Thuthuvalai rasam || Tamil Nadu popular - Thuthuvalai rasam

 Thuthuvalai rasam is very healthy and tasty rasam recipe prepared using thuthuvalai. Thuthuvalai  is ancient herb used in many siddha and Ayurvedic medicine. Thuthuvalai is a creeper plant first time I saw in our neighbor "Bharath Paati" house. I saw purple color flower and red color fruit creeper plant in front of their house. When asked, paati told that they are thuthuvali flowers and these flowers are offered to Lord Shiva and also it contains many medicinal health benefits. So I too use to collect some flowers from their place, one day paati's daughter Kanchana akka shared and Bharath paati shared this rasam recipe. Did you drumstick leaves soup which I learned from Bharath paati ??  Continue reading will share more info about thuthuvalai.. 

About Thuthuvalai plant

 As I said early its creeper plant grow widely with purple color flowers and red fruits. Be careful while taking leaves as it contains lots of thorn which may hurt your hands. Use scissor to cut leaves. Thuthuvalai in Tamil is also known as "purple fruited pea egg plant or Thai night shade in English", tutavalam in Malayalam, alarkapatramu, mullamusti,షధ  in Telugu and popularly known by its botanical name Solanum Trilobatum.

Health benefits of Thuthuvalai 

Thuthuvalai soup / Rasam / powder is used to cure cold, cough, blocked nose, chest congestion, anti bacterial, anti diabetic, best medicine to cure asthma. 

Event : Shhhhh Secretly cooking challenge

Taking this healthy and tasty Rasam recipe to  "Shhhhh Secretly cooking challenge" fb group started by Priya, and taken further till date by Mayuri di, I bookmarked her baked apple to try soon. Do check her space for wonderful recipes. We completed recipes from all states from A to Z, so now admin team and members decided a new interesting way for monthly theme that is - one group member in alphabetical order will suggest theme. Later admin team will pair interested members, then we share 2 secret ingredients among us and prepare recipe using it and all other members will guess it.

                                     

This month theme "Monsoon Treats" is suggested by Shobha di, bookmarked her drumstick soup recipe to try soon. This month I am paired with "Anu" she gave me thuthuvalai and curry leaves as secret ingredients, I prepared this healthy soup using it. In turn I gave ginger and onions as secret ingredients to Anu.

                              Thuthuvalai Rasam

Preparation time : 10 minutes

Cook Time : 20 minutes

Serves : 4

Category : Dal/Sambar/Rasam/Pulusu/kuzhambu/pulusu

Recipe Cuisine: Tamil Nadu

Main ingredients : Thuthuvalai 

Author : Aruna SarasChandra

Ingredients

To grind 

thuthuvalai leaves - 1 cup

cumin seeds - 1 tsp

black pepper corn - 1/2 to 3/4 tsp(adjust)

red chilli - 1

garlic - 3

others 

tamarind - small lemon size

sesame oil or vegetable oil - 1 tsp

ghee - 1 tsp

mustard seeds - 1 tsp

cumin seeds - 1 tsp

red chilli - 1

green chilli - 2

curry leaves - 1 sprig

garlic - 5

small onions - 10

tomato -1 

coriander leaves - 2 tsp

Instructions

1) Wash thuthuvalai leaves in water and remove its hard thorns. Also soak tamarind in 1/2 cup of water later extract its juice and keep it aside.

2) Roughly grind cumin seeds, pepper corns, garlic, red chilli and garlic and then add thuthuvali leaves and grind it to coarse paste.

3) Take this mixture in a cup and keep it aside.

4) Heat 1 tsp of sesame oil and 1 tsp of ghee then add mustard seeds, when it starts crackling add garlic, red chilli, green chilli, garlic, curry leaves and fry it well.

5) Later add small onions, pinch of salt and fry everything well till onions changes color.

Note: Green and red chilli I used is not spicy, adjust both chillies quantity according to your taste.

6) Now add finely chopped tomatoes cook it on low flames by closing lid till tomatoes become mushy. 

7) Now add tamarind extract, 2 cups of water(adjust) and boil it on low flames.

8) Now add red chilli powder, turmeric powder and boil it on low flames for 5 minutes.

9) Finally add finely chopped coriander leaves .

That's it our thuthuvalai rasam is ready, I served this rasam with hot steamed rice, broad beans curry, banana chips.

Do check out some relative recipes by just clicking links below pic..

                kakarakaya pulusu / Andhra bitter gourd gravy

rasam powder

usirikaya charu/ Amla Rasam

lemon rasam

  Miriyala Charu / pepper rasam

                        Drumstick Rasam

                                

Sundakkai Vatha Kuzhambu || Usthikaya pulusu

                       
                             Mamidikaya pappu

Menthi akku pappu  

Hope you like this aromatic, healthy and tasty thuthuvalai rasam.  Give it a try and drop your comments in inbox.

Do subscribe my youtube channel Vasus vegkitchen

Also follow me on 
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You can also search recipe in BetterButter
in Indiblogger

Thanks for visiting my blog,

ArunaSaraschandra :) 

Jalapeno cheese dip || Cheesy and super yummy jalapeno dip

 Jalapeno Cheese Dip || cheesy jalapeno dip is super tasty and lip smacking dip recipe which is very easy to prepare. Jalapeno is very hot chilli pepper, used in Mexican cooking. Jalapeno is originated from Mexica - Xalapa(Jalapa) .  And its name Jalapeno is given by Spanish, it is widely used in many countries and now a days it is available in many grocery stores. I regularly use jalapenos in my pizzas, sand witches and burgers. Few days we ordered Pizza with jalapeno cheese dip, hubby loved it a lot. So I thought to try it at home in my style. It came out very tasty, wish you will love it. We had this Jalapeno cheese dip it some French fries 😋.

                                       Jalapeno Cheese Dip

Preparation time - 10minutes

cook time : 15 min

Serves : 2 persons

Category : Chutneys / dips

Recipe Cuisine: Mexican

Main ingredients : Jalapeno, cheese

Author : Aruna SarasChandra

Ingredients

butter - 2 tsp

wheat flour - 2 tsp

milk - 3/4 cup

Jalapeno - 3 tsp

processed cheese - 1/2 cup

cheese slice - 1

garlic - 3

salt - as per taste

red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

black pepper - 1 tsp

Instructions

1) Heat 2 tsp of butter in a pan, later add 2 tsp of wheat flour and fry till it changes color.

2) Now add milk and mix everything well, make sure that there is no lumps in milk.

3) Now add finely chopped garlic and mix well. If you do not  like strong garlic smell and taste, then you can fry it in butter.

4) Then add finely grated processed cheese, cheese slice and mix well. Mix everything well so that cheese d't stick to pan.

5) Now switch off the flames, then add required amount of salt, pepper powder, red chilli powder and mix everything well.(already salt there in cheese so be careful while adding salt).

6) Later add very finely chopped jalapenos and mix well. 

options: If you want you can grind the above mixture to fine                      paste or blend it using hand blender to get smooth paste 

              texture. 

That's it our Jalapeno Cheese dip is ready, serve it with any snacks or pizza or bread sticks or Nachos or chips ......... 

 Hope you like this lip smacking, yummy and tasty jalapeno cheese dip . Give it a try and drop your comments in inbox. If you like my efforts do subscribe our youtube , like, comment and share links with your friends and family :)

Also follow me on

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Also drop your feedback 🤗😍

You can also search recipe 
in BetterButter

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Thanks for visiting my blog,

Aruna Saraschandra 😊          

Drumstick leaves soup || munaga akku soup || Healthy and nutritious drumstick leaves soup

 Drumstick leaves soup with step by step pics and tips, it is very tasty and nutritious soup. Perfect soup recipe for this monsoon season. Try to take drumstick leaves in any form like podi, soup, curry, rasam as it is contains n number of benefits. Many people strain drumstick leaves mixture after grinding, but I always prefer adding it in my soup as it is. I love to add moong dal to prepare this soup, it not only gives thick texture to soup but also enhances its taste. You can also add toor dal instead of moong dal, just add 1 to 2 tsp of dal otherwise it will taste dal or rasam. Using half cup of drumstick leaves(after washing) , we can prepare soup for 2 person, so use drumstick leaves accordingly. We can prepare this soup in two ways

1) By grinding cooked leaves

2) Without grinding  

Today I am sharing first method, will share two methods in my channel shortly. By the way did you checked my latest video that is capsicum rings in our youtube channel? ? If not do check out monsoon special Monsoon special Italian flavored capsicum rings. Ragi drumstick leaves rotti is my all time favorite breakfast. Did you ever tried drumstick rasam  using homemade rasam powder, if not try it once. I have some left over drumstick leaves, I am going to prepare drumstick leaves podi, will share that recipe asap 😊.  Continue reading will many tips and methods that you will love to have it..

       

I learned this recipe from my neighbor pati, we call her "Bharath pati". I did some modifications as per my taste, while talking evening time after playing shuttle.  I and pati use to discuss many recipes, happy to learn new recipes from elders they are always healthy and tasty. Soups are one of my favorite, I just love to try different varieties. I liked my friend Swaty's tomato apple soup a lot, loved tomato and apple combination, will try this soup soon. 

Health benefits of drumstick leaves 

** Taking drumstick leaves regularly protects our liver

** Good for diabetes

** Boosts immune system

** Good for eye sight

** It reduces high blood pressure (high bp) problems

** It is very good lactating women after delivery

** Cures constipation problems  and many more..

Some drumstick related recipes from my blog, check by clicking below links..

Ragi drumstick leaves rotti 

drumstick rasam

drumstick tomato curry

                              Drumstick leaves soup

Preparation time - 20 minutes

cook time : 15 min

Serves : 2 persons

Category : Soup

Recipe Cuisine: South Indian

Main ingredients : drumstick leaves

Author : Aruna SarasChandra

Ingredients

drumstick leaves - 3/4 cup

moong dal - 2 tsp

pearl onions - 6

big onion - 1

tomato - 1(small)

black pepper corn - 4

cumin seeds - 1 tsp

green chilli -2(adjust)

turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

ghee / oil -1 tsp

garlic - 3 + 4

salt as per taste

Instructions

1) Wash drumstick leaves under water twice and keep it aside. Finely chop 4 garlic and 1 big onion finely and keep it aside

2) Take drumstick leaves, pearl onion, tomato, 3 garlic, green chilli, cumin seeds, pepper in a pressure cooker.

3) Now add 2 cups of water, required amount of salt, turmeric powder and pressure cook it for 4 whistles. 

4) Let the pressure comes down naturally, let the mixture cool down to room temperature.

 5) Now separate water from the above and grind cooked drumstick mixture to fine paste. Do not throw the drumstick cooked water, we will use it in soup preparation. 

6) Now heat 1 tsp of  ghee  or oil in a pan. To this add finely chopped garlic fry it on low flames, when it starts changing color add finely chopped onion pinch of salt. Fry this till onions changes color.

7) Now add prepared drumstick leaves paste and water we saved after cooking, also add 2 cups of water. Adjust water as per requirement, also add salt as per your taste. If need you can also add 1/2 tsp of pepper powder at this point. Boil soup for 5 min on low medium flames.

That's it our drumstick leaves soup is ready to serve, serve this hot as it as or with some papads or fried corn flakes and enjoy your monsoon with your friends and family.

Tips

** After grinding drumstick leaves paste, you can strain it using strainer to prepare soup.

** Adjust green chilli and black pepper quantity according to your taste.

** Do not boil soup for long time as we already pressure cooked it, it will loose it nutrients.

** Adding moong dal is optional but it gives good taste and thickness to soup.

** Instead of moong dal you can also add toor dal, use only 1 to 2 tsp of dal not much.

** you can also add 1 tsp of coriander leaves while boiling. 

Also check other related and latest recipe from our channel by just clicking links below pic..

Ragi drumstick leaves rotti 

                                       drumstick rasam

                                    capsicum rings

 Hope you like this tasty & healthy  drumstick leaves soup . Give it a try and drop your comments in inbox. If you like my efforts do subscribe our youtube , like, comment and share links with your friends and family :)

Also follow me on

In facebook @Facebook

In pintrest @pintrest

In Instagram @Instagram

Also drop your feedback 🤗😍

You can also search recipe 
in BetterButter

in Indiblogger

in MyTaste

Thanks for visiting my blog,

Aruna Saraschandra 😊          

Cluster bean curry || Healthy and tasty cluster bean curry

Cluster Bean curry is one of the tasty side dish which is very easy to prepare with less ingredients. We can have this curry as side dish for rice and roti's. I love to have it with jowar roti and pulka's.  Hubby is not big fan of this cluster bean but I love it a lot and made him to like it 😉. We can prepare this curry easily by pressure cooking. I made this curry crunchy by adding coarsely crushed ground nuts and by adding vangi bath podi(video link). 

Do subscribe your youtube  channel, our latest recipe link 👇

** Mango matka kulfi

Trust me this vangi bath podi gives very good taste to curry, try it once. kakarakaya pulusu is one of my side dish which is very popular at Andhra. Let's start our recipe..

Do check out some related recipes from youtube  channel and blog by just clicking below links..

** Kabuli chana curry(youtube link)

** Hyderbadi kaddu ka dalcha(youtube link)

**snack gourd moong dal curry

**Bottle gourd milk curry

**  Baingan ke lonje

** Hyderabadi Mirchi ka salan

** Punjabi Dum aloo

** Uttarakhand - Phaanu

** malai matar panner

** Kaju curry

** pan-fried-mediterranean-veggies 

Foodie Monday Blog Hop

Taking this healthy and tasty curry  recipe to  FoodieMondayBloghop fb group's #304Sidekakamal theme . By this time you are all aware that I am part of this lovely group where we bloggers share recipe for theme suggested by a person in alphabetical order every week. This weak theme is suggested by "Priya VJ" who blogs at "sweetspicytasty". Do check her space for more healthy and tasty recipes. I bookmarked her chou chou kadali parappu kottu to try. 

                           

                                Cluster Bean Curry

Preparation time - 10 minutes

cook time : 15 min

Serves : 2 persons

Category : curry 

Recipe Cuisine: Indian

Main ingredients : cluster bean 

Author : Aruna SarasChandra

Ingredients

cluster beans - 150gms

onions - 2

groundnuts - 2 tsp

vangi bath podi - 2 tsp

red chilli powder - 3/4 tsp(adjust)

turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

oil - 2 tsp

mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

cumin seeds - 1 tsp

curry leaves - 1 sprig

coriander leaves - 2 tsp(finely chopped)

salt - as per taste

hing - 1 pinch

Instructions

1) Wash cluster bean under water twice and remove its heads and tail and cut into pieces.

2) Pressure cook the above for 1 whistle and switch off the flames. Let the pressure come down naturally.

3) Mean hot 2 tsp of oil in a pan to this add mustard seeds when it starts crackling add cumin seeds fry till you get nice aroma.

4) To this add curry leaves, hing & fry for few seconds.

5) Now add finely chopped onion fry it in medium flames till it changes color.

6) To this add pressure cooked cluster bean and mix everything well. Now add salt, turmeric powder mix everything well cook it for few minutes by closing lid. 

7) Crush fried ground nuts coarsely and then add it  above mixture.

8) Now add red chilli powder, vangi bath podi , finely chopped coriander leaves and mix everything well. Let it cook for few more minutes by closing lid. 

That's it our cluster bean curry is ready to serve. Serve hot with rice or roti's and enjoy :)

Tips

** Adjust red chilli powder and vangi bath podi according to your taste.

** You can also add urad dal and chana dal while tempering.

** Instead of pressure cooking cluster bean you cook it directly.

** If you are not using vangi bath podi then add coriander  powder and cumin powder 

Also check other related recipes from our youtube  channel and blog by just clicking link below pics..

                         

                          Bottle gourd milk curry/sorakaya palu posina kora                                                                                     

                                        https://youtu.be/1skbakUNx2U

                                                      Baingan ke lonje

                         
                
                    Tamil Nadu - Sundakkai vatha kuzhambu

                    

                                     Punjabi Kadi
               

                 Hyderabadi Mirchi ka salan

                         Punjabi Dum aloo

                         

Uttarakhand - Phaanu

malai matar panner

Kaju curry

pan-fried-mediterranean-veggies

Hope you like this tasty & healthy  cluster bean curry . Give it a try and drop your comments in inbox. If you like my efforts do subscribe our youtube , like, comment and share links with your friends and family :)

Also follow me on

In facebook @Facebook

In pintrest @pintrest

In Instagram @Instagram

Also drop your feedback 🤗😍

You can also search recipe 
in BetterButter

in Indiblogger

in MyTaste

Thanks for visiting my blog,

Aruna Saraschandra 😊                  

Kakarakaya Pulusu || Andhra style bitter gourd gravy

 Kakarakaya Pulusu || Andhra style bitter gourd curry with step by step pics and tips. It is very tasty and healthy recipe with less bitterness, its spicy and aromatic. I am not big fan of bitter gourd in my childhood but d't know how it became one of my favorite veggie now 😃😍. We can have this kakarakaya pulusu with rice and roti's. We can prepare this bitter gourd pulusu in different ways --

 1)by deep frying bitter gourd 

2) by shallow frying bitter gourd

3) by cooking bitter gourd directly ..

 Today I am sharing 3rd way by cooking directly with onions & tomatoes. In this way we will feel very little bitter taste, if you d't want to taste bitterness then deep fry bitter gourd pieces. Instead of deep frying I soaked bitter gourd pieces in buttermilk for 30 min, check recipes for more tips. We can adjust this pulusu/ gravy consistency as per your wish. Hubby was on trip so I prepared it bit thick, as I have to finish it by myself . stuffed bitter gourd is my all time favorite recipe which I love to have it as side dish for rasam rice, sambar rice and curd rice. Did you ever tried this kakarakaya podi / bitter gourd podi ?? if not try it once surely you will love it. sanna kakarakaya fry / tiny bitter gourd fry / kasarakaya fry is  Rayalaseema's popular bitter gourd recipe. 

Do check out some bitter gourd recipes, Rasam/ Dal / Kuzhumbu recipes from our  youtube  channel and blog by just clicking below links..

**  stuffed bitter gourd

** kakarakaya podi / bitter gourd podi

** sanna kakarakaya fry / tiny bitter gourd fry /kasarakaya fry 

** Hyderabadi kadhu ka dalcha(youtube link)

**  Lemon Rasam(youtube link)

** Pudina charu / mint rasam

** usirikaya charu/ Amla Rasam

** Udupi saaru / udupi style rasam

** Miriyala Charu / pepper rasam

** Drumstick Rasam

** Sundakkai Vatha Kuzhambu || Usthikaya pulusu

**   Mamidikaya pappu

** Menthi akku pappu  

Event : Shhhhh Secretly cooking challenge

Taking this cool cool mango matka kulfi to "Shhhhh Secretly cooking challenge" fb group started by Priya, and taken further till date by Mayuri di, I bookmarked her baked apple to try soon. Do check her space for wonderful recipes. We completed recipes from all states from A to Z, so now admin team and members decided a new interesting way for monthly theme that is - one group member in alphabetical order will suggest theme. Later admin team will pair interested members, then we share 2 secret ingredients among us and prepare recipe using it and all other members will guess it.

                                     

This month theme "Fear not the bitter" was suggested by Seema. She suggested to prepare any recipe using bitter ingredients, so I planned this kakarakaya pulusu recipe. I bookmarked her karela ka bartha recipe to try. This month I am paired with "Priya Iyer" who blogs at "thephotowali". She shares healthy recipes from different regions, I bookmarked her latest basil cream sauce pasta to try soon. Priya gave tamarind & jaggery as secret ingredients, in turn I gave methi leaves & turmeric as two secret ingredients.she prepared tasty and delicious methi malai paneer, do check out her space.

                  Kakarakaya Pulusu/ Andhra Bitter gourd gravy  

Preparation time : 20 minutes

Cook Time : 20 minutes

Serves : 2

Category : Dal/Sambar/Rasam/Pulusu/kuzhambu/pulusu

Recipe Cuisine: Andhra 

Main ingredients : Bitter gourd

Author : Aruna SarasChandra

Ingredients

Bitter gourd - 2 (medium size)

Onions - 2

Tomatoes -1 (large)

buttermilk - 3 cups 

curry leaves - 1 sprig

coriander leaves - 3 tsp(finely chopped)

dry coconut powder/paste - 1/2 cup

tamarind - small lemon size

jaggery - 1 tsp

coriander powder - 1 tsp

cumin powder - 1/2 tsp

red chilli powder - 1 tsp(adjust)

turmeric powder - 1/4 + 1/4 tsp

fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp

cumin seeds - 1tsp

garlic - 10 pods

Instructions

1) Take buttermilk in a wide bowl, to this add 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder, pinch of salt and mix everything well.

2)Later lightly peel out bitter gourd skin, cut it into rounds. If you feel bitter gourd seeds hard remove it. Then soak bitter gourd pieces in above buttermilk mixture and leave it for 30 minutes.

3) Mean while we will start gravy preparation, grind dry coconut to fine powder and keep it aside. If you are using dry coconut powder skip this step. Soak tamarind in hot water and keep it aside.

4) Heat 3 tsp of oil in a wide pan to this add garlic pods and fry it on low flames. When it starts changing  color add fenugreek seeds and cumin seeds. Fry till you get nice aroma.

5) Now add curry leaves, roughly chopped onions fry it on low flames till it changes color. Later add chopped tomatoes and mix it well, cook it for  5 minutes or till tomatoes becomes mushy by closing lid.

6) Meanwhile drain out buttermilk and squeeze buttermilk from bitter gourd. Add bitter gourd pieces in above onion tomatoes mixture and mix everything well. Cook this on low to medium flames till bitter gourd becomes smooth. 

7) Now add tamarind juice in above mixture and mix everything well.

8) Now add jaggery powder and mix everything well. Jaggery cut off  bitterness so d't forgot to add jaggery. 

9) Now add dry coconut powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder and turmeric powder and mix everything well.

10) Adjust water according to your consistency and mix well. Finally add finely chopped coriander leaves and cook it on low flames till gravy becomes thick.

That's it our kakarakaya pulusu/ Bitter gourd gravy is ready to serve. Serve it with hot steamed rice, dollop of ghee and papads. 

Tips

** Soaking bitter gourd in butter milk will cut off its bitterness.

** If you want you can deep fry or shallow fry bitter gourd pieces.

** Adjust gravy thickness according to your wish. 

** You can add dry coconut powder or dry coconut paste.

** Jaggery cut off bitterness and gives good taste, so d't skip adding it. 

** Do not use bitter gourd seeds, if they are hard.

Hope you liked this kakarakaya pulusu recipe, do check out other bitter gourd and related recipes from our blog & youtube  channel by just clicking links below pics..

                         kakarakaya podi / bitter gourd podi

                               
                                       stuffed bitter gourd

                sanna kakarakaya fry / tiny bitter gourd fry 

                            Hyderabadi kadhu ka dalcha(youtube link)

                                                            Lemon Rasam(youtube link)

                                                pudina charu / mint rasam

usirikaya charu/ Amla Rasam

Udupi saaru / udupi style rasam

lemon rasam

  Miriyala Charu / pepper rasam

                        Drumstick Rasam

                                

Sundakkai Vatha Kuzhambu || Usthikaya pulusu

                       
                             Mamidikaya pappu

Menthi akku pappu  

Hope you like this aromatic, healthy and tasty kakarakaya pulusu / bitter gourd gravy.  Give it a try and drop your comments in inbox.

Do subscribe my youtube channel Vasus vegkitchen

Also follow me on 
In facebook @Facebook
In Pinterest @pintrest
In Instagram @Instagram Also drop your feedback 🤗😍.

You can also search recipe in BetterButter
in Indiblogger

Thanks for visiting my blog,

ArunaSaraschandra :)