Taro root and yogurt soup

This is a thick, sweet and sour soup. Of course delicious and nutritious.Good for gut health, the taro chunks fill in the tummy, so substitute for a mini meal.

Preparation  

Taro root 3-4, peeled and cut into small chunks, green chilli 4, silted, garlic cloves 4, onion 1, ginger 1 inch piece, all three thinly sliced, curry leaf a sprig, turmeric powder 1/2 tsp., salt to taste, cook it in a cup of water.

If you want to save time go for pressure cooking, I am always a busy person, so prefer pressure cooker.

Thick yogurt 3 cups, sugar 1 tbsp., whisk it gently.

Coconut oil 1 tbsp., dried red chilli 2, broken, green chilli 2, sliced thinly, curry leaves few, mustard and cumin seeds 1/4 tsp. each.

Heat the oil in a shallow pan, drop in the mustard and cumin seeds, allow to crackle, drop in the red chilli, followed by curry leaves and green chilli, sauté till tender, add the cooked taro root mix, allow to bubble followed by the yogurt, gently mix and allow to bubble in low flame. Transfer into a serving bowl and serve hot. 

Banana pseudo stem Bengal gram stir fry

So delicious and highly nutritious.The high protein in Bengal gram gets strong with the dietary fibre in the banana pseudo stem. 

Preparation 

Cooked Bengal gram a handful 

Pseudo stem chopped 3 handfuls 

Heat coconut oil in a shallow pan, drop in mustard seeds, cumin seeds, allow to crackle, drop in dried red chilli followed by curry leaves, add chopped shallots, garlic and ginger, sauté till tender, add chopped pseudo stem, mix well, add enough salt, turmeric and chilli powders, combine well and allow to cook in low flame. Add the cooked Bengal gram. Mix well and serve hot with rice. 

Banana pseudo stem pickle

Banana pseudo stem is rich in dietary fibre.

Pickles are so nice and easy to cook.

Preparation 

Chop the banana pseudo stem cutting into circles and removing the threads. Stack the circles and chop it.

Heat sesame oil sauté the chopped pseudo stem till tender. Drain out the pseudo stem, add more oil if required, add chopped ginger and garlic, sauté till light brown, add enough chilli, asafoetida, fenugreek and a pinch of turmeric powders. Add salt to taste. Add a tsp of sugar, mix well and add sautéed pseudo stem, combine well and allow to cool. Transfer into an airtight glass bottle. Pickle is ready.

 

Kadala vazhapindi asthram ( Bengal gram banana pseudo stem coconut mix)

A great dish for rice porridge.

Usually asthram is made with taro or yam. I used Bengal gram and banana pseudo stem. It came out well.

Preparation 

Heat oil in a shallow pan, drop in mustard seeds, allow to crackle, add dried red chilli, followed by curry leaves, add the chopped banana pseudo stem, stir till cooked, add the cooked Bengal gram and the coconut mix. Combine well and adjust salt. 

Bengal gram 1 cup, soak overnight and pressure cook with salt to taste.

Banana pseudo stem half foot length, cut into circles, remove the threads and chop it.

Grated coconut 1cup, shallots 3, garlic cloves 3, cumin seeds 1/2 tsp., turmeric powder 1/3 tsp., chilli powder 1/2 tsp. Grind these ingredients into a semi coarse mix.

Heat a tablespoon of coconut oil in a shallow pan, drop in mustard seeds, allow to crackle, add dried red 

Banana pseudo stem Bengal gram masala curry

Preparation 

Bengal gram 1 cup, soaked overnight and pressure cooked. Keep it aside.

Onion , garlic and ginger, peeled and chopped,curry leaf a sprig.

Heat enough coconut oil in a shallow pan, drop in mustard, allow to crackle, drop in in dried red chilli and curry leaves followed by onion, garlic and ginger, sauté till tender, add chicken powder 1 tbsp., salt to taste, stir till raw smell gone, add the chopped pseudo stem, stir and allow to cook for 5-7 minutes. Add the cooked Bengal gram along with any leftover juice in it. Allow to boil, add a cup of grinded coconut paste into the curry to have gravy in it. Garnish with green chilli and cilantro. I was not having cilantro. So garnished with green chilli only. Delicious nutritious dish is done ✅ 

First time preparing the dish. Always like banana pseudo stem. In this Corona  season enough time to process the pseudo stem for cooking. Heard the dish from my Facebook group friend Ms Nalini Mundath. Before finishing the pseudo stem I was in a hurry to prepare the dish. It came out well. The goodness ot the dish 

Along with the high protein of Bengal gram fibre is added. It provides softness to along with the hardness of the gram. The curry becomes juicy with the presence of pseudo stem. Healthy and delicious.

Preparation