Moru Kachiyathu (Yellow Cucumber - Curd Curry)

Ingredients

Grated coconut - 3/4 cup
Yellow Cucumber - 1/2 (medium)
Turmeric powder  - 1/2 teaspoon
Shallots -3

Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 teaspoon 

Green chilly - 3
Red dry chilly -2
Salt
Oil
Curry leaves
Mustard seeds
Curd - 1/2 cup

In a pan, add some water, and cook finely cut cucumber for 5 - 10 minutes. Now In a mixer, grind coconut along with turmeric, green chilly, shallots and cumin seeds to fine paste. In a pan, add little oil. Once it is hot, add mustard seeds, dry chilly, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. After this add coconut paste to half cooked cucumber and cook it for 1-2 minutes by adding little salt. Add water if you want gravy. It will be good if you add very little water while grinding. Finally add curd and turn off the flame after 30 - 40 seconds. Because we don't want to cook it for long after adding curd. So now you got a yummy curd curry to have with boiled or steamed rice.

Vendakka Fry (ladies finger / Okra / Bhindi ) Fry

Ingredients

Okra - 15-20
Shallots  - 6
Turmeric powder  - 1 teaspoon
Oil
Salt
Mustard seeds -1 teaspoon
Curry leaves

First cut okra into small pieces as in the pic. Heat a pan, add oil in it. Add mustard seeds once oil is hot. Now add curry leaves and mashed shallots. Saute it until it turns golden brown color. Finally add finely cut okra and little salt and turmeric to it. Saute it for two minutes.  Cover it with a lid and cook it in medium to low flame for five to six minutes. It will be tasty if it turns the color to dark brown.

Okra is a famous health food because of its calcium and potassium content. And is very rich in fibre and vitamins. As always am publishing all easy and healthy recipes for my friends in this  summer. I know no one likes to spend lot of time in the kitchen especially in sumer.  You should be in fact packing your bags and travelling to some hill side. Enjoy your summer holidays by trying all this easy recipes.

Cheera Thoran (Spinach stir fry)

Ingredients

Spinach - 250 grams approx
Grated Coconut - 1/2  cup
Turmeric powder  - 1 teaspoon
Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
Salt
Oil

In a pan add little oil. Once it is hot, add mustard seeds. Later add finely chopped  spinach and saute it for a minute. Add turmeric powder, salt and grated coconut. Again saute it for a minute. Cover it with a lid. Let it cook for 4- 5 minutes in medium to low flame. It's a very healthy recipe. You can try the same recipe for red spinach. It got lot of health benefits as it is very good for hair growth and good for curing aneamia because of its iron content.

Kovakka curry (Ivy gourd)

Ingredients

Kovakka - 15
Grated coconut - 3/4 cup
Turmeric  powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Red chilli powder- 1 teaspoon
Coriander powder - 1 tablespoon

Mustard  seeds - 1/2 teaspoon 

Oil
Salt
Coriander  leaves
Curry leaves

Cut Ivy gourd in thin slices. Keep it aside. In a pan, add little oil, once it is hot, add grated coconut and all the Masala. Saute it until coconut becomes golden brown color. Switch off the flame and let it cool for some time. Meanwhile in another pan, add little oil. Add mustard seeds, curry leaves and finally add add ivy gourd slices to this. Saute it for three to four minutes. 

Now in a mixer, grind the coconut mixture to fine paste. Add this to the ivy  gourd and add little water for gravy. Let it cook for two to three minutes. Finally add little coriander leaves and salt. It goes well with rice. Very simple and easy to make recipe. I tried it when I was so lazy to cook. And you know what it came out well. :)