Karuveppilai podi/Curry leaves powder

Do you have the habit of separating out curry leaves from your plate when any dish is served?Here is one way of consuming curry leaves.Curry leaves have a lot of medicinal benefits.So it is good to have it in some way possible rather than just throw away the cooked whole leaves.Right?Also, do not throw away the dried curry leaves which have become black in color.

Ingredients:

Curry leaves-1 big bunch(maybe 2 cups)
Urad dal-1/2 cup
Chana dal-1/4 cup
Red chillies-4 or 5( as per you need)
Hing-1/4 tspn
Salt

Dry curry leaves completely so that no moisture is present.Fry the curry leaves in a pan for a sometime.This helps remove all the moisture.Once dried, keep it aside in a plate.
Fry urad dal, chana dal, red chillies and hing till the nice aroma comes out.
Allow all the above to cool and then grind them all together into a fine powder adding salt into it.

Serve this powder with plain rice and oil/ghee.

Kadala curry/ black channa with coconut curry

One of my favorite side dishes in the local mess for aapam or puttu, the famous Kerala delicacies.Nothing else than kadala curry.

Ingredients needed

Shallots-5
Coconut-1/2 cup
Red chillies-8 or 9
Coriander seeds-2tsp
Black chana-2 cups
Curry leaves
Salt
Oil

1. Soak channa overnight.
2.Take a kadai.Heat oil and fry coconut, red chillies and coriander seeds till they turn a lil brown in color.Allow it to cool.
3.Add 2 shallots to the above and grind it with little water to a thick consistency.
4.Now in a pressure cooker add the soaked chana with the water , some salt and the ground mixture and cook for 5 to 6 whistles.
5.Heat oil in a kadai.Add mustard, jeera and curry leaves.Add the remaining shallots (finely chopped) and fry well.
6. To this, add the cooked mixture from the cooker and allow to boil.you may add water to this now if needed.

Serve hot kadala curry with aapam or puttu.