CUCUMBER BUTTERMILK

Cucumber in your diet- Beauty begins from inside. Cucumbers are 95%water, is a natural coolant and  helps in keeping the body hydrated. Because of the high water content, they help in cleansing the system of toxins. So it is good to include them in our diet in the form of salads, cucumber butter milk, raita etc.  

If you have a puffy ice, keep two slices on your ice, you will feel very comfortable.  In Mumbai, during summer, you can see the gadiwalas selling cucumber with bit salt and chilli powder or as it is you can have it.

It is also used as face pack and other beauty related issues.  Butter milk, cucumber and subja is having cooling effect and it is good for the summer heat to hydrate your body.  In older days, I remember, under the pipal tree, near our Shiva temple,  big earthen pot is filled with neer mor and the passer by can have a glass of this neer mor during summer.

CHUKKU, MILAGU, THIPPALI RASAM

This recipe  is lying in my draft for a long time and could not publish it3 Chuku, milagu, Kandan thippali rasam my mother used to make when we are down with cough, cold and fever.  In fact, the grandma's recipes are quite healthy and good to try before we run to the doctor now a days.

Thippali, when my brother went to native place, asked him to get it from there as I was not knowing where will I get here and no time to go around and find out.

Since I am down with fever and cold, I thought I will make this.  Frankly speaking, rasam is always favourite of mine and my elder brother.  Nothing like rasam rice, any time, we love it.

Some people think rasam is made only when you are sick.  But that is wrong.  It can be served as an appetizer, just have it as soup and of course with  steaming hot rice.

It is known as kanda thippali, thipli, pipli, long pepper etc. 

PAPAD, MANATHAKALI, CHUNDAKKA VATHALKUZHAMBU

Papad, manathakali,chundakka vathalkuzhambu I made because there were little of each ingredients left out in the container.  the papad was in small pieces,  manathakali and chundakka got over, hardly two  tbs each was left.  So decided to make the vathalkuzhambu with these and made rice.  loved it with chapati too.

MANATHAKALI ELAI DAL

Manathakkali or Milagu thakkali or wonder berry is a tiny juicy berry, and its leaves is called  Manathakkali keerai.  This is used mostly  in  South Indian homes.  It is called as Manathakkali in Malayalam, Kamanchi Chettu in Telugu, Makoy in Hindi, Kakkesappu in Kannada, and Black Nightshade in English.

The raw berries are used for making vatha kuzhambu and  ripe berries can be washed and eaten directly. The ripe Manathakkali has a sweet taste and helps alleviate stomach pains and mouth ulcers.

It helps cure liver disorders, chronic skin ailments (psoriasis and ringworm), inflammatory conditions, painful periods, fevers, diarrhoea , eye diseases, and hydrophobia. It is also recommended as a home remedy for mouth ulcers.


I have got a plant in the pot in my balcony.  The plant I saw it in one of the walls outside was picked by me and planted in the pot as I was sure that it will get destroyed over there.  Since it has got medicinal value, I thought I should not miss the chance to bring home.



Coming back to the recipe, I made dal with the greens.

SWISS CHARD PORIYAL

Swiss chard poriyal I made to serve along with chapati, rice.  It is an easy preparation and loved it like the normal green veg poriyals.

Chard  is a leafy  green  vegetable  often used in Mediterranean cooking  Chard has shiny, green, ribbed leaves,  that range from white to yellow to red, depending on the cultivar.  Swiss chard is high in vitamins A, K & C.   It is also rich in minerals, dietary fiber, and protein.

  

MANJAL, MANGA INJI THOGAYAL

 Fresh haldi, ambe halad it is known as, manga inji (mango ginger) chutney.  This is good for the stomach.

KOTHMIR SUBZI

Kothmir or green coriander is very good for health.  The juice taken in empty stomach helps in reducing the sugar level  in the body thus suggested for diabetic patients.  Otherwise also, it gives a good taste and aroma in the subzi or dal or sambar.

The chutney made out of this can be spread in bread while making sandwich, chaat items etc.

The subzi was quite tasty along with carrot.

KUTHIRAVALI RAVA UPMA

Kuthiraivali |barnyard millet is known as Odalu in Kannada, Jhangora in Hindi is a healthy millet.  Millets  are highly nutritious, non-glutinous and not acid forming foods. Hence they are soothing and easy to digest. They are considered to be the least allergenic and most digestible grains available. Compared to rice, especially polished rice, millets release lesser percentage of glucose and over a longer period of time. This lowers the risk of diabetes.Millets are particularly high in minerals like iron, magnesium, phosphorous and potassium. Finger millet (Ragi) is the richest in calcium content, about 10 times that of rice or wheat.

I had been to Madras recently, I had asked my sister in law to get some Kuthiravali rava and tinai rava.  I made upma out of the Kuthiravali and liked it very much.  I felt  that I am eating Chama or samai.  Kuthiravali rava upma ( video)  

PURPLE COLOUR CABBAGE SUBZI

Whenever I see something different kind of vegetables,  I always pick up the same.  Though I have seen this purple cabbage, my children never allowed me to buy this.  Yesterday, when I was in the market, I could not resist as it was a small one weighting around 250 gms which I picked it.

After preparing the same, my daughter said, there is no difference in taste between the white one and this one. 

I prepared the thoran differently this time as my daughter would not eat the coconut if I put it. 

ANGAYA PODI

Angayapodi is a nutritious powder which is given to ladies after delivery.  This can be had by all because the ingredients added in this has got medicinal value which cures cold, cough, indigestion,  gas etc.  In short this has got more medicinal values than the taste and flavour which you may like or may not.

All ingredients are dry fried in a  kadai and ground to a smooth powder in   the mixer.   Once you have made the podi and tried it, you can adjust the ingredients to suit your taste.

Angaya podi has been used in many Tamil households for years and is an ancient recipe. This podi or powder is a combination of spices and herbs. 

A little information about the important  ingredients  is given below after the recipe.

Let us look at the recipe now: