Watercress Koottu

Watercress is one of the gifted greens to mankind. Nowadays it is popular due to it’s anti – cancer property. It has a peculiar peppery taste, so I tried these greens with mung dal (paasi paruppu) and coconut. It tasted very good. It’s nutritional and other properties are here.

Ingredients:

• Watercress -1 bunch
• Mung dal – 150 g
• Grated coconut (grind to a fine paste) – 2 Tablespoons
• Canola oil – 1 Teaspoon
• Mustard seeds – ¼ Teaspoon
• Split urad dal – ½ Teaspoon
• Dried red chili - 1
• Turmeric powder – ¼ Teaspoon
• Salt as needed
• Coriander leaves for garnishing

 Method: 

• Wash mung dal with water and keep aside.
• Wash Watercress to remove adhering soil. Trim the leaves with stem about two inches and reserve for cooking. Discard the bottom semi hard stem.
•  Heat oil in a frying pan and add mustard seeds. When they pop up add urad dal. Fry till dal is slightly brown.
• Add mung dal, two cups of water, turmeric powder and cook until the dal is half done.
• Now add the watercress and crushed red chili.
• Cook the mixture, adjust salt and add coconut. Cook further for few seconds.
• Cook the mixture by not closing the frying pan through the whole process.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.
• It goes very well with hot rice and chapathi.

Finger Millet (Kezhvaragu) Ladoo

Ingredients:

• Finger millet flour (Kezhvaragu or ragi) – 100 ml
• Jaggery (powdered) – 100 ml
• Cashew nuts – 6
• Grated coconut – 1 Tablespoon
• Sesame seeds – 1 Tablespoon
• Cardamom powder – a pinch
• Ghee (clarified butter) – 1 Teaspoon
• Skimmed milk (warm) – 3 Tablespoons

 Method: 

• Heat ghee in a kadai over medium heat, add cashews and roast. Keep aside.
• In the same kadai roast ragi flour for about 5 minutes. Keep aside.
• Turn off heat. Add sesame seeds in the same kadai and roast for few seconds and keep aside. For roasting sesame seeds, the remaining heat in the kadai is enough.
• In a separate pan, fry coconut, cardamom powder and jaggery together until the coconut releases a good aroma. That is, coconut turns dry while dry roasting.
• Now mix all together, sprinkle warm milk and by using your hand form them into small balls. If you feel the mixture is still dry add little more milk. Initially add a tablespoon of milk and make the mixture into crumble, then add another tablespoon of milk. Like wise add remaining milk and form the mixture into small balls.
• Store them in an airtight container. From this recipe you will get 6 ladoos.

 Note:

• Ragi is Finger millet.
• Jaggery is unrefined non-centrifugal whole cane sugar.
• Both are available in Indian stores.
• You can substitute powdered sugar for jaggery.

Zucchini with Orange

Ingredients:

• Zucchini (thinly sliced) - 1
• Mandarin orange (peel skin, cut segments into small pieces) - 1
• Salt - a pinch
• Ground black pepper - a pinch
• Butter - 1/4 Teaspoon (optional)

Method:

• In a microwave safe casserole mix together all the ingredients except orange.
• Cover and microwave for about 4 minutes or until fork tender. Stir in between.
• While serving sprinkle orange pieces on the top.
• Serve warm as a side dish.

Sending this to Akheela's Food palette series Green