If you in a mood for something light…try this out. No use of lentils, no masalas! Tastes yummy. Anyways, you must also be looking for some change, some variety in your daily cooking don’t you? Here’s what you need to do to make tasty buttermilk or curd based curry.

Golden cucumber (Vallari) / Raw banana – 1 cup diced
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Chilli powder – ½ tsp
Coconut – ½ portion (of the whole coconut)
Cumin seeds – ½ tsp
Buttermilk – 1 cup
Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
Fenugreek seeds – 1 pinch
Red chilli – 2-3 nos
Curry leaves – ½ to 1 sprig
Salt to taste
Water – 1.5 cups

1. Add water, turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt to golden cucumber and pressure cook for 1 whistle only
2. Grind coconut and cumin to fine paste
3. Add ground paste and buttermilk to the pressure cooked cucumber
4. In pan heat oil, add mustard seeds, fenugreek, red chilli and curry leaves and temper the curry.
5. Serve hot with rice and papaddam

For those who don’t know what a papaddam is a side dish that is crispy. It can either be fried or roasted. It can be made with different ingredients as well! Like potato, rice, sagoe, etc….each one of them tasting equally good.

Till next time….happy cooking!

Recipe credit : Ms Swarnlatha NT, a home maker and a specialist in simple and tasty cooking

I will share with you few recipes of Raitas that I know of and like. This is just one of them and tastes quite unique and serves as a good side dish.

Bottleguard / Lauki –grated 2 cups
Beaten curd / yoghurt – 4 cups
Roasted cumin seeds powder – ½ tsp
Red chilli powder – ½ tsp
Salt to taste
Fresh coriander – for garnish (finely chopped)

1. Cook the grated bottleguard in ½ cup water till tender and keep aside for cooling
2. Add this to beaten curd.
3. Add cumin seeds powder, red chilli powder and salt
4. Garnish with coriander before serving
5. Serve this with Indian bread, dry item / any curry item.

For people who don’t know what raita is …. Raita is basically a spiced up version of curd / yogurt. You can add fruits, veggies anything and come up with your own version of raita.

Till next time…happy cooking!