Nellikkai Pachadi

This month's FIC theme is 'Favorite color'.I have already blogged about my favorite color-Black and also prepared a delicious dessert in that color.Now I don't want to repeat the same thing,so I thought of my next best and favorite color and I am here with a recipe...

White-symbol of purity , cleanliness, and innocence. Angels are typically depicted as wearing white.White is viewed as royalty in some cultures.Representing such a good color as a favorite and using my favorite ingredient,I am sending this Nellikkai Pachadi for this months FIC hosted by Swetha @ tasty curry leaves....

Gooseberry or Nellikkai is a fruit rich in Ascorbic acid .It is mainly use din making pickles,chutney or eaten as such.I have prepared a raita using this tangy fruit and it goes well with all rice varieties and also can be used as a dip.

You need:

Gooseberry -8 [I used small ones]
Coconut -2 tablespoons,grated
Coriander leaves -a few sprigs
Ginger -1 " piece chopped
Green chilli -2 chopped
Yoghurt / Curd - 1 bowl
Salt to taste

For seasoning:

Oil-2 teaspoons
Mustard-1 teaspoon
Jeera-1 teaspoon
Urad dhal-1/2 a teaspoon
Curry leaves- a few


Remove the seeds from the gooseberry and chop roughly.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a pan and put in the gooseberry pieces,coconut,green chillies and coriander leaves,ginger.
Saute on low flame for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and cool.
Grind to a smooth paste adding very little water.
Beat the curd well with salt.
Put in the ground paste and mix well.
Heat oil and add the seasonings.
Wait till the mustard splutters,dhal turns brown and cury leaves turn crisp.
Pour over the curd mixture.
Mix well and serve.

Let's Turn Sattvic This Month....

I am happy to host this month's edition of RCI and I have chosen Jain Cuisine..... RCI -Regional Cuisine of India- is an event started by Lakshmi of Veggie cuisine,which features recipes from one particular Indian region every month...

Now,If you have read my post-Food and Mood ,you would have noted that our mood is determined by what we eat.Yes,Ayurveda classifies the food we eat into 3 categories-Satvic,Rajasic and Tamasic, and these categories decide how our mood changes.

A 'brief' word on these these categories -


Sattvic foods :

"Sattvic" foods is that which is pure, clean and wholesome. A sattvic diet is one that gives life, strength, energy, courage and self-determination and generates equanimity,poise and holy tendencies.It also gives us the subtle nourishment necessary for vitality and consciousness. These are clean burning foods that leave little or no residue on the nervous system, Sattvic foods include cow’s milk , butter , ghee, cream, cheese, curd prepared from cow’s milk, fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes and beans, wholesome unrefined grains, almonds, groundnuts, coconut, tender coconut water etc. Saatvik cooking consists of lightly cooked vegetables with minimum spices, fruits, nuts, honey, milk and milk products

Rajasic foods:

"Rajasic" foods are the irritants and stimulating foods and are very hot, bitter, sour, dry, or salty. These foods generate passion and boisterous tendencies. They destroy the mind-body equilibrium, feeding the body at the expense of the mind. Too much rajasic food will over stimulate the body and excite the passions, making the mind restless and uncontrollable. Historically, rajasic foods were always of good quality and freshness, hence the origin of the word "raja" - kingly, or fit for a king..Read more about rajasic food here...

Tamasic foods :

"Tamasic" foods lead one to a state of inertness, dullness, and sloth. These are known as the "dead" foods which contain no vitality or life. They generate exciting and impure thoughts. These foods are heavy and cause irritability and restlessness .Alertness and concentration is very difficult soon after eating tamasic foods. A tamasic diet benefits neither the mind nor the body. The body's resistance to disease is destroyed and the mind filled with dark emotions, such as anger and greed. Read more on Tamasic food here...

Why am I talking about Ayurveda in an RCI announcement page...Well, there is a connection.Jain food is also very similar to saatvik cooking .A Jain diet is a strict vegetarian diet. Jains believe in giving minimum amount of harm to plants and animals. A Jain diet is based on the fact that a simple natural diet will help keep their mind pure and peaceful.

Even the food habits of the Jains is such that they don't want to harm life even during meal time.ie the Jains are not supposed to eat after sunset because it is believed that it would cause the death of minute microorganisms that emerge in the dark.


The forbidden Foods :

The forbidden foods for Jains are eggs, fish, honey, figs and meat.

Many strict Jains do not eat foods like onions, potatoes, garlic throughout their lives, while others abstain from these foods during Chaturmash.

The onions and garlic increase sexual desires, while root vegetables like potatoes may have millions of bacterias and also smaller insects are killed during their harvest.

All hot drinks like wine, beer, etc.

So dear friends,before you rush to ur kitchen to prepare a sattvic meal,a few guideline for the events.....

1.Prepare a Dish that is a Vegetarian.[ Non-Vegetarian not allowed,Sorry folks..]

2) Post as many Recipes as you like on your blog this May 2009. Multiple entries are welcome..

3) Link back to this announcement and to Lakshmi’s blog is a must.

4)Send me a mail with the following details to seduceurtastebuds@gmail.com

a)Your name
b)Blog name
c)Name of the recipe
d)URL to the post
e]A photo of ur dish


If you don't have a blog, but you want to be part of this wonderful event, you can send me your recipe along with the other details...

Deadline for all the entries will be the 6'th of June-2009.

A few links that will get you started....

Jain cuisine 1

Jain cuisine 2

Jain cuisine 3


Looking forward to your tasty recipes.....

Curry Leaves Flavored Rice #2

Curry leaves are an indispensable ingredient of the Indian cuisine.Curry leaves are the richest source of micro nutrients ,antioxidants and carotene.100g of fresh curry leaves provide 110 calories.

Curry leaves are used as a digestive in Ayurvedic medicine.They are also used to increase the appetite of convalescents.Curry leaves mixed with lime juice is a folk remedy for morning sickness. Curry leaves are also known to control the blood cholesterol level,so the next time you find curry leaves in an Indian meal, don't be tempted to throw them away,just chew them and enjoy the flavor.

Now some good news for women... :) These leaves are a good hair tonic.Take a handful of leaves and heat with a cup of coconut oil till the leaves turn black.Cool and bottle[straining it is optional,the charred curry leaves will settle down at the bottom].Apply this oil to the scalp and watch your tresses turn long and strong!This also helps to prevent graying .If you feel this is a stenuous process,then just chew a couple of curry leaves everyday.


Coming to the cuisine part,Curry leaves add their flavour when the food is seasoned with these leaves.There are some preparations that make use of curry leaves alone,like curry leaves chutney,curry leaf powder and curry leaves flavoured rice.

Curry leaves rice can be prepared with curry leaf powder, but what I prepared today is with fresh curry leaves.

We have 3 large curry leaf shrubs in the backyard and with a bounty of curry leaves,mom prepared curry leaf powder and still had a lot more fresh curry leaves left that I thought of preparing curry leaf flavored rice using fresh curry leaves.



You need:


Fresh curry leaves - a handful
Cooked rice - 1 cup [Grains should be separate]
Oil -2 teaspoons
Urad dhal -1 tablespoon
Channa dhal/gram dhal -1 tablespoon
Pepper-1 teaspoon
Salt to taste

Seasoning:

Mustard- 1 teaspoon
urad dhal-1/2 teaspoon
Channa dhal/gram dhal-1/2 teaspoon

Heat a little oil in a pan and put in the curry leaves and saute for a couple of minutes.Remove from heat and keep aside.

Heat 1/2 teaspoon oil in the same pan and put in the channa dhal ,urad dhal and pepper and fry till the dhal turns brown.Remove from heat and cool.

Grind the dhals first in a mixer [just a few shots] and then add the curry leaves to make a 'not-so-coarse' powder.

In a bowl ,put in the cooked rice and the curry leaves powder.

Heat oil and put in the seasonings.Wait till the mustard crackles and dhal turns brown.Pour over the rice.Add salt.Mix well and serve as such or with any raita/curd.