Aratithokkala Podi/Plantain Peel(Raw Banana Peel) Spice Powder and Chutney for Idli,Dosa and Rice(Oil Free)

Thank you Priya Mitharwal for trying to guess the recipe ,it is partially a chutney but mainly a delicious spice powder with the plantain peels.I wanted to try something different from the chutney's and ended up making this new combination.Earlier ,too I made chutneys with plantain peels and they are very unique(Recipes here and here).I can definitely say that this is the first time anyone in the food blog world has come across this one of a kind delicious,healthy and oil free spice powder and chutney made with plantain peels.

Today I am presenting to you 2 delicious dishes from same ingredients.We all relished them and hope you would too.

Firstly,let us see how this delicious spice powder with plantain peels is made------

Main Ingredients :

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Plantain Peels.............................from 2 plantains/raw bananas steamed

Dhalia/Putnala Pappu.................1/2cup

Coconut Pieces.........................5(fresh or frozen 2inch size)

Green Chillies............................6(to taste,the chillies I used are not very spicy)

Garlic Cloves............................2

Salt...........................................to taste

Preparation :

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Clean the plantains,remove the tips and pressure cook the plantains with the peel for 2 whistles.Once the pressure is off take the plantains out from the cooker and remove the peel.(You can use the plantain pulp for making your favorite curries).In this recipe we use only the peel.

Let the peels cool down and cut them into small pieces.Place a pan on the stove on medium-high heat and add the cut peels to it and keep stirring them till they become dry.

Once the peels are almost cooked, add the slit green chilly's and garlic cloves and keep stirring till the raw smell in them is gone.Now switch off the stove and add the dhalia/putnala pappu/gulla senagapappu to the hot pan with the peels.Also add coconut pieces to the pan.

Once the heat is reduced and just warm,transfer the ingredients to the blender/mixie jar and add required salt and grind or pulse to make a delicious powder.

Remove the powder into a contianer and enjoy it with warm rice and ghee or as a side for idli and dosas.

Plantain Peels Spice Chutney

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Seconly,another variation for the Dry Plantain Spice Powder is the Wet Chutney with the same powder.

If you like to have this spice powder as a wet chutney instead of dry one for the tiffins like idli,dosa and upma, try this variation.

Main Ingredients :

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Plantain Peel Spice Powder....................1 cup

Yogurt...................................................1/4cup

Tamarind Paste......................................1tsp

Water....................................................as needed

Cilantro..................................................handful

Seasoning Ingredients :

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Canola Oil...................................2tsp

Red Chilly....................................1 small piece

Mustard Seeds............................1/2tsp

Urad Daal...................................1tsp

Asafoetida/Hing..........................pinch

Curry Leaves..............................few

Preparation :

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Add the Plantain Peel Spice Powder to the blender along with yogurt , tamarind and cilantro and give it a nice whip.Once the blend is ready you can use it as is or add water and blend it to the right consistency you like.Transfer the chutney to a bowl.

Now place a pan on the stove on medium heat and add oil to it.Once the oil heats up add the seasoning ingredients to it and wait till the seeds splutter,add hing and switch off the stove.

Now tranfer the seasoning to the bowl of chutney and serve it with your favorite tiffins.

Note :

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1) Instead of using water you can add little more yogurt to the chutney.

2) To make the chutney completely oil free you can avoid adding seasoning to it.Choice is yours.

3) Do try it and you will really love it.

Tasty and Healthy Juices on Thursday : Juice Recipe # 24

Today I am sharing with you one more healthy and delicious juice recipe concocted by Jay that is a delicious combination of fruits and vegetables.We all enjoyed it and hope you would too.

Juice Recipe # 24 :

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We need the following ingredients for making this juice---------

Ripe Pineapple........................1(large)

Apples....................................2

Carrots....................................2(medium)

Yellow Zucchini.......................1

Green Zucchini........................1

Ginger....................................1inch

Preparation :

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Rinse the fruits and veggies under cold water.Clean and cut the pineapple into long chunks.Now juice the pineapple followed by apples followed by carrots followed by yellow zucchini followed by green zucchin followed by ginger.Stir the collected juice in the bowl with a ladle so that the juices blend in and serve the juice immediately.

This yielded 4 large glasses of juice.The juice was yellow in color.

Note:

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1) As always, do check if the ingredients used in the juices are okay for you ,before you make these juices.

2) In a juicer always try to juice the soft fruit followed by hard fruits so that you can get the maxium juice out of the soft fruits.

3) A food that is healthy for one person may or may not be healthy for an other person.Always check with your doctor before you try these raw juices.

Aratikaya Ava Pettina Kura/Cooked Raw Plantain(Raw Banana) flavored with Mustard

Today I am sharing with you another simple ,healthy, and delicious raw plantain dish flavored with mustard paste.It is quick and easy to make.For other recipes with raw plantain/raw banana and its peel(arati thokkalu) check here.I made a new dish with the peel will post it soon,any guesses let me know.

Let us see how this delicious curry is made----------

Main Ingredients :

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Raw Plantain......................2

Seasoning Ingredients :

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Canola Oil.........................1tbsp

ChanaDaal.........................2tsp

Urad Daal..........................1tsp

Mustard Seeds...................1/2tsp

Cumin Seeds......................1/2tsp

Red Chilly..........................1(broken into 2pieces)

Asafoetida/Hing..................1/8tsp

Ginger................................1inch(cut into pieces)

Green Chilly.......................2(cut into pieces)

Curry Leaves......................few

Turmeric.............................1/4tsp

Salt.....................................to taste

For Mustard Paste :

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Take 2tsp of mustard seeds and 1/2tsp of raw rice (soak rice for 5 minutes) and grind them in the blender with little water to make the paste.

 Preparation :

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Wash the plantains under water and cut the ends of the plantains,do not remove the peels.Now cut both the plantains into 2 halves and steam in the pressure cooker for 1 whistle and switch off the stove.(You can steam them on the stove top too).Once the pressure has cooled down take the plantains out of the cooker and remove the peel and keep it aside.Cut the plantain into small pieces.

Now place a pan on the stove on medium heat and add oil.Once the oil heats up add the chanadaal,uraddaal,mustard seeds,cumin seeds and red chilly.Once they start to splutter add hing,cut ginger ,cut chilly and curry leaves.

Once the seasoning is ready add the cut plantain pieces,turmeric and salt.Mix well and cook for 2 minutes.

Finally add the mustard paste to the plantain pieces and stir so that the mustard flavor incorporates well and cook for 2 more minutes.Now you can add some lemon juice and switch off the stove.

Delicious Aratikaya Ava Pettina Kura/Cooked Raw Plantain flavored with Mustard Paste is ready to be served with warm rice or roti.

Note :

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1) Do not trash the peel.You can use it for making chutney or ------.Will let you know the next recipe with  plantain peel soon.Meanwhile can you guess what it is? Let me know.

2) In this curry instead of cutting the plantain into pieces you can crumble it and add too.

This recipe goes to CWS-Mustard Seeds Event guest hosted by me and started by Priya.

Mamidallam MenthiBaddalu/MangoGinger(Maa Inji) Pickle

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mom's

MangoGinger/Mamidiallam/Maa Inji is a very healthy and delicious rhizome.MangoGinger is a plant of the ginger family Zingiberaceae and is closely related to turmeric. These rhizomes smell like raw mango and look like ginger,they have a unique taste.We can make a variety of pickles and chutneys with this MangoGinger(mamidallam).

The recipe I am sharing with you today is similar to Mamidikaya Menthibaddalu.Instead of Mango we are using MangoGinger.We call this as "Mamidallam Menthibaddalu or MangoGinger Pickle".We use roasted mustard and fenugreek powder in this recipe which gives a nice flavor to this pickle.

Let us get into the details of the recipe-------------

Main Ingredients :
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Mamidallam/MangoGinger..............1cup
Paprika Chilli Powder.....................1/2 cup
Canola Oil......................................1/2cup
Mustard Powder............................2tsp
Methi Powder................................1tsp
Asafoetida/Hing..............................1/2 tsp
Lemon Juice..................................2tbsp/as needed
Salt................................................to taste

Preparation :
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Peel the skin off the mango-ginger and cut it into small pieces.This goes to the CWS-Mustard Seeds Event being guest hosted by me and started by Priya.

Now take a pan and pour the oil in it and place the pan on the stove and heat the oil till it reaches smoking point . Now add the asafoetida/hing to the hot oil and switch off the stove.

When the oil temperature comes down a bit(it should still be little hot) add the chilli powder to the hing oil.

Meanwhile get the Methi/Mustard powder ready.Add 1tsp of methi seeds and 2tsp of mustard seeds to a pan and dry roast them on medium heat till they are done.Let the seeds cool down and then grind it into a fine powder.Methi/Mustard powder is ready.

Now the oil with hing and chilli powder is cooled down.Add the mango-ginger pieces,and methi/mustard powder to the oil and mix it.

Now add the required amount of salt, 2tbsp of lemon juice to the mango-ginger , spice, oil blend and mix it well.The pickle is all done.

This pickle tastes good when served as a side dish with daal rice or can be served with parathas.It can be eaten with hot rice and also as a condiment for yogurt rice.

Note :
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1) As the mango-ginger is not sour we have to add lemon juice to the pickle.Leave the pickle out for a day,and next day taste for salt and lemon juice and adjust if needed.

2)Transfer the pickle to a clean bottle and store in the refrigerator as it might spoil if it is kept out(It should be fine when kept out for 2 or 3 days ).

 3)I used paprika chilli powder here so it's not spicy.If you are using a spicy/hot chilli powder adjust the amount of chilli powder accordingly.

4)I used less oil in the recipe as by next day salt with the spice in the pickle will leave out some liquid and it will rise the level of oil.

5)This pickle will taste very delicious if you let it rest for 2 days and then use it.

This recipe goes to the CWS-Mustard Seeds Event guest hosted by me and started by Priya.