Chettinad Recipes

Ingredients:

Vendakkai(Okra) cut into small pieces-3 cups
Chopped Onions-3/4 cup
Split Green chilli-2
Chopped Tomato-1/2 cup
Chili Powder-1 tspn
Coriander Powder-1/2 tspn
Turmeric powder-1/2 tspn
Thoor dhal-1/2 cup
Tamarind paste-1 tspn
Mustard seeds-1/2 tspn
Cumin Seeds-1/2 tspn
Oil-2 tablespoon
Coriander leaves-little
Curry leaf-little
Salt to taste

Cooking Method:

Cook the thoor dhal in pressure cooker for 5 minutes.Once the dhal is cooked mash it and keep it aside. Saute the Okra in 1 tablespoon oil for 7 to 8 minutes until it is no longer sticky. Add more oil if necessary.

Heat 1 table spoon of oil in a heavy bottomed pan, season with mustard,cumin and curry leaves. When the mustard begins to pop add onion and green chili and saute for 1 minute. Now add tomato,salt and turmeric powder and saute until the tomatoes are well cooked. Now add the Okra,2 cups of water and the taramarind paste. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes until the pieces are cooked and the gravy is thick. Add the mashed Thoor dhal. Cook for another 3 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Tip:

I have noticed that if you keep Okra(cut Okra) in the Fridge for atleast 1/2 hour before cooking,it reduces the stickiness – makes it lot easier to cook.

Health notes:

Okra is good source of Vitamin C (22%), High in Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Thiamin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Manganese, Riboflavin, Niacin, Iron, Zinc and Copper

Dish rich in antioxidant and protien

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Channa Dhal(Kadalai Paruppu)
1 Dried Red Chili pepper(more if needed)
1/2 tspn fennel seeds
1/2 tspn cumin seeds
6 tblspn oil
few curry leaves
1 tspn mustard seeds
2 tspn urad dhal
1 cup chopped onions
salt to taste
4 cups chopped broccoli
2 tbspn grated coconut

Cooking Method:

1. Soak Channa Dhal in water for 30 minutes.
2. After draining water, grind coarsely along with red pepper, fennel seeds and cumin seeds.
3. Add enough water so that the mixture has coarse texture.
4. Make small patties of the mixture and steam cook for 7 to 10 minutes.
5. Let the patties cool for a while, then mash the patties and stir fry them for 3 to 5 minute in 4 tablespoons of oil.
6. Microwave the broccoli for 1 to 2 minutes and let it cool for few minutes.
7. Separately heat 1 tablespoon of  oil, add seasoning, onions, curry leaves and saute for 2 minutes.
8. Add broccoli with salt and fry for 2 another minutes.
9. Add the fried dhal mixture and saute for 2 another minutes.
10. Finally add the coconut and saute for one minute.

Tips:

You can make the patties ahead of time and store them in Freezer.

Welcome to Chettinad Cook  website, this site contains recipes of Chettinad style dishes, which is very popular in southern India and very rich in spice that are authentic to Chettinad community. Chettinad community also known as Nattu-Kottai Chettiars.