Geetha's Kitchen

Tangy/spicy Kariveppilai Kuzhambu is delicious with the aroma of fresh curry leaves which are the stars rather than a garnish or an afterthought! It is wonderful with rice and simple veggie dishes especially after enjoying rich festival fare. Curry leaves (kariveppilai) are considered medicinal and healthful so it is often prepared for women after childbirth and convalescents. Kariveppilai Kuzhambu is nicely spicy but not necessarily hot even though there are red chiles and black pepper in the line up; they add flavor and a nice kick. You can increase them if a hotter sauce is required. NOTE: I have used tamarind CONCENTRATE here; if using regular tamarind paste, more maybe needed. If using dried tamarind, use a lime-sized ball (about 2 Tablespoons) and soak in 1/2 cup of warm water for about 10 minutes, knead well, and strain the juices. Add 1/4 cup water to the pulp and knead again. Squeeze out the pulp, fibers, and seeds and discard the solids; add the juices to the first b...

Mulagai Podi II, similar to Mulagai Podi I, is a dry chutney that is mixed with oil and is used as a dip for dosa, idli, adai, upma, etc. Mulagai Podi means literally chili powder; but is made with more than just chilies. Traditionally dosa, idli, etc are served in homes simply with this podi and oil for casual meals. Amma often packed a lunch of dosa or idlis rolled in mulagai podi mixed with a little oil - they tasted so wonderful that my friends often wanted a share of my lunch :). Often called Dosai/Idli Mulagai Podi to differentiate it from plain ground chilies, it is easy to make and makes a nice table condiment to spice up any food you like. There are many variations of it and some include other ingredients such as roasted sesame, curry leaves, cilantro, tamarind, etc. This is another one of my favorite versions. Every sprinkle of this delicious podi boosts the protein/mineral content of your food since it contains two dals/legumes. Mulagai Podi is delicious sprinkled ...

Amma made this delicious garlic chutney topping that we use on everything from pasta to pizzas - in fact  pizza or pasta without it is unthinkable! Once we tasted pizza with it, there was no going back to eating without the Garlic Topping! Another must for every pantry! Delicious sprinkled over any dish, we love it on salads, soups, pizza, pasta and more. Amma (my mom) received requests for care packages of this from everyone who tasted it :). Many were the jars of garlic topping that Amma prepared for care packages as no one left the house empty-handed. She used to peel and chop all the garlic by hand meticulously but as the demand and requests increased, the food processor was put to good use! This is such a simple recipe; use your taste buds as your guide to add salt and chile powder to suit your needs. Make a little for a meal or make a lot and keep a stock ready to use or give away. Notes: The cooking needs to be done over low heat so that garlic does not burn. Bu...

Here is a wonderful Poricha Kuzhambu for the New Year with the lucky and delicious black eyed peas! I felt very lucky to have a stash of black-eyed peas in my pantry as I love their flavor and wanted to make something new for the New Year with them. The young pods as well as the freshly shelled black-eyed peas make a wonderful addition if you are lucky to find them. Here's to a very Happy and Healthy New Year, everyone! Use a combination from the following list of vegetables for best taste as well as nutrition - green bananas, zucchini, carrots, green beans, green Lima beans, Edamame, Opo/Chayote squash, Sprouted beans or peas , other mild flavored veggies, etc. Other beans such as val , red chori, white or brown chick peas, etc may be used in place of/in addition to the black-eyed peas. Click here for more information on poricha kuzhambus and a traditional time-tested version with roasted ingredients. 4 - 6 Servings Ingredients: 1 cup Black Eyed Peas 4 cups Assorted Vegetables ...

Here is a tangy chutney to spice up a simple meal! You can make it mild or as hot as you like by adjusting the number of the dry red chilies. It is a classic thogayal (thick chutney) that usually accompanies mild curries or dals like Molakootal , Molagushyam , or Simple Dal . Sauteed sorrel or gongura leaves may be used instead of the tamarind. Other tasty additions are fresh garlic cloves or sauteed onions. Puli Thogayal is wonderful mixed with hot steamed rice, with roti or toast, in sandwiches, etc. Puli means tamarind or sour and the 'l' is pronounced as in 'pole' and not as in 'peel'. Ingredients: 1 tsp oil 2 Tbsp Chana Dal 2 Tbsp Urad Dal 1 Tbsp Whole Coriander Seeds (Dhania) 1/4 tsp Whole Fenugreek Seeds (Methi) 1 pinch Asafetida 2 or more Dry Red Chilies, to taste 1" ball Dry Tamarind Pulp 1/2 cup Fresh Coconut, grated or chopped 1/2 tsp Sea Salt or to taste Method: Heat the oil in a small pan and add the dals, seeds, and...

Poricha Kuzhambu is a comforting classic stew served over steamed plain rice. This nutritious and delicious everyday fare can also be served with other grains such as Quinoa, couscous, soft polenta, Bulgar, etc or chapatis. Poricha Kuzhambu is somewhat similar to Molakootal , another classic stew we loved while growing up. Traditionally Poricha Kuzhambu is prepared in two basic ways: with or without tamarind; but then there are many variations - with Toor/Mung dal or a combo of the two, with Sambar Powder, with raw or roasted spices, with/without fresh or toasted coconut, thick/thin, with fewer vegetables or a mixture etc, etc. Whoa, that's a lot to think about! Whichever of the endless variations you are inclined to make, the basic ingredients needed are: dal and a few veggies. The traditional favorites for making poricha kuzhambu without tamarind are: all types of mild flavored veggies such as summer squashes, moringa pods, carrots, green beans, green bananas, sprouted be...

No pantry is complete without a jar of sambar powder to spice up what is cooking. Sambar powder is very handy to have in the cupboard - ready to use in all sorts of dishes like rice casseroles, vegetables, beans and lentils of all types, soups, and of course Sambar !  Ingredients: 1/2 cup Chana Dal (split and skinless brown chick peas) 1/3 cup Fenugreek Seeds (Methi) 1 cup Coriander Seeds (Dhania) 1/2 cup Dry Red Chilies 1/4 cup Black Peppercorns Method: Dry roast the dals first for 2 or 3 minutes; then add the coriander seeds and chilies and roast for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl or plate to cool. Alternately, roast everything except the black pepper by placing on a baking sheet and roast for about 5 to 6 minutes in a moderately hot oven, at about 300 degrees F. Grind the roasted ingredients and the black pepper into a powder using a spice grinder. Store in an airtight jar in a cool, dark cupboard. U...