Carrot Fry|Carrot Poriyal

Carrot Poriyal is a great healthy side dish for any rice varieties. I have not used coconut in this recipe but you can also garnish this poriyal with fresh grated coconut.

Increased intake of antioxidant-rich foods like carrots reduce cancer and cardiovascular disease risks. Carrots may also help with blood sugar regulation, delay the effects of aging and improve immune function.

Carrot Poriyal

Ingredients

• Grated carrot - 2 cups
• Onion - 1/2 cup, finely chopped
• Coriander leaves - To garnish
• Salt - To taste

     For the seasoning

• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
• Channa dal - 1/2 tsp
• Red chillies - 1, broken into half
• Curry leaves - Few

Method

1. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.
2. Once the mustard seeds start to splutter, add urad dal and channa dal. Fry until they turn light brown.
3. Add red chillies and curry leaves and saute for few seconds.
4. Add chopped onion and little salt. Cook until it turns soft.
5. Then add grated carrot and salt. Sprinkle some water and cook covered until it gets cooked.
6. Adjust salt to taste and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot.

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Broccoli Fry|Broccoli Poriyal

This tasty and healthy indian style broccoli fry is the perfect side dish to any main meal. 

Broccoli is one of the best health-boosting foods and it has numerous health benefits. Broccoli is one of the cruciferous vegetables and to receive the health benefits include broccoli as part of your diet at least 2-3 times per week.

Broccoli Fry

Ingredients

• Broccoli florets - 2 cups
• Onion - 1, medium sized
• Sambar powder - 1 tsp
• Garlic - 2 cloves, finely chopped
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Urad dal - 1 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - 1 tsp

Method

1. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.
2. Once the mustard seeds start to splutter, add urad dal and garlic. Saute for a few seconds.
3. Add chopped onions and cook until soft.
4. Add sambar powder and salt and mix it well.
5. Now add the broccoli florets and sprinkle some water.
6. Cook for 5 minutes in medium heat and serve hot.

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Kovakkai Fry|Ivy Gourd Fry

Kovakkai fry is a simple and tasty fry that goes very well with both rice and chapathi. Ivy gourd also referred as baby watermelon is loaded with high amounts of vitamins and also controls blood sugar levels.

Ingredients

• Kovakkai - 500g, sliced lengthwise/disk shaped slices
• Onion - 1
• Tomato - 1
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Salt - To taste

    For the seasoning

• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Garlic Cloves - 2, grated/finely chopped
• Curry leaves - few

Method

1. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds start to splutter, add crushed garlic and curry leaves and saute for few seconds.
2. Add chopped onions and cook until transparent.
3. Then add chopped tomatoes and cook until soft.
4. Add the kovakkai pieces & salt and cook covered for 5 minutes in medium heat. Sprinkle some water if necessary.
5. Now add turmeric powder, chilli powder and coriander powder to the dish. Add little water and cook covered until the pieces are soft.
6. Stir fry on high heat for 3 minutes. Ready to serve.

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Spinach fry|Keerai Poriyal|கீரை பொறியல்

Spinach fry/Keerai poriyal is a quick, easy and healthy dish which tastes great when served as a side dish for rice. Spinach has numerous health benefits as it is packed with vital nutrients and also a good source of fiber.

Ingredients

• Spinach - 250g
• Onion-1, large sized
• Dry red chillies - 1, broken in half
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Channa dal - 1 tsp
• Urad dal - 1 tsp
• Grated coconut - 2 tbsp
• Salt - To taste
• Oil - 2 tsp

Method

1. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.
2. Once the mustard seeds start to splutter, add cumin seeds, channa dal, urad dal and red chillies. Saute till it turns light brown.
3. Add chopped onions and little salt. Saute till it turns golden brown.
4. Now add finely chopped spinach leaves, salt and little water.
5. Add the grated coconut and mix well. Turn off the stove and serve hot.

Tips

- Cook the spinach uncovered to retain the green color.

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Okra Fry|Vendakkai Poriyal|வெண்டைக்காய் பொறியல்

A simple and tasty Okra fry forms a perfect side dish for any rice varieties. Okra is rich in numerous vitamins and minerals and has numerous health benefits like promoting a healthy pregnancy, preventing diabetes, maintaining eye health and healthy skin, constipation, boosts digestion and many more. 

Ingredients

• Okra/Lady's Finger/Vendakkai - 250g
• Onion - 1/2 cup, chopped
• Green Chillies - 1, slit lengthwise
• Tamarind paste - 2 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Channa dal - 2 tsp
• Urad dal - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves - Few
• Coriander leaves - To garnish
• Salt - To taste
• Oil - 1 tbsp

Method

1. Wash the ladyfingers and wipe off dry with a clean cloth (otherwise it becomes gooey while cooking). Cut the top and bottom section of the vegetable and cut into small pieces. Keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds start to splutter, add channa dal and urad dal.
3. Add curry leaves when the dal turns light brown and add onion, green chillies & little salt. Saute till it turns golden brown.
4. Add ladyfingers and mix well. Add tamarind paste & salt and cook in low-medium heat till the vegetable is soft and cooked.
5. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Tips

- Tamarind is added to reduce the stickiness of the vegetable. You can also use curd or lemon juice.

- Add salt only when the vegetable is half cooked, else the salt brings out the water from the vegetable and increases its stickiness.

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Potato Fry|UrulaiKizhangu Poriyal|உருளைக்கிழங்கு பொறியல்

Potato fry is a perfect side dish for rice and sambar/rasam. It also tastes great with lemon rice or any variety rice.

Ingredients

• Potatoes - 3, medium sized
• Chopped Onion - 1/2 cup
• Ginger paste - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala - 2 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Urad dal - 2 tsp
• Asafoetida/Hing/பெருங்காயம் - A pinch
• Curry leaves - Few
• Coriander leaves - To garnish
• Salt - To taste
• Oil - 2 tsp

Method

1. Pressure cook the potatoes for 3 whistles. Cool down, peel off the skin and cut into 1 inch cubes.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. Once it splutters, add urad dal and fry till it turns slight brown.
3. Add HIng, curry leaves & ginger paste and fry for few seconds.
4. Add chopped onion & little salt and fry till it turns soft.
5. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, garam masala & salt and saute well till the raw smell goes.
6.  Now add potatoes, simmer the stove and cook gently without mashing it.
7. Cook till it turns golden brown.
8. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Tips

Potatoes may lead to gas formation in stomach and asafoetida has the benefit of reducing the gas. So add a pinch of it whenever you cook potatoes.

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Green Beans Stir-Fry Recipe

Green beans stir fry recipe is made by stir frying green beans with garlic and little oil. In general, stir fried recipes cook up quickly and tastes more delicious when compared to poriyals yet healthy. This dish will appeal more to those who don't like the beans especially the kids.

Ingredients

• Green beans - 1/2 kg, cut into 1 inch pieces
• Chopped garlic - 2 tsp
• Red Chillies - 1
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
• White sugar - 1/4 tsp
• Salt - To taste
• Olive oil - 1 tsp

Method

1. Add green beans to a bowl of boiling water and cook for 5 minutes.
2. Drain & rinse with cold water to prevent from further cooking and keep aside.
3. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.
4. Once the mustard seeds start to splutter, add chopped garlic & red chillies and stir for a while.
5. Now add the half cooked green beans, salt, pepper powder & white sugar and stir for 6-7 minutes in medium-high heat or until tender.

Tips

If the green beans get too dry while cooking, sprinkle some water.

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Sweet Potato Poriyal

Sweet potato poriyal is an easy stir fry recipe. Sweet potatoes are fat-free and can be used as a healthier alternative to white potatoes. They are excellent sources of Potassium, Vitamin A and C. The high amount of dietary fiber, the low calorie content and the high amount of water all together make sweet potatoes a great food if you are trying to lose weight.

Ingredients

• Sweet Potato - 1 cup, peeled and cubed
• Onion - 1/2, medium sized
• Turmeric powder - a pinch
• Red Chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
• Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Urad dal - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves - few
• Salt - to taste

Method

1. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds start to splutter, add urad dal and fry for a while.
2. Add curry leaves and chopped onion and fry till the onion turns golden brown.
3. Add sweet potato, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, garam masala and salt.
4. Stir fry for 5 minutes in medium heat or until it is done.
5. Serve hot with rice and sambar.

Tip 

- Cook sweet potatoes until it becomes tender. Otherwise they become mushy easily.

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