Agathi keerai poriyal /Green leaf curry using Keerai Masala powder

Agathi Keerai - " King of Greens "

Agathi keerai is one of the richest healthy greens among all other Greens. Many of us do not like to have this greens and neglect it because of its poor taste. Here I have given you the method to cook the greens as a tasty and flavourful side dish for your meal. 

For your convinience :

English: Agathi
TAMIL: Agathi Keerai
TELUGU: Avise
Hindi: Agasti
KANNADA: Agase
MALAYALAM: Agathi

Ingredients:

1. Agathi Keerai - 1 Bunch
2. Big Onion - 1
3. Shallots - 5 nos (optional)
4. Channa Dal - 2 tsp
5. Urad Dal - 1 tsp
6. Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup
7. Red Chilli - 2 nos
8. Keerai Masala Powder - 1 to 2 tbsp
9. Cooking Oil - 1 tbsp
10. Salt as per taste

Cooking Method:
Wash the greens thoroughly for 2 to 3 times and cut it as small leaves.

In a pan add some water and add the cutted greens along with some salt. Cook in medium flame until it gets cooked. Do not close the Lid (Greens must not be closed while getting cooked. I follow my Mom). Do not drain the water. Cook with water as needed.

In another pan add some oil followed by onion, red chilli and cooked greens. saute it for some time. Then add keerai masala powder followed by grated coconut. give a quick saute and switch off the flame.
  
Click the Image and zoom you will get clear stepwise pictures

Now your tasty and masala flavoured greens curry is ready to have with Rice.

Notes:

• For Variation you can use Murungai Keerai instead of agathi keerai. The same process as above.
• To make the curry quickly skip the 2nd step that is cooking the keerai separately. Instead, after sauting onions you can add keerai and then add water for cooking the keerai along with onions. After getting cooked add keerai masala powder.
• This masala powder is preferably used for cooking only Murungai and agathi Keerai. 

Keerai Masala Powder / Greens Recipe

Everybody would have heard masala powders for curry, gravy and for frying dishes, here it is strange to prepare masala powder for cooking greens. Most of us hesitate to have agathi keerai (one kind of green leaf) because of its poor taste. But there are many unknown factors hidden behind this agathi keerai. This keerai is known as " king of Green leaves ". It is a nutrient rich powerful green leaf which is consumed twice or thrice a month only with regular time interval. In the next post I will be posting How to cook the greens by adding masala powder.

Here I have given a masala powder which when added to this agathi keerai gives a rich flavour and it is too healthy and digestible masala powder. Here is the Recipe for U all. You can view How to cook agathi keerai using keerai masala powder here.

Ingredients:

1. Toor Dal - 2 tbsp
2. Channa Dal - 1 tbsp
3. Rice - 1 tbsp
4. Jeera - 1 tbsp
5. Dried Red Chilli - 4 nos

  
Directions to make Keerai masala powder:

In a pan add rice followed by other ingredients. Saute in low flame for about 2 to 5 mins(no need to add oil for sauting). switch off the flame. Let it be cool for some time. 

Click the Image and zoom you will get clear stepwise pictures

After it is cool add in a mixer grinder and grind it to a fine powder. 

Store it in an air tight container.

Sprouted Horsegram or kulthi Dhal Curry / Kollu Mulaikatiya Kuzhambu

This is my Mom's special and healthy curry. In our family all of us are fan's for this curry because the flavour of coconut and kollu both combined gives an extraordinary taste for this curry. I would like to share this curry to all my readers.

Ingredients:

1. Sprouted horsegram - 1 cup
2. Shallots - 10 nos
3. Tomato - 1 no
4. Coconut Chopped - 1/2 cup
5. Coconut grated - 1/2 Cup 
6. Dried Red Chilli - 3 nos
7. Sambar powder - 2 tsp
8. Curry Leaves - 1sprig
9. Coriander leaves - Optional

Cooking Method:


Soak Horse gram for atleast 8 hours. Drain the excess water and keep in it in a closed vessel over night. (I drained the water using juice filter and kept the horse gram as such overnight by closing the filter) The next morning you can notice sprouts in horse gram.

(The next morning I noticed the sprout came out through the holes. It was wonderful and amazing for me to see the sprouts in juice filter the next day)

Chop the shallots and tomato. Chop the Coconut as shown below. 

In a pressure cooker add oil followed by shallots, tomato, red chilli, chopped coconut, curry leaves one by one and saute for few mins. 
Next add Sambar powder and mix well.

Click the Image and zoom you will get clear stepwise pictures

Now add the sprouted horse gram and saute for some time. Now add enough water to cook the sprout. close the lid and give 7 to 10 Whistles.  

Now the sprout has cooked well. Separate only the sprout without coconut and keep in a plate.

• In a mixer grinder add the grated coconut and the sprout which has kept separately.  
• Grind both to a smooth paste. Add this grounded paste to the cooked sprouted curry. 
• Let it cook for 5 mins. If the curry is too thick you can add some water too. 
• Now switch off the flame and add coriander leaves. 

Now the sprouted horse gram curry is absolutely ready with a coconut flavour to have with Rice. Have a nice meal.

Notes:

• I used home made sambar powder. so this curry turned with utmost flavour.
• I am not sure with store bought sambar powder. You can substitute with red chilli powder, coriander powder and jeera powder instead of sambar powder.

Green Moong Dal Curry / South Indian Style Pachai Payaru Masiyal

It is a healthy protein rice dal recipe. It is a simple and easy dal curry recipe which can be done instantly, even if we do not plan for lunch menu. As soon as we think we can cook this. No need to soak the dal and wait for to cook. The best companion for this curry will be Potato or raw banana fry dishes. Ladies finger Tamarind stir fry also goes well with Combo. Though this dal recipe is familiar to many of us, I would like to have these basic recipes in my blog. 

Ingredients:

1. Green gram / Green Moong Dal - 1 Cup
2. Shallots - 8 to 10 nos
3. Tomato - 1 medium size
4. Green Chilli - 2 nos
5. Garlic chopped - 1 tbsp
6. Cumin - 2 tsp
7. Coriander powder - 1 tsp
8. Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
9. Sambar powder - 2 tsp
10. Mustard seeds- 1 pinch
11. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
12. Coriander Leaves 
13. Cooking Oil - 2 tbsp
14. Coconut Oil - 1 tbsp
15. Ghee (optional)
16. Salt as per taste

Cooking Method:

• First of all add green gram in a frying pan and saute for some time in a medium flame until it is slightly brown. No need to add Oil for sauting.
• Cook the Green Gram with enough water in pressure cooker by adding some oil. Leave upto 8 to 10 whistles in medium flame. I missed the pic of cooking green gram.
• In a Curry pan add oil followed by mustard, shallots, cumin, curry leaves garlic and then tomato and green chilli. saute in medium flame for up to 2 mins. 
• Add coriander, sambar, turmeric powders. give a quick saute.
• Now add the cooked green gram along with the cooked green gram water in the pressure cooker(do not drain the water). 
• If there is no cookeed water of green gram, add some water and allow to cook the green gram along with the spice powders and salt for some time. 
• Finally add coriander leaves and switch off the flame.

Click the Image and zoom you will get clear stepwise pictures

• If you have more stock water in the curry even after cooking the dal with spices, drain in a vessel as shown in below pic. Do not discard it. 
• Have only the cooked green gram dal in the vessel. Mash it nicely with a wooden masher as shown below.
• Now add the stock water to the curry and finally add coconut oil and mix well.

Click the Image and zoom you will get clear stepwise pictures

Have it with Hot Rice along with Ghee. It will be a fulfilled Lunch along with Rasam and Poriyal.

Children Lunch Box Idea 12 - Quick Capsicum Chapati Wrap

These Chapati wraps are easy and quick lunch Box item when chapati dough is in your hands. In about 10 mins you can make these wraps for lunch box or even for breakfast. It is yet stomach filling when paired with Curd rice. For your convenience make dough the before night and keep in fridge, so that you can make chapatis quickly in the morning. 

Children Lunch Box Idea - 12

Click the Link Below for Step by Step Pictures of making the Dish with Clear Procedure 

• Quick Capsicum Chapati Wrap

• Curd Rice

• Snacks : Cooked Peanuts 

Lunch Box is Ready ....

Ready to School :)

Children Lunch Box Idea 10 - Sprouted Green gram / Moong Dal Paratha

A protein rich paratha dish for children and elders too. For your convenience I suggest chapati dough and sprouted green gram paste can be done the before day and keep refrigerated. The sprouts paste can be kept for 2 to 3 days in fridge. Spicy Tomato pickle can also be kept in fridge for about 1 week. You may pair Raita for this paratha as the paratha already having masala's in it. You may adjust the spices according to your kids need.

Children Lunch Box Idea - 7

Click the Link Below for Step by Step Pictures of making the Dish with Clear Procedure  

• Sprouted green gram Paratha
• Spicy Tomato Pickle or Onion Raita
• Snacks : Papaya

Children Lunch Box Idea 11 - Spicy Chapati Noodles

I think this lunch box item might be every kids favourite and healthy too. Kids love eating this noodle type chapati very much as it is having mild masala in it(alter the spices according to your kids needs). You can pair it with any Raita of your choice or simply with any fresh friuts. Vyshu like to have it with Apples. Moreover this is a quick lunch box item for every Mom who is struggling to send their kids in time.

Children Lunch Box Idea - 11

Click the Link Below for Step by Step Pictures of making the Dish with Clear Procedure  

• Spicy Chapati Noodles
• Raita
• Apples
• Snacks : Marie Biscuits

Children Lunch Box Idea 9 - Masala Egg Bread

Masala Egg Bread can be sent as lunchbox item or simply can be sent for snacks. Egg has to consumed within a short period when it is done. It can be sent along with fruits and fruit juices, as it will be stomach filling and nutritious.

Children Lunch Box Idea - 9

Click the Link Below for Step by Step Pictures of making the Dish with Clear Procedure   

• Masala Egg Bread
• Tomato Sauce
• Any Fruit Juice
• Cucumber
• Snacks : Grapes

Children Lunch Box Idea 8 - Chapati with Flavoured Tomato Chutney

Chapati with a side dish of flavoured tomato chutney is nice lunchbox item. Moreover it is an easy and quick side dish for chapati or Roti since there is no need of any veggies to be cooked. If you are not satisfied with the coconut in the chutney, you can omit adding coconut and send for lunchbox. 

Children Lunch Box Idea - 8

Click the Link Below for Step by Step Pictures of making the Dish with Clear Procedure  

• Chapati
• Flavoured Tomato Chutney
• Banana
• Snacks : Carrots

Children Lunch Box Idea 7 - Chapati & Mushroom Curry

Chapati with Mushroom curry is a nice combination for lunch. You can even send a small quantity of curd rice along with this chapati. You can send banana or a cup of curd rice along with chapatis.

Children Lunch Box Idea - 7

Click the Link Below for Step by Step Pictures of making the Dish with Clear Procedure 

• Chapati 
• Mushroom Curry
• Curd Rice
• Snacks : Grapes

Notes:

You can make the mushroom curry paste the before night and keep refrigerated. By the Morning your only work is cleaning and cutting the mushroom and doing the curry. Its an easy n quick idea for your convenience.