Kothamalli (coriander) Thogayal with Koorka Stir fry

Couple of days ago, I had a very lazy day. I just did not feel like cooking anything. So I just made something really quick and simple. And for those following my blog, I don't need to remind you of the coriander bunches sitting in my fridge. So I made simple thogayal to go with rice. This can be eaten as a side for idli or dosa. I really love it with my dosa. Or can be used as a layer in a sandwich.

We had it with koorka (chinese potato) mizhukkuvaratti (malayalam word for stir fry). For those who do not know what koorka is check out the wiki link on Koorka. It is my favorite root vegetable. It is very popular in Kerala and is highly addictive. It is a small root and it is difficult to clean and peal. But luckily I discoved in a Patel Brothers store when we were in US, that it is sold in frozen form in a packet called 'Chinese Potato'. There is nothing Chinese about these as far as I know. It is very seasonal in India also. Available only for a couple of months a year. So you know my excitement when I saw in the store. I think I nearly did a tap dance in the frozen isle.

Ingredients

Coriander leaf 3 cups loosely packed. i used a big bunch.

Coconut 1/2 cup

Whole pealed Urad dal 1/2 cup

Channa dal 1 tbsp

Pepper 1 tsp

Red Chillies 5

Tamarind paste 1/2 tsp

Salt 1 tsp (to taste)

Oil a little

Method of Preparation

1. Separate the coriander leaf from the stem and wash well. Dry the leaves.

2. Heat oil in a pan and roast the urad dal and channa dal. When they start to brown, add the pepper and chillies.

3. Grind the above mix with coriander leaves, tamarind paste, coconut and salt into a coarse paste adding enough water. This should be thick paste.

It is usually mixed with rice and eaten with a dry curry (optional).

Method for Koorka Stir Fry

Just heat some oil - add mustard and turmeric powder. Add koorka and cook well. Add some chilli powder and salt. Cook like you would make potatoes. My aim of mentioning the vegetable here was to introduce to people who have not eaten it and share memories with people who love it like I do.

This is my son's dinner plate. Had to fight with him to take a photo. He likes his sanam with vegetables (he means sadam - rice), yogurt and potttuuuu kadalai (fried gram dal). Eats the 3 in a rotation. He called the Thogayal - Hohahail.