Pulao (Vegetable Pilaf Rice)

What is Pulao?


Vegetables usually used are Potato, Carrot, Green Beans, Green Peas, Radish, Cauliflower, Greens, etc in equal portions.


Ingredients
Basmati Akki (Basmati Rice):  2 cups
Tharakari (Vegetables): 2 cups (chopped)
Chakke (Cinnamon): 1 inch piece
Lavanga (Cloves): 2-3
Elakki (Cardamom): 2
KaaLu Menasu (Pepper): few
Veg Stock: 2 tsp
Neeru (Water): 4 cups
Enne (Oil): 5 tsp
Uppu (Salt): to taste


Method
In a big saucepan or pressure cooker, saute the vegetables and spices in the oil.When browned, add rice and saute till it turns brown too. Add salt, veg stock and water, cover and cook (low heat) for 15 minutes or till all the water is absorbed. Serve hot with salad and raita.

Tharakari Bhaath (Spicy Vegetable Rice)

What is Bhaath?


Vegetables usually used are Potato, Carrot, Green Beans, Green Peas, Radish,Cauliflower, Greens, etc in equal portions.


Ingredients
Basmati Akki (Basmati Rice):  2 cups
Tharakari (Vegetables): 2 cups (chopped)
Neeru (Water): 4 cups
Enne (Oil): 5 tsp
Uppu (Salt): to taste


for Grinding
Thenginakai (Coconut): 1/2 cup (grated)
Neerulli (Onion): 1
Bellulli (Garlic): 4-5 cloves
Shunti (Ginger): 2 inch piece
Hasi Menasu (Green Chillies): 2
Kothambari Beeja (Coriander Seeds): 1 tsp
Chakke (Cinnamon): 1 inch piece
Lavanga (Cloves): 2-3
Elakki (Cardamom): 2
Kothambari Soppu (Coriander Leaves): 1 small bunch
Pudina (Mint Leaves): 1 small bunch


Method
Grind the ingredients in set 2 to a smooth paste using very little water. In a big saucepan or pressure cooker, saute the vegetables in the oil.When browned, add rice and saute till it turns brown too. Add the ground paste and saute till the raw smell vanishes. Add salt and water, cover and cook (low heat) for 15 minutes or till all the water is absorbed. Serve hot with salad and raita.

Aloo Raita (Potato & Yogurt Sauce)

What is Raita?

Ingredients
Aloogadde (Potatoes): 2 (cooked and mashed)
Mosaru (Yogurt): 1 cup 
Neerulli (Onion): 1 (chopped)
Kothambari Soppu (Coriander Leaves): few strands (chopped)
Uppu (Salt): to taste

Oggarane/Tempering

Saasive (Mustard Seeds): 1 tsp
Uddina BeLe (Black Gram Lentil): 1 tsp
Hasi Menasu (Green Chillies): 2 (slit) or Ona Menasu (Dried Red Chillies): 1 (broken into bits)
Arashina (Turmeric Powder): 1 tsp
Karibevu (Curry Leaves): 4-5
Enne (Oil): 1 tsp

Method
Take oil in a saucepan and add oggarane ingredients to it. Then add mashed potato, yogurt, onion, coriander leaves, salt and mix well. Serve hot or cold.


Variation: Use cumin seeds instead of mustard seeds and lentils for tempering.

Palya (vegetables/greens/legumes dry side-dish)

What is Palya?

Palya is a dry vegetables/greens/legumes side-dish. It can be made with different  vegetables/greens/legumes. Popular ones are: Greeen Beans, Alasande (Long Beans), Aloogadde (Potato), Bendekai (Okra), BaLekai (unripe Plantain), Cabbage, Beetroot, Badanekai (Aubergines), Mangalore Southekai, Nuggekai (Drumsticks), Soppu (Greens), KaaLu (Legumes)


Ingredients
Tharakari/KaLu (Vegetables/Legumes): 2 cups
or Soppu (Greens): 4 cups
Thenginakai (Coconut): 1/4 cup (grated)
Neeru (Water): 1 cup
Uppu (Salt): to taste


for Oggarane/Tempering
Saasive (Mustard Seeds): 1 tsp
Uddina BeLe (Black Gram Lentil): 1 tsp
Kadale BeLe ( Bengal Gram Lentil): 1 tsp
Hasi Menasu (Green Chillies): 2 (slit) or Menasina Pudi (Chilli Powder): 1 tsp or Ona Menasu (Dried Red Chillies)
Arashina (Turmeric Powder): 1 tsp
Karibevu (Curry Leaves): 4-5
Enne (Oil): 2 tsp


Method
Take oil in a wok or a wide pan and add the oggarane ingredients to it. Add vegetables/greens/legumes, water, salt and cook till the water evaporates. Garnish with grated coconut.


Variation: just 1 tsp of cumin seeds, 1 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp chilli powder can be used instead of the above Oggarane. Garnish with chopped Coriander Leaves.

Kolambu (Vegetables in Pepper and Coconut Gravy)

Kolumbu is very similar to Sambar, difference is that fry the coconut before grinding. Also, use less chillies/sambar powder and add 1 tsp of pepper while grinding. It can be made with different vegetables (either individually or a combination of few together), popular ones are: Green Beans, Bendekai (Okra), Potato + Tomato, Marrow, Pumpkin, Aubergine, Carrot, Moolangi (Radish), Nuggekai + Bedanekai (Drumsticks + Aubergine), BaLekai (unripe Plantain), etc.

Sambar (Vegetables in Spicy Coconut Gravy)

what is sambar?

This is a different version of Sambar made with Coconut instead of Lentils. It can be made with different vegetables (either individually or a combination of few together), popular ones are: Green Beans, Okra, Potato + Tomato, Marrow, Pumpkin, Aubergine, Carrot, Radish, Kudane/Kustikai (mini Aubergines), etc.

Ingredients
Tharakari (Vegetable): whichever you fancy (chopped into large chunks)
Neerulli (Onion): 1 (sliced length-wise)
Huli (Tamarind): a marble-sized piece
Neeru (Water): 1 cup
Uppu (Salt): to taste

for Grinding
Thenginakai (Coconut): 1 cup (grated)
Sambar Pudi (Sambar powder): 2 tsp


for Oggarane/Tempering
Saasive (Mustard Seeds): 1 tsp
Karibevu (Curry Leaves):4-5
Enne (Oil): 1 tsp

Method
Boil the above ingredients in a saucepan for 10 mins. Grind the coconut and Sambar Pudi to a smooth paste and add it to the Sambar. Heat 1 tsp oil/ghee in a small pan and add oggarane ingredients to it. Pour this over the Sambar just before serving.

Gasi (Veg/Legumes in Spicy Coconut Gravy)

Gasi is Vegetables or Legumes in Spicy Coconut Gravy. Gasi can be made with different vegetables, popular ones are: Green Peas, Black Chick Peas or any other legumes, Green Beans, Cabbage, Potatoes, Mangalore Southekai, Thondekai (Ivy Gourd), Budu Kumbalakai (Ash Gourd), etc. 

Ingredients
Tharakari (Vegetable) (chopped) or KaaLu (Legumes) (soaked overnight or canned): 1 cup
Neerulli (Onion): 1 (chopped)
Huli (Tamarind): a marble-sized piece
Neeru (Water): 1 cup
Uppu (Salt): to taste

for Roasting & Grinding
Thenginakai (Coconut): 1 cup (grated)
Ona Menasu (Dried Red Chillies): 2
Kothambari Beeja (Coriander Seeds): 1 tsp
Arashina (Turmeric Powder): 1 tsp
Enne (Oil): 1 tsp

for Oggarane/Tempering
Saasive (Mustard Seeds): 1 tsp
Karibevu (Curry Leaves): 4-5
Enne (Oil): 1 tsp

Method
Boil the vegetable pieces or soaked legumes, tamarind and salt in a saucepan of water for 10 mins. In a  small pan, roast in oil the red chillies, coriander seeds & turmeric powder (add in that order). Grind them with coconut, add it to the Gasi and simmer for 5 mins. Heat oil again in the small pan and add oggarane ingredients to it. Pour this over the Gasi just before serving.

Sambar (Vegetable in Lentil Gravy)

what is sambar?

Sambar can be made with different vegetables (either individually or a combination of few together), popular ones are: Green Beans, Bendekai (Okra), Potato + Tomato, Marrow, Pumpkin, Drumsticks + Aubergine, Carrot, Radish, Cabbage, Baby Onion,  BaLekai (unripe Plantain), Mangalore Southekai, Thondekai (Ivy Gourd), Mixed Veg, etc.

Ingredients
Togari BeLe (Yellow Lentil): 1 handful
Tharakari (Vegetable): whichever you fancy (chopped into large chunks)
Neerulli (Onion): 1 (sliced length-wise)
Huli (Tamarind): a marble-sized piece
Sambar Pudi (Sambar Powder): 2 tsp
Neeru (Water): 1 cup
Uppu (Salt): to taste

for Oggarane/Tempering
Saasive (Mustard Seeds): 1 tsp
Karibevu (Curry Leaves):4-5
Enne (Oil): 1 tsp

Method
Boil the above ingredients in a pressure cooker (3 whistles) or simmer in a saucepan for 30 mins. Heat 1 tsp oil/ghee in a small pan and add oggarane ingredients to it. Pour this over the Sambar just before serving.