Ridge gourd skin thogayal - Peerkangai thol thogayal

Ridge gourd, as we all know, is a common vegetable. It can be easily cultivated at home. 

This vegetable is rich in dietary fiber. The inner soft part is used to make sambar, kootu and I have used the skin to make thogayal. 

Thogayals are coarsely ground. Normally, it is a mix for plain rice, along with gingelly oil.

Carrot porial - Carrot stir fry

Carrot is a nutritious root vegetable. As we know well, it is a good source of vitamins, nutrients, minerals, and fiber.  It is good for our eyes and skin as it is rich in Vitamin A.

The best way to get the nutiritional values of carrot is to take it in the raw form, as a juice or as a salad.  

The nutritional benefits are lost if it is cooked for a longer time. So, here we go with a carrot stir fry, which we prepare very swiftly.

Papaya thoran - Kappalanga / Omakka thoran - Raw pappaya porial

Papaya, as we all know, is an excellent source of fiber, vitamins A, and C. It also contains vitamins E and K, potassium, and has many health benefits. 

It helps in weight loss, aids in digestion, boosts our immunity, good for diabetic patients, good for our eyes and skin. 

It is a natural cleanser. Papaya fruit is used as a face pack. So, papaya extracts are used in cosmetics.

Payaru thoran - Achinga payar thoran - Long yard beans curry - String beans curry

Achinga payar or Long yard beans or simply payaru is a common vegetable in Kerala. It needs no introduction to Keralites. It is cultivated in almost all the houses in the villages of Kerala. 

Payaru thoran is a simple, nutritious and yummy curry, which goes well with rice. 

Thorans are side dishes, with coconut and a few spices.

Gooseberry - Amla - Nellikkai thayir pachadi

Gooseberry is the nature's gift to us. It is rich in calcium and vitamins and has many health benefits. It is used in beauty products. Amla hair oil enriches hair growth.

It slows down aging, increases metabolic activity, boosts immunity and a lot more.