Chinna Ulli Vatha Kuzhambu

Vatha Kuzhambu is a Tangy koottan, that can be served with plain Rice. Various vadams,Chundakka and Marathankali can be added to it. Another option to add is Chinna Ulli/Shallots/Pearl Onions. 

Chinna Ulli Vatha Kuzhambu is our Family Favorite!! Off to the recepie now..

Ingredients:-

• Pearl Onions/Shallots – about 20
• Tamarind – a gooseberry sized ball
• Sambar Powder – 1.5 - 2 tbsp (adjust according to your spice level)
• Jaggery – ½ tsp (optional)
• Salt to taste
• Turmeric Powder – ¼ tsp

For tempering

• Sesame Oil – 2 tbsp
• Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
• Bengal Gram Dal/Channa Dal/Kadala Paruppu – 1 tsp
• Curry Leaves – few

To Grind

• Red Chillies - 5/6
• Dhaniya Powder - 1 Tsp
• Black Pepper- 5/6
• Jeera - 1 Tsp
• Fenugreek Seeds - 1 Tsp
• Coconut - 2 Tbsp

Method

• Heat a Kadai and dry roast the Items under ' To Grind'. 
• Allow it too Cool and Grind the Items to a Paste
• Peel and wash the shallots.
• Soak the tamarind in hot water for 10 minutes and extract the pulp by adding 2.5 to 3 cups of water.
• Heat a kadai with oil, splutter mustard seeds.
• Throw in the Channa dal and fenugreek seeds and fry till the dal turn golden.
• Add the curry leaves and the shallots and sauté till the shallots turn light brown.
• Next add the Sambar Powder and sauté for few seconds.
• Now add the tamarind extract, turmeric powder and salt to taste and jaggery.
• Allow this to come to a boil, lower heat to medium 
• Add the grinded Paste to the Kuzhambu and boil for 15 to 20 minutes or till the oil floats up and the kuzhambu becomes slightly thick.

Cabbage Molakoottal

Molakootal is a popular Palakkad Iyer dish. It is basically vegetables and lentils simmered with ground coconut. Molakootals can be prepared using different vegetables. The most common ones being Ashgourd and Yam, or Keerai (Spinach). Molakootal is more like a kootu but a little more runnier. It is is well liked by kids as it is not spicy. Molakootal is one of my favorite kootans and I can have it with just some pickle. Usually it is served with either Pachadi or thogayal.

Ingredients:- 

1.      Cabbage – 4 Cups, finely chopped

2.      Pasi Paruppu/Split Yellow Moong Dal – ¼ cup

3.      Scraped Coconut – ½ cup

4.      Broken Urad Dal – 1 tsp

5.      Dry Red Chilly – 1

6.      Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp

7.      Turmeric Powder – ¼ tsp

8.      Salt to taste

For Tempering

1.      Coconut oil/Any Refined Oil – 1 tsp

2.      Mustard Seeds – ½ tsp

3.      Curry Leaves – few

Method

1.      Pressure cook the dal,along with chopped cabbage, with salt and turmeric powder and about 2 cup of water.Mash lightly and keep aside..

2.      Heat a small frying pan with little oil, roast the urad dal and red chillies until the dal turns red. Take care not to burn the dal.

3.      Grind the coconut, fried urad dal, red chilly and cumin seeds into a smooth paste by adding little water.

4.      Add the ground coconut paste, to the cooked Dal-Cabbage and mix well. Add about a cup of water to adjust the consistency.

5.      Check for seasoning and let it start boiling.

6.      Remove from heat.

7.      Heat a frying pan with oil, temper with mustard seeds and curry leaves. Pour this tempering over the Molakootal.

Varatharach Kuzhambu

This Kuzhambu happens to be my Appa's and Hubby's favourite. Even i too like. It goes well with even Dosa/Idly. Now off to the recepie. My Amma and Athai makes this superbly. And now according to my Hubby, even i too fall into this category.!!!

Ingredients:-

• Onion – 3 or 4
• Potato – 2
• Tamarind – A lemon Size
• Salt – As needed

To Grind:-

• Thoor Dal – 2 Tbsp
• Urad Dal – 1 Tbsp
• Shallots – 5 or 6
• Curry Leaves – 2 Sticks
• Ellu – 2 Tbsp
• Scraped coconut – ½ Cup
• Red Chilly – 10/12

To Temper

• Mustard/Kaduk - 1 Tsp
• Oil - 1 Tsp

Method:-

• Immerse the tamarind in Water and make Tamarind Water (Puli Vellom).
• Transfer this to cooker and throw in the Onion and Potatoes.
• Keep this for 2 Whistles.
• In a Kadai, dry roast the ingredients till the coconut changes to Brown Color in the To Grind 
  section except Ellu.
  
  

   

  
  

  
  
• Wash the ellu nicely and keep it aside in a small siever so that rest of water oozes out.
• Transfer this ellu into a kadai and roast till the Bursting of Ellu stops.
  
             
  

  
• Grind to a nice paste the ellu and the rest of items.
• Open the Cooker and add this paste.
• Allow it to Boil vigorously
• Pour oil into a Fry Pan and add them to Temper Items.
• Pour the same into the Kootan.

Delicious Varatharach Kuzhambu is ready.

Mysore Rasam

What you’ll need

1. Tomatoes – 2
2. Thin Tamarind Extract – ¾ cup
3. Asafoetida – a generous pinch
4. Turmeric Powder – ¼ tsp
5. Salt to taste
6. Water – 2 cup
7. Cooked and mashed Toor Dal – 1 tbsp
8. Powdered Jaggery – 1 tsp
9. Curry Leaves – few
10. Coriander Leaves – chopped 1 tbsp

To Roast and Grind

1. Toor Dal – 1 tbsp
2. Coriander Seeds – 1 Tbsp
3. Cumin Seeds – ½ tsp
4. Dried Red chilly – 1 or 2
5. Black Peppercorns – 8 to 10
6. Fenugreek Seeds – ¼ tsp
7. Scraped Coconut – 1 tbsp

For tempering

1. Ghee – ½ tsp
2. Mustard Seeds – ½ tsp
3. Cumin Seeds – ½ tsp

Method

1. Grind the tomatoes and pour it into the vessel in which you are going to boil the rasam.
2. Add the tamarind extract to it.
3. Add turmeric powder, asafetida and salt to taste. Mix well. Add about 1.5 cups of water and start heating on low to medium flame.
4. In the meanwhile, roast all the items mentioned under “roast and grind” till a nice aroma arises and the toor dal and slightly changed color. Grind everything into a smooth paste using a little water.
5. Add this ground paste also to the simmering rasam. Mix well. Also add a tsp of jaggery.
6. Let everything simmer for about 15 minutes. Make sure you cook on low to medium flame if your keep it on high the rasam will boil very quickly and will boil over. You can add a ladle in the vessel while it is simmering to prevent the rasam from boiling over.
7. Add the remaining half cup of water to the cooked and mashed dal mix well and add it to the simmering rasam. Add chopped coriander and curry leaves. Remove from heat when rasam starts frothing. Do not boil.
8. Heat a small frying pan with ghee and add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Pour this over the rasam close with lid and let it sit for about 5 minutes.
9. Serve hot with rice and some spicy potato curry.

 

Unda Kuzhambu

Ingredients:-

Red gram dal - Thuvaram paruppu - 1 cup

Red chillies - Kaintha milagai - 4 nos.
Tamarind - Puli - lemon size
Onion - vengayam - 1 no. (Large)
Tomato - Thakkali - 2 nos.
Red chilly powder - Kaintha milagai thul - 1 table spoon
Corriander powder - Dhania thul - 2 table spoons
Turmeric powder - Manjal Podi - 1 tea spoon
Garlic - Poondu - 3 flakes (Medium)
Grated/Shredded coconut - Thuriviya thengai - 1/2 cup
Curry leaves - Karuvepilai - small quantity
Mustard - Kadugu - 1 tea spoon
Cumin seeds - Jeeragam - 1 tea spoon
Sambar powder - Sambar podi - 1 table spoon
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

Method:

1. Wash and soak red gram dal for 2 hours along with red chillies and cumin seeds.
2. Grind them to a smooth paste and now add sambar powder, little turmeric powder, little salt and keep it in idly plate and boil it for 10-12 minutes if kept in pressure cooker.
3. Make them to small balls.
4. Heat oil in pan/kadai (Preferably sesame oil), splutter mustard seeds, cumin seeds, red chilly, curry leaves, garlic flakes, now fry onions
5. Add tamarind paste (After removing dust particles).
6. Now add red chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and little salt.
7. Let it boil for some 10 mintues. Transfer the dal balls to this boiling kuzhambu.
8. Finally add coconut paste to this.

Paruppu urundai kuzhambu is delicious and ready to be served. This can be served for 2 people and this requires 30 minutes to prepare.

Note: Always soak dal for 2-3 hours before preparation. Remove dust particles from tamarind

Garlic Rasam

I always make rasam by adding toordal and without garlic. We call it tomato rasam/parupu rasam. My mom makes the garlic rasam when we were running out of cold and cough and during rainy day nights. We all love to have with hot steamed rice and garlic rasam with simple papad only.

Here comes the recipe of GARLIC RASAM.

INGREDIENTS:

Tamarind - Small gooseberry Sized
Tomato - 2 nos
Garlic - 6/7 pods
Pepper - 3/4 Tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 Tsp
Curry leaves - Few
Oil - 1/2 Tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 Tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 spoon
Asafatodia - A pinch

Method:-

Coarsely grind the pepper, cumin seeds and curry leaves in the mixer .
Grind the tomatoes into a fine paste.
Soak the tamarind in 2 cups of warm water.
Transfer the coarsely ground pepper mixture and tomato paste to it.
Add salt, asfoetida,turmeric powder, coriander leaves to it.
Crush the garlic and ad it to the tamarind mixture.
Mix everything together nicely with the hands.
Keep it in a kadai and when it starts frothing switch off the flame and temper with mustard seeds.

 

Vathakuzhambu with Vatral

Ingredients:-

Manathakkali Vatral – 3 tbsp
Tamarind – 1 lemon size
Sambar powder – 3 tsp
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Asafetida – 1 pinch
Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
Fenugreek seeds – ¼ tsp
Channa dal – 1 tsp
Whole red chillies – 4
Jaggery / vellam – ½ tsp (optional)
Curry leaves – 1 sprig
Salt – to taste
Oil – 2 tbsp

Method:

Soak the tamarind in some hot water and extract its pulp.

Heat oil in a pan and add asafetida and mustard seeds, once the seeds pop add fenugreek seeds, channa dal, whole red chillies and curry leaves and roast for a few minutes.

Now add manathakkali vatral and mix well. Add the turmeric powder and sambar powder and mix well in the oil. Now add tamarind pulp and salt.

Let it come to a boil. Coo till the raw smell of the powders and tamarind disappears and the kulambu thickens. Add jaggery now and take off the stove. Serve hot with rice with liberal amount of ghee and appalam.

Note: Traditionally gingelly oil is used for making this kulambu. I used the same too. If you do not prefer the flavor any cooking oil can be used.

Quick Rasam

Dedicating this rasam to my Appa who loves this tooooooooo much....

Ingredients:

Tomato, ripe – 1
Tamarind extract – 2 tbsp
Dal cooked water / Water – 1 cup
Garlic flakes – 3
Sambar powder – 1-1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves – 4 to 5
Asafoetida – 1/8 tsp
Coriander leaves – 2 tbsp
Salt – to taste
Oil – 1/2 tsp


Instructions:

1. In a vessel pour the water or the excess water that you may have after cooking dal for sambar, tamarind extract. Crush and squash the finely chopped tomatoes with your hands and add the pulp to this water.

2. Heat a pan with oil. Add mustard seeds and when they crackle add asafetida, crushed garlic and sauté over high heat for 1/2 minute. Simmer and add curry leaves.

3. Pour the tomato water to the seasoning. Add sambar powder, salt, mix well. Let it come to a bubbling boil over medium flame. Cook for a minute and take off fire.

4. Place finely chopped coriander leaves in the bowl in which you are going to serve. Pour the cooked rasam over the leaves and immediately close with a lid.

5. Serve hot with rice.

 

Karuvaeppilai Poondu Kulambu

Ingredients:-

Shallots / Sambar Vengayam – 1 cup
Garlic – 1/2 cup
Curry leaves – 2 cups
Tamarind – 1 lemon size
Vengaya kari vadagam – 1/2 tsp (Refer to note on how to make this)
Salt – to taste
Sesame Oil – 4 tbsp

To roast and grind:

Whole dry red chillies – 10 –12
Channa dal – 2 tsp
Coriander seeds – 3 tsp
Black pepper cirn – 1 1/2 tbsp
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds – 1/4 tsp
Oil – 1/2 tsp

Method:-

Method:

Immerse the curry leaves in water and wash well at least twice. Peel the skin of both shallots and garlic. If you have a mortar and pestle pound both together till they are coarse. Soak the tamarind in some warm water and extract the juice.

Heat a pan with oil and roast the ingredients mentioned in the list over medium flame till you get a nice aroma. Let it cool and grind it to a fine paste adding little water. Keep aside.

Heat sesame oil in a pan. Season with vengaya kari vadagam, when you get the aroma add the pound shallots and garlic and cook till they are pink and soft. Add the ground paste at this stage and cook till the raw smell goes off.

Add tamarind extract, salt, enough water (1/4 cup approx.,) and mix well. Close with a lid and let it cook over low flame for 5-7 mins or till the raw smell disappears.

Serve hot with rice to which a dollop of ghee has been added. This tastes even better the next day and the next but you have to reheat it to prevent it from spoiling as we have added shallots.

Notes:

Adjust the quantity of red chillies according to your spice level.
For an authentic taste use sesame oil but if you are not comfortable with the flavor use any vegetable oil.

Vengaya Vadam

Urad dal – 1 cup
Small onions (sambar onions) – 1 kg
Red chilli – 1 cup
Salt – to taste
Hing – 1 /4 tsp
Curry leaf – 2 to 3 sprigs
Coriander – 2 tbsp
Mustard – 2 tsp
Castor oil – 5 tbsp

Method:

Soak urad dal for 1 hour. Peel the onions and divide it half. Keep the on e half as whole and chop the other half of the onions finely. Drain the water add the red chilli and grind it together coarsely as you would for vadai batter. Before taking the batter add one half of the peeled whole onions and grind together again. Remove the batter and transfer to a vessel.

To this add salt, hing, chopped onions, curry leaf, coriander leaves, mustard and mix well. Add the castor oil at last to prevent the batter from sticking to your hands. This also acts as the binding agent. Mix well. Make small balls and sun dry them for at least 3 days on a plastic sheet.

Store in air tight bottle and use as required for tempering around ¼ tsp to ½ tsp and not more, as the whole gravy will get a predominant smell of these vadagams. Also the castor oil added might give a bitter taste when added more than recommended.

When dried properly these balls can be stored for many years. They tend to turn blackish during the course of time. No need to worry as this won’t spoil at all.

Muringakka Sambar

Drumstick known as Murungakkai is available almost through out the year and it is very good for the strengthening of our nerves. It maintains the strength of our nervous system and good for our eyes. here is a sambar recipe using drumsticks. This one is my Appa's favourite.. So dedicating this to my dearest Appa....

Ingredients:-

Toor Dal – ½ cup
Drumstick / Murungakai - 5/6
Sambar Onions – 20 nos.
Sambar Powder - 2 tsp
Tomatoes – 1, small
Green chilli – 1, slit
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Tamarind pulp - small lemon size
Coriander Leaves – 2 tbsp
Salt – to taste
Oil - 1 tbsp
For Seasoning
Mustard Seeds + Urad Dal + Fenugreek - 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves – 1 sprig

Method:-

Wash Toor Dal and pressure cook it with 2 drops of Oil and ¼ tsp turmeric powder for 2 whistle. Mash well after it cools down. Soak tamarind in hot water and extract pulp from it. Chop onions, tomatoes, keep aside. Chop drumstick into finger length pieces.

In a kadai heat the oil and add all the ingredients mentioned under the seasoning. When they change color slightly add the chopped onions and sauté till they turn pink, now add the tomatoes and the green chilli and cook till the tomatoes turn mushy. Now add drumstick pieces and sauté for a minute. Add either ¼ cup of water or the water from the cooked dal and cook till the drumstick becomes tender.

Now add the tamarind extract, turmeric powder, sambar powder, salt and mix well. Close with a lid and cook over medium flame till the raw smell disappears. This will take 10 minutes. Now add the mashed dal and water if required to the consistency you prefer and simmer for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Chettinaad kara Kuzhambu

Despite having a host of finger licking dishes, Chettinad Cuisine is some how known only for its non-vegetarian dishes which I think is such a pity as almost all the preparations are not only easy to make but also healthy and nutritive. Here is one such preparation which I make at least once a week for lunch and must in the lunch spread whenever there are any guests at home or during the festival times.


Ingredients:-

Drumsticks – 1
Dry Kaaramani / Thatta Payaru / Black eyed peas – 1/4 cup (optional)
Sambar onion / shallots – 10 to 15 nos
Garlic – 8 to 10 pods
Tomato – 1
Tamarind – small lemon size
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Sambar powder - 1 tsp (level)
Red chilli powder – 1 tsp (heaped)
Coriander powder – 2 tsp (heaped)
Curry leaf – 1 sprig
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp
Pepper corns (black) – 4
Salt – to taste
Sesame oil / Vegetable oil – 3 tbsp

To be ground to a paste:

Grated fresh coconut – 1/4 cup
Fennel seeds – 1 tsp
Poppy seeds / Khus-Khus – 1/2 tsp
Cashew nuts – 5

Method:

For the paste: Soak together cashew nuts and poppy seeds together in some warm water for 10 mins. Add the rest of the ingredients and grind to a smooth paste and keep it aside.

Preparation: If using, soak the karamani (Black eyed peas) overnight and pressure cook it with a for 2-3 whistles and keep aside. Soak the tamarind in some hot water and extract pulp. Slit brinjals length wise and keep it immersed in water. Cut the drumsticks into finger length size. Peel the skin of the sambar onions and garlic. Chop the tomatoes finely.

Heat a kadai with oil. Add the mustard seeds, when they splutter add the cumin seeds and pepper corn and roast for 3 sec. Add the sambar onions, garlic and sauté till the onions turn pink. Add the tomatoes,and drumstick and sauté well so that they are all coated with oil. Close with a lid and let them all in cook in their own steam and oil for 2-3 min. Mix in between once. By now the vegetables would have been 3/4th done.

Now add the tamarind extract, turmeric powder, sambar powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, cooked karamani, curry leaf, salt and 1/4 cup of water and mix well. Let it come to a boil. Close with a lid and let it cook for 4-5 mins over medium flame. Check if the vegetables are fully cooked and done.

Now add the ground paste and adjust the thickness by adding more water if necessary and let it once again come to a boil and let it further cook for 2-3 mins. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with steaming hot rice mixed with a dash of ghee.

Poondu VathaKuzhambu

I had tasted this Kuzhambu in a very famous hotel in Nagercoil. The hotel's name is Mani's Cafe. The taste was pretty awesome that i had asked the recepie for the same to one of my friend who stays in nagercoil.

Ingredients:-

1. Garlic pods - 20 (Medium sized)
2. Shallots / Pearl onions - 10
3. Tomato - 1/2 of a tomato
4. Coconut - 1/2 of a coconut (or) 1/2 cup coconut paste
5. Curry leaves - A handful + Few for tempering the gravy
6. Tamarind - A medium gooseberry sized
7. Dry red chilli - 10
8. Red chilli powder - 1 spoon
9. Coriander powder - 2 spoons
10. Cumin seeds - 1.5 spoons
11. Peppercorns - 1 spoon
12. Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 spoon
13. Mustard seeds - 1 spoon + 1/2 spoon + 1/2 spoon
14. Asafoetida / Hing - A pinch
15. Gingelly oil - 10 spoons + 5 spoons

Method:-

• Soak tamarind in a cup of water and after 20 minutes mash it well with fingers and extract the juice from it. Discard the pulp and set the juice aside.
• Peel off the skin form garlic pods and shallots (small onions) and set aside. Do not chop them.
• Grind coconut and make a fine paste out of it and set aside. (You must get a small cup of coconut paste that will be enough)
•Heat a pan and dry roast (i.e. do not add oil) the following ingredients;

(Ingredients to be dry roasted)

1. Dry red chillies - 10
2. Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 spoon
3. Peppercorns -1 spoon
4. Cumin seeds - 1.5 spoons
5. Mustard seeds - 1/2 spoon
• Grind the following ingredients coarsely, then add some water and make a fine paste out of it;

(Masala paste)

1. All the above dry roasted ingredients
2. Garlic pods - 5
3. Pearl onions - 5
4. Tomato - 1/2 of a tomato (Optional)

• Then heat a saucepan/pot and add 10 spoons of oil to it. (I added more, only then it will taste good)
• Now after it heats add 1 spoon of mustard seeds and let it splutter.
• Then add curry leaves, shallots, and 2 dry red chillies and saute.
• Now add the garlic and saute for 2 minutes.
• The add the masala paste and stir well, then add coconut paste, red chilli powder, coriander powder, tamarind juice and stir well.
• Add water to adjust the consistency of the gravy.
• Let the gravy boil for a while and when oil separates form the gravy and garlic gets cooked well and soft, temper the gravy.
• For tempering add 5 spoons of oil in a pan and heat it, after it heats up add, asafoetida, 1/2 spoon of mustard seeds, and few curry leaves and saute for a minute.
• Then add this tempering mixture into the gravy and stir well, remove from flame.
• Serve!!

Pakoda Kuzhambu

Ingredients:

Pakoda - 7 nos.
Onion - Vengayam - 1 no.
Tomatoes - Thakkali - 2 nos.
Ginger - Inji - small quantity
Garlic - Poondu - 3 flakes
Green chillies - Pachai milagai - 3 nos.
Grated/Shredded coconut - Thuriviya thengai - 1/2 cup
Garam masala powder - Masala thul - 1 tea spoon
Curry leaves - Karuvepilai - small quantity
Coriander leaves - Kothamali - small quantity
Cashew nuts - Munthiri paruppu - 2 nos.
Red chilly powder - Kaintha milagai thul - 1 tea spoon
Turmeric powder - Manjal podi - 1 tea spoon
Poppy seeds - Kasakasa - 2 table spoons
Cumin seeds - Jeeragam - 1 table spoon
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

Method:
Make pakodas.
Cut onions, smash tomatoes in a mixie.
Make ginger-garlic paste after peeling off the skin.
Grind grated coconut, poppy seeds, green chillies, cumin seeds, cashew nuts and make them to a paste.
Heat oil in a pan/kadai.
Add cumin seeds, ginger-garlic paste, onions, fry them well, now add tomatoes which are smashed, add red chilly powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, little salt, curry leaves and boil them for some 3 minutes.
Now add coconut paste. Finally add pakodas and garnish with coriander leaves. Pakoda kuruma is ready to be served. Yummy!!!! It can be served with white rice, idly, dosa, chappathi, poori. It can be served for 2 people. It requires hardly 30 minutes to cook.

Note: Add only little salt to kuruma and salt is already added to pakodas. Pakodas should be soaked in the kuruma for at least half-an-hour so that the taste will be really good.

Shallots Sambar

Ingredients:-

• Shallot - Vengayam - 3/4 Kg
• Red gram dhal/Toor dhal - Thuvaram paruppu - 1 cup
• Tamarind - Puli - lemon size
• Red chilly - Kaintha milagai - 1 no.
• Green chilly - Pachai milagai - 1 no.
• Turmeric powder - Manjal podi - 1 tea spoon
• Sambar powder - Sambar podi - 3 table spoon
• Fenugreek powder - Vendaya powder - 1/2 table spoon
• Hing/Asafoetida - Perungayam - a pinch

For tempering:

• Oil - Ennai - for frying
• Mustard seeds - Kadugu - 1 tea spoon
• Cumin seeds - Jeeragam - 1 tea spoon
• Fenugreek seeds - Vendayam - 1/2 tea spoon
• Black gram dal - Ulutham parupppu - 1 tea spoon
• Curry leaves - Karuvepilai - small quantity

Other items:

• Coriander/Cilantro - For garnishing
• Salt

Method:

• Wash and soak dal in water for some 10 minutes.
• Add little turmeric, hing and a drop of oil and pressure cook it for 5 whistles and in low flame for 7 minutes.
• Cut shallots and keep other ingredients ready.
• Make tamarind paste,and keep pan in stove
• Heat oil, splutter mustard, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, red chilly, green chilly, black gram dal, curry leaves, garlic.
• Add shallots, red chilly powder, coriander powder, salt, sambar powder, tamarind extract.
• Transfer the same into a pressure cooker and cook till 1 whistle .
• Now add boiled and mashed dhal and cook the content for some minutes till it gets boiled vigorously. Finally add fenugreek powder and garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice.

Note: Tamarind may have dust particles, so remove them using filter.

 

Tomato Rasam

Ingredients:

 

• Tomatoes - Thakkali - 2 nos.
• Tamarind - Puli - lemon size
• Garlic - Poondu - 1 no.
• Mustard seeds - Kadugu - 1 tea spoon
• Cumin seeds - Jeeragam - 1 tea spoon
• Red chilly - Kaintha milagai - 2 nos.
• Curry leaves - Karuvepilai - small quantity
• Coriander leaves/Cilantro - Kothamali - small quantity
• Hing/Asafoetida - Perungayam - a pinch
• Turmeric powder - Manjal podi - 1 tea spoon
• Rasam powder - Rasam podi - 1 table spoon
• Salt - Uppu - for taste
• Oil/Ghee - for tempering

Method:

• Make tomato puree.
• Wash and put tomatoes in hot water and remove skin from it. Smash it in mixer/blender and extract puree.
• Make tamarind paste and extract puree.
• Keep other ingredients ready.
• Heat oil/ghee in a kadai/pan, splutter mustard seeds, cumin seeds, red chilly, curry leaves, now add minced garlic, hing, tomato puree, tamarind extract, salt and let it boil for some 5 minutes.
• Now add rasam powder, turmeric powder and mix it well.
• Allow it to boil for 10 minutes and finally garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with any rice items.
• All kind of vada can be soaked in rasam and rasa vada is ready.

Optional: If we want only tomato taste, tamarind need not be added as it will increase the sour content. Fenugreek seeds or fenugreek powder can be added for taste.

 

Kutty idli Sambar

It is the traditional Idly sambar which my amma makes.The sambar is special for only Idlies & Dosas.It is different from the usual sambar that we made for the rice.We use both thoor dal moong dal.When my mom make this sambar I eat in tons of idlies dosa the Idly Dosas are also hot.So,I am sharing this to you also.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Moong dal
• 1/4 cup Thoor dal
• 5 Drumsticks(11/2 inch pieces)
• 1 Carrot (cut into 1/2 inch pieces)
• 1 Medium size brinjal (cut into 1/2 inch pieces)
• 1 Potato (cut into 1/2 inch pieces)
• 2 Green chillies
• 1 Medium size tomato
• 1 Medium size onion
• 1 Coriander powder
• 1/2 Chilli powder
• 1/4 Turmeric powder
• Salt for taste

For tempering/thalikka:

• 2tbsp Oil
• 1 Chopped onion(chopped)
• 1tsp Mustard seeds
• 1/2tsp Urad dal
• 3 Curry leaves

Method:

1. In a pressure pan fry the moong dal for 6-7 mts.

2. Add the thoor dal,vegetables,chopped tomato,chopped onion,green chillies.

3. Pressure them till 2 whistle.Then,open the pan & add coriander powder,chilli powder,turmeric powder,salt & cook for 5 mts.

4. Now,in a tempering vessel pre-heat the oil & splutter the mustard seeds,urad dal,curry leaves.

5. Add the onion & fry the till gloden brown & add to the sambar.

6. Sambar is ready serve with Idly & Dosa.