Leafy vegetables are an essential ingredient of Indian
food. They provide Minerals,Vitamins and Fibers. Combination of Fibers and cellulose acts as a powerful combination to keep the intestines
clean.
A lot many greens (Kirai) are available in Southern India. I am posting "PAPPU-KURA " a combination of redgram dhall and Agathi kirai/ Mullai Kirai or tender Thanda Kirai (Leaves and tender
stem). This kirai goes well with rice and rotis also.
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(2 servings for a family of four)
Agathi/Mullai Kirai 1 Large bunch
Red Gram Dhall (Thoram) 175 gms.
Onion 1 large
Garlic 6 to 8 cloves
Tomato (optional) 1 large
Tamarind extract 1/4 cup
Salt to taste
Jaggery/Sugar a little
SPICES
Dhania 1 Tb Spoon
Jeera 1/2 t spoon
Red chillies 4 to 5 nos.
Turmeric powder 1/4 spoon
Oil for frying 1 spoon
Green chillies 2 nos (medium hot)
TEMPERING
Cooking oil 2 ladles
Mustard seed 1/2 spoon
Kadalai Parappu (Channa dhall)
1/2 spoon
Black gram dhall 1/4 spoon
Curry leaves 1 sprig.
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Wash the greens thoroughly after plucking the
leaves. Ensure that no sand or grit is left.
Cook thoram parappu (Red Gram Dhall)in a pressure cooker for 4 whistles.
Cut onion in Long slices, make large pieces of Garlic. Set them aside.
Once the dhall is cooked, pressurecook Onion , Garlic and Greens and Green chillies after finelly
chopping.
Please avoid cooking Dhall and greens together as it somehow spoils the taste of Dhall and the mashing it results in improper
mixture.
When pressure cooked greens along with onion and Garlic is cold, Mash using a blender or a mixi bowl, just roughly mash so as the greens do not become a homogeneous
mixture.
You may instead use flat under side of the rice serving spoon to mash the
greens.
Similarly remove excess water from cooked dhall and mash the dhall to pulp.
Take little oil in a kadai and add Dhania, Jeera and Red chillies when
hot. fry them just for about ten second at the maximum , remove and powder when
cold. Set aside
Take two ladles of oil in a kadai and add tempering except curry leaves when oil is
hot.
When mustard starts splattering, add curry leaves and immediately add extract of
Tamarind.
Cook tamarind extract for two to three minutes till it loses raw Tamarind
smell.
Now add mashed Greens first and after a minute, add mashed dhall. Mix
thoroughlly. Now add ground spices and Turmeric powder. If you like it hot, you may add more green
chillies.
Cook for about further five to seven minutes. (If the water is less, add a little
dhall/Kirai water. Make sure that PAPPU KURA is not watery. It should have a thick
consistancy.
Now add salt to taste. Mix thoroughly and after a minute, switch off the
stove.
By now, a heavenly kirai Aroma would have spread all
aroung.
Serve hot with steaming rice or Rotis/Parathas.
But this goes best with steaming rice cooked in Southern Indian style (each grain seperate)
Enjoy!!!
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