Padavalanga / Podalangai Koottu

Padavalanga / Podalangai Koottu is one of my favourite types of koottu. I always say that koottu is the Tamil version of thoran, a staple recipe in Kerala cooked with a variety of vegetables. I make that as often as I make koottu, to balance out the Tamil-Mallu couple that we are. TH doesn't like too much coconut in his food either way, so I compromise by toning it down a bit.

What I Used (Serves 2):

Snake gourd / podalangai / padavalanga - 2 cups, cut into 1" squares
Chana dal / kadala parippu - 1/2 cup
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Shallots / small onions / chinna vengayam / ulli - 4 nos
Green chillies - 2 nos
Cumin seeds / jeera / jeerakam - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp (optional)
Salt - to taste

For tempering:

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - a few
Shallots - 3 nos, chopped
Oil - 2 tsp

How I Made It:

1. Cook the snake gourd and chana dal in little water until both are soft. This will take about 15-20 mins. I pressure them for 2-3 whistles to make it quicker.

2. Meanwhile, grind the coconut + shallots + green chillies + jeera withvery little water. Set aside.

3. Heat oil in a pan and temper the mustard seeds. Add curry leaves and chopped shallots and fry for a minute.

4. Add the cooked snake gourd - dal mixture to the above and mix well. Add very little water if its too dry. (I added a little too much, as is obvious from the picture!)

5. Now add the ground coconut paste and turmeric + chilly powder. Fry for another about 5 mins. Add salt.

Remove and serve hot with steamed rice and vathal kuzhambu.

Seitan with Apple Squash Chutney

This probably isn't actually a chutney, but it sounds better to say it is. I served this with some chicken-style seitan (this stuff that I blogged about before), but you could serve it with tofu, or a chickpea cutlet, perhaps.

INGREDIENTS

Makes enough to top 8 seitan cutlets

- 2 tbsp oil

- 1 leek, thinly sliced

- 1 celery stalk, diced

- 1 garlic clove, minced

- 2 cups diced butternut squash

- 2 cooking apples, peeled, cored, and finely chopped

- 1/3 cup raisins

- 1/4 cup water (plus more as needed)

- salt and pepper to taste

- 1/4 cup maple syrup

- 2 tsp cinnamon

METHOD

1. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Saute leeks, celery, and garlic for 8-10 mins, until soft and translucent. Add squash and fry for 2 mins.

2. Add apples, raisins, water, salt and pepper, maple syrup, and cinnamon. Bring to bubling, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20-25 mins, until squash is cooked. Stir occasionaly, adding water, if needed. The chutney should be moist, but not runny.

3. Serve over a seitan cutlet, or a slice of tofu.

Brinjal Cooked in Green Chilly - Coconut - Shallot Paste

If you are a brinjal lover like me, then you will surely enjoy this dish. It was an impromptu one that my mom-in-law made when she was visiting and I loved it! I made it again last weekend following her precise recipe word by word.

Brinjal in a shallot-green chilly-coconut base

What I Used (serves 2):

Brinjal / eggplant - 2 cups, cubed
Shallots / small onions - about 12 to 15
Green chillies - 5 or more
Tomato - 1/2 of 1, chopped (optional)
Grated / dessicated coconut - 2 tbsp
Cumin / jeera powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander / malli powder - 1 tsp
Jaggery - 1/2 tsp powdered
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste

How I Made It:

1. Cook the brinjal in very little water until soft. Drain and set aside.

2. Grind the shallots, coconut and green chillies to a paste.

3. Heat oil in a pan and temper mustard seeds. Add the urad dal next and fry till golden brown.

4. Add the chopped tomatoes and fry for a minute until soft. Then add the cumin and coriander powders and fry for another minute.

5. Now add the ground paste and cooked brinjal. Continue to fry for 3-4 mins until the raw smells disappears.

6 Add salt and jaggery, mix well and continue to fry for another minute. Remove.

Goes well with steamed white rice and any gravy, or even rotis.

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