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.

Bendhi (Greens in Onion and Coconut Gravy)

Bendhi is Greens stewed in Onion and Coconut gravy. Bendhi is very similar to Bol Saaru, difference is, add a pinch of menthe (Fenugreek Seeds) when cooking greens with salt, tamarind. Add bellulli (garlic) to oggarane. It can be made with almost any soppu (greens) or with beetroot.

Saasmi (Vegetables/Greens/Fruits in Mustard and Coconut Gravy)

Saasmi means Mustard Seeds in Tulu (my mother tongue), as it is the major ingredient in this recipe. It can be made with many vegetables, Soppu (greens) as well as fruits. The popular ones are: Spinach, Dantina Soppu (Amaranth), Bendekai (Okra), Beetroot, Hagalkai (Bitter Gourd), Mavina Hannu (ripe Mangoes), Ananas (Pineapple), etc.


Ingredients
Tharakari/Hannu (Vegetable/Fruit): 1 cup (chopped)
or Soppu (Greens): 4 cups (chopped)
Hasi Menasu (Green Chillies): 1 (slit)
Mosaru (Yogurt): 1/2 cup
Neeru (Water): 1 cup
Uppu (Salt): to taste


for Grinding
Thenginakai (Coconut): 1/2 cup (grated)
Saasive (Mustard Seeds): 1 tsp
 
Method
Boil the veg/greens/mangoes with green chilli and salt in a saucepan of water. (In case of bitter gourd, soak the pieces in brine before boiling to remove bitterness). Grind the coconut and mustard seeds to a smooth paste with little water. Add this to the Saasmi along with the yogurt. Simmer for few minutes and serve hot.


Variations: Tamarind can be used instead of yogurt for sourness. Add it in the boiling stage of the recipe. Chilli powder can be used instead of Green chillies for a different taste.