Sambar

Sambar is very popular in the cooking of southern regions of India, especially in Tamilnadu and Andra Pradesh. It is also common in Srilankan dishes. I think the people who found out this have aimed at balanced diet, as it contains the right proportion of all the vegetables and cereals (ingredients in sambar powder).
Here is the tasty sambar...

Ingredients:

• Onion-2 (large) or 10-12 small onions
• Tomato-2 medium sized
• Cut vegetables-300 gms
• Sambar powder- 1and 1/2 heaped teaspoon
• Thoovar dal (Red gram/Pigeon pea)
• Tamarind juice -1 tablespoon (if desired)
• Oil for seasoning
• Salt

For garnishing:
Coriander leaves and curry leaves

For seasoning:
Mustard, Cumin Seeds, Urad dal, 1 red chilli or green chilli (if desired), curry leaves.



Method:

• Select any three or four vegetables and cut into equal large pieces.
• Usually Brinjal, carrot, Drumstick, radish are commonly used vegetables.
• Other than these vegetables, ladys finger, tunip, pumpkin, radish, brinjal, etc can be used seperately also.
• The taste differs according to the vegetable and the proportion used.
• Soak the Thoovar dal in water for 15-20 minutes and cook it seperately in a pressure cooker with the vegetables like radish, carrot,etc.,( which needs more time to cook).
• Heat oil in pan and add the seasoning items one by one as said in previous blogs.
• Fry onion and tomatoes in oil and add the remaining vegetables like brinjal, drumstick (which takes less time to cook).
• Add sambar powder(see previous blogs)and required amount of salt.
• Fry it for a minute and then add the required amount of water.
• When the vegetables are cooked well add the remaining vegetables and the cooked water.
• Smash the cooked thoovar dal (after draining the water)and add it to the mixture.
• Do not add the thoovar dal until all the vegetables are cooked well.
• Allow it to boil until the required consistency is attained.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and curry leaves.
  
• Can be served with plain rice, idli, dosa, pongal.

How to make Rasam? (South Indian Soup)

I don't want to miss even the simplest South Indian recipe. So I added this recipe also ...

Ingredients:

• Tamarind-1 small lemon size
• Tomato -1 large size
• Coriander leaves(cut pieces)-3 tablespoons
• Cumin seeds (jeera)-1 teaspoon
• Black Pepper(milagu)-1 teaspoon
• Curry leaves-2 tablespoon
• Garlic-3,4
• Red Chilli-2
• Turmeric powder-1/4teaspoon
• Coriander powder-1/2 teaspoon
• Asafoetida- a pinch
• lemon juice (if desired)-4 or 5 drops
• Water-400-500 ml according to taste
• Oil -1/2 tablespoon for seasoning
• Salt

For seasoning:
Mustard,Cumin seeds, Fenugreek, Curry leaves.




Method:

• Soak the tamarind in hot water and take juice from it after sometime.
• Grind red chillies, Cumin seeds, Pepper, 1 spoon Curry leaves, 2 spoons of Coriander leaves, Garlic into coarse paste.(Don't make into fine paste)
• Crush the tomatoes in tamarind juice and add the coarse paste.
• (Don't use cut tomato pieces)
• Add turmeric powder, Coriander powder, water and required amount of salt to the mixture.
• Heat oil in a pan and add all the seasoning items one by one. (as said before in previous blogs) and Asafoetida powder.
  
• Finally add the rasam to the pan.
• When it starts to boil, just take it out of the flame.
• Do not allow it to boil for longer time, as it will alter the taste.
• Add few drops of lemon juice if desired and garnish with coriander leaves.
• Can be used as soup or along with plain rice.

Coriander chutney (kothamalli chutney)

One of my favorite chutneys which is suitable for all kind of dosas and idlis. I hope every idli lovers will like this colorful chutney. I remember my brother calling this as green chutney in his younger days.

Ingredients:

• Coriander leaves - 1 handful as available in the shops
• Coconut (grated)-3 tablespoon
• Urad dal-1 teaspoon
• Coriander seeds-1 tablespoon
• Tamarind- a small piece (or 1 tablespoon of thick paste)
• Red chilli-2 or 3
• Asafoetida- a pinch
• Oil-2 teaspoon for seasoning
• Salt
• For seasoning:Mustard, Urad dal, Cumin seeds, Curry leaves.
  

Method:

• Heat very little oil in a pan and add urad dal to it and red chillies.
• When it changes to golden brown, add coriander seeds and fry it.
• Add tamarind and asafoetida.
• Finally add cut coriander leaves and switch off the flame.
• Fry in the same heat for few seconds and add the grated coconut.
• After allowing it to cool,grind it into course paste with required amount of salt.
• Fry the seasoning items in the oil and add it to the chutney.
• Tastes good with idli, dosa.

Tip:

When the proportion of cumin seeds or the coconut is more it gives a different taste.
Thus it can be done in three different ways.

Egg gravy (Muttai kuzhambu)

A delicious recipe with eggs

Ingredients:

• Eggs-4
• Cloves-2
• Cinnamon(Pattai)- a small piece
• Cumin seeds(jeera)-1teaspoon
• Fennel(Sombu)-1 teaspoon
• Coriander seeds(thaniya)-1 1/2 teaspoon
• Red Chilli-2
• Garlic-4,5
• Ginger-1 inch
• Small Onions-15
• Tomato-1
• Turmeric powder-1/4 teaspoon
• Grated Coconut-1 tablespoon
• Salt
• Oil-1 tablespoon

Method:

• Boil the eggs seperately and cut into two pieces vertically.
• Fry all the ingredients in little oil in the same order from the cloves to grated coconut and allow it to cool for some time.
• Grind it into fine paste using little amount of water.
• Heat the remaining oil in the pan and add the paste with required amount of salt and little water.
• Cook it for ten to fifteen minutes in medium flame.
• When the oil comes in the sides and to required gravy consistency, add the egg pieces.
• Allow it to boil for two more minutes.
• Garnish with coriander leaves or curry leaves.
• A wonderful side dish for all variety of rices and idli, dosas.

Tip:

This can also be prepared by adding egg directly without boiling before. Break the eggs and pour it in different places of the cooked gravy and allow it to boil, till the egg is cooked well, without stirring.

Stuffed Brinjal(Katharikai Mootu kai/Kootu)

Do you know the plant name which produces Brinjal? It is called as egg plant. India is the second top most country to produce this vegetable.
Eggplant is effective in the treatment of high blood cholesterol called hypercholesterolemia and is also a source of folic acid and potassium.
Here is one of the tastiest recipe with brinjal.

Ingredients:

• Brinjal-5(large)
• Onion-2
• Tomato-1
• Coconut(grated)-2 tablespoon
• Cumin seeds-1 teaspoon
• Turmeric powder-1/4 teaspoon
• Chilli powder-1/2 teaspoon
• Coriander powder-1/2 teaspoon
• Oil-1 tablespoon
• Salt

For seasoning:

• Mustard,Cumin seeds,Urad dal, Curry leaves

For Garnishing:

• Coriander leaves.

Method:

• Cut the brinjal without cutting completely upto the base , i.e., -as suitable for stuffing.
• Grind onion(1 & 1/2), cumin seeds, coconut, with turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder and required amount of salt into a paste.Dont use much water.
• Stuff the paste in brinjal.
• Heat oil in a pan and add mustard.
• When it splutters add the urad dal, cumin seeds and the curry leaves.
• Fry the onions and then the tomato in oil.
• Add the stuffed brinjals and the remaining paste and allow it to cook it for ten to fifteen minutes.
• When the brinjal is cooked well, add the tamarind juice or paste. Add salt if needed more.
• Allow it to boil for two more minutes.
• Garnish with tamarind leaves after taking out of flame.
• A perfect side dish for all types of rices.