French Beans Thoran - A simple recipe for a tasty side dish

Ingredients:-

1 ½ cup- French Beans finely chopped

1-2 Green Chillies

4 tbsp - Fresh Coconut- Grated

1-2 pinch- Turmeric

½ tsp - Mustard Seeds

¼ tsp- Urad dal

6-7 Curry Leaves

Salt as per taste

Oil- for cooking

Preparation:-

• Grind grated coconut, green chillies and couple of curry leaves without adding water.
• Heat oil in the pan, add mustard seeds to splutter, add urad dal and curry leaves. Saute for a second till urad dal turns slight golden.
• Add the finely chopped french beans, followed by turmeric powder, salt. Sprinkle little water and mix well in a medium flame. Cover the pan and let it simmer on low flame.
• Keep stirring once in a while to ensure the vegetable is not sticking to the bottom and there is enough moisture for the beans to cook.
• Once beans is almost done, add the grounded coconut- chilli paste and mix well.  Cover the pan for another mintue and remove it from flame.

Note:- Tradition preparation also includes to add a dash of coconut oil before removing the thoran from flame.

The same preparation can be used for Cabbage Thoran, Carrot Thoran, Cluster Beans(Gavar) Thoran, or mix vegetable.

Recipe and Image Contributed by :- Sangeeta Iyer

Inji Puli - A Sweet, Sour, Pungent Tamarind- Ginger chutney

Ingredients:-

1 small lemon size -Tamarind (preferably black tamarind)

2-3 tbsp- Ginger - Finely Chopped

1tbsp- Green Chillies- Finely chopped

1 tbsp - Jaggery

1 tsp- Mustard Seeds

5-6 - Curry Leaves

¼ tsp - Fenugreek seeds

¼ tsp- Turmeric Powder

½ tsp - Red Chilli Powder (or as per desired)

Salt as per taste

½ tbsp- Oil

Preparation:-

• Soak the tamarind in 1 cup water and keep it aside for 15-20 mins. Squeeze the tamarind juice from soft pulp.

• Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, when it splutters add fenugreek seeds and curry leaves.

• Add finely chopped ginger and green chillies, and fry it till it turns golden brown. Ensure curry leaves don’t turn black. Add the Tamarind juice, jaggery, turmeric powder red chilli powder and salt.

• Let it boil, add little water and let the mixture simmer to a thick consistency. Stir in occasionally to avoid any lump or sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Recipe and Image Contributed by Sangeeta Iyer

Sprouts Pulao - a healthy sprouts recipe

Ingredients:

½ cup Matki sprouts

½ cup Moong Boiled

2 cup brown rice or white rice Cooked

1 tsp oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

½  cup Onions finely Chopped

1 tsp  Garlic & Ginger finely Chopped

¼ tsp  of Turmeric

½ tsp  chilli powder

¼  cup Tomatoes  finely Chopped

3 tsp Capsicum  finely Chopped

1 tsp Pavbhaji masala

Salt to taste

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a non-stickpan & add Cumin seeds, when the seeds crackle, add the Onions & sauté in medium flame for 2min. Add Garlic,Ginger, Turmeric powder,Chilli powder, Tomatoes, saute for a while & little water. Cook on medium flame for 2 to 3 mins, add the capsicum, a little more water & cook on medium flame,.
2. Add Pavbhaji masala, Salt, Matki sprouts & the boiled moong mix well and cook for 2 to 3 mins, while stirring continuously.
3. Add the boiled rice, mix well & cook on medium flame for 2 to 3 min. 
4. Enjoy with curd & mango pickle

Recipe and Image Courtesy:- Anita Nair