Crunch factor
Thondekai Pachadi
Ingredients:Thondekai — 8-10, green chilly — 4 , tamarind — 1 teaspoon,garlic— 4 cloves, salt to taste, jeera —1 tsp, oil — 4 tsps, coriander leaves — 4 tsps.
For seasoning: Ghee — 2 tsps, mustard — 1 tsp, urad dal— 2 tsps, curry leaves — 1 stalk, broken red chillies — 3, hing powder — ¼ tsp.
Method: In a pan, heat four teaspoons of oil, add chopped thondekai, green chillies and tamarind and fry it till the mixture turns golden colour. Grind salt, jeera seeds, garlic cloves and coriander leaves. Add the seasoning and mix well. Serve this with white rice, dosa or chapatis.
Note: For a different taste, you can add sweet curd.
Thondekai Curry
Ingredients:Thondekai — 250 grams, oil — 4 tsps, mustard seeds — 1 tsp, sambar powder — 2 tsps, salt to taste, curry leaves — a few, jaggery — 1 tsp, tamarind juice — 2 tsps.
Method: Cut the thondekai lengthwise and cook it. Heat some oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, curry leaves, the cooked thondekai, sambar powder, salt, jaggery, tamarind juice and sufficient water. Boil it well. Serve with rice or rotis.
For extra taste, add a teaspoon of ghee, three teaspoons of chopped coriander leaves and half a cup of grated coconut.
Thondekai with Cashew
Ingredients: Thondekai — 1 cup, cashew — 1 cup, mustard — 1 tsp, curry leaves — 3 stalks, grated coconut — ¼ cup, red chillies — 2, coriander leaves — a few, sugar — ½ tsp, turmeric powder — a pinch, salt to taste, oil as needed, tamarind juice — 1 tsp
Method: Soak the cashew in water for half an hour. Grind coconut with red chillies and tamarind using a little water. Cook cashew and the sliced thondekai together. Prepare seasoning with oil, mustard, curry leaves, turmeric and add the thondekai mixture, ground masala, salt , sugar and stir well. Garnish with coriander leaves.