Cucumber Stir fry

Cucumber is something almost everybody likes eating raw as such or in salads.Recently I tried this stir fry and was a hit at home.My hubby at first was in the impression that why do I need to cook this when all (kids mainly) are eating this raw without any fuss.Actually Once I had seen my Muthumma(Grandma's big sister) cooking this to make it soft and easy to chew for elderly people and the very little ones with their rice.I just modified it adding chillies and grated coconut and spluttered  mustard seeds and made into a stir fry.

Beans Stir Fry

Ingredients
Beans           250 g(finely chopped)*
Shallots         8 nos.(chopped)
Green Chilly   2-3 (slit)
Coconut grated     1/2 cup
Cumin seeds        1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder   1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds      1/4  tsp 
Salt                  as needed
Oil                    11/2 tbsp

 

Method Of Cooking
-Course grind the coconut along with the cumin seeds and keep this aside.
-Heat a wok and add oil.When the oil turns hot add the mustard seeds.
-When the mustard seeds start to splutter add the chopped shallots along with the beans and green chillies.
-Add 2 tsp of water,turmeric powder and salt .Saute well and cover it with a lid for 2-3 minutes.
-Open the lid and when you see the water has dried up add the ground coconut mixture and mix well.
-Cook till done(in a cooked crunchy form),off the flame and serve.

 

*Snap off and discard both ends of the beans along with the its strings(if any) and then chop.
*Do not over cook the beans.

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                           Cooking with Green

         "Eat Vegetables Stay Healthy" & JUSTEAT 
                   

Avial

Avial is a mix of different vegetables in a coconut and yogurt mixture.This comes under the list of sadhya recipes,it is one of the main side dish of sadhya.Coming to the recipe
Ingredients
Drumstick            2
Beans                  8-10
Elephant Yam/Chena    160g
Raw Plantain              1
Carrot                1 (110g)
Pumpkin              110g
Potato                110g

Water               11/2 cup
Turmeric powder    3/4 tsp
Green chilly      2-3
Salt             to taste

Coconut grated    1cup
Shallots      6-7
Cumin seeds      1sp

Yogurt (thick)     1cup

Coconut oil    2 tsp
Curry leaves   2 sprig

Preparing Method
-Peel and cut all the vegetables into 1.5'' lengthwise.
-Coarsely grind  the coconut,shallots and cumin seeds without adding water and keep aside.
-Heat a wide mouthed utensil adding all the vegetables,turmeric powder,slit green chilly, salt and water.
-Once the vegetables are cooked (be careful not to overcook),add the ground coconut mixture.Mix it well with the vegetables by stirring.
-After 2 minutes put the flame at very low and add the slightly whisked yogurt.Mix this well with the vegetables and just before boiling,off the flame.
-Add the coconut oil and the curry leaves.Keep covered for 10-15 minutes and then serve.

*You can use any vegetables of your choice,but use the stiff ones and not the mushy ones.
*Avial is prepared in a dry form,but here we all like it in a gravy form therefore you can add the coconut and yogurt according to your taste and like.

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Dal Sabzi/Lentils Vegetable Curry

Ingredients
Yellow Moong dal/Split Green gram    1/4 cup
Plantain(raw)        1
Carrot                  1(large)
Potato                  1(   ''   ) 
Beans              12
Drumstick        1 or 2
Onion              1 
Tomato            1
Chilly powder           1 spoon
Coriander powder    11/2 spoon
Turmeric powder      1/4 spoon
Coconut               1/2 of 1 grated
Cumin seeds         1 tbsp
Salt                   as needed
Oil                         2 tbsp
Mustard seeds        1 spoon
Curry leaves           2 sprigs

Method 
-Heat water in a pressure cooker adding the dal.Let it boil for sometime.
-Meanwhile chop the vegetables into cubes (Plantain , Carrot and Potato).Cut both ends of the beans along with its strings and then cut each into 1/2  inch pieces.Cut the drumsticks into 11/2 '' pieces.
-Chop the onion and tomato.Add this to the cooking dal.
-Now add in all the veggies,salt and powders (chilly,turmeric and coriander).Close the pressure cooker with its lid  inserting the weight and cook till the vegetables are done.
-In a blender add the grated coconut ,cumin seeds and blend it smooth adding a little water.
-Heat a small frying pan/wok add oil and splutter mustard seeds and add the curry leaves.Add this to the cooked vegetables.
-Also add in the coconut-cumin paste and mix well.Switch off the flame when it starts boiling.
-Serve this as a side dish with plain rice or chappati