Category Archives: Poriyal/Dry Vegetable Curries

Beans Poriyal/Beans Dry Vegetable Curry

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Sorry for the long break … After the adorable snow attack on us, the next attack came on my computer, making it lifeless for a couple of weeks. Then… for now it is the glowing sun attack! Born in Thoothukudi – the coastal town of Tamilnadu where the sun is brighter than the coastal metropolitan Chennai, where I grew – I love the sun and the mildly cold breeze. Here in Holland, winter or summer – both seem to be in its extreme splash – literally unbearable sometimes. Slowly getting used to the confusion of summer looking spring kind of climate… Originally, it should have been a summer drink to help tackle the heavy and bright sun! But, now it is a simple light poriyal/thuvaran or the dry vegetable curry, to start after this break. As usual, not to mention that this can be made with one teaspoon of oil, just for the seasoning.

 

 

Beans Poriyal/Thuvaran/Beans Dry Vegetable Curry

 Ingredients (serves 2)

  • finely chopped beans – 250 gms
  • finely chopped onion – 1 no. (optional)
  • split green chillies – 2 no.s
  • turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
  • salt – as per taste
  • asafoetida powder – 1/4 tsp
  • grated coconut – 3 tbsp
  • oil – 1 tsp
  • mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
  • urad dal – 1/2 tsp
  • curry leaves – a few

 

finely chopped beans

 

 Method of Preparation

  1. Steam the finely chopped beans until tender; I steam it in the micro-wave for about 6-7 minutes
  2. Heat oil in an iruppu chatti/Pan
  3. Add mustard seeds and when they splutter,  add urad dal
  4. When urad dal turns brown, add curry leaves and the split green chillies
  5. Add chopped onion and fry a bit
  6. Now add the steamed beans,  turmeric powder and salt
  7. Saute till raw smell of turmeric powder goes away and all the ingredients are blended well
  8. Sprinkle asafoetida powder and switch off the stove
  9. Sprinkle grated coconut and transfer into a serving bowl
  10. Beans Thuvaran is ready.

 

Note:

  1. Onions give a distinctive flavour to all thuvarans. But after the exhausting work of chopping beans so fine, chopping onions sometimes become a burden… then I omit onions.
  2. Grated coconut compensates for every adjustment.
  3. Generally, I add asafoetida in most of my dishes to aid digestion. Those who do not prefer the flavour can omit that too.
  4. This is a quick dish as no time is wasted in frying or sauteing too much.
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Urulai Kizhangu Poriyal/Potato Dry Curry

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Potato is certainly a versatile vegetable.  In gravies and stews,  sandwiches and pies, dosais and parattas,  fried and baked, sometimes even in combination with meat – it fits in anywhere and everywhere like the all-in-one daughter-in-law of mother-in-law’s choice! The all time favourite urulai poriyal of Tamilnadu is usually one of the dry vegetables served on the vaazhai ilai. (for ilai sappadu or banana leaf feast meal see – https://dosaikal.com/2011/10/14/thamizhar-virundhu-feast-of-the-tamils/).

Initially, whenever I made urulai poriyal, the glowy, brownish colour that is usually relished in feast meals or restaurant thalis used to be missing. I felt too much oil must be needed to bring the same texture and colour and not ready to use excess oil, accepted defeat. Then, one day, amma told the secret behind it and now I can make urulai poriyal – with the same colour and glow.. hurrah!

Urulai Kizhangu Poriyal/ Potato Dry Curry 

 

 

Ingredients (serves 3)

  • urulai kizhangu/potato – 250 gms
  • onions – medium 2 no.s
  • garlic – 3 cloves (optional)
  • turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
  • red chilli powder – 1 tsp
  • pepper powder – 1/2 tsp
  • coriander powder – 1 tsp
  • salt – as needed 
  • oil – 2 tbsp
  • kadugu/mustard seeds – 1 tsp
  • ulundahm paruppu/urad dal – 1 tsp
  • curry leaves – a few
  • perungayam/asafoetida – a pinch

Method of Preparation

  1. Cook potatoes in a pressure cooker or microwave till just done
  2. Peel and cut into small pieces and keep aside
  3. Peel, wash and finely chop garlic and onions
  4. Heat oil in an iruppu chatti/kadai, add mustard seeds and let it splutter
  5. Add urad dal and when it turns golden brown add curry leaves
  6. Add chopped garlic and onions and fry
  7. Now, add all dry powders – turmeric, red chilli and coriander and fry a bit – This step gives the brownish colour the dry curry
  8. Do not over fry – this might take away the true spicy flavour of the powders
  9. Add the cooked and cut potatoes and mix well
  10. Add salt as per taste
  11. Cook in medium for 5 minutes; Keep stirring with care to bring the potatoes in the bottom of the kadai to top – this helps in even colouring and blending of spice powders
  12. When poriyal reaches golden brown colour, sprinkle asafoetida and mix well
  13. Serve hot garnished with coriander leaves
  14. Tastes best with Rice and any Kuzhambu (https://dosaikal.com/category/kuzhambugal-gravy-dishes/)

 

 

Note:

  1. Red chilli powder can be altered as preferred
  2. Garlic is believed to reduce the gastric problems potatoes tend to give –  and also gives a nice flavour to any curry.. but can be avoided if not preferred.
  3. Onions are also optional too.

Muttaikose-Carrot Poriyal/Cabbage-Carrot Dry Vegetable Curry

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This is a variation to Cabbage poriyal. This has grated carrots added to finely chopped cabbage. The procedure is the same as cabbage poriyal.

Muttaikose-Carrot poriyal/Cabbage-Carrot dry vegetable curry (serves 4)

 poriyal in kadai

 

Ingredients

  • cabbage – medium size – 1 no.
  • carrots – 2
  • onion – medium – 1 no.
  • green chillies – 2 nos
  • turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
  • oil – 1 tsp
  • mustard seeds – 1 tsp
  • urad dal – 1 tsp
  • curry leaves – a few
  • salt – as needed
  • perungayam/hing/asafoetida – 1/2 tsp

Method of Preparation

  1. Finely chop cabbage, onion and green chillies separately
  2. Grate carrots separately
  3. Take 1 tsp oil in a kadai
  4. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter
  5. Add urad dal and when it turns golden brown add curry leaves
  6. Add chopped onions and green chillies
  7. Fry for a while and add chopped cabbage
  8. While adding cabbage keep flame in full position for a while
  9. After couple of minutes of flame in full position, reduce flame
  10. This is believed to remove the acidic content of cabbage
  11. Add grated carrots and mix well
  12. Add turmeric powder and salt and mix well
  13. Sprinkle water in between, close the kadai with lid and cook till done
  14. Sprinkle perungayam/hing and transfer to a serving bowl
  15. This is usually served with rice and kuzhambu/gravy of the day as a vegetable accompaniment
  16. Can also go well with chappatis and dal in place of a dry vegetable
  17. Cabbage – carrot can be taken out crisp or well cooked as per family’s preference
  18. Onions can be omitted
  19. Garnish with grated coconut (optional)

ready to serve

Cabbage Poriyal/Cabbage Dry Vegetable Curry

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One more poriyal – dry vegetable curry – with very little oil and very easy to prepare too. Cabbage poriyal can be made just with cabbage alone or sometimes mixed with carrots. This is plain cabbage poriyal.

Cabbage poriyal – Cabbage dry vegetable curry (serves 2)

Ingredients

  • cabbage –  medium size – 1 no.
  • onion –  medium – 1 no.
  • green chillies – 2 nos
  • turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
  • oil – 1 tsp
  • mustard seeds – 1 tsp
  • urad dal – 1 tsp
  • curry leaves – a few
  • salt – as needed
  • perungayam/hing/asafoetida – 1/2 tsp
  • grated coconut – 1/2 cup for garnishing

Method of Preparation

  1. Finely chop cabbage, onion and green chillies separately
  2. Take 1 tsp oil in a kadai
  3. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter
  4. Add urad dal and when it turns golden brown add curry leaves
  5. Add chopped onions and green chillies
  6. Fry for a while and add chopped cabbage
  7. While adding cabbage keep flame in full position for a while
  8. After couple of minutes of flame in full position, reduce flame
  9. This is believed to remove the acidic content of cabbage
  10. Add turmeric powder and salt and mix well
  11. Sprinkle water in between, close the kadai with lid and cook till done
  12. Sprinkle perungayam/hing and transfer to a serving bowl
  13. This is usually served with rice and kuzhambu/gravy of the day as a vegetable accompaniment
  14. Can also go well with chappatis and dal in place of a dry vegetable
  15. Cabbage can be taken out crisp or well cooked as per family’s preference
  16. Garnish with grated coconut. (optional)

 

cooked cabbage poriyal

 

Note:

  1. Always keep in mind the less oil in pan
  2. So, fry everything for a short while and keep the burner in sim position
  3. Sprinkle just enough water – if there is too much water – cabbage might lose its colour or become soggy.
  4. When cabbage is cooked with closed lid, it might leave out some water. Most of the times, this water is enough to cook cabbage.
  5. If one finds water is insufficient, and as such there is very little oil, sprinkle water. Otherwise, cabbage might get burnt in the base of the pan.

Vaazhaikkai Puttu/Raw Banana Puttu

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Vaazhaikkai Puttu is one of my favourite dry curries.  The normal dry curry or poriyal made out of raw bananas would need more roasting to make it tastier. This dish is made of cooked and grated raw bananas. Till today I believe my mother makes it the best. This puttu can also be made with very less oil. Though I didn’t know the concept of less oil when I was little, I think the taste of dal and chillies in the seasoning must have made this more appealing.

In the dry curries, seasoning in terms of oil, mustard seeds and dal is generally not poured on top at the end. The recipe starts with oil, mustard seeds and dal, continued with curry leaves, green chillies or red chillies as per the dish. This is more or less common in all poriyals or dry curries.

 

Vaazhaikkai Puttu

Ingredients (serves 4)

  • vaazhaikkai/raw banana – 2 nos
  • garlic – 4 cloves
  • onion – 1 no. medium
  • green chillies – 2 no.s
  • curry leaves – a few
  • oil – 1 tsp
  • mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
  • split urad dal – 1 tsp
  • salt – to taste
  • freshly grated coconut – 1/2 cup (optional)

Cooking Raw Banana

  1. Cut the top portion of banana skin which is hard
  2. Let the skin remain intact
  3. Boil water in a pan on the stove
  4. Cut each banana in two halves and immediately place them in water
  5. Do not leave the cut bananas out for more time – the open corners would discolour
  6. Banana halves should be well immersed in water
  7. In approximately 15 minutes bananas should be cooked – should be little more than medium cooked
  8. To check, poke a knife in the banana – the banana should feel cooked but intact and not soft
  9. Be careful – over cooked bananas become unfit for this poriyal
  10. So, keep checking in between!

 raw bananas cooked with skin

 

vaazhaikkai puttu

 

Method of Preparation

  1. Take the cooked raw bananas and gently peel the skin off
  2. Grate the banana halves in a grater – this is why the cooked bananas should be intact and not over cooked
  3. Grated raw banana should look like grated coconut
  4. Chop onion and garlic cloves to fine pieces
  5. Take 1 tsp oil in a pan, preferably non-stick
  6. Add mustard seeds, when it splutters add urad dal
  7. When dal becomes golden, add chopped onions, garlic and curry leaves
  8. Saute and add the grated bananas
  9. Add salt and mix well
  10. Do not use a wooden ladle or spatula – it might mash the grated banana
  11. Use a metal ladle – when the poriyal is mixed in the pan, the grated vegetable remains like grated coconut.
  12. This vegetable doesn’t need turmeric powder and hence would be off-white in colour
  13. Let it cook in sim position for five minutes with stirring in between
  14. When the vegetable is well mixed with the salt and the seasoning items, turn off the stove
  15. Sprinkle freshly grated coconut before serving.

Note: Sorry, the above photo is not clear enough. Photo of grated raw banana and a better photo of vaazhaikkai puttu would follow.

Beans Pachai Payaru Thuvaran – Beans and Green Gram Dry Curry

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The dry vegetable curries called thuvaran or poriyal or the kuzhambus or gravy dishes would require oil only for thaalippu or tadka (seasoning). I believe in minimum oil usage in any receipe.

A little bit of patient research showed me that using five teaspoons of oil in a recipe and two teaspoons did not make any difference. Only when nearly eight to ten teaspoons of oil is used, there is remarkable shine and glow in the end product. Greasy food is not healthy food. So, when I am not ready to use ten teaspoons in a dish, why use five when two teaspoons give the same result!! In fact two teaspoons is for those who really feel it is an insult to the vegetables not providing  adequate oil – one teaspoon is sufficient though. I use only one.

These are some of the dishes which come out really well without any bonding with the pan in spite of the one teaspoon oil. For those who find it difficult, can try initially with two. If you relish the slight glow in the finished dish while serving, use one teaspoon (or no oil) for cooking and heat one teaspoon oil and give a tadka at the end. You are nearly there with the glow of 10 teaspoon oil.

I always add garlic to most of my dishes as I believe in its medicinal properties. It adds to the flavour in dry recipes and helps in combatting gastric problems. Ginger and garlic are two ingredients which can be altered as per one’s taste preferences.

Beans Pachai payaru Thuvaran – Beans and Green gram dry curry

steamed beans

cooked green gram

 

thuvaran – dry curry

 

Ingredients

  • Green beans – 500 gms
  • Cooked green gram  – 1 cup
  • Oil – 1 tsp
  • Garlic – 3 cloves mashed coarsely
  • Green chillies – 2 no.s split into halves
  • Red chillies – 2 no.s broken into two  
  • Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
  • Urad dal – 1/2 tsp
  • Curry leaves – a few
  • Salt – to taste
  • Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
  • Asafoetida (Perungayam /Hing) – 1/2 tsp
  • Grated coconut – 1/2 cup (optional)

Method of preparation

  1. Finely cut green beans and steam in microwave for seven minutes
  2. If cooking in a pressure cooker, use water in the base of the cooker and cook beans without water in a smaller vessel inside
  3. Green gram should not be cooked mushy; it should be intact 
  4. Take one tsp cooking oil in a wide pan or kadai – (Iruppu Chatti)
  5. Add mustard seeds; when it splutters add urad dal
  6. Simmer and add curry leaves, crushed garlic and both the chillies
  7. Garlic is optional – It’s good as it reduces gastric problems which might arise due to the green gram
  8. Fry just for a few seconds since there is very little oil in the Chatti, it might get burnt easily
  9. Add the cooked beans and mix well
  10. Sprinkle turmeric powder and salt and mix
  11. Add the cooked green gram dal and mix all together
  12. Always keep the stove in minimum heat and close with lid for a couple of minutes
  13. Open the lid and stir for another minute and its done
  14. Sprinkle asafoetida on top and mix well (Asafoetida powder can also be added to oil initially if one dislikes the fresh sprinkled smell on top
  15. Also sprinkle freshly grated coconut
  16. Ready to serve with Rice and Kuzhambu/Chappathi and dal