Thengai potta poriyal (தேங்காய் போட்ட கறி )

Thengai potta poriyal is frequently made in Brahmin households, and it is very easy to make. This poriyal goes well with rice and rasam, sambar or kuzhambu. Thengai potta poriyal is often included in the traditional feast menu. You can make both country vegetables and 'English' vegetables in this manner.

Ingredients: (Serves four)

Cut vegetables – 2 teacups*

Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon

Dried red chilli – 3 no (குண்டு மிளகாய் வத்தல்)

Salt – to taste

Mustard seeds – 1 teaspoon

Split urad dhal – ½ teaspoon

Cooking oil – 2 teaspoons

Asafoetida – a generous pinch

Grated coconut – 2 tablespoons

Curry leaves – a few

*Cabbage, carrot, plantain, broad beans, cluster beans, French beans, snake gourd, ladies finger, brinjal, yam, chow-chow, ivy gourd and radish may be prepared in this manner. Cabbage, broad beans, cluster beans and french beans should be chopped finely. Snake gourd, ladies finger, brinjal, chow-chow, carrot, and radish should be cut into small pieces, while plantain and yam may be cut into cubes.

Thengai potta poriyal - Carrot and radish

Method: Heat oil in a kadai and fry red chillies till they turn darker in color. Add mustard seeds, when they start to sputter, add urad dhal and fry till the dhal turns golden brown. Add asafoetida and switch of the fire. Add the cut vegetable, turmeric powder and salt and mix well. Sprinkle little water, cover and cook on low flame. Once the vegetable is cooked well, add grated coconut, toss a few times and remove from fire. Garnish with curry leaves. Serve hot with rice and sambar/ rasam/ kuzhambu.

Plantain thengai potta poriyal

Tip: Combination of some vegetables works very well - such as carrots, cabbage & beans; carrots & chow-chow; and carrots & radish (see picture). Two tablespoon of pressure cooked whole green gram (பச்சை பயறு) or black eyed peas (காராமணி) may be added to snake gourd or chow-chow. This improves the taste as well the nutritional value of the poriyal. 

If you like this post, please share it with your friends, followers or contacts, by just clicking the 'Face book', 'Twitter' or 'Google +’ icons you see below the post. Feel free to post your comment/ feedback. Your support is greatly appreciated. Thank you!