Peerkangai Chutney

Very Very quick and Easy 10 minute Peerkangai Chutney – Ridgegourd chutney for idli and dosa using OPOS – One Pot One Shot cooking method.

I came to know about this life changing way of cooking “OPOS Cooking” from Mrs. Chitra Viswanathan. She is a wonderful cook. She is one of my biggest inspiration. This method of cooking was invented by Mr.Ramakrishnan . So what is OPOS? OPOS stands for One Pot One Shot . The dish is prepared in the pressure cooker in one shot. No sauteing, No frying…..Add all ingredients in the cooker and cook it for a specified time and the dish is ready. Its the simplest way to cook. Its the perfect answer for someone who does not have the time to cook or someone who is new to cook or someone who does not want to spend hours in the kitchen. Each dish takes only five to six minutes and strictly sticking to the concept of a single vessel in OPOS.

Here is my recipe for Peerkangai Chutney – Ridgegourd Chutney using OPOS Method.

Peel the Ridgegourd and cut it into cubes. Chop the onions and tomatoes roughly. Add all the ingredients (everything listed under ingredients) in a pressure cooker.

Cook for 5-6 minutes or for 4 whistles.

Wait for the pressure to release naturally.

Blend the chutney to a fine paste using a blender / mixie. OPOS Peerkangai Chutney Ridgegourd Chutney is ready. Serve it with idli or dosa.

OPOS is quick. OPOS is easy. Cooking need not be intimidating. Here is a recap. #1 Mix ingredients #2 Cook #3 Open and Serve

• 1 teaspoon ghee
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 medium sized Ridgegourd
• 1 Onion
• 2 Tomatoes
• 2 Red Chillies
• A small 1 inch piece tamarind
• 1 teaspoon Jaggery
• 1/4 cup ( 60 ml) water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1. Peel the Ridgegourd and cut it into cubes. Chop the onions and tomatoes roughly.
2. Add all ingredients in a pressure cooker.
3. Cook for 5-6 minutes or 4 whistles. Wait for the pressure to release naturally.
4. Blend the chutney to a fine paste using a blender. OPOS Peerkangai Chutney – Ridgegourd Chutney is ready.
5. Serve it with idli or dosa.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 5 mins
• Category: Chutney, Side dish
• Cuisine: South Indian, Tamilnadu

• 1 teaspoon ghee
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 medium sized Ridgegourd
• 1 Onion
• 2 Tomatoes
• 2 Red Chillies
• A small 1 inch piece tamarind
• 1 teaspoon Jaggery
• 1/4 cup ( 60 ml) water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1. Peel the Ridgegourd and cut it into cubes. Chop the onions and tomatoes roughly.
2. Add all ingredients in a pressure cooker.
3. Cook for 5-6 minutes or 4 whistles. Wait for the pressure to release naturally.
4. Blend the chutney to a fine paste using a blender. OPOS Peerkangai Chutney – Ridgegourd Chutney is ready.
5. Serve it with idli or dosa.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 5 mins
• Category: Chutney, Side dish
• Cuisine: South Indian, Tamilnadu

Find it online : https://www.kannammacooks.com/peerkangai-chutney/

Recipe for South Indian, Tamilnadu, Kongunad Style Tomato Rasam. Made with home made Rasam powder from scratch, garlic, cumin and pepper. Thakkali Rasam.

Tomato Rasam has to be one of the ultimate comfort food for a South Indian. This is my Aunt’s recipe that makes a fantastic warm broth that goes so well with hot rice. My aunt gauges how good a person can cook by tasting their rasam. Rasam is the most simple thing to make, yet so complicated. Its the technique and the fresh rasam powder that makes the difference. Here is her recipe. There is some prep work involved. We will need to make a home made rasam powder from scratch. My aunt always makes rasam powder from scratch fresh everyday for rasam. Its very simple. Here is how to do Tomato Rasam Coimbatore Style!

Here is the video of the recipe

Add in all the rasam powder ingredients except turmeric and asafoetida to a heavy bottomed pan. No need to peel the garlic. Have the skin on. Dry roast all the ingredients on a low flame until all the spices and pulses are nice and golden. Remove off heat and let it cool.

Add in the dry roasted spices along with the turmeric and asafoetida to a spice grinder / mixie. Grind it to a very fine powder. Set aside.

A virtual hi-five to you! You just made your own rasam powder from scratch. Yay!

Soak a gooseberry size tamarind in 1 cup of water. Let it soak for 15-20 minutes. Sqeeze the tamarind to extract all the juices. Strain the liquid to get rid of the tamarind seeds and the hard flesh. Set the tamarind juice / pulp aside.

Boil some hot water and drop in the tomatoes and let it boil for 3-4 minutes. Remove off heat and drain. Peel the skin and grind the de-skinned tomatoes to a puree. Set aside.

Now lets make rasam!

Heat sesame oil / gingely oil in a pan and add in the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and the curry leaves. Let it splutter. Add in the tamarind extract and the tomato puree. Add one cup water. Let it all come to a roaring boil.

Add in the rasam powder and salt. Let it boil for 2 minutes. Switch off the flame and add in the ghee and coriander leaves.

Tomato Rasam is ready. Serve hot with rice or have it as a soup.

For Rasam Powder

• 4 fenugreek seeds
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon pepper corn
• 2 teaspoon toor dal
• 1 dried red chilli
• 2 cloves garlic
• 4 curry leaves

Other Rasam powder Ingredients (Add while grinding)

• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/8 teaspoon asafoetida

For Tamarind Pulp

• gooseberry size Tamarind
• 1 cup water

For Tomato Puree

• 3 medium size ripe country tomatoes

For tempering

• 1 tablespoon sesame/gingely oil
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 teaspoon ghee
• 3 - 4 stalks chopped coriander leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt

For the Rasam Powder

1. Add in all the rasam powder ingredients except turmeric and asafoetida to a heavy bottomed pan. No need to peel the garlic. Have the skin on. Dry roast it on a low flame until all the spices and pulses are nice and golden. Remove off heat and let it cool.
2. Add in the dry roasted spices along with the turmeric and asafoetida to a spice grinder / mixie and grind it to a very fine powder. Set aside.

Other Prep Work

1. Soak tamarind in 1 cup of water. Let it soak for 15-20 minutes. Sqeeze the tamarind to extract all the juices. Strain the liquid to get rid of the tamarind seeds and the hard flesh. Set the tamarind juice / pulp aside.
2. Boil some hot water and drop in the tomatoes and let it boil for 3-4 minutes. Remove off heat and drain. Peel the skin and grind the de-skinned tomatoes to a puree. Set aside.

Tempering Rasam

1. Heat sesame oil / gingely oil in a pan and add in the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and the curry leaves. Let it splutter. Add in the tamarind extract and the tomato puree. Add one cup water. Let it all come to a roaring boil.
2. Add in the rasam powder and salt. Let it boil for 2 minutes. Switch off the flame and add in the ghee and coriander leaves.
3. Tomato Rasam is ready. Serve hot with rice or have it as a soup.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins
• Category: Rasam
• Cuisine: South Indian, Tamilnadu