Kongu Nadu Thakkali Kuzhambu / Kongu Cuisine Tomato curry for Rice (without coconut)

Category: Kongu Cuisine / Kuzhambu   
Preparation Time: 5 mins    
Cooking Time: 20 mins    
Servings: 4 servings

Kongu Nadu Thakkali Kuzhambu

Thakkali kuzhambu is one of the common dish in my region (Kongu region). There are lots of variations in Thakkalai kuzhambu and this one goes well with hot rice.

I got this recipe from my Amma & Athai and this is the way they make for rice. For tiffin items, it will be a different version and will post it soon.

Kongunadu cuisine is known for its simplicity and flavorful food. In Kongunadu cuisine, we use simple spices & masalas and most of the ingredients would be locally available. The most commonly used ingredients are small onions /  chinna vengayams (shallots), coconut, curry leaves, peanut / coconut / sesame oil, turmeric, Nattu sakkarai and also millets like Ragi & Kambu. Also we use less oil than other cuisines.

For this recipe, chinna vengayam (small onions / shallots) and naattu thakkali (country tomato / non-hybrid variety) are the best. If we use the hybrid variety tomato, we can add a bit of tamarind for sourness. Coconut is not used in this recipe and instead toor dal is used for thickening.

This goes well with rice along with a poriyal but we can also have this for tiffin items like Idli, dosai, paniyaram.

Ingredients:

To Saute & Grind:

• Peanut Oil / Coconut oil / Sesame oil - 1/2 Tbsp
• Small Onions - 3/4 cup or 1 big onion chopped
• Red chilly - 3-4 (Adjust as per spice level)
• Ripe Tomatoes - 4
• Coriander seeds - 1/2 Tbsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Black pepper - 1/4 tsp
• Tamarind - small piece (Optional)

Carrot & Cabbage Stir fry / Carrot & Muttaikose Poriyal

Category: Lunch / Poriyal
Preparation Time: 10 mins  
Cooking Time: 15 mins
Servings:3 to 4 servings

Carrot- Cabbage Poriyal

Carrot & cabbage Poriyal is a simple Poriyal  / stir fry with simple ingredients. But the combination of these veggies is great and suits well with any South Indian meal. This goes well with any spicy Kuzhambu varieties, Sambar, Rasam or we can just mix it with rice and have it.

  Ingredients:

• Carrots - 3 nos
• Cabbage - 1/2 a head
• Coconut Oil - 2 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Channa dhal - 1 tsp
• Urad dhal - 2 tsp
• Curry leaves - few
• Red / Green chilly, slitted - 1-2 nos (adjust as per spice level)
• Salt- to taste
• Fresh coconut, grated - 3-4 Tbsp (Or Frozen coconut thawed at room temperature)

Mixed Vegetable Paratha / Mixed Veggies Whole wheat Flatbread

Category: Chapathi / Paratha   
Preparation Time: 15 mins    
Cooking Time: 20 mins    
Servings: 3 - 4 servings

Mixed Vegetable Paratha

Mixed vegetable paratha is an easy breakfast recipe for toddlers and kids. This can also be packed in kids lunch box along with some raita or simple yogurt. This is a great way to include veggies in our kids diet :)

This is very simple, just steam cook the available veggies, mash them, knead it with the dough and make parathas. This is not a stuffed paratha so it s perfect for busy mornings too.

Choice of veggies is up to us, but adding sweet potato or potato will yield softer paratha  so try to include one of them. 

Also we can include greens along with the veggies. We can add finely chopped spinach, methi leaves, coriander leaves or even spring onions. No need to cook the greens, we can just add them while making the dough. If needed we can steam cook the spinach for couple of mins and mash it along with the veggies.

Ingredients:

• Whole Wheat flour / Atta -2 to 3 cups (use as required)

• Mixed vegetables* -About 3 cups (I used 1 medium sized sweet potato, 1 carrot, 1/2 cup frozen green peas, 10 green beans)

• Ginger, grated - 1/2 Tbsp

• Ajwain / Omam - 1/2 tsp

• Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup, finely chopped 

• Garam Masala ** - 1/2 to 1 tsp

• Red chilly powder -  to taste

• Salt- to taste

• Oil / Ghee - as required

* We can use the following vegetables for making this paratha 

• Sweet Potato

Sprouted Kondakadalai PuliKuzhambu (Sprouted brown chickpeas in tamarind-coconut gravy)

Category:  Kuzhambu Varieties
Preparation Time: 5 mins + time for sprouting
Cooking Time: 20-30 mins 
Servings: 4 servings

Sprouted Kondakadalai Pulikuzhambu

Brown Chickpeas / Kala Channa / Kondakadalai is loaded with nutrients and its very important to add these cute little beans in our regular diet. These protein and fibre rich beans are so beneficial for growing children.

In my blog I have many recipes using Channa and you can find it here: Channa Recipes. I have already posted sprouted channa kuzhambu here: Sprouted channa kuzhambu; but this is an easy pulikuzhambu version.

Sprouting these Chickpeas / Channa increases their nutrient value and these sprouted chickpeas can be used to make sundal, gravies, hummus, added to kootu or making south indian kuzhambu varieties. We can also add them in salads but for easy digestion and for kids, I prefer cooking them.

Since I dont have coconut pieces I had added coconut paste in this kuzhambu, but adding bite sized fresh coconut pieces gives a nice crunch to this:)

Ingredients:

• Sprouted Brown Chickpeas/ Kondakadalai - 1 & 1/2 cup, 
• Tamarind - Lemon sized (Use as needed)
• Sambar Powder - 1-2 Tbsp (Adjust as per spice level)
• Turmeric Powder- 1/2 tsp
• Sesame Oil - 2 Tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Urad Dhal- 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves -few
• Asafoetida - a pinch
• Small Onions - 15-20 nos, halved or 1 big onion chopped
• Garlic - 8-10 cloves, chopped
• Tomato - 1, finely chopped
• Coconut - 1/2 cup grated 
• Salt - as required

Variation:

• Instead of coconut paste, we can add chopped fresh coconut pieces 

Saamai (Little Millet) Idli & Dosai (Without Rice)

Category: Breakfast / Millets
Soaking Time: 8 Hrs / Overnight  
Fermentation Time: 6- 8 Hrs    
Cooking Time: 10 mins /batch; 2 mins/dosa

Saamai Idli & Dosai

Millets are very nutrient rich grains. These super grains were forgotten for a while and now they are making a coming back. Saamai is known as little millet in English. For those who want to skip rice or need to try an alternative to the regular rice based Idli or dosai, Little millet is sure a healthy choice. This is also an excellent option to feed millets to the kids and toddlers.

Saamai (Little Millet) Idly

Before I try this Idli with Saamai and without any rice, I was bit skeptical about the texture of Idli. Because I never tried Idli without a portion of Idli rice, even with Ragi Idli or any other Idli varieties, I have used some Rice. But to my surprise, the Saamai Idli is super soft and tasty. Only the colour will be little dull but taste wise not much difference. Saamai Dosa is crispy and flavorful.

Saamai (Little Millet) Dosai

One thing to keep in mind is, the batter becomes sour faster than or regular Idli batter so I would suggest to use the the batter within 2 or 3 days.

Ingredients:

• Saamai/ Little Millet - 2 cups
• Whole white urad dhal - 1/2 cup
• Fenugreek seeds - 2 tsp
• Salt - To taste
• Sesame oil - for making dosa