Beetroot Kuruma

Ingredients

Beetroot - 1 (small)

Coconut - 1/8 th of a whole coconut

Green chillies - 3

Fennel (perunjeeragam) - 1/2 sp

Ginger - 1 (1" piece)

Garlic - 5 pods

Oil - 3 sp

Mustard + Urad dhal - 1/4 sp

Curry leaves - 5

Coriander leaves - few (chopped)

Onion - 1/2 (finely chopped)

Tomato - 1 (finely chopped)

Coriander powder - 1/2 sp

Red chilli powder - 1/4 sp

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Salt - To taste

Method

1. Chop the beetroot into small cubes and pressure cook them for one whistle with little water and salt.
2. In a mixie / blender, grind the coconut, green chillies, fennel, ginger and garlic to a fine paste adding very little water.
3. In a frying pan, add oil.
4. When the oil is hot, add the mustard, urad dhal, curry leaves and coriander leaves. Let them splutter.
5. Now, add the chopped onion and fry till they become transparent.
6. Add the chopped tomatoes and fry till they become mushy.
7. Add in the grind masala, cooked beetroot (along with the water), all the masala powders and salt.
8. Add required water and allow it simmer till the required consistency is reached.
9. Garnish with coriander leaves (optional)
10. Serve with chappathis, parathas, parotta, dosa and idli.

Note

1. Beetroots are normally sweet in nature. So adjust the amount of green chillies and red chilli powder as required.

Thakkali (Tomato) Kurma

Ingredients

Oil - 3 sp
Mustard + Urad dhal - 1/4 sp
Curry leaves - 10 Nos.
Coriander leaves - 3 strings
Onion - 1 (medium sized - finely chopped)
Tomato - 2 (large - finely chopped)
Coconut - 1/8 th of a whole coconut
Gram Dhal - 1/ 4 of a handful (Pottu kadalai / Pori kadalai)
Green Chilli - 2
Fennel (Perunjeeragam) - 1/ 2 sp
Coriander powder - 1/2 sp
Red Chilli powder -  1/4 sp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 sp
Salt - To taste

Method

1. Add the coconut, gram dhal, green chilli and fennel in a mixie / blender and grind to a fine paste with required water.
2. In a pan, add oil.
3. When the oil is hot, add the mustard, urad dhal, curry leaves & coriander leaves.
4. Add the chopped onion and fry till the onion become transparent.
5. Add the chopped tomatoes and fry till the tomatoes turn mushy.
6. Make sure that the onion & tomatoes combine together and oil starts to separate out. (This step is the secret for this tasty bread / tiffin accompaniment)
7. Now, add the grind masala along with necessary amount of water.
8. Add chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric and salt.
9. Let this boil until the required consistency is reached.
10. This is the best of all the vegetarian bread accompaniments.
11. Serve with chappathi, paratha, dosa or idli.