SWEET POTATO PODIMAS

 SWEET POTATO PODIMAS

Sweet Potatoes, the commonly available tubers, are known as Sihi Genasu in Kannada, Sakkaravalli Kizhangu in Tamil, Shakarkhand in Hindi, and Kannang in my mother tongue, Konkani. 

It is well established that sweet potatoes have many health benefits. I therefore use them in my cooking from time to time. 

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for dishes made with sweet potato such as:-

• Sweet Potato Stir Fry 
• Sweet Potato Tikkis
• Sweet Potato Roast 

Today's recipe is for an easy to make yet delicious side dish called Sakkaravalli Kizhangu Podimas or Sweet Potato Podimas.  In Tamil, "Podimas"  literally means "mashed ". A popular dish is Potato Podimas.  Today's dish is instead made with Sweet Potato. 

This dish goes great as an accompaniment with hot steamed rice and rasam/sambar.  We had this for lunch today and it was amazing!! 

Ingredients:-

• Sweet Potato, 750 gms 
• Mustard Seeds, 1 tsp
• Black Gram (Urad) Dal, 1 tsp
• Bengal Gram (Channa) Dal, 1 tsp
• Curry Leaves, a sprig
• Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Green Chillies, slit, 6
• Ginger, grated, 1 tsp
• Asafoetida (Hing) , 1/4 tsp
• Fresh Coconut Gratings, 1/4 cup 
• Lemon Juice (juice of 1/2 lemon) 
• Salt, to taste
• Coconut Oil, 1 to 1 and 1/2 tbsp

Method:

Wash the sweet potatoes thoroughly. Snip off the two ends and cut each of the sweet potatoes into 2-3 pieces ( depending on the size of the sweet potatoes)

In a vessel, boil the sweet potato pieces in adequate water for about 20-25 minutes or till they are fully cooked. Check that they are done. 

Transfer the cooked sweet potato pieces to a plate and allow it to cool

Once it is cool enough to handle, peel off and discard the skin

Using a grater, grate the cooked sweet potatoes or crumble them using your fingers. Keep aside. 

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a thick bottomed kadhai and on medium heat add the mustard seeds,

When they splutter add the urad dal, channa dal, slit green chillies, grated ginger and curry leaves

Saute till the urad dal and channa dal change colour 

Now add asafoetida and turmeric powder, salt and mix well

To this add the grated sweet potato and mix well 

Cook on medium heat till the seasoning gets well blended with the sweet potatoes 

Next add fresh coconut gratings, mix well and switch off the gas

Lastly, squeeze the lemon juice and mix once again

Transfer to a serving bowl

Serve the Sweet Potato Podimas as a side dish with hot steamed rice and sambar or rasam 

VAZHAKKAI PODIMAS

VAZHAKKAI PODIMAS

Today's dish is from the State of Tamilnadu. The main ingredient is raw banana which is called "Vazhakkai" in Tamil). I make dishes using this from time to time. Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for Chettinad Vazhakkai Curry, Kele Koddel, and Swadisht Vegetable Rolls.

Some grate the cooked raw bananas when making this dish but I like the chunky taste of the pieces so prefer to chop them instead. If you wish, you can garnish the dish with fresh coconut gratings.

This easy to make mildly spiced side dish ( "podimas" in Tamil) goes well with rice and sambar.

Ingredients:

• Raw Bananas, 2
• Mustard Seeds, 1 tsp
• Urad Dal, 1 tsp
• Curry Leaves, a few
• Onion, chopped, 1
• Green Chillies, chopped, 3-4
• Ginger, chopped, 1 tsp
• Coriander Leaves, chopped, 1 tbsp
• Lemon Juice- juice of 1/2 a lemon
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 1 tbsp

Method:

Wash and pressure cook the raw bananas for 1 whistle. Allow it to cool

When they are cool enough to handle, peel the cooked raw bananas and cut them into cubes 

Heat oil in a kadhai and when it gets hot add mustard seeds. When they splutter add urad dal and curry leaves, and when the dal changes colour add the chopped onion, chopped green chillies, and chopped ginger 

Add salt to taste and fry till the onions turn a light pink

Now add the chopped raw banana pieces

Cook on medium flame for a couple of minutes 

Finally add chopped coriander leaves and squeeze the juice of half a lemon

Serve hot