Kollu Kadaiyal, a delicious and flavorful curry made with horse gram. It's one of the popular recipes in the Kongu region of Tamilnadu. 

Back in the days, in Tirunelveli, Amma or anyone from our family circle never made anything with kollu so obviously I never knew or tasted kollu before marriage. After marriage, when i came to Tiruppur, i heard about kollu paruppu / rasam a lot and knew that's one of the common dishes in that region.

However, i had tried my hands on this ingredient very recently only. Couple of months back, i bought a pack of horse gram because of impulsive buying when roaming around the grocery aisle without the purchase list on hand :-)

First thing i tried with horse gram was this kollu kadaiyal. It was simply amazing in taste and flavor. Ever since i have been making this curry for at least once in 15 days. More than a curry we like this as an accompaniment. So usually i serve this along with rice and puli kuzhambu. 

The main flavor of the curry comes from the grounded spices. So i highly recommend to make it fresh instead of  using the ready-made ones.  Also, you can make this curry as mushy as you want. In our house ,we don't prefer mushy paruppu, so don't mush the horse gram completely.

Now let's check out on how to make this delicious Kollu Kadaiyal 

Kollu Kadaiyal | Horse Gram Curry

Preparation Time : 10 mins | Cooking Time : 20 mins | Serves : 3 
Recipe Category: Curry | Recipe Cuisine: Indian
Kollu Kadaiyal, Horse gram Curry, Kollu Paruppu description.

Sandhiya https://www.facebook.com/SandhiyasCookbook https://www.instagram.com/sandhiyascookbook/

Ingredients

Kollu / Horse gram - 1/2 cup

Tomato - 1 

Garlic - 2 cloves

Green Chili - 1

Coriander leaves - a few

To Roast & Grind

Coriander seed - 2 tsp

Cumin seed - 1/2 tsp

Pepper corns - 1/2 tsp

Onion -1/2

To Temper

Sesame oil - 1 tsp

Mustard & urad dal - 1/4 tsp(each)

Pearl onion - 5 

Red chili -1 

Procedure

Take the kollu in a pressure cooker, wash it twice and then add 1 cup water along with roughly chopped tomatoes, garlic and green chili.

Close the pressure cooker with a lid and cook it for 5-6 whistles. In the mean time, dry roast the ingredients listed under " To Roast & Grind". First add the spice and roast till aromatic and then add the sliced onions and saute till translucent.

Let it cool completely and grind them into coarse paste. 

Once the pressure is naturally released from the pressure cooker, open the cooker, discard the green chili and then mash the horsegram roughly.

Put the pressure cooker on the heat again and add the grounded spices and bring into a boil(if needed add water as per your needed consistency).

In the mean time, temper the ingredients listed under "To Temper" and add it into the kadaiyal.

Finally add some chopped coriander leaves and mix it all well. 

Delicious Kollu Kadaiyal is ready ! You can serve this as main curry or as an accompaniment. 

Related: How to make Kollu Idli Podi

Notes:

• If you want more spiciness, you can mash the green chili as well.
• While serving, you can add a tsp of ghee for extra flavor.

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Kalyana Veetu Senai Kizhangu Masala | Elephant Yam Curry

Kalyana Veetu Senai Kizhangu Masala, a delicious side dish made from elephant yam and exotic Indian spices. It's one of the popular dishes in South Indian wedding feast. It's so tasty and has a wonderful aroma that goes well with typical South Indian lunch meals. 

I have known people who are a big fan of this curry and never miss a chance to have it at the marriage feast.  Also Senai Kizhangu is used in many South Indian dishes like Aviyal, Kootan Soru and poriyal. It has a unique flavor and it elevates the tastes of the dishes to the whole new level.

Senai kizhangu is usually in big size and a normal size family wouldn't be able to finish all of it before it's been spoiled. So usually we used to buy cut out pieces only in our home town. But here in Canada, Indian stores carry fresh cut pieces occasionally . But whenever i see one, I definitely grab  one. 

Though i have been making this senai kizhangu masala for a very long time, recently i realised that i  haven't shared this recipe here . So here it is ! If you're a lover of kalyana veetu senai kizhangu masala, i'm sure that you will love this recipe.

Now let's go and check out the recipe.

Kalyana Veetu Senai Kizhangu Masala

Preparation Time : 5 mins | Cooking Time : 15 mins | Serves : 4 
Recipe Category: Curry | Recipe Cuisine: Indian
Senai Kizhangu Masala,Kalyana Veetu Senai Kizhangu Masala, Kalyana Veetu Senai Kizhangu Masala, a delicious side dish made from the elephant yam. It's one of the popular dishes in South Indian wedding feast.

Sandhiya https://www.facebook.com/SandhiyasCookbook https://www.instagram.com/sandhiyascookbook/

Ingredients

Senai Kizhangu/Elephant Yam - 2 cups(cubed)

Onion (finely chopped) - 1(small)

Tomato paste - 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Red chili powder - 3/4 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 & 1/2 tsp

Garam masala - 1 tsp

Oil - 1 & 1/2 tbsp

Mustard - 1/4 tsp

Fennel seed - 1/4 tsp

Cumin seed - 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 sprig 

Coriander leaves - a few

To grind 

Coconut (grated) - 1/4 cup

Cashews - 10

Fennel seed - 1/2 tsp

Procedure

First peel the senai kizhangu and cut into small cubes. Then put all the senai kizhangu in a bowl along with little water and a pinch of turmeric. 

Steam it for 5 mins until they are soft. I used my instant pot for steaming the senai kizhangu, but you cab steam it in open pot with boiling water or with the steamer. Heat the pan with oil , add mustard, let it splutter then add the cumin and fennel seeds.

After a couple of secs, add the onions.  Saute the onions till they are translucent.

Then add the curry leaves and tomato paste( you can also use one finely chopped tomatoes instead of tomato paste.)

Give a good mix(if you're using tomatoes, saute till they are mushy and proceed the next steps.) and then add the boiled water from the yam(if you've boiled the yam in open pot, make sure to reserve some, it has great flavor.) and mix it well.

Next add all the spices(turmeric,red chili and coriander powder), give a stir and cover cook till the raw smell is gone.

Grind the ingredients listed under "To grind" and add it to the pan along with salt and a 1/2 cup of water.

Let it comes to boil and then add the cooked yam.

Followed by garam masala. Let it cook till it all comes together as thick masala. Finally add some coriander leaves. 

Yummy Senai Kizhangu Masala is ready.

Related : How to make Senai Kizhangu Varuval 

Notes:

• Cut the senai kizhangu into small pieces so that it blends with the masala well.
• Adding more cashews gives such a rich taste.
• Adjust the masala consistency as per your liking. Reserve the yam cooked water and use it as needed to adjust the consistency. It's very flavorful. 

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Pepper Chicken Dry, a delicious and easy to make chicken side dish that goes well with both rotis and rice or as starter too. This recipe tastes great for the chicken with bone and boneless well however i used to make this mostly with boneless chicken.

By looking at the ingredients list you may wonder how it would taste with these minimal ingredients. But i assure you that it's one of the recipes that proves often less is required for making delicious recipe. 

Nowadays, life is so busy with my little one so it's really hard for me to post here as frequent as before even though i cook more than before as of now :-)  Anyhow , i make sure to share  at least one recipe / month and seems like that's what i'm doing for the last 3-4 months. 

Ok, now coming to the recipe, this recipe doesn't need preparation ahead within 20 mins it would be ready and taste simply awesome. Do give a try and let me share your thoughts in the comments section.

Pepper Chicken Dry | Kozhi Milagu Varuval

Preparation Time : 5 mins | Cooking Time : 15 mins | Serves : 2 
Recipe Category: Curry | Recipe Cuisine: Indian
chicken, kozhi milagu varuval, chicken pepper fry, dry pepper chicken Pepper Chicken Dry, a delicious and easy to make chicken side dish that goes well with both rotis and rice or as starter too.

Sandhiya https://www.facebook.com/SandhiyasCookbook https://www.instagram.com/sandhiyascookbook/

Ingredients

Chicken - 1/2 lb / 200 gms approx(boneless)
Onion(thinly sliced) - 2(small)
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Pepper Powder - 1 tsp

Garam Masala powder - 1/2 tsp

Lemon juice - 1 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Curry leaves - 2 sprigs 

Procedure

First clean the chicken and cut into bit size pieces, then add ginger garlic paste and all the spice powder( turmeric powder, red chilli powder and coriander powder).

Next add the salt and 1/2 tsp of lemon juice and mix it all together well. Heat a pan with the oil.

Then add the marinated chicken and saute it in the oil for 2-3 mins and then keep the heat in low and cover the pan with lid and let the chicken cook fully.

Once the chicken is well cooked, remove it on the plate and then add the sliced onions in the same pan.

Next add the curry leaves and a pinch of salt . Saute the onions till they are translucent.

Then add the cooked chicken, give a good mix in the onion masala and then finally add the garam masala powder and pepper powder.

Coat the chicken in the pepper powder well and then switch off the flame and finally squeeze the remaining 1/2 tsp of lemon juice. Mix it well.

That's it, Delicious Dry Pepper Chicken is ready to serve. 

Related : Chicken Coconut Curry 

Notes:

• For this recipe, i didn't use whole spices like cinnamon, cloves and cardamom in order to avoid bitting them.
• Make sure to use good amount of curry leaves for the best flavor.
• It's has mild spice so add more or less of chiilli powder/pepper powder according to your taste.
• Don't reduce the amount of onions since it's the key for the taste. 
• 

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Capsicum Raita | Bellpepper Raita

Capsicum Raita, a simple and delicious side dish made  from curd and bell pepper/capsicum. In Tamilnadu, onion raita is quite a staple raita and it's widely served as a side dish for biryani, parotta and chapathi both in restaurants and in houses. Also, in South Tamilnadu and in Kerala, we're making "Thayir pachadi" with a lot of country vegetables like ash gourd,  cucumber and okra  which is somewhat similar to raita. 

Coming to today's recipe, here i have used a combination of yellow and orange capsicum, but you can use a single  color or any of your favorite colors. If you like capsicum flavor, then you must give this raita a try, it's simply awesome and tastes great as a side dish for all types of rotis ! Now let's check out the recipe.

Capsicum Raita

Preparation Time : 5 mins | Cooking Time : 5 mins | Serves : 2 
Recipe Category: Raita | Recipe Cuisine: Indian
Capsicum Raita, Bell pepper Raita, Raita Recipe, Side dish Capsicum Raita, a simple and delicious side dish made from curd and bell pepper/capsicum.

Sandhiya https://www.facebook.com/SandhiyasCookbook https://www.instagram.com/sandhiyascookbook/

Ingredients

Capsicum - 1/4 cup(chopped)

Green Chili - 1

Curd - 1/2 cup

Coriander leaves - few

Salt - to taste

Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp(optional)

Oil - 1/2 tsp

Mustard & urad dal - 1/4 tsp

Procedure

Chop the capsicum and green chili into small pieces. Take the curd in a bowl and add enough salt and whisk it well. Heat the pan with oil, add mustard and urad dal. Let the mustard splutters.

Then add the capsicum and green chilies with a pinch of salt. Saute till the capsicum are soft. Let it cool a bit, then add into the curd along with chopped coriander leaves. Mix it well. Tasty Capsicum Raita is ready to serve. 

Notes:

• You can use any color of capsicum in this recipe.
• I haven't used the garam masala, but for more flavor, you can add some garam masala while sauteing.

 

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Mullangi Muttai Poriyal, a quick and tasty stir fry made from radish and egg. It's one of the recent additions to our lunch menu and often make them lately. About a couple of months ago, one day, Amma told me about this recipe that she heard it from her sister(my periamma) and the very next day itself she tried and said that the pungent flavor from the radish is not dominant in this recipe and makes it such a good side dish for any south indian lunch meal.  
If you have read my radish paratha/ mooli paratha post, you might know how hard i find it to finish off the large radishes that are available here. So when i found out about this recipe which is approved by amma and periamma without any hesitation, I tried it immediately. As expected it tastes really good ,the pungent smell of radish is hardly noticeable. Looking for some interesting recipe with radish? Do give it a try on this one. Now let's check out how to make this radish egg poriyal. 

Mullangi Muttai Poriyal | Radish Egg Poriyal

Preparation Time : 5 mins | Cooking Time : 15 mins | Serves : 2 
Recipe Category: Poriyal | Recipe Cuisine: Indian
Radish Poriyal,Radish Egg Poriyal,Accompaniment,Side dish,Mullangi Muttai Poriyal Mullangi Muttai Poriyal, a quick and tasty stir fry made from radish and egg. It's one of the recent additions to our lunch menu and often make them lately.

Sandhiya https://www.facebook.com/SandhiyasCookbook https://www.instagram.com/sandhiyascookbook/

Ingredients
Radish(grated) - 1 & 1/2 cup
Egg - 1
Green chili - 2
Onion - 1/2
Curry leaves - few
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard & urad dal - 1/4 tsp
Salt - to taste
Pepper powder - to taste
Coriander leaves - few

Procedure

Chop the onions into small pieces and slit the green chilies vertically and keep all the other ingredients to be ready. Heat a pan with oil ,add mustard and urad dal, let the mustards splutter. Then add the onions, curry leaves & chili with pinch of salt & saute till the onions are translucent.Next add the ginger garlic paste and saute till it's aromatic. Then add the grated radish & required salt and give a good mix. Cover it with a lid and cook till the radish are done. Make a well in the center of radish.Crack open an egg in the center and add required salt & pepper for egg and start mixing it with a spoon. Once the eggs start to cook, mix it with the radish well. Cook till the eggs are done. Switch off the flame and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.Tasty Radish Egg Poriyal is ready.
For more curries and veggies, check out here 

Notes:

• No need to add water while cooking radish, the moisture from the radish itself is enough for cook them.
• Add more or less of chili as per your taste preference. 
• For the given quantity, you can use up to 2 eggs in total.
• Don't reduce the quantity of ginger garlic paste, that's the major flavor in this poriyal

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