Neer Mor (Spiced Buttermilk - South Indian style)

 

          NEER MOR is a South Indian style spiced and salty buttermilk perfect during summer to beat the scorching heat. As the name indicates Neer means water and Mor is yoghurt. So this is a watery drink where finely chopped green chilies, coriander leaves, curry leaves and ginger are added. 

           It is then had as it is or with a tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida to make it more flavorful and appetizing, This refreshing drink is more popular in Tamil Nadu. It has digestive and cooling properties. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this soothing regional beverage. 

          Buttermilk is a popular drink in most parts of India with different variations. In North India, it goes by the name of Lassi / Chaas. It is Majjiga in Andhra / Telangana, Sambaram in Kerala, Neer Majjige in Karnataka and Neer Mor in Tamil Nadu. 

          Neer Mor, apart from being a summer drink, it is also popular during the Hindu festival of Ram Navami. It is offered as prasad to God, which is then distributed to all the devotees. This healthy drink is also better than all the fizzy aerated drinks. So it is the best recipe to keep ourselves cool and hydrated throughout the day. 

Ingredients - 

• 1/2 cup yoghurt
• salt to taste
• 2 cups water
• 1 sprig curry leaves, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, finely chopped
• 1-2 green chilies, finely chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 1/4 tsp. red chili flakes (opt)
• 1/4 tsp. pepper powder (opt)

Tempering - 

• 1 tsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 pinch of  asafoetida

          In a large bowl, add the yoghurt, water and salt to taste. Whisk well. Now add all the other ingredients and give it a stir. Keep aside. 

          For the tempering - Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds. Then pour into the yoghurt mix and combine everything well.

          Refrigerate till serving time. Pour into individual glasses and enjoy this refreshing drink as and when needed. 

                                  In a large bowl, add the yoghurt,

                                  water and salt to taste. Whisk well.

                                 Now add all the other ingredients.

                                 Give it a stir and keep aside. 

                        For the tempering - Heat oil in a pan & temper with mustard seeds, 

                        curry leaves and asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds.

                                 Then pour into the yoghurt mix.

                                  Combine everything well.

                            Pour into glasses & enjoy this refreshing drink as & when needed. 

Curry Leaves Soup

 

           Curry Leaves Soup is an incredibly healthy, simple and a wholesome soup. This ultimate winter treat is simply divine and very comforting. It is prepared with a few basic ingredients that are easily available. You can serve it hot or at room temperature. Garnish as desired and enjoy it with some croutons or bread sticks for a wholesome one-pot meal or a light dinner. 

           Curry Leaves also known as Curry Patta in Hindi has many medicinal properties. They are rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. 

           It helps control hair fall and dandruff if the paste is directly applied to the scalp. It has anti inflammatory properties, aids in digestion and reduces cholesterol. 

           Curry leaves are also good for the treatment of diabetes, nausea and to flush out toxins from our body.

            It is usually used in South Indian recipes as a flavoring agent. It happens to be my personal favorite herb and there is always a bunch of it sitting in the refrigerator. 

• Handful of curry leaves, washed & drained
• 1-2 tbsp. roasted gram flour
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 green chilies
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp. butter
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• 4 cups water / vegetable stock
• lime juice as required

               Heat butter in a wok / kadai and sauté the onion, garlic and green chilies till it turns translucent. 

               Add salt to taste, turmeric powder and coriander powder. Give it a stir and then add the curry leaves. Stir for 2 minutes.

               Add the stock / water and the roasted gram flour. Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles. Set aside to cool. Then blend to a smooth puree. (You can strain it if preferred).

               While serving heat through and serve with a tsp. of lime juice to enhance the flavor. It taste so divine and soul satisfying. 

    

Tilapia Fish Fry

 

             All the Fish lovers, try out this easy and a yummy Pan fried Tilapia Fish. The marination is quite simple with all easily available ingredients. You can relish it as an appetizer, accompanied with some fried curry leaves, green chilies and lime. It can also be had as it is, along with some salad / soup for a light dinner or as a side dish with ghee rice. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

• 1 Tilapia Fish, cleaned, washed & rinsed
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. lime juice
• 1 tbsp. red chili powder 
• 1 tsp. chickpea flour
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 3 tbsp. olive oil 
• 2 sprigs curry leaves

          Make a paste with the ginger-garlic paste, lime juice, 1 tbsp. oil, chickpea flour all the dry spices and some water if required. Marinate the fish with this paste for 2-3 hours. 

          Heat remaining oil in a pan and shallow fry the marinated fish on both sides till golden in colour. Keep aside. In the same oil sauté the curry leaves till crisp. 

          Serve, garnished with the fried curry leaves, green chilies and sliced lime.

                   Marinate the fish with a paste made of ginger-garlic paste, lime juice, 1 tbsp.

                   oil, all the dry spices and some water if required for 2-3 hours. 

                   Heat remaining oil & shallow fry the marinated fish on both sides till golden 

                   in colour. Keep aside.

                                  In the same oil sauté the curry leaves till crisp. 

                    Serve, garnished with the fried curry leaves, green chilies & sliced lime.

Tomato Coconut Chutney

          Here is a delicious tomato chutney that I paired with some fresh grated coconut. Onion, ginger and garlic are also added to enhance the flavour. A tempering of mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves is then poured over the final product. This chutney goes very well with dosa, idli, uttapam, vada or any South Indian breakfast. 

• 1-2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh grated coconut
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2-3 garlic, chopped
• 1" ginger, chopped
• 1 tsp. red chili flakes
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 tsp. urad dal (split black gram)
• 1 sprig curry leaves

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan and fry the onion, ginger and garlic till light brown. Add the coconut and fry for a minute.

          Now add the tomatoes, chili flakes and salt. Continue to fry on a medium flame 1-2 minutes. Keep aside to cool. Grind into a smooth paste by adding little water.

          Heat remaining oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the urad dal and curry leaves. 

         Saute for a few seconds and switch off the flame. Pour this tempering on the prepared chutney and mix well.

Bottle Gourd Curry in Milk

          This is my version of a simple Bottle Gourd (Lauki) curry cooked in milk. It is light on the stomach as it has minimum of spices. This veggie in general has a lot of water content and is low in fat. Hence it aids in weight loss and is recommended during summers for its cooling effect. I garnished the end product with some idli podi and coriander leaves to give an extremely different flavour. Enjoy this dry recipe as a side dish with either rice or chapattis.

• 1 medium size Lauki (bottle gourd), sliced
• 1 tbsp. ghee
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 2-3 green chilies, slit
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tbsp. idli podi
• 1/2 cup coriander leaves, chopped

          Heat ghee in a pan and temper with mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the curry leaves and green chilies. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the bottle gourd, salt, turmeric powder and milk. Cover and simmer on a low flame till it turns soft and the gravy is dry.

          Add the idli podi and coriander leaves. Mix well and take off the flame. Serve as a side dish with either rice or chapattis.

Spicy Turnip (Shalgum) Stir Fry With Curry Leaves - South Indian Style

          Turnip or Shalgum is not so popular a vegetable and not much liked by everyone. But this nutritious veggie is very much consumed in the Northern regions. I sometime prepare it in a Bengali version with the usual onion-ginger-garlic based thick gravy.

          Here I have decided to prepare a simple stir fry, the South Indian Style with lots of curry leaves and a simple tempering. I added some sambar powder for some extra flavour. I prepared it dry to go as a side dish with any Indian bread or with rice.

• 3 medium size Turnip (Shalgam), cut into strips (just like french fries)
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 dry red chilly, broken into half
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• pinch of asafoetida
• 1 tsp. urad dal (split black gram)
• 3-4 sprigs curry leaves
• 1-2 green chilies (opt)
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. sambar powder
• 1/2 tsp. red chili flakes
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Heat oil in a non-stick pan and temper with the dry red chilly and mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the asafoetida, urad dal and curry leaves. Sauté till the dal changes colour.

          Now add the turnip, salt, green chilies, red chili flakes and turmeric powder and cook, covered on a low flame till the veggies turns soft.

          When done add the sambar powder and mix well. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve as a side dish preferably with chapattis.


       

Curry leaves Rice (South Indian Style)

         The numerous benefits of the humble curry leaves are quite well known. They are good not only for our hair, but also for the eyes, is good for digestion and is also good in lowering bad cholesterol. These are few of the benefits. It also has a number of nutrients like calcium, fibre, iron, vitamins, etc.

           So here is a simple, easy and a wholesome rice dish made out of curry leaves powder that is generally had as a breakfast in many South Indian homes. Any left over rice can be used up to make this aromatic rice preparation. It can be relished as it is or with coconut chutney. It can also be packed as a lunch box meal for young and old alike.

• 1/2 cup raw rice, cooked & cooled
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 dry red chili, broken into half
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• pinch of asafoetida
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 tbsp. urad dal (split black gram)
• 2 tbsp. roasted peanuts
• 8-10 roasted cashewnuts
• salt to taste
• 2-3 tbsp. curry leaves powder 

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with the dry red chili and mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the asafoetida, curry leaves and urad dal.

          Sauté till the dal turns light brown. Add the roasted peanuts, cashew nuts, rice, salt and curry leaves powder.

          Mix well and stir fry on medium flame for a minute or two. Serve, accompanied with some papad or pickle.





Curry Leaves Powder 

• 2 cups curry leaves, sun dried or pan roasted
• 3 tbsp.  chana dal (Bengal gram)
• 3 tbsp. urad dal (split black gram)
• 2 tbsp. whole coriander seeds
• 8 whole red chillies or to taste
• 1/2 tsp. amchur powder
• 1 garlic clove (opt)
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. methi seeds (fenugreek seeds)
• 1/4 tsp.  asafoetida (hing)

          Dry roast the urad dal, chana dal, coriander seeds, garlic, methi and red chilies. When cool, grind along with curry leaves.  Then mix with amchur, salt and hing.

          Your curry leaves podi is ready. Store in an airtight container and serve along with some ghee or oil with dosa or idli.

Curry Leaves Podi (Gun Powder)

          
       
          Curry leaves podi varies from one Indian region to the other. This aromatic gun powder can be easily made at home and is served with dosa, idli, upma and also with rice. However, do not forget to add some ghee to it. For a more healthier version, olive oil can be added. 

          It can also be prepared and stored away for later use. To make your meals more interesting, use it as a spread on bread or chapati along with some ghee or butter a la Indian style. It can also be spread on pizza's, hot dogs or burgers.

• 2 cups curry leaves, sun dried or pan roasted
• 3 tbsp.  chana dal (bengal gram)
• 3 tbsp. urad dal (split black gram)
• 2 tbsp. whole coriander seeds
• 8 whole red chillies or to taste
• 1/2 tsp. amchur
• 1 garlic clove (opt)
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. methi seeds (fenugreek seeds)
• 1/4 tsp.  asafoetida (hing)

          Dry roast the urad dal, chana dal, coriander seeds, garlic, methi and red chilies. When cool, grind along with curry leaves.  Then mix with amchur, salt and hing.

          Your curry leaves podi is ready. Store in an airtight container and serve along with some ghee or oil with dosa or idli.