Karuppu Ulunthu (Black Urad Dal) Kanji - Mom's Special

Urad dhal is very nutritious as it contains more protein, potassium, calcium and iron.  As it has rice source of iron, it is very good for health especially for women.  It keeps you energetic as it has rich in iron.  Kanji (resembles to Porridge) is easy to digest and is good for patients suffering from illness. It is prepared in many variations. Some are liquid and some are semi-solid.

One of my favourite porridge which my mom always makes.  She used to make monthly twice and makes us healthy.Thank you amma for taught me this wonderful healthy recipe.

Lentils are mixed with rice to cook kanji with a creamy texture. Though it is called as Urad Dal Kanji, rice is also used in this. A food without oil and cooked soft is always good for sick people. Black gram is known as Ulundu in Tamil and as Urad dal in Hindi.Black uradh dhal or Black gram is a very healthy pulse. This porridge can be made using split/whole black uradh dhal.

Prep  time	cook time	Serves
10 mins	15 mins	3  persons

Recipe type:  kanji  varieties

Cuisine:  Indian cuisine

Ingredients Boiled Rice ( I use Brand Ponni)  - 1 cup (200 gms) Karuppu Ulunthu (Black Urad Dal)  - ½ cup Garlic pods -10 no’s Water – 5 cups Salt – to taste Grated coconut – ½ cup Methi seeds -1 tsp Sukku powder -1 tsp Milk -  1 to ½  cup  (check consistency)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Method

1. Roast urad dal in a dry pan till golden or nice flavor comes from that. Wash and soak the rice and ulundhu for 15 mins.Then pressure cook them along with garlic ,methi seeds and salt  with water for 5 whistles.

2. After the pressure releases, check whether the pulse is cooked well. It should be mushy when we press it with spatula. If not cooked, allow for another 2 or 3 whistles

3. Nice aroma fills your home when this cooks; allow it to cool; mash partially with milk (use little by little).,sukku powder ,I cooked it semi solid. Finally add grated coconut for the lovely taste. The Porridge /Kanji is ready.

Serving Suggestions

Pickle

Papad

Thuvayal

Notes

Those who don’t like garlic replace it with a pinch of asafetida.

Soaking the black gram helps it to cook faster ( If not soaked, it takes around 15 to 20 whistles in a pressure cooker to cook).

Kovakkai (Ivy Gourd) Fry -Mom's Special

Kovakkai Fry is a diabetic friendly recipe which reduces Diabetes sugar levels remarkably. Itis known as Ivy Gourd in English. It is often prepared in Tamil homes as a lunch side dish recipe for rice. There are only a few things that taste good and have high medicinal values, and kovakkai is one such vegetable. This is a recipe which can be made easily on daily basis. 

And this is my mom’s version of cooking kovakkai. I like my poriyal to be dry which my mom always does it..So I have managed to cook without burning the sides. Kovakkai is used traditionally to control fever, asthma, bronchitis and jaundice. It also helps to regulate the blood sugar levels. Kovakkai is rich in Vitamin C, which helps to strengthen bones. 

Prep  time	cook time	Serves
10 mins	15 mins	3  persons

Recipe type:  Poriyal varieties

Cuisine:  Indian cuisine

Ingredients Kovakkai -2 cups sliced Onion -1 big Turmeric powder -1/2 tsp Chilli powder -1/2 tsp Sambar powder -1 tsp Mustard seeds -1 tsp Urad dal -1 tbsp. Hing –pinch Curry leaves  -1 sprig

Method 
1. Heat oil, add the mustard seeds and the urad dal, when the spluttering stops, add the asafetida, curry leaves and the chopped onions. Sauté the onions till they turn transparent, then add the kovakkai, turmeric powder and salt, cover and cook till tender. 

2. Remove the lid, add the sambar and chilli powder, mix, if needed add a little more oil and keep cooking on reduced heat till they shrink and start turning a little brown here and there. It goes well with both rice and rotis.

Notes
If you don't have sambar powder increase the chilli powder to 3/4th teaspoon and add 1 teaspoon of coriander powder with it.