Potato Pepper Fry / Urulai Milagu Varuval

Easy recipe for Potato Pepper Fry / Urulai Milagu Varuval. Potatoes tossed in black pepper and curry leaves. Perfect side dish for lunch with rice and rasam or sambar. With step by step pictures.

I am a great fan of Kenji-Lopez of serious eats. Who isn’t right! He did a story last year on how a little baking soda added when boiling potatoes helps in creating that wonderful crust that is so desirable in roasted potatoes. A crisp crust and a creamy potato. He calls it the crisp-to-creamy contrast. I have done this potato-pepper fry using his method of adding that little baking soda while boiling potatoes. This potato-pepper fry is such an easy and a hit recipe at home.

Here is how to do it. Take half a liter of water and add in the baking soda and salt. Add in the half cut potatoes to the cooker. I boil my potatoes in a pressure cooker for 2 whistles and wait for the pressure to settle naturally. If you are worried of potatoes turning into a mush, release the pressure immediately after the two whistles are over.

Drain the water from the potatoes. Remove the skin of the potatoes and cut in big chunks. Add the chunks to a bowl. Add in freshly ground black pepper, salt and crushed whole garlic with the skin on. Toss to coat.

Heat oil in a pan until hot. Add in the mustard seeds and curry leaves. Let the mustard seeds splutter.

Add in the potatoes and toss on medium flame for about 10-12 minutes.

Golden goodness after 12 minutes. Serve hot with rice , rasam or sambar.

For Boiling Potatoes

• 500 grams potatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Spices and flavoring

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 - 5 cloves garlic, crushed with skin

For tempering

• 5 teaspoon peanut oil
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 3 sprigs curry leaves

1. Take half a liter of water and add in the baking soda and salt. Add in the half cut potatoes to the cooker. I boil my potatoes in a pressure cooker for 2 whistles and wait for the pressure to settle naturally.
2. Remove the skin of the potatoes and cut in big chunks. Add the chunks to a bowl. Add in freshly ground black pepper, salt and crushed whole garlic with the skin on. Toss to coat.
3. Heat oil in a pan until hot. Add in the mustard seeds and curry leaves. Let the mustard seeds splutter.
4. Add in the potatoes and toss on medium flame for about 10-12 minutes.
5. Serve hot with rice, rasam or sambar.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins
• Category: Side Dish
• Cuisine: South Indian

For Boiling Potatoes

• 500 grams potatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Spices and flavoring

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 - 5 cloves garlic, crushed with skin

For tempering

• 5 teaspoon peanut oil
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 3 sprigs curry leaves

1. Take half a liter of water and add in the baking soda and salt. Add in the half cut potatoes to the cooker. I boil my potatoes in a pressure cooker for 2 whistles and wait for the pressure to settle naturally.
2. Remove the skin of the potatoes and cut in big chunks. Add the chunks to a bowl. Add in freshly ground black pepper, salt and crushed whole garlic with the skin on. Toss to coat.
3. Heat oil in a pan until hot. Add in the mustard seeds and curry leaves. Let the mustard seeds splutter.
4. Add in the potatoes and toss on medium flame for about 10-12 minutes.
5. Serve hot with rice, rasam or sambar.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins
• Category: Side Dish
• Cuisine: South Indian

Find it online : https://www.kannammacooks.com/potato-pepper-fry-urulai-milagu-varuval/

Tender coconut pudding / elaneer pudding recipe made with china grass / agar agar. Easy recipe made with simple ingredients. With step by step pictures.

Measurements used 1 cup = 240 ml (approx) 1 teaspoon = 5 ml

I have not met a single person so far that doesn’t like this pudding. Its such a simple recipe to put together and always a hit at get-together-parties. This is a no fuss dessert that’s so classy and can be made in less than 30 minutes if you have all the ingredients available. When buying tender coconut, ask the coconut seller to give young tender coconuts that has coconut meat inside. Many tender coconuts just have water. If you are not equipped at home with machete for breaking coconuts, ask the shop keeper to break and give it to you. You can carry a bottle with you so that you can collect the tender coconut water. You will need at-least 3 tender coconuts for this recipe.

Note: The condensed milk in itself is sweet. I have not added any extra sugar in this recipe.

Here is how to do tender coconut pudding / elaneer pudding:

Take a bowl and add in a can of condensed milk and milk cream. I usually use Amul cream as that is what is widely available here in India.

Add in a cup of fresh coconut milk. (For fresh coconut milk, run half a cup of fresh coconut with one cup of water in the mixie until smooth. Strain and use in the recipe.) Also add a cup of full fat cows milk and a teaspoon of real vanilla extract . Do not use imitation vanilla or vanilla essence. The flavour of vanilla essence (artificial) is very over powering. Just omit it if you dont have real vanilla extract.

Whisk all the ingredients well to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil. When it comes to a mere boil, remove from heat and set aside.

Soak 5 grams of agar agar (china grass) in a cup of water for 5 minutes.

Note: I have used 5 grams of china grass for the pudding. This yields in a semi solid pudding that is luscious. We like it like that at home. If you want a fully set molded pudding, use up-to 10 grams china grass.

A note on CHINA GRASS / AGAR AGAR

China Grass sets at room temperature. So boil it only after getting everything ready. You cannot prepare this in advance and keep it for use later. Once you boil the china grass, it needs to be added to the pudding mixture immediately.

Bring it to a boil and let it simmer till the china grass is melted. Strain using a big holed strainer and add to the pudding mixture.

Remove the coconut meat (It looks like jelly) from the inside of tender coconut. We need about half a cup of tender coconut meat. I have used about three tender coconuts today to get the required amount of coconut meat. Chop into small pieces.

Add in the tender coconut meat to the pudding mixture.

Pour it in ramekins and let it set in the fridge for 4 hours. Serve cold.

• 1 can (400 grams) condensed milk
• 250 ml milk cream (I used Amul cream)
• 1 cup fresh coconut milk (see notes)
• 1 cup full fat cow milk
• 1 teaspoon real vanila extract
• 5 grams to 10 grams china grass sheets (agar-agar) (see notes)
• 1 cup water (for boiling china grass)
• 1/2 cup chopped tender coconut meat

1. Take a bowl and add in a can of condensed milk and milk cream. Also add a cup of full fat cows milk, coconut milk and a teaspoon of real vanilla extract.
2. Whisk all the ingredients well to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil. When it comes to a mere boil, remove from heat and set aside.
3. Soak 5 grams of agar agar (china grass) in one cup cup of water for 5 minutes.
4. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer till the china grass is melted. Strain and add to the pudding mixture.
5. Add in the tender coconut meat to the pudding mixture.
6. Pour it in ramekins and let it set in the fridge for 4 hours.
7. Serve cold.

Notes

For Making Coconut Milk. (Run half a cup of fresh coconut with one cup of water in the mixie until smooth. Strain and use in the recipe.) A note on china grass: I have used 5 grams of china grass for the pudding. This yields in a semi solid pudding that is luscious. We like it like that at home. If you want a fully set molded pudding, use up-to 10 grams china grass.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins
• Category: Dessert
• Cuisine: South India