli powder 1 tsp
Corriander masala powder - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Corrander leaves chopped - for garnish
Mustard - 1 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp

Cook Potatoes with skin till done in pressure cooker or otherwise. Peel and cut into medium size pieces.
Heat oil in a pan, add mustard, wait till it pops, add curry leaves, chopped onions, green chillies, salt and sautee till onions start turning golden in colour. add chilli powder, corriander masala powder and stir alittle. add tomatoes and cook till tomatoes are mushy. Add water if necessary. Add potato pieces, enough water to make gravy as desired (thick or thin as per your preference). Simmer for around ten mins. Add corriander leaves. Serve.

I am sending this for Anyone can cook - 26 series and Iftar Moments Hijri 1432 by Ayesha at Taste of Pearl City.

Malai Methi Matar Paneer Masala

I had this impressive sounding dish at a star hotel (Sheraton) (Ahem!) in Dubai when one of our uber rich relatives daughter got married and we went to the reception. It was my third experience in a 5 star hotel and first in Dubai. When my provincial self could take my eyes off the Decor and the bride’s jewelry, there was the food spread out in fancy whatamacallit's with those Bunsen burners at the bottom. I really wished I had a bovine digestive system at that time.......Anyway there was this absolutely creamy looking paneer dish with such a long name. My daughter was in a paneer crazy phase at that time and she loved it. I thought AHA a perfect dish to fatten up my skinny girl. So I went home and due to the helpful long name giving a hint to all the ingredients in it, I set upon experimenting to get the smooth texture of the gravy and the taste. So tan ta dain here I present the result which my Hubby assures me has the same taste.

Ingredients: (Serves three to four)
Paneer -  200 g ( I use frozen )
Peas (I use frozen) - 1 cup
Onions - 2 Big nos
Tomatoes - Three Nos
Green Chilies - 2 Nos
Ginger Garlic Paste 1 Tbsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 2 tbsp ( I used Malli Masala)
garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Kasuri methi - 1 tbsp or more if you like the flavour.
Malai (Milk Cream) - 2 - 3 Tbsp
Oil - as reqd

Heat a kadai. Add around half to one cup oil. Fry the paneer cubes till edges go golden in colour. Drain on a paper towel. Parboil peas with a little salt. Meanwhile chop onions tomatoes and green chilies’ and keep separately. Pour away all but around 1 - 2 tbsp of oil. Keep kadai back on the heat. Add chopped onions and green chilies’. Sautee till onions are browned. lower heat, add ginger garlic paste and stir a little till the raw smell goes. then add salt, chilli powder , coriander powder, turmeric powder and 1/2 tsp of garam masala powder. then add chopped tomatoes and stirr well till the tomatoes are cooked and the oil separates.
Cool a little and use a blender to puree the masala. If it is an occasion you can strain the puree through a sieve, but I have full faith in my mixie and we need the fiber so I dont do it. Pour the puree back into the kadai, rinse and put away the jar. Let it simmer. Be careful if it boils it will splatter and you have to clean the stove and everything near it. add the paneer, green peas and mix well. Crush kasuri methi between your palms and add that also to the gravy.  Check for salt, add the rest of the garam masala. Just before serving, add slightly beaten cream mix well to distribute uniformly. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaf and serve with chappati, parotta, roomali roti or Naan.

P.S. 1: When reheating leftovers don’t bring to boil or the cream will separate giving it a curdled look.
P.S. 2: Reduce till the gravy is dry. Crumble the paneer and use as stuffing for samosas the next evening as a snack.
For healthy version, use nonstick to shallow fry the paneer, use low fat yoghurt (drain whey in a strainer) instead of milk cream.