Cucumber Pachadi - Cucumber with yogurt-coconut gravy

I am sharing a post of a side dish for biryani i.e cucumber pachadi..It is made with grinded coconut and yogurt mixture and chopped cucumber is added on top..Its common dish in our area..We mostly had it with the combination of biryani..I had the combination with fried chicken biryani    last friday..As I said earlier,we are going to vacation tomorrow, I will be busy like packing, cleaning etc..I don't have have much to say..Do make this pachadi as a side dish for biryani..Its a tasty side dish..Do make it for your family,I am sure they will love it..Lets go straight to the recipe :)

    Ingredients

• Coconut shredded - 1/4 cup

• Yogurt - 2 tbsp + 1/4 cup

• Green chillies - 2 no.s

• Garlic chopped - 2 cloves

• Ginger chopped - 1 tsp

• Coriander leaves,chopped - 1 tbsp

• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

• Cucumber,diced small - 1/2 to 3/4 cup

• Salt - to taste

     Method

• Grind all the ingredients in a blender,except yogurt..

• Then add 2 tbsp of yogurt and blend again..

• Then pour this grinded mixture into the bowl..

• Add remaining yogurt,salt and diced cucumber and mix well..

• Serve cold with the side dish for biryani..

Pizza/ Pasta Sauce

Today, I am sharing a very simple homemade sauce, Pizza /Pasta sauce..Main ingredients of this sauce is ripe red tomatoes which is cooked and combined with other ingredients and pureed in blender...Pizza / Pasta sauce is available in almost all supermarkets..Why buying store bought sauce?..We can make it at home..In google and you tube,there are different methods of making this sauce..I researched it and finally I had my own way of making this sauce..You can add your own ingredients and make it your own way..I used this spread for homemade pizza and refrigerated remaining sauce for pasta..You can make it in large quantities and store this in clean plastic freezer bags or airtight container..You can use this as needed..It can be used for sandwich spread too.. Okay ,Lets go to the ingredients :)

    Ingredients

• Ripe red tomatoes - 3 large

• Tomato ketchup/ tomato sauce - 1 tbsp

• Garlic powder - 1 tsp ( can substitute it with garlic paste)

• Shallots,sliced - 3 no.s ( you can substitute it with one small onion)

• Green/ red capsicum,chopped - half of one large capsicum

• Any Italian seasoning ( oregano,thyme or mixed herbs) - 2 tsp

• Paprika powder -  -1 tsp ( you can substitute it with red chilli powder or chilli flakes)

• Salt - 1 tsp

• Sugar - 1 tsp

• Olive oil - 2 tsp

    Method

• In a pan, heat olive oil and add garlic paste and saute well..If using garlic powder,ignore this step..

• Add shallots and saute till transparent..

• Add chopped capsicum and saute for few seconds..

• Add chopped red tomatoes and saute well for few minutes..Close it with lid and simmer at medium flame for 10 minutes..

• Then add garlic powder at this stage ( If using garlic paste,ignore this step)..

• Add paprika powder and saute well..

• Add sugar and salt and saute well..Sugar is added in order to remove acidity in tomatoes..

• Add Italian seasoning and saute well..

• Add 1/3 cup of water and close the lid...

• Close the lid and cook at high flame for 2 to 3 minutes...Can stir in between..

• When it becomes thick gravy,off the flame and set aside to cool..

• When it cools down,puree this in blender...

• Store this in airtight container or freezer bags and use when desire..

     Notes:

• While making this sauce, use fresh ripe red tomatoes...

• If you wish, you can blanch the tomatoes..Blanching means boiling tomatoes in hot water ( make slits in a tomatoes) for 30 seconds and immediately place the tomatoes in cold water and remove the skin of it.[ I didn't use this step]

• Instead of salt,you can add a tsp of soya sauce...

• You can add mayonnaise at the end,if you wish..Make sure to add last,when the puree cools down..

• Instead of Italian seasoning, you can add a pinch of cumin powder...

Tomato Garlic Chutney

There are many varieties of chutneys,each one has their own way of making chutneys..In South India, most of the chutneys are made with coconut..Today, I am sharing a chutney without coconut i.e  Tomato garlic chutney..This chutney used lots of garlic,which gives nice taste..Tomato and garlic are sauted in oil and then blended into paste..Sauting is done to avoid the raw taste of garlic and tomatoes..I had this chutney with the combination of Oats - Rava Idli , which I shared yesterday..Instead of making usual coconut based chutneys, do try this chutney and impress your family..Its a excellent combination for dosa and idli ...Lets go to the recipe.. 

Recipe Source - Umma

    Ingredients

      To Saute and grind:

• Oil - 1 1/2 tsp

• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

• Coriander seeds - 1/4 tsp

• Dry red chillies - 2 to 3 no.s,broken into halves and stem removed ( depends upon your spice level)

• Garlic pods, large - 9 to 10 no.s

• Shallots - 3 to 4 no.s

• Tomato,sliced - 1 large or 2 medium 

• Red chilli pdr - 1/2 tsp ( depends upon your spice level)

• Turmeric pdr - a pinch

• Salt - to taste

• Tamarind pulp / Lemon juice - 2 tsp

       To splutter:

• Oil - 2 tsp

• Mustard seeds - 1tsp

• Urad dal - 1/4 tsp

• Curry leaves - few

     Method:

• In a pan, heat oil and add cumin,coriander seeds and dry red chillies and saute for few seconds..

• Add whole garlic pods and saute till light brown.This is done to avoid raw smell of garlic,while making chutney..

• Add shallots and saute till translucent..

• Add turmeric and red chilli powder and saute till raw smell goes away..

• Add sliced tomatoes and saute for few mins..

• Off the flame and set aside to cool..

• When it cools down, add this sauted ingredients in a grinder with tamarind pulp/lemon juice and salt, make into smooth  paste without adding water.. 

• Transfer it into serving bowl..

• In same pan, heat oil and add all the ingredients mentioned in ' To splutter' and off the flame..

• Serve warm with the combination of dosa  and idli...

     Notes:

• You can make this chutney without sauting in oil too..But, its better to saute the ingredients, as most of them don't like the raw taste of garlic and tomato...

• Can add little shredded coconut while grinding this chutney, if you wish or if you have more members in your family..

• You can add more dry red chillies instead of chilli powder..Adjust it according to your spice level.

Nellika/Amla Chutney - Dry Gooseberry Chutney

Gooseberry is called as 'wonder fruit'..There are many benefits of this fruit..Gooseberry is rich in Vitamin C..It is said that one gooseberry contains highest level of vitamin C than 20 oranges..  If taking daily,it is the best medicine for cold and cough..It is also a cure for constipation, reducing cholesterol, diabetes etc..It provides good hair growth..It is used in ayurveda ( natural treatment) medicines too..You can read more here.. In Kerala,most of the them use gooseberry in pickle form: Nelllika Achar ( Spicy Gooseberry pickle), uppilitta nellika ( Gooseberry  in salt and vinegar solution)...But now, I am sharing a recipe of gooseberry chutney i.e dry gooseberry coconut chutney..Its my mom's recipe..I love her chutney..Its a great combination for plain rice,biryani etc..Lets go to the recipe..

Recipe Source : Umma 

      Ingredients:

• Gooseberry / Nellika / Amla - 2 medium or 1 large

• Chopped ginger - 1/2 tsp

• Chopped garlic - 2 pods

• Chopped curry leaves - 1 sprig ( if having)

• Chopped coriander leaves - 1/2 sprig

• Shredded coconut - 1/2 cup

• Chopped green chillies - 2 no.s

• Lemon juice / Vinegar - 1/2 tsp ( optional )

• Salt - to taste

     Method:

• Grind all the ingredients mentioned in a grinder in one to two stoke..Grind coarsely..

• Adjust salt accordingly..

• Transfer it into small bowl..

• Serve it with the side dish of plain rice, biryani etc..

Raita - Yogurt mixed with onions and vegetables

Today, I am sharing a easy side dish for biryani and ghee rice called Raita...It is made with thick yogurt mixed with onions and vegetables..Lets go to the recipe

      Ingredients

• Small onion,chopped - 1

• Green chilly,chopped - 1

• Small tomato,chopped - 1

• Carrot,chopped or grated - 1

• Cucumber,chopped - 1

• Coriander leaves,chopped - 1 tbsp

• Salt - to taste 

• Pepper powder - a pinch ( optional)

• Thick yogurt -250 to 500 gm

     Method

• Mix all the ingredients throughly from onions till pepper pdr..

• Finally add thick yogurt and mix thoroughly.

• Adjust salt accordingly as some yogurt contain salt..

• Serve it with biryani,fried rice and ghee rice