Kovakkai Kuzhambu | Ivy Gourd Gravy For Rice

This is my second version of Kovakkai kuzhambu recipe. Long back I have shared an Ivy gourd gravy for rice which is like masala kuzhambu. After that I tried this easy, one pot Kovakkai kara kulambu (Tindora gravy for rice) yesterday for our lunch. It came out so well and flavourful. I watched few videos of Ivy gourd gravy in YouTube, made some variations and tried it. Ivy gourd is called as Tendli in Hindi, Dondakaya in Telugu, Thondekai in Kannada. 

Kovakkai is a versatile vegetable with so many health benefits. People in Andhra usually make kovakkai fry / Dondakaya vepudu, pachadi, pulusu etc whereas in Karnataka people make thondekai palya with it. In Tamil nadu we make kovakkai puli kulambu, kovakkai kara kuzhambu, masala kuzhambu and poriyal. It tastes great in all the dishes.

Check out this version of kovakkai poriyal in my blog. Soon I will try to post Andhra Dondakaya recipes and Karnataka style thondekai palya in my blog learning from my friends.

Today lets see how to make this Tamil nadu style Kovakkai kuzhambu with freshly ground masala. For variations, you can deep fry tindora pieces in oil before adding to the kuzhambu for rich taste. I just shallow fried in oil in the pressure cooker along with tempering and made in the usual way. The choice is yours. Its an easy, one pot recipe. Lets see the recipe with step by step pictures.

Check out my other interesting Kovakkai recipes below.

• Kovakkai chips
• Restaurant style tindora curry
• Kovakkai poriyal
• Kovakkai rice
• Kovakkai masala kuzhambu 

Kovakkai kuzhambu | Kovakkai kara kulambu

Kovakkai kuzhmabu | Kovakkai kara kulambu for rice in pressure cooker.

 

Cuisine: Tamil nadu

Category: Side dish

Serves: 2

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 20 Minutes

Total time: 30 Minutes

Chitra Ganapathy

INGREDIENTS

250 gms Tindora | Ivy gourd | Kovakkai 2 tbsp Cooking oil 1 tsp Mustard seeds ¼ tsp Fenugreek seeds 1 Big onion 5 cloves Garlic Curry leaves Few Coriander leaves to garnish To grind ¼ cup Grated coconut 1 tbsp Tamarind OR Big Gooseberry size 5 cloves Garlic 5 Small onion OR 1 big onion ½ tsp Fennel seeds 1 tsp Sambar powder ½ tsp Coriander powder Water As needed Salt As needed

HOW TO MAKE KOVAKKAI KUZHAMBU

1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Splutter mustard seeds, Methi seeds and curry leaves.
2. Saute chopped onion, garlic cloves. Add Kovakkai pieces and saute for few minutes.
3. Grind ingredients given under "to grind" to a smooth paste.
4. Add the ground paste to the cooker. Saute for a minute.
5. Add required water, salt and mix well. Pressure cook for one whistle in low flame.
6. Open the cooker after steam is released naturally. Boil the gravy if its thin to adjust consistency.
7. Switch off the flame once its thick. Garnish with coriander leaves.

METHOD - STEP BY STEP PICTURES

Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Splutter mustard seeds, Methi seeds and curry leaves. Saute chopped onion, garlic cloves. Add Kovakkai pieces and saute for few minutes. Grind ingredients given under "to grind" to a smooth paste. Add the ground paste to the cooker. Saute for a minute. Add required water, salt and mix well. Pressure cook for one whistle in low flame. Open the cooker after steam is released naturally. Boil the gravy if its thin to adjust consistency. Switch off the flame once its thick. Garnish with coriander leaves. Enjoy !

Note

Adjust the quantity of sambar powder as per taste. You can replace sambar powder with red chilli powder The color of Kovakkai turns light green as we cook in pressure cooker. To retain the color of Kovakkai, you can saute and cook in a kadai seperately and add to the gravy at the end. For grinding masala, you can add a piece of cinnamon and cloves for more masala flavor.

Try this for lunch and enjoy ! 

Continue Reading...

Broccoli Gravy For Rice, Chapathi, Dosa | Indian style Broccoli Kuzhambu Recipe

After a long time I tried a Broccoli recipe in my kitchen. As I have already tried broccoli curry / stir fry recipe, I wanted to make an Indian style broccoli gravy for rice. Though its my first attempt, It came out so flavourful. We all loved it. It tastes great when mixed with plain rice adding ghee. Its a kurma style kuzhambu recipe. You can have this broccoli kuzhambu with rice, roti, idli, dosa as well.

Friends, do try this easy and yummy Broccoli gravy / Broccoli kuzhambu for rice and enjoy with a papad on side. I enjoyed it with mullangai poriyal and achappam.

Broccoli gravy for rice / Broccoli kuzhambu recipe

Broccoli gravy for rice / Broccoli kuzhambu recipe for rice, chapathi, idli, dosa.

 

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Side dish

Serves: 3

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 20 Minutes

Total time: 30 Minutes

 

Chitra Ganapathy

INGREDIENTS

Broccoli - 1 (medium size) Cooking oil - 1 tbsp Bay leaf - 1 Cardamom - 1 Big onion - 1 Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp Salt - as needed To grind Ripe tomato - 3 Red chilli - 2 to 3 Pepper - 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp Coriander seeds - 1 tsp Ginger - 1/2 inch piece Garlic cloves - 5 Cashew nuts - 5 Water - to grind

HOW TO MAKE BROCCOLI GRAVY

1. Wash the broccoli, drain the water and set aside. 
2. In a mixie jar, grind all the ingredients given under “ to grind ‘' to a smooth paste. Set aside.
3. Heat oil in a cooker. Add bayleaf, cardamom. Add chopped onion and saute till transparent. Add turmeric powder, salt and mix well.
4. Add tomato paste and saute for a minute. Add parboiled broccoli, required water and garam masala powder.
5. Pressure cook in low flame for one whistle and open the cooker after the steam is released.
6. Boil if the gravy is too watery. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice adding a few drops of ghee. Tastes yum!

METHOD - STEP BY STEP PICTURES

Wash the broccoli florets. Drain the excess water and set aside. In a mixie jar, grind all the ingredients given under “to grind” to a smooth paste. Keep it aside. Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add bay leaf, cardamom. Add chopped onion, saute till transparent. Add turmeric powder, salt and mix well. Add the ground tomato paste and saute well. Add parboiled broccoli, required water and garam masala powder. Mix well. Pressure cook everything in low flame for one whistle and open the cooker after the steam is released. Check the consistency. Boil for few minutes if the gravy is too watery. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with rice adding some ghee. Enjoy !

Note

Adjust the quantity of spice powders as per your taste. For variations, you can saute all the ingredients given under “ to grind” in oil before grinding. It gives a different flavor and taste to the kuzhambu. You can use cauliflower, potato or brinjal in place of broccoli.

  
  Try this easy, yummy Broccoli gravy for rice and enjoy !

 

Continue Reading...

Mullangi Kuzhambu | Chettinad Mullangi Masala Kulambu | Radish Kara Kuzhambu

Here is an yummy and tasty Chettinad style masala kuzhambu adding Radish /Mullangi. This mullangi masala kuzhambu is a great replacement for my usual mullangi sambar, mullangi poriyal and mullangi chutney. We all loved it.

Radish has amazing health benefits. It is rich in antioxidants, calcium and potassium. Helps to treat Jaundice, Osteo arthritis, respiratory disorders etc. But whenever we cook Radish at home, its funky smell dominates the entire house. Many people hates Radish just because of this bad odour. So I usually saute the radish in little oil for few minutes before cooking in a pressure cooker while making sambar or poriyal. It helps to suppress the smell to some extent.

In this Chettinad style masala kuzhambu, the addition of spices overcomes the dominating mullangi smell and it takes the kuzhambu to the next level both in taste and flavor. In my house, Sendhil doesn’t like kurma based kuzhambu recipes for rice. Surprisingly he loved this kulambu a lot. Thanks to Sharmilee for this wonderful recipe. I am sure, I will include this kuzhambu in my regular lunch menu and make it often.

Friends, do try this Mullangi masala kuzhambu if you haven’t tried it so far. You will love it for sure. For variations, you can use chow chow, Knol khol, ridge gourd, brinjal, drumstick and even potato instead of radish. Now lets go to the recipe with a video.

  

Mullangi masala kuzhambu | Chettinad Radish Kulambu for rice

Mullangi masala kuzhambu | Chettinad Radish Kulambu for rice

 

Cuisine: Chettinad

Category: Side dish

Serves: 3

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 20 Minutes

Total time: 30 Minutes

 

Chitra Ganapathy

INGREDIENTS

To temper Cooking oil - 1 tbsp Cinnamon - 1 inch Bay leaf - 1 Fennel seeds - 1/4 tsp Radish - 3 Small onion - 10 to 15 Garlic - 10 cloves Curry leaves - few Red chilli powder - 3/4 tsp Coriander powder - 1 tsp Salt & water - as needed Coriander leaves - to garnish To saute and grind Cooking oil - 1 tbsp Big onion - 1 Tomato - 1 Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp Grated coconut - 1/4 cup

HOW TO MAKE MULLANGI KUZHAMBU

1. Wash and peel the skin of Mullangi / Radish. Chop into round slices. Set aside.
2. Wash and peel onion, garlic. Heat oil in a kadai. Saute onion, tomato.
3. Grind it along with coconut and fennel seeds to a smooth paste. Set aside.
4. Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Saute Cinnamon and bay leaf. Saute onion, garlic and radish slices.
5. Add red chilli powder, coriander powder and saute for a minute. Then add ground tomato paste and required water.
6. Lastly add the salt. Pressure cook in low flame for one whistle. Open the cooker after the steam is released.
7. You can see a layer of oil floating on top. Check the consistency. If its watery, boil for sometime.
8. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with plain rice. 

METHOD - STEP BY STEP PICTURES

Wash and peel the skin of Radish / Mullangi. Slice into thin roundels. Wash and peel small onion, garlic cloves. Set aside. Heat oil in a kadai. Saute onion, tomato till mushy. Take them in a mixie jar. Add grated coconut, fennel seeds and grind everything to a smooth paste. Set aside. Heat oil in a pressure cooker base. Add cinnamon and bay leaf. Saute onion, garlic cloves and Radish slices. Saute for a minute. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and coriander powder. Add the ground tomato paste, salt and mix well. Saute for a minute. Add required water and pressure cook everything for one whistle in low flame. Open the cooker after the steam is released naturally. When you open the cooker, radish will be cooked well and you can see a layer of oil floating on top of gravy. Check the consistency and add more water, boil for a minute and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with plain rice. Enjoy !

Note

Adjust the quantity of spice powders as per your taste. You can skip fennel seeds while sauting onion garlic. Use small onions for best taste and flavor. Saute Radish along with onion and garlic. It helps to reduce the raw smell of Radish while cooking.

Try this easy, yummy, one pot Mullangi masala kuzhambu and enjoy with some poriyal and papad.

Technorati Tags: Mullangi kuzhambu,mullangi masala kuzhambu,mullangi kara kuzhambu,mullangi kulalambu,mullangi recipes,Radish recipes,chettinad recipes,chettinad masala kuzhambu

Continue Reading...

Sorakkai Kuzhambu | Bottle Gourd Gravy For Rice, Roti | Sorakkai Kurma Kuzhambu

Here is an yummy and tasty Kurma like gravy / Kulambu with Bottle gourd. We call it as Sorakkai kuzhambu in Tamil. Sorakkai is known as Lauki in Hindi, Chorakka in Malayalam, Sorakaya in Telugu, Sorekayi in Kannada. I try to include sorakkai in our menu at least once in a week. So I keep looking for different recipes with bottle gourd.

Recently I came across this Surakkai kulambu in Mullai’s blog. Recipe sounded more like kurma kulambu with all the whole garam masala in it. As usual I made it directly in my pressure cooker to ease the job. It came out so well with a layer of oil floating on top.

Friends, do try this easy and yummy Sorakkai kuzhambu. You will love it. You can use chow chow/ Chayote, snake gourd instead of Sorakkai.

Sorakkai kuzhambu | Bottle gourd gravy for rice, roti

Sorakkai kuzhambu recipe for rice, roti in a pressure cooker

 

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Side dish

Serves: 2

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 20 Minutes

Total time: 30 Minutes

 

Chitra Ganapathy

INGREDIENTS

Bottle gourd - 1 Onion - 1 (finely chopped) Tomato - 1 Ginger - 1 inch piece Garlic - 5 Green chili - 1 (optional) Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp Red chili powder - 1 tsp Coriander powder - 2 tsp Salt - as needed Cooking Oil - 2 tbsp Cinnamon – 1 inch piece Cloves – 1 Fennel seeds – 1/4 tsp Bay leaf - 1 Curry leaves - few Coriander leaves - to garnish To grind Grated coconut - 1/2 cup Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp Cashew nuts - 5 Water - as needed

HOW TO MAKE SORAKKAI KUZHAMBU

1. Wash and slice the skin of bottle gourd. Chop into cubes.
2. Grind all the ingredients given under “ to grind” to a smooth paste.
3. Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add in cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds and bay leaf.
4. Saute onion, curry leaves, green chilli, tomato, ginger, garlic pieces, chopped bottle gourd till tomato turns mushy.
5. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder and salt.
6. Add the ground coconut paste along with required water. Mix well.
7. Pressure cook in low flame for one whistle. Open the cooker after the steam is released.
8. Mix well and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with rice or roti.

METHOD - STEP BY STEP PICTURES

Wash and peel the skin of bottle gourd. Chop into cubes. Set aside. Grind all the ingredients given under “ To grind “ to a smooth paste. Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add in cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds and add bay leaf. Saute onion, green chilli, tomato, ginger, garlic and cook till tomato turns mushy. Now add the chopped bottle gourd pieces and mix well. Add turmeric powder, dhania powder, chilli powder and salt. Add the ground coconut paste along with required water. Mix well. Close the cooker and cook in high flame till steam releases from the nozzle. Now put the weight valve as soon as steam comes out. Lower the flame completely and cook for one whistle in low flame. Switch off the flame. Once the pressure releases, open the cooker. You can see a layer of oil floating. Mix well and check for the consistency. If the gravy is thin and watery, boil for few minutes till it reaches kuzhambu consistency. If the gravy is too thick, add little more water and boil for a minute. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with rice. Enjoy !

Note

Adjust the quantity of spices as per your taste. Do not add more water in the cooker because bottle gourd is a water vegetable. So it leaves water while cooking.

Try this easy, healthy and one pot sorakkai kuzhambu for rice and roti. You will love it

Continue Reading...

Chow Chow Kuzhambu Recipe – Chayote Gravy For Rice, Chapathi, Dosa

Usually I make Chow chow kootu and poriyal as side dish for rice Or I make sambar for rice adding chow chow. As Iam bored of making the same recipes with chow chow, I was looking for a change from these usual Chayote recipescho. I found this interesting chow chow kuzhambu and tried it for our lunch. It tastes more like kurma kuzhambu as it has spices like cinnamon and cloves. I loved its flavor. I mixed with plain rice adding a dash of ghee and enjoyed it.

Not only for rice, this chow chow kuzhambu tastes great for chapathi, idli, dosa as well. Just adjust the consistency of this kuzhambu, make it thick or thin and serve with the main dish accordingly.

Friends, do try this easy, yummy Chow chow kulambu easily in a pressure cooker as shown in this recipe. Even bachelors and office goers can try this gravy for your lunch box and dinner. I am sure you will love it with rice, idli dosa and chapathi.

Chow chow kuzhambu recipe

Chow chow kuzhambu recipe for rice, idli, dosa and chapathi

 

Cuisine: South Indian

Category: Side dish

Serves: 3

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 20 Minutes

Total time: 30 Minutes

 

Chitra Ganapathy

INGREDIENTS

Chow chow / Chayote - 2 ( small ones) Cooking oil - 1 tbsp Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp Urad dal - 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp Curry leaves - few Asafoetida / Hing - a pinch Big onion - 1 (finely chopped) Salt and water - as needed Coriander leaves - to garnish To dry roast and grind Coriander seeds - 2 tsp Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp Pepper corns - 1/2 tsp Cinnamon - 1 inch piece Cloves - 2 Red chilli - 2 Grated coconut - 2 tbsp Tomato - 1 big or 2 small

HOW TO MAKE CHOW CHOW KUZHAMBU

1. Wash and peel the skin of chow chow and chop into cubes.
2. In a kadai, dry roast the coriander seeds, red chilli, cumin seeds, pepper, cinnamon and cloves. Remove and grind to a coarse powder adding grated coconut.
3. Lastly add one chopped tomato and grind to a smooth paste. Set aside.
4. Heat oil in a cooker base. Splutter mustard seeds, urad dal, cumin seeds, curry leaves and hing.
5. Add onion and saute for few minutes. Add the chopped chow chow pieces, turmeric powder, salt and saute well.
6. Add the ground tomato masala paste and saute for a minute. Add required water. Mix well, check for taste and pressure cook in low flame for one whistle.
7. Remove after the pressure is released naturally. Oil floating chow chow kuzhambu will be ready.
8. Check for consistency and boil more if watery.
9. Lastly garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with plain rice, idli, dosa and chapathi. Enjoy !

METHOD - STEP BY STEP PICTURES

Wash and peel the skin of chayote/ chow chow and chop into cubes. Set aside. In a kadai, dry roast coriander seeds, red chilli, cumin seeds, pepper, cinnamon and cloves. Remove and grind to a coarse powder adding grated coconut. Add chopped tomato and grind to a smooth paste adding required water. Set aside.   Heat oil in a pressure cooker base. Splutter mustard seeds, urad dal , hing, curry leaves. Add finely chopped onion and saute till transparent. Add chopped chow chow pieces. Saute for a minute. Add the ground masala paste and saute for few minutes. Add required water, salt and turmeric powder. Mix well and check for taste. If required, add salt and red chilli powder. Close the lid and pressure cook in low flame for one whistle. Switch off the flame. Open the cooker once the pressure releases naturally. Once you open the cooker, you can see a layer of oil floating on top. Check for consistency. Add water if its too thick. If its watery, boil for few minutes till you get desired consistency. Lastly garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves. Serve with rice. If you are serving for chapathi, make this kuzhambu thick like kurma and serve it. Enjoy !

Note

Add more red chillies while roasting for spicy taste. Adjust the consistency of this gravy as per your requirement. If you are serving for rice, idli, dosa, make it semi thick. If its for chapathi, make it thick.

Try this easy, yummy Chow chow kuzhambu and enjoy !

 

Continue Reading...

Murungakkai Kuzhambu – Drumstick Masala Kulambu For Rice

My parents were with me in Bangalore for the past one month. My father like kurma based kuzhambu varieties for rice. So I tried this Murungakkai masala kuzhambu for our lunch. We all loved it. Its a very simple recipe with tomato base.  I made it directly in a pressure cooker. So it took less time to prepare.

Friends, if you are looking for some easy Drumstick kuzhambu recipe with mild masala flavor, this is for you. Do try it and share your feedback with me.

 

Murungakkai kuzhambu recipe / Drumstick kulambu

Murungakkai kuzhambu recipe / Drumstick kulambu for rice

 

Cuisine: South Indian

Category: side dish

Serves: 3

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 20 Minutes

Total time: 30 Minutes

 

Chitra Ganapathy

INGREDIENTS

1 cup = 250ml Drumstick - 2 Ripe Tomato - 2 Small onion - 15 OR big onion - 2 (finely chopped) Garlic - 10 cloves Curry leaves - few Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp Sambar powder - 1/2 to 1 tsp Salt - as needed To temper Cooking oil - 1 tbsp Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp Urad dal - 1/2 tsp Cinnamon – 1 inch piece Cloves - 2 To grind Grated coconut - 1/4 cup Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp

HOW TO MAKE MURUNGAKKAI KUZHAMBU

1. Wash and chop drumstick, onion, tomato, garlic.
2. Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Splutter mustard seeds, urad dal, Cinnamon and cloves.
3. Saute onion, garlic, curry leaves till transparent. Add tomato and saute till mushy.
4. Add turmeric powder, sambar powder and salt. Saute for a minute.
5. Grind coconut and fennel seeds to a smooth paste. Add to the cooker.
6. Add required water and mix well. Keep the chopped drumstick in a box and place it inside the cooker without adding water.
7. Pressure cook in low flame for one whistle. Open the cooker after the steam is released.
8. Take the drumstick bowl and add to the kuzhambu. Mix well and serve with rice.

METHOD - STEP BY STEP PICTURES

Wash and chop Drumstick into finger size pieces. Chop onion, tomato and garlic finely. Keep the chopped drumtsick in  a bowl.  Heat oil in a pressure cooker base. Splutter mustard seeds, urad dal, Cinnamon and cloves. Saute onion, garlic and curry leaves till transparent.  Add tomato and saute till mushy. Add turmeric powder, salt, sambar powder and mix well. Grind coconut and fennel seeds to a smooth paste. Add to tomato mixture. Mix well. Add required water. Take chopped drumstick pieces in a bowl and keep it inside the cooker. No need to add water to drumstick pieces. Close the pressure cooker and cook in low flame for one whistle. Switch off the flame and open the cooker after the steam is released. Remove the drumstick bowl and add to the cooker. Mix well and check for consistency. Boil for few minutes if its watery OR add little water if its too thick. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice.

Note

Adjust the quantity of spice powders as per your taste. For variations, you can grind cinnamon and cloves along with coconut instead of sauting in oil.

Try this easy and tasty Murungakkai kuzhambu for rice and enjoy !

Technorati Tags: Murungakkai kuzhambu,murungakkai kulambu recipe,drumstick kuzhambu,drumstick kuzhambu recipe,kuzhambu varieties,kulambu varieties

Continue Reading...