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Sweet Potato Curry (சர்க்கரைவள்ளி கிழங்கு கறி)

Sweet potato (சர்க்கரைவள்ளி கிழங்கு) is a tuber rich in dietary fiber, vitamins A, C and B6, minerals like manganese as well as antioxidants. It is roasted or boiled and eaten as a snack. It can be also prepared as thengai potta porial, ennai vathakkal or added to sambar or vathal kuzhambu. Today, I wish to share with you a new recipe made with sweet potato that can be served with chapatti or roti. Let’s check this recipe out.

Ingredients:

Sweet potato – medium, 3 no

Onion – large, 1 no, chopped

Tomato – large, 1 no, chopped

Turmeric powder - ¼ teaspoon

Salt – to taste

Curds – 100 ml or ½ teacup

Coriander powder – 1 tablespoon

Cumin powder – 1 teaspoon

Kashmiri chili powder - ¾ teaspoon, adjust to taste

Garam masala - ½ teaspoon

Oil – 1 tablespoon

Mustard seeds - ½ teaspoon

Cumin seeds - ½ teaspoon

Curry leaves – a few

Coriander leaves – chopped, 2 teaspoons

Method:

• Wash the sweet potatoes thoroughly, peel the skin, cut into cubes and add to a bowl of water. Keep aside.

• Beat the curds well. Add in coriander powder, cumin powder and garam masala. Mix well and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a kadai, add in mustard and cumin seeds, and when they start to crackle, add chopped onions and curry leaves. Sauté till the onion pieces turn transparent.
• Now add tomatoes and sauté for 2 minutes. Add in the sweet potato pieces, required salt and turmeric powder. Cover and cook on low flame till the vegetable is cooked.
• Add the curd mixture and mix well. Cook for 3 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with chapatti, phulka or roti.

Note: While cutting vegetables, please soak cut pieces sweet potato in water immediately, lest the pieces will turn dark when left exposed to air. 

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Paneer Afghani

Even though the ingredients used are more or less the same, there are so many variations of paneer Afghani recipe. Today, let me present my version of paneer Afghani using the same basic ingredients. Let's proceed with the recipe.

Ingredients:

Paneer preparation

Paneer or cottage cheese - 200 gm, cut into large cubes

Black pepper - ¼ teaspoon, powdered

Salt - to taste 

Oil - 2 teaspoons

Paste I

Onion - 3 no, large, cut into cubes

Ginger - ½" piece*

Garlic - 4 pods*

Green chilies - 1-2, adjust to taste

Cashew nuts - 50 gms

Black pepper - ½ teaspoon

Oil - 2 tablespoons

Coriander leaves - chopped, ¼ cup

Bay leaf -2 no

Cardamom - 3 no

Cinnamon - 1" piece

Paste II

Curds - ½ cup

Kasuri methi - roasted, crushed, 1 tablespoon

Coriander powder - 1 tablespoon

Cumin powder - 1 teaspoon

Garam masala - ½ teaspoon

Gravy 

Fresh cream - 2 tablespoons (optional)

Salt - to taste

Method:

Paneer preparation

• Mix oil, pepper powder and salt in a bowl. Coat the paneer pieces with this mixture and marinate for 30 minutes.

Paste I

• Heat oil in a kadai, add in bay leaves, cardamom and cinnamon; sauté for 2 minutes. Now add garlic and fry for a minute. Add in onion cubes and fry till they turn transparent. Remove from fire and allow it to cool. Remove bay leaves, and you can add them to the paste later.
• Once cooled to room temperature, grind the fried ingredients except bay leaves, along with coriander, black pepper, cashew nuts, ginger and green chilies into a smooth paste. Keep aside.

Paste II

• Beat curds well. Add in coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala and crushed kasuri methi. Mix well and keep aside.

Gravy

• Fry marinated paneer pieces in a non-stick pan on medium heat for 3 minutes. Turn the pieces over and fry for another 3 minutes. Transfer the paneer pieces to a bowl.**
• Cook the "paste I" with bay leaves in a kadai on low flame till oil separates. Add in "paste II", required salt and 1 cup of water. Mix well and cook till the gravy boils.
• Add in the paneer pieces and simmer for 5 minutes. Finally add the fresh cream, mix well and simmer for a minute. 
• Serve paneer Afghani with roti, chapati or paratha.

Note: 

* Alternatively, you may use 1 teaspoon of ginger-garlic paste.

** I add the marinated paneer directly to the gravy and it tastes good. If you desire, you may skip this step.

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Thiruvadhirai Kali (திருவாதிரை களி)

During the winter month of Margazhi (மார்கழி), on the day of thiruvadhirai star (திருவாதிரை நட்சத்திரம்), the celestial dance of Lord Nataraja (நடராஜப் பெருமான்) is celebrated in Shiva temples across Tamil Nadu. On this day devotees fast and a special preparation called "kali" (களி) is offered to the lord. Today, let me share with you the traditional recipe of "Thiruvadhirai Kali" (திருவாதிரை களி).

Ingredients:

Raw rice - 1 cup or 200 ml measure

Green gram dhal or moong dhal - 1 tablespoon

Bengal gram dhal or channa dhal - 1 tablespoon*

Jaggery - 2 cups or 400 ml measure

Cardamom - 5-6 no, powdered

Coconut - grated, 2 tablespoons

Ghee - 3 tablespoons

Cashew nuts - 12 no, broken

* In some parts of Tamil Nadu, channa dhal is used. You may omit it, if desired.

Method:

• Roast raw rice and dhal/s in a kadai on medium flame till the items start to turn light brown in color. Transfer to a bowl immediately. Once the roasted items cooled down to room temperature, grind in a mixed-grinder to rava consistency. Keep aside.
• Mix jaggery and 5 cups of water in a kadai. Bring it to boil. Add in 1 tablespoon of ghee and coconut gratings. Mix well. Reduce the flame. Now add the ground rice-dhal mixture slowly while stirring continuously to avoid lumps. Add in cardamom powder and 1 tablespoon of ghee. Continue to cook till the mixture thickens.
• Transfer the mixture to a vessel, cover it with a lid and pressure cook for 4 minutes or 4 whistles.
• Once the pressure subsides, remove from the cooker and allow it to cool.
• Heat the remaining ghee in a tadka pan, add in cashew nuts and fry till they turn golden brown in color.
• Add the tadka to kali and mix well. Thiruvadhirai kali is ready!

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Happy Pongal!

 

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