Vendakkai thayir pachadi/ Bhindi raitha

This simple easy to make yummy raitha /thayir pachadi is from my mother-in-law's cookbook.  This pachadi/raitha goes very well with Cauliflower saadham/Gobi Rice .

Ingredients:

Vendakkai/ Bhindi                                              100 gms
Thayir/Curd/Plain natural yogurt                        1 cup
Salt                                                                       As needed
Red chilli powder (optional)                                1/2 tsp


To temper

Canola/Vegetable/Sunflower refined oil             1 tblspn
Mustard seeds                                                       1/2 tsp


Method

1. Cut vendakkai/bhindi to rings as thin as possible, discarding the head and tail portions of it.
2. In a small stir fry pan, add oil, heat and add mustard seeds to splutter. Bring the heat to low.
3. Add cut vendakkai rings/bhindi rings to it , mix well , add salt and red chilli powder (if adding) and mix well to give it a uniform coating of oil, salt and red chilli powder. Turn the heat back to medium.
4. Cook these bhindi rings for 5 mins or until it gets roasted. 
5. Take a cup of yogurt/curd/thayir and beat it until smooth. Add these cooked vendakkai/bhindi rings to it. Mix well. Taste and add salt if needed.

Vendakkai thayir pachadi/bhindi raitha is ready to be had with the yummy Cauliflower rice/Gobi rice.  It goes very well with rasam rice too.

Manga vathal thayir pachadi

This recipe speaks of my paternal grandma's cooking legacy.
Ingredients


Manga vathal                               - 5 nos
Water                                           - 1/4 cup
Mor milagai                                 - 2 nos (deep fried already)
Curd/ Plain natural yogurt           - 1/2 cup
Salt                                               - if and as needed

To temper

Canola oil                                  -  1 tsp
Mustard seeds                           - 1/4 tsp


Method

1.) Boil water and add manga vathal to it. Close the pan and switch off the stove and leave it for about 15 mins until vathal becomes soft and can be mashed roughly using hands.
2.) Mash it roughly in the water. Do not drain the water
3.) Add curd/yogurt to it. Make sure that the yogurt is thick and not watery.
4.) Crush mor milagai and add to it and mix well.
5.) Taste the pachadi. If salt is needed add to suit taste.
6.) In iluppakarandi or a small stir fry pan, add oil, heat it and add mustard seeds to splutter.

This tangy pachadi can be mixed with  1 tsp of  indian sesame oil / nallennai and  hot rice and can be had with appalam for a delicious, hearty rainy day meal. It can also be a great side dish as any other raitha.

Nellikkai (Indian gooseberries/Amla) thayir pachadi

Here is our version of superfruit from India. The more we consume, the more are we the benefactors. How much ever we say about this fruit is so little. Amla enhances food absorption, balances stomach acid, fortifies the liver, nourishes the brain and mental functioning, supports the heart, strengthens the lungs, regulates elimination, enhances fertility, helps the urinary system, is good for the skin, promotes healthier hair, acts as a body coolant, flushes out toxins, increases vitality, strengthens the eyes, improves muscle tone and it acts as an antioxidant.

It provides remedies for many diseases so it is widely used in ayurvedic medicines. Nellikkai/Amla is very rich in Vitamin C. It contains many minerals and vitamins like Calcium, Phosphorus, Iron, Carotene and Vitamin B Complex. Amla is also a powerful antioxidant agent. Many health problems are conduced by oxidative damage (when body cells use oxygen they produce by-products that can cause damage). Antioxidant agents prevent and repair such damages. Vitamin C is a good antioxidant agent and so is Gooseberry/Nellikkai/Amla.

Recipe:

Servings:  2-4 

Ingredients:

Nellikkai/Indian gooseberry/Amla Frozen (Big ones) - 1
Coconut thuruval/ dessicated coconut powder -2 tsp/ 1 tsp
Pachai milagai (Green chillies) - 2 small ones or 1 big one
Salt- to taste
Curd/Yogurt - 1 measuring cup

Procedure: 

1.) Cook nellikkai when u keep rice/dhal in ur pressure cooker for samayal in a seperate cup
or boil it in water for maybe 10mins.
2.) Remove the seed when it has cooled down.
3.) Grind coconut thuruval/dessicated coconut powder along with green chillies without adding water.
4.) Mix the ground powder with nellikkai and salt 
5.) Mash it up and make the mixture to a round ball and leave it for 10-15 mins for the flavours to infuse.
5.) Add curd and mix it well for the raitha consistency. If u feel that it is too creamy, then add water to ur desired consistency.

PS: U may feel that its too much curd/yogurt for one  nellikkai... But the taste is too strong and u would want to dilute it with so much thayir :)