Padavalanga Mezhukkupuratti (Snake Gourd)

This is one of my favourite mezhukkupuratti recipes. My mom makes it perfectly well and I still cherish the tasty lunches I enjoyed with my parents back in kerala.

Ingredients

Snake Gourd - 250 gms
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tspn
Salt
Curry Leaves
Green Chilly - 2 cut into two
Coconut Oil - 2 tbspn
Shallots - 7
Red Chilly Powder/ Red Chilly Flakes - 1 tspn

Method

Cut Snake gourd into small pieces and wash it well. Cook the Snake gourd adding enough water, turmeric powder, salt, curry leaves and green chilly. Cook for 5-6 minutes with lids closed.
Heat oil in a pan. Add shallots and saute till it turns light brown. Now add red Chilly Powder. Saute till the raw smell goes off.
Now season with some curry leaves. Easy and tasty mezhukkupuratti is ready!

Green Chilly Mezhukkupuratti

My most recent blog recipe was a green chilly thoran. So why dont we try a green chilly mezhukkupuratti this time?? Enjoy this variety mezhukkupuratti recipe with matta rice. It is tasty and very easy to make. Add some spice and flavour to your meals with this spicy dish. Enjoy.

Ingredients

Chopped Green Bajji chilly - 2 1/2 cups
Onions - 1 No ( Finely chopped )
Green chillies -3 Nos ( Split length-wise )
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chilly powder -1/2 tsp or Crushed dry red chillies -2-3 nos
Curry leaves -1 stem
Mustard seeds / Kaduku - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 1 1/2 tbsp
Salt to taste.

Method
Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and when the mustard seeds start to crackle, add curry leaves and chopped onions.Saute till the onions become soft.
Then add the chopped chilly along with turmeric powder, chilly flakes / red chilly powder, salt and 2-3 tbsps of water
Cook covered for about 15 minutes and then cook uncover for another 5 minutes or till it becomes dry and then remove from the flame.
Enjoy with rice.

Radish Stir fry

Radish stir-fry is a very simple and basic recipe that is cooked in most Indian homes with slight variations. In most Punjabi homes, radishes are eaten in the form of salads, pickles or as a stuffing for parantha or stir fries. I am trying a radish dish for the first time, till now i've included it only in salads. Try this.

Ingredients

1 Tbsp Oil
1 tsp black mustard seeds
½ tsp fenugreek seeds
½ tsp red chili pepper
½ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp salt
500g Radish
1 cup pureed tomatoes

Instructions

Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan, add mustard seeds. When seeds start popping add fenugreek seeds and roast for a minute or so.
Add salt, turmeric powder and red chili powder.
Add  tomatoe puree, lower the heat and cook till everything mixes well.
Add sliced radishes.
Mix well. Cover with a lid and let it cook till radish slices are tender. Serve warm.

Cabbage Veppudu (Cabbage Stir fry)

This is an Andhra style recipe, cabbage fry, that will not only nourish your body but will also please your palette. I made this for a simple mid day meal and everyone liked it so much. The left overs can be used as a filling for a grilled sandwich that will make for a quick lunch box or after school snack for your kid.

Ingredients

Purple Cabbage - 1/2 head, finely sliced
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Split gram dal - 1 tsp
Dry red chilies - 1
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Ginger - 1/2 tsp, finely minced
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Green chilies - 2, slit half way through
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Cooking oil - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel. Add mustard seeds and allow to splutter. Add cumin seeds and urad dal and allow to turn light brown.
Add dry red chilies, green chilies, ginger, curry leaves, asafoetida and turmeric powder and saute for a few seconds on medium flame.
Add the sliced cabbage and mix to combine well. Cook without lid for 9-10 mts. Lower flame, place lid and cook for 15 mts stirring once in a while.
Remove lid, add coriander powder and salt and mix. Cook for another 5-6 mts and turn off heat. Serve warm with rice or rotis.

Potato Brinjal Stir Fry

This is  very tasty  recipe that tastes awesome with matta rice. Potato and brinjal tastes awesome when stirfried perfectly in oil and the final touch of ghee gives it a regal flavour. It is one of our family favourite mezhukkuperatti varieties. Enjoy!

Ingredients

2 small potatoes
½ cup of onions
1 green chili chopped small
1½ cup of brinjal sliced
1 sprig curry leaves
¼ tsp urad dal
½ tsp. chana dal
½ ti ¾ tsp. ginger garlic paste
½ tsp red chili powder
½ tsp simple garam masala
1 to 2 tbsp. oil
Salt to taste
1 tsp Ghee

Instructions

This step is optional. Boil potatoes, peel the skin and cut into thin fingers and set aside. If you like to roast the potatoes instead of boiling, just skip this step.
Cut the brinjals and leave them in salted water till you use.
Heat a pan with oil, add mustard, cumin, dals, fry till you get an aroma of the fried dals. Do not burn them. Add curry leaves, sauté.
Add onions and chilies, fry till the onions turn translucent.
Add ginger garlic paste, sauté till the raw smell goes off.
If you are using raw potatoes with out boiling, add them here and fry for 2 minutes. Cover and cook till they are done, if needed sprinkle water.
Add brinjal ,sprinkle salt and fry for 2 to 3 mins or till the brinjals are fully done. If needed you can cover and cook.
If using boiled potatoes, add them now along with red chili powder and garam masala. Mix well.
Fry or Cover and cook for 3 to 4 mins. Keep stirring occassionally. Before serving, add 1 teaspoon ghee over it. Serve hot with Rice.

Mixed vegetable Stir fry (Mezhukkupuratti)

This is a very easy mixed vegetable stir fry. It is very tasty and can be made in no time especially if you can cook the vegetables in a microwave before sauting it. Mezhukkuperatti tastes best when no water is added to cook it. You can add any vegetable of your choice like beans, kovakka etc but here im using potato, beetroot and carrot.

Ingredients

Diced Mixed Vegetables – 2 Cups( I used potato, carrot and beetroot)
Dry Red Chillies – 3
Onion (Thinly Sliced) – 1 medium
Curry Leaves – A sprig
Mustard Seeds- 1/2 tsp
Oil – 2 tbsp
Turmeric Powder -1/2 tsp
Chilly Powder – 1 tsp
Finely Chopped Garlic Cloves – 3 or 4
Salt – As required

Preparation

Wash and drain the vegetables. Sprinkle water and microwave it for 2-3 minutes.
Heat oil in a non stick pan and Splutter the mustard seeds.
Add onions and saute till translucent.
Add the Dry Red Chillies, Garlic and Curry Leaves and saute for a few minutes.
Next, add 1/2 tsp turmeric & 1 tsp Chilly powder and saute for a minute.
Add the mixed vegetables along with salt and mix well.
Cover the pan and allow it to cook for around 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Potato Carrot Mezhukkupuratti

This is a very tasty and easy mezhukkuperatti recipe. Potato and carrot makes a great combination and when it is sauted in oil it gives a balanced taste that is clearly out of this world. The masalas used may vary from place to place. Here I've used turmeric, garam masala and chilly powder. I've tried the same with cumin powder and turmeric and that also tastes great.

Ingredients

Potato - 3
Carrot - 2
Onions chopped - 1 small
Garlic - 2 cloves
Chili powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam masala - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves
Salt to taste
Oil

Method

Crush Onions and garlic in a mortar and pestle.Clean and Slice the carrots lengthwise and put it in water, if not it may cause potatoes to change color.Heat oil in a pan and add curry leaves, crushed onions and garlic. Saute for 3-4 minutes. Add chili powder , turmeric powder and Garam masala and toss it well for a minute.Add drained potato , carrots , salt and 1/4 cup water. Cover it with a lid and cook for 7-10 minutes or until its is cooked and dry. Uncover and saute for another 3-4 minutes , stirring frequently. Serve warm

Payar Mezhukkupuratti(Beans Mezhukkupuratti)

This is a simple Mezhukkuperatti recipe and undoubtedly my husbands favourite mezhukkupuratti dish. When ever i tell him to buy some grocery from the market, he always comes home with a bunch of payar neately tied up. He likes it with matta rice. I always use a bit of wayer for getting it cooked easily. But for better taste, you can avoid it. Enjoy.

Ingredients

Long beans -500g
Coconut oil
Mustard seed-1/4 tsp
Curry leaves1 sprig
Onion (medium)-1 number
Ginger(crushed)-1 tsp
Garlic (crushed)-1 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Chilli powder-1 tbsp
Salt

Method

Cut long beans into 1.5 inch long pieces. If the beans are matured, take out the seeds and use only seeds. Thinly slice onion. You can also use shallots instead of onion.
Heat oil in a large skillet. Splutter mustard seeds and then add curry leaves.
Add chopped long beans, sliced onions, ginger, garlic, turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt. Add 1 tsp oil and stir it well until well combined. Cover and cook with little water. Don't add much water. It naturally has a lot of water in it, which releases when they are cooked.
Cook in medium heat until water gets almost dried up. Stir in between, otherwise it can get burnt. It might take around 15 - 20 minutes.
Add 1- 2 tsp oil, saute it for around 5 minutes in medium flame until it gets roasted well. Serve with rice

Beetroot Stir fry/Mezhukkuperatti

Beetroot Mezhukkupuratti / Stir Fry is a tasty side dish which goes together with Rice. It is rich in dietary fiber and has no cholestrol. It is the best way by which you can add a lot of nutrition to your kids meal. A very easy recipe.

Ingredients

Chopped Beetrot -2 medium size
Chopped Onion - 1 small
Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp.
Red chili powder - ½ tsp.
Salt to taste
Oil -1 tbsp
Curry leaves -a few

Preparation

Cook beetroot in little water along with turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt.
Heat oil in a pan.
Put onion into it and saute till it turns translucent.
Add the cooked Beetroot and curry leaves into it and fry it.

Kovakka Mezhukkupuratti(Tindora/Ivy gourd)

Kovakka is always an evergreen item in every malayalees home. It can easily be grown in your kitchen yard and the harvest could be plentiful. I personally love this dish because this was the first side dish that i made with rice for my husband after marriage and coming to a new place. From then onwards it has always been a favourite of my husbands.

Ingredients

Kovakka - 250 gms
Onion chopped - 1
Crushed garlic - 2 cloves
Chili powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Curry Leaves
Mustard seeds
Salt to taste
Oil

Method

Clean and Slice Kovakka lengthwise . Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds .
When they pop up add chopped onion and curry leaves and saute till they are soft 4-5  minutes.
Add crushed garlic and fry it again for 2-3 minutes.Add chili powder and turmeric powder and combine it well. Slide in the kovakka pieces and toss it well so that it get mixed with the masala.
Sprinkle 3-4 tspns of water and cook it covered till they are soft . Uncover it, and  let it stand on a medium flame till it get fried, taking care to stir it occassionally.