Parangikkai Pulikuzhambu (Butternut Squash in Tamarind-Coconut Gravy)

Category:  Kuzhambu Varieties
Preparation Time: 5 mins  
Cooking Time: 20 mins 
Servings: 3 servings

Butternut Squash- Kondakadalai Pulikuzhambu

Pulikuzhambu is an easy South Indian kuzhambu and we usually add veggies like brinjal, drumstick, lady's finger, bittergourd.

I tried pulikuzhambu with Butternut squash and it turns out good. Butternut squash is similar to Manjal Poosanikkai / Parangikkai / Orange pumpkin. 

Yummy Pulikuzhambu

Addition of  cooked brown channa and ground coconut makes it more yummy :)

Whenever I soak this brown channa, I usually add more, cook and freeze in it. You can view my earlier post on freezing beans here.

I love to add these Channa in other dishes like Kurma, kuzhambu, rice varieties or even in kootu:)

While cooking this, make sure that the Butternut squash / pumpkin pieces are not got overcooked and turn mushy. Since there's sweetness in squash, I didn't add any jaggery here

Ingredients:

• Butternut Squash/ Orange pumpkin - 2 cups, cubed 
• Brown Channa / Kondakadalai - 1/2 cup, cooked
• Tamarind - Size of a Gooseberry (Use as needed)
• Sambar Powder - 1-2 Tbsp (Adjust as per spice level)
• Turmeric Powder- 1/2 tsp
• Sesame Oil - 1/2 Tbsp + 1 Tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Channa Dal - 1/2 tsp
• Urad Dhal- 1/2 tsp
• Fenugreek seeds - 1/8 tsp
• Curry leaves -few
• Asafoetida - a pinch
• Small Onions - 7-8 nos, halved

Home made Nutella (Hazelnut / Almond Chocolate Spread)

Category: Home made Spreads
Preparation Time: 10-15 mins
Servings: yields around 1 cup

Nutella made with Almonds

Nutella is the popular chocolate spread among the kids. But we dont prefer buying it because it is made with palm oil and loaded with sugar. So I prefer making it at home without any preservatives or refined oils.

Almond Chocolate Spread

For more chocolatey flavour, we can add few chocolate chips or little home made chocolate. 

Nutella made with Hazelnuts

Nutella is made with Hazelnuts and if we didn't have access to those nuts, we can use almonds. I have tried with both hazelnuts and almonds. 

Minion is happy with this Nutella :) 

We can also use peanuts and I have already posted Chocolate Peanut butter recipe here.

We can use this on toasts, breads, crackers, cookies, cakes, chapathis, apples, smoothies or on anything we like to:)

Home made Nutella on Home made Banana Bread :)

Ingredients:

• Hazelnuts or Almonds -1 cup
• Organic Unrefined Sugar - 1/4 cup (adjust as per sweetness)
• Unsweetened Cocoa powder - 2 Tbsp
• Virgin Coconut Oil - 1-2 Tbsp (Use as needed)
• Pure Vanilla extract - 1/2 tsp

Pavakkai Kondakadalai Puli Kuzhambu (Bittergourd-Brown Channa Tamarind Gravy)

Category:  Kuzhambu Varieties
Preparation Time: 5 mins  
Cooking Time: 20 mins 
Servings: 3 servings

Pavakkai pulikuzhambu is an easy South Indian kuzhambu and it doesn't need any grinding. We can make it more healthy and tasty by adding cooked brown channa / Kondakadalai / karuppu sundal.

Pavakkai Kondakadalai Pulikuzhambu

Ingredients:

• Bittergourd / Pavakkai - 2 medium sized, finely chopped
• Brown Channa / Kondakadalai - 1/2 cup, cooked
• Tamarind - Size of a Gooseberry (Use as needed)
• Sambar Powder - 1 to 2 Tbsp (Adjust as per spice level)
• Turmeric Powder- 1/2 tsp
• Sesame Oil - 1/2 Tbsp + 1 Tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Channa Dal - 1/2 tsp
• Urad Dhal- 1/2 tsp
• Fenugreek seeds - 1/8 tsp
• Curry leaves -few
• Asafoetida - a pinch
• Small Onions - 7-8 nos, halved
• Garlic - 6-7 cloves, chopped
• Jaggery - a small piece
• Salt - as required

Method:

• Soak Tamarind in warm water and extract juice to around 1 cup and finely chop the bittergourd