Kovakka Palya / Tindora Roast

Tindora or Kovakka is one vegetable I cook in Microwave and then Roast in a Kadai to make it more crispier. Here's how I make the curry with Kovakka.

Ingredients:

Chopped Kovakka - 2 Cups

Oil for seasoning

Mustard Seeds - 1 teaspoon

Urud Dal - 1 teaspoon

Turmeric Powder

Asafoetida Powder

Red Chilli Powder

Salt

Method:

Put the chopped Vegetable in a Microwave Safe Bowl. ( I use Microwave Rice Cooker to Cook Vegetables). Wash and Drain the Water. Close a Lid with a vent and cook in Microwave in High for 6 to 7 minutes.

Heat Oil in a wide Non Stick Kadai and tamper the Mustard Seeds, then add the Urud Dal. When it turns golden brown, add the cooked vegetable. Stir and add the other Ingredients. Fry until the Vegetable is roasted.

Serve as side for Saaru anna (Rasam Rice) or any Rice variety like Huli Anna (Sambar Rice).

The vegetable can be chopped vertically too.

This is a simple lunch plate for my little daughter. She loves this curry with Saaru Anna.

Corn Flour Halwa

Happy Ugadhi to everyone and I would like to share the sweet of the day with all of you. An awesome treat and fully cooked in microwave. One can not even guess that the sweet's main ingredient in Corn Flour. It is sure a heavenly treat. Its a no mess, fully microwave cooked, easy recipe that will be ready in minutes. This is my Mom's recipe for Corn Flour Halwa. Here's the recipe.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Corn Flour
Almost 1 cup Granulated Sugar
Saffron - a pinch (optional if using the artificial color)

6 to 7 pods Elachi (Take out the seeds and grind to a coarse powder)
Orange Red Color (Optional ) - a pinch
Pistachio nuts chopped - a handful
(Any kind of chopped nuts is fine)
Ghee - 3 tablespoons
Water - 4 cups

Method:

Take Corn Flour in a Microwave safe bowl. Preferably a little big. I used the corning ware big size.

Pour 2 Cups of Water. Whisk well until there are no lumps.

Mix in the sugar and whisk until even distribution.

Add the Saffron.

Microwave on High for 2 minutes. Stir and again Microwave on High for 2 minutes. Repeat this until the conflour's raw smell goes. If you think the content is thickening too quickly, add little water and stir until even distribution and again Microwave for 1 or 2 minutes, or until the content becomes a little semi solid and the Corn Flour raw smell disappears completely.

Grease a dish with Ghee and add the remaining Ghee, Ground Elachi and the chopped nuts to the content and stir until even distribution. Cook again for a minute or two in microwave. The consistency will resemble a jelly, somewhat semi solid, trying to set.

Immediately pour the content in the greased dish.

Allow it to cool completely. Topple the halwa in a plate. Slice and Serve. You can still enjoy the Halwa even if it doesn't slice out well.

Long Beans Palya

Ingredients:

Long Beans – 1 bunch

Oil – 1 teaspoon

Mustard Seeds

Urud Dal

Turmeric Powder

Salt

Asafoetida

Desiccated Coconut – little

Method:

Chop the Long beans. Put the Chopped Beans in a Microwave Safe Bowl (Which has a Lid). Wash the Beans and Drain all the water. Close the Bowl leaving a small gap for Vent and Place it in the Microwave on High for 7 Minutes Approx. The vegetable should be wet before placing it in the Microwave.

(I use the Microwave Rice Cooker to cook Vegetables like Potatoes, Carrot, Peas, Cauliflower, Beans and Cabbage).

When it’s done. Heat Oil in a Kadai, Add Mustard Seeds, when it sputters add Urud Dal. When it turns light brown add the Cooked long beans. Stir. Add Salt and Asafoetida. Stir until even distribution. Then, turn down the heat completely and add the Desiccated Coconut and stir. I do not use any kind of Chillis in this recipe. Serve as a Side.