Mint chutney for kebab

Ingredients

Mint - 2 cups
Coriander Leaves - 1 cup
Ginger - 1 inch
Garlic - 4
Curd - 1 1/2 cup
Salt to taste

Method

         Place all the above ingredients in a blender,except curd and grind it well.Mix curd to the chutney.Add salt if required.

Orange Iced Tea

             Cool,refreshing drink during summer.
Ingredients

Fresh Orange juice - 1 1/2 cups
Tea powder - 2 tsp
Water - 2 cups
Sugar - 1 cup
Orange - 1

Method
           Boil the water and add tea powder.Simmer for 5 minutes.Turn off the stove and let it sit for 15 minutes.Strain the decoction into a clean container.Keep it aside.
            In a sauce pan,mix orange juice with sugar and heat for 3 or 4 minutes on medium flame.Allow it to cool.Mix orange juice and tea decoction.Make slices of orange and add it.This adds more flavour to the Orange tea.Refrigerate and serve cold.

Idli Podi

Ingredients

Channa Dhal - 1 cup
Urad Dhal - 1 cup
Garlic - 6 or 7 pods
Red Chilli - 2 Cups
Asaofoetidia  - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Gingely oil required quantity

Method

           Dry roast channa dhal,urad dhal and garlic seperately.The taste of the podi depends on the amount it is being roasted.The roasted ingredients should be similar to the one photographed.Add oil and roast asafoetidia for 20 seconds.Roast the red chilli and salt with  little amount of oil.

Cool all the ingredients and pound them in a blender.Serve with idli or dosa.

Puliogare

          One of my very favorite dish.The thought of it,teases my taste buds... Though it is my favourite dish, I never knew how to make a good one.I used to buy the ready mix and use it.But now I have learnt how to make it delicious.

Ingredients

Tamarind - 1 Lemon size
Rice - 1 cup
Channa Dhal - 2 tsp
Coriander Seeds - 2 tsp
Red Chillies - 5 or 6
Fenugreek Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Sesame Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Groundnuts - 1/2 cup
Mustard Seed - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Hing - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - 5 or 6
Gingely Oil required quantity

Method

 Soak the tamarind in warm water for 10 to 15 minutes and make 2 cups of tamarind juice.Soak the rice for 30 minutes.Cook the rice with salt and a 1tsp of oil so it doesnt stick.
 In a seperate pan,dry roast fenugreek seed,sesame seed and groundnut seperately and keep aside.Heat oil in the pan,add coriander seeds,channa dhal and red chilli.Fry them until,it starts emitting good aroma.Keep it aside and allow it to cool.Pound all the above roasted ingredients except groundnut.
In a pan,heat oil,add mustard seed, channa dhal, turmeric powder,hing and curry leaves.Add tamarind juice,salt  and allow it to boil.Add the pound masala to this mixture.Allow it to cook for 4 to 5 minutes.Add rice and mix well.Add the ground nuts and serve hot.

Mushroom Capsicum Masala

Ingredients

Mushroom - 200gms
Capsicum - 1
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1
Ginger,Garlic Paste -1 tsp
Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander Leaves - handful
Oil required quantity
Salt to taste

Method

           Finely chop the onions,tomatoes,capsicum and mushroom.Heat oil in a pan.Add onions and saute until it is golden brown.Add ginger garlic paste and saute them for 50 seconds.Add tomato cook it on a low flame.When the tomato softens,add chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder.Add mushroom and capsicum,salt and little water.Mix well and allow it to cook.When done,garnish with coriander leaves.

Jeera Rice

 It is very simple and easy to prepare.

Ingredients

Jeera - 1 tsp
Basmatic Rice - 2 cups
Green Chillies - 5 or 6              
Coriander Leaves - handful
Oil required quantity
Salt to taste

Method

        Soak the rice for 30 minutes.In a seperate pan, add oil,jeera,green chillies and few coriander leaves and saute for a minute.Add 4 cups of water and salt.When it starts boiling,add rice and cook it on high flame for 5 minutes and on low flame for another 5 to 10 minutes.Garnish with coriander leaves and roasted cashews.Serve hot.

Cantaloupe Orange delight

Ingredients

Cantaloupe(Musk Melon)  - 1
Orange Juice - 2 cups
Lemon Juice - 1/4 cup
Sugar - 1 cup

Method

         In a sauce pan,mix orange juice,lemon juice and sugar.Heat it for about 3 minutes.Remove from fire.Allow it to cool.In the mean time,cut the cantaloupe into cubes.Place it in blender and puree.Mix the cantaloupe puree and orange juice.Refrigerate and serve cold.
Tips : While serving add ginger ale.This adds to the taste.

Black Eye Pea Sour Curry/Karamani Puli Kuzhambu

Ingredients

Black Eye Pea - 200 gms
Potato - 1
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1
Tamarind juice - 1 cup
Coconut - 1 cup
Curry Leaves - 5 or 6
Coriander Leaves - handful
Red Chillies - 2
Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Fennel Seeds - 1 tsp
Oil required quantity
Salt to taste

Method
    Soak black eye pea for 2 hours.Finely chop the onion and tomato.Cut the potato into cubes.Grind the coconut,red chillies and make it into a paste.
Pressure cook black eye peas with potato.In a seperate pan,add oil,mustard seeds and fennel seeds.Add onion and saute until golden brown.Add the tomato and saute for a minute.Cover the pan with the lid and cook on low flame for 5 to 10 minutes until the tomatoes are soft.Add chilli powder,turmeric powder and coriander powder and saute them.Add the tamarind juice and salt.Allow it to cook for 3 or 4 minutes.Add the
cooked peas and potato to the above mixture.Allow it to blend.Add the ground coconut,curry leaves and required quantity of water,mix well.Add salt if required.Cover the lid and allow it to boil.Remove from fire.Garnish with coriander leaves.
      Aroma of spices blended with tanginess teases the taste buds.It is an excellent dish to be served with
plain rice,chapati,parata or ragi ball/ragi muddey/kalli

Tandoori Chicken

Ingredients

Chicken leg - 2
Chilli Powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Jeera Powder - 1 tsp
Lemon juice - 2 tsp
Red color - a pinch
Curd - 2 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt to taste

Method
      Clean the chicken.Make long cuts across chicken legs.Mix chilli powder,salt and lemon juice.Apply this masala to the cuts made in the chicken.Keep it aside for 15 minutes. In a seperate bowl, mix curd,chilli powder,turmeric powder,corainder powder,pepper powder,garam masala,jeera powder,lemon juice,salt,red color.Marinate chicken with this mixture and keep it aside for 1hr.
    Preheat the oven to 450 degree.Cook for 30 to 40 minutes.Remove from oven and fry it for 2 minutes.Sprinkle chat masala and onion.Serve with mint chutney

Vegetable Curry

Ingredients

Carrot - 2
Beans - 100 gm
Cauliflower - 1 1/2 cup
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1
Chilli Powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Ginger,Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves - handful
Oil required qunatity
Salt to taste

Method
         Mince the onions and tomatoes.Finely chop the carrot and beans.Cut the cauliflower and  soak it in hot water for 3mins.Drain the water and keep it aside.
        In a pan heat oil,add cumin seeds,onion and saute until it is translucent.Add ginger,garlic paste and saute for 50 seconds.Add chilli powder,turmeric powder and coriander powder.Saute for a minute.Add tomatoes and cook them on a very low flame.Saute every 3 minutes.When the tomato is soft and when the mixture looks like a paste,add 1/2 cup of water,required salt and allow it to boil.Add the vegetables,salt if required and cook on low flame.When the vegetables are cooked,add garam masala and mix well.If the gravy is watery, add 1 1/2 tsp of corn flour mixed with little water to the gravy and cook for 2 mins.This will thicken the gravy.Remove from fire.Garnish with coriander leaves.
        This dish goes well with chapathi,naan or parata.

Meen Morkootan/Meen Morkozhambu

      An awesome meen morkootan from "God's Own Country"

Ingredients

Fish(Shark/Salmon/Tilopia/Prawns) - 250gm
Tomato - 1
Green Chillies - 2
Ginger - 1/2  inch
Chilli Powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Curry Leaves - 5 or 6
Coconut(Grated) - 1 cup
Curd - 1/2 cup
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Oil required quantity
Salt to taste

Method

       Cut the fish into small cubes.Marinate the fish with chilli powder,turmeric powder and salt.Keep it aside for 1/2 hour.
       Cut the tomato into long pieces.Slit the green chillies into two halves.Finely chop the ginger.Grind the coconut into a paste.Whip the curd into nice smoothy texture.
In a sauce pan,add all the above ingredients,curry leaves,chilli powder,turmeric powder,required quantity of water and salt to taste.Keep it on flame and allow it to cook for 10 minutes.Once the fish is cooked,add the ground coconut and check the thickness of the curry.If it is too thick add some water.Cook it and when it starts to bubble add the curd and remove from fire.Season it with mustard seeds and curry leaves.
      This dish goes well with rice.

    

Strawberry Blueberry Smoothie

Ingredients

Strawberry - 1 cup

Blueberry - 1 cup                         

Milk - 1 1/2 cup

Vanilla extract/essence - 1 tsp

Sugar - 1 cup

Crushed ice - 1 cup

Method

            Place all the ingredients in the blender.Puree until it is creamy.

Cherupayar Puzhuku/Green Gram dhal curry/Pachapayaru kuttu

Ingredients
Green gram dhal - 200gms

Onion - 1

Tomato - 1

Green chillies - 3 or 4

Curry Leaves - 5 or 6

Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup

Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tspCoconut oil - 1 tsp
                                                       
 Method
    Soak the green gram dhal for an hour.In a pressure cooker, combine green gram dhal,onion,tomato,green chillies,curry leaves,turmeric powder and required quantity of  water.Pressure cook until 3 whistles.Remove from fire.Let the pressure release on its own.Once the mixture is cooked,add salt to taste.Add the grated coconut and coconut oil.This goes well with puttu,chapathi.

Muskmelon Dates Juice

         Scorching heat,dehydration are On, as summer is fast approaching.Obviously everyone looks for a way to keep themselves cool in summer.Most common fruit ever sited during summer to quench thirst n keep you cool is melons.The most common melon to be seen is the watermelon.There are various other melons like musk melon(Cantaloupes),Honey dew,Casaba,Crenshaw etc.Watermelon dominates the fruit market in India that anyone will miss Musk Melons because they are bland.
        Do you know the amount of nutrients it has got??? It has significant amount of fiber,making it good for those who are suffering from constipation.Potassium present in it helps in lowering the blood pressue.Since musk melon does not have sugar,they serve as a snack and thats the good news to those weight watchers... ;) Melons are best for weight watchers, as it contains more of water and less or no fat.
        Dates are good source of fiber,iron and niacin.They get digested very easily and supplies quick energy.The nicotinic content in dates makes excellent cure for intestinal disturbance.
Regular consumption of dates has been found to check the growth of pathological organisms and help in the growth of friendly bacteria in the intestines.Dates are also good for those who are suffering from constipation.

Muskmelon Dates juice
Ingredients

Musk Melon  - 1
Dates - 5 or 6 pieces
Sugar -1 cup

Method
          Cut musk melon into cubes.Cut dates into half.Put all the ingredients in the blender.Puree it.Serve cold.

Sura Puttu/Shark Scrambles

        Hearing the word Sura Puttu is enough to tickle the taste buds for those food lovers who have tasted it. This dish is everyone's favourite at my home and among my friends.Once my mom had invited my friends and their family for lunch and everyone was amazed at this dish.  Her dish became very popular.I heard her telling what goes into this recipe.Thats how I learnt it.
Let me tell you what she said


                                                      Sura Puttu
                                                      Ingredients


Sura/Shark  - 500gms
Pearl Onions - 13 or 15
Garlic Pods - 12
Chlli Powder - 2 tsp
Green chillies - 2 chopped
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Curry Leaves - 4 or 5
Coriander Leaves - handful
Oil required quantity
Salt to taste


Method
      Clean the fish.Boil the fish in water for 5 to 10 minutes.Drain the water.Remove the skin from the fish. Add turmeric powder,chilli powder and salt to the fish and mash it well. Keep this aside.

      In a seperate pan,heat the oil.Add onions and saute until it becomes soft.Add the garlic,green chillies,curry leaves, pinch of salt and saute for 2 minutes.Add the mashed fish to this mixture and saute well.Cover the pan with the lid and simmer for 3minutes.Remove from fire.Garnish with the coriander leaves.












Tips :


1. More number of garlic enhances the aroma and taste of the puttu
2.Shark can be replaced with any kind of big fish that has less bones like Salmon, Seer or Mackerel

Poondu Kozhambu/Garlic Curry

       The moment I think of poondu kozhambu my mouth starts watering.The sour taste blended with the spices is awesome.I learnt this recipe from my very close friend.It is a very simple and easy recipe.The main ingredients of this recipes will be pearl(small) onion and garlic.
       Onion and garlic protect us against most type of cancers.They support gastrointestinal health and help in reducing the high cholestrol levels and blood pressure.They reduce the risk of heart attack.
       Garlic is good for women during postpartum period .It helps in eliminating the fat accumulated during pregnancy.

Poondu Kozhambu/Garlic Curry
Ingredients

Pearl Onion - 10 or 14
Garlic Pods - 10
Tamarind - 1 Lemon size
Coriander Powder - 2 tsp
Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Pepper Powder - 1 tsp
Fenugreek - 1/2 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Oil required quantity
Salt to taste

Method

        Soak the tamarind in two cups of water for about half an hour.Heat oil in a pan.Add mustard seeds,fenugreek.Wait until mustard seeds splutter.Add the onions until it turns golden brown.Add garlic pods and saute for 3minutes. Add the tamarind juice.Add turmeric powder,chilli powder,coriander powder,pepper powder and salt to taste.Mix well and allow the it to boil. When the mixture is thick, remove from fire.Mouth watering Poondu kozhambu is ready.
        Serve hot it with rice. Pappadam or papad is a  good combination.

Orange Strawberry Smoothie

        Last weekend my hubby and I went for shopping.I was feeling very thirsty and he took me to 'Jamba Juice'.It had a number of smoothies and only two fresh juices.So I decided to go for smoothies.I tried Pomegranate,blueberry smoothie.It was tasting good.I thought I will try to prepare smoothie,sometime at home.
     Today when I checked my refrigerator, there were few strawberries,orange,lemon. I decided to prepare Orange strawberry smoothie ;)

Orange Strawberry Smoothie
Ingredients

Orange juice - 1 1/2 cup
Stawberry   - 1 cup
Banana - 1
Lemon juice - 1tsp

Method

 Cut the strawberries into half.Slice the banana.Place all the ingredients in blender and puree until smooth and creamy.Refrigerate until cold. It is cool and healthy drink.

Mutton Keema

   For a long time,I wanted to try making mutton keema. I couldn't find minced meat near my place.Yesterday I had been to my friends place and went for shopping.There I picked up minced meat.Gez wat??? here in U.S we get everything in bulk quantities.So now I ended up buying 3 packets of minced meat for just two people.
   I remember having mutton keem a couple of times when I was a kid.The way my mom used to make, it was so yummy.Infact we would lick the plate ;)

 I have tried the same and here goes the method to prepare it.

Mutton Keema

Ingredients

Minced Meat - 250gms
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1
Ginger,Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Fresh Peas - 1 cup
Chilli powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Pepper powder - 1tsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Cinnamon sticks - 1
Cloves - 2
Cardamom - 1
Bay leaves - 2
Salt to taste
Oil required quantity
Coriander leaves - handful

Method

     Heat the oil in a pan.Add minced onions.Saute until golden brown.Add ginger garlic paste,cinnamon,cloves,cardamom,bay leaves and saute for a minute.Add the tomatoes and saute until it softens.Add the chilli powder,turmeric powder and saute for sometime until the raw smell vanishes.Add peas and little water.Allow it to cook for 3 or 4 minutes.Add the minced mutton and salt.Saute it well.Mutton will start giving out the water.Keep stirring until the meat pieces turns to look like very small chunks.Check igif the meat is cooked.If the meat is cooked and there is a some amount of  water in it,then keep it in high flame. When all the water evaporates,add garam masala  and simmer.Cover the pan with the lid and allow it to be on flame for 2minutes.Remove from fire.Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve with chapathi, paratha, naan  or  rice.

Tip: Freshly made ginger garlic paste adds a very good flavour to the dish.

Chow-Chow (Chayote) moong dhal,masoor dhal sambar

           Hmm... I usually prepare the plain moong dhal sambar for my breakfast.This time I tweaked the recipe and added few more ingredients and it turned out to be very tasty and healthy. There are lot proteins in the dhal and Vitamin B in Chayote.The USDA says chayote(chow chow) is a very good source of folate, one of the B-vitamins known to help decrease homocysteine levels, a risk factor for heart disease. In fact, it has 40% more than the amount found in broccoli.
            "Cook simple & Eat healthy food"

Letz have a look at the recipe

Chow-Chow (Chayote) moong dhal,masoor dhal sambar

Ingredients
Chow chow(Chayote)  -  1
Moong dhal - 1/2 cup
Masoor dhal - 1/2 cup
Green chillies - 3
Garlic - 2 pods
Curry leaves - 4 or 5
Coriander leaves - handful
Tamarind juice - 1 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Sambar powder - 1 tsp
Oil required quantity
Salt to taste

To Season

Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Jeera - 1 tsp
Red chillies - 2

Method


 Cut chow chow into medium size cubes.Pressure cook chow chow,moong dhal, masoor dhal,green chillies,garlic,curry leaves and turmeric powder. Keep it for 3 whistle.Allow the pressure to be removed from the cooker on its own.Once the mixture is cooked,add the tamarind juice and required quantity of water and salt.Allow it to boil.When its boiling add sambar powder and simmer for 5 minutes.Season it with mustard seeds,jeera and red chillies.Finally garnish it with coriander leaves.
   This dish goes well with dosa,idli and rice.

Ulli Theeyal

    Kerala,the Land of Coconuts.First time when I visited Kerala with my parents I saw coconut trees everywhere.When I went to my aunts house, again there were huge number of coconuts stored.I used to wonder what will they do with coconuts. Every part of coconut is being utilized effectively.Coconut is quintessential  ingredient in every malayalee's house.
        Theeyal is one of the typical kerala dish.The word Theeyal means 'burnt dish'.Theeyal is will be one of the dish in Sadhya.It is made out of coconut and tamarin
d juice.The aroma that comes while roasting the coconut with spices will tingle your taste buds...

Letz have a look at how to prepare this authentic Theeyal

Ulli Theeyal

Ingredients

Sambar Onion - 12 or 14
Tamarind Juice - 1 cup
Curry Leaves - 4 or 5
Sugar - 1 tsp
Salt to taste

To Roast and Grind

Grated Coconut - 1/2 Cup
Coriander seeds - 1 1/2 tsp
Red Chillies - 10 or 12
Pepper  - 1 tsp
Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds -1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4tsp

To Season

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Oil required quantity

Method

    Heat a pan.Add little oil to it.Add jeera, fenugreek, red chillies, pepper, coriander seeds,turmeric powder. Fry until coriander seeds emits a nice aroma.Finally add the coconut and roast it until it turns golden brown.Once it is done,keep it aside and grind the roasted ingredients into a paste.
  In a pan,add oil.Add mustard seeds,red chillies,jeera.Add onions and saute until golden brown.Add the ground masala and allow it to cook.Add tamarind juice and salt to taste.Add the sugar and bring to boil.Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.Add curry leaves.Serve with rice.

How to prepare Prawn Pulao and Prawn Fry???

Watz in store for a sunday afternoon menu.My hubby is also at home.I wud like to prepare something he likes and something that is very delicious.So I am gonna prepare his favourite sea food dish.I am going to prepare Prawn Pulao and Prawn Fry.

Let me start with Prawn Pulao

Prawn Pulao

Ingredients

Prawns - 1/2 kg
Basmati Rice - 2cups
Onion - 2
Tomato - 1
GCreen chillies - 2
Coconut milk - 1/2 cup
Curd - 1/4 cup
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Chilli Powder - 2tsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Ginger,Garlic paste - 1tsp
Coriander leaves - handful
Oil - required quantity
Salt to taste

Method

Clean and devein the prawn.Marinate the prawns with 1tsp of chilli powder,1/2 tsp turmeric powder and salt to taste.Keep it aside for 30minutes.In the mean time,heat the pan and add oil to it.Add Onions and saute until golden brown.The oil should seperate from the onions.Add ginger,garlic paste and saute for a minute.Add Tomatoes and saute until it becomes soft.Add green chillies and saute for a minute.Add chilli powder,turmeric powder,garam masala and saute until the raw smell vanishes.Add prawns and saute for 1 or 2 minutes.Add yoghurt and coconut milk,allow it to cook for 2 or 3 minutes.Add 1 cup of water to the mixture and salt to taste.When the mixture starts boiling add the basmati rice.Allow it to cook for 10 minutes.Once the rice is cooked,garnish with coriander leaves.Prawn pulao goes well with raitha


Prawn Fry

Ingredients

Prawns - 1/2kg
Chilli powder - 1 1/2tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Lemon juice - 1 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

Method

Clean and devein the prawns.Marnite the prawns with the above said ingredients except oil.Leave it aside for an hour or 2.This will allow the prawns to absorb the salt and spice and taste very good.
For shallow frying
Heat oil in a pan,add the prawns.Allow it to be fried on one side for 3 or 4 mins.Once it is done,turn the prawn and fry it on the other side for about 3 or 4mins. Dont over cook the prawn,it will be hard to chew.
Serve hot with Mint chutney.

How to prepare Upma?

Upma is one of the easiest and fastest dish that can be prepared anytime.The crunchiness of the onion blended with spice and flavored with coriander and curry leaves makes it an yummy dish.


Ingredients
-----------
Rava - 1 cup
Onion - 1 chopped
Green chillies - 2
Ginger - 1 tsp chopped
Curry Leaves - 5
Coriander Leaves - handful

To Season
---------
Mustard Seed - 1/2tsp
Urad dhal - 1/2tsp
Chenna dhal -1/2tsp
Oil - required quantity
Salt to taste

Method
------

Heat the pan.Roast the rava for 2 or 3 minutes.Remove from fire and keep it aside.In the same pan,add oil to it.Add the ingredients mentioned in "To season" list.Add the green chillies and ginger fry it for less than a minute.Adding chillies in the beginning will add the spiciness to the oil and while cooking it blends with the whole ingredients.Add the onion and saute it until the raw smell vanishes.When the onion is crunchy add the curry leaves and coriander leaves.Add 1 cup of water and salt.Allow it to boil.Once it starts boiling,add the roasted rava slowly stirring.As soon as rava is added,it will take less than a minute to absorb water,at this stage remove it from fire.Garnish with coriander and close the lid of the pan.Allow it to settle for atleast 5minutes. Serve hot.
This goes excellent with chutney,sambar,pickles and if you have nothing,not to worry.Sugar is the best combination ;) To add more taste roast few cashews and garnish upma with cashews.

Traditional Sambar recipe

One of the mostly commonly preferred dish in South India.Anyone who visits South India will definitely prefer to have dosa with sambar.Here is a simple recipe to prepare sambar.

Ingredients
-----------

Thoor dhal - 1/2 cup
Sambar Onion - 3 or 4
Garlic - 2 pods
Big Onion - 1
Tomato - 1
Vegetables - 1 cup (Carrot/Beans/Lady's Finger/Brinjal/
Bitter gourd/Potato/Drumstick)
Tamarind juice - 3/4 cup
Chilli powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 3/4 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Sambar powder - 1 tsp
Green chillies - 1
Curry leaves -5 or 6
Corainder leaves - chopped handful
Salt to taste
Sugar - 3/4 tsp

To Season
---------

Mustard - 1 tsp
Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Asefotidia - a pinch
Red chillies - 2
Oil as per required quantity

Method
------
Pressure cook thoor dhal,sambar onions and garlic.Mash it well and keep it aside.
In a pan, add oil.Add all the ingredients in the "To season" list.Add the onions and saute it until it becomes translucent(oil seperates from the onion).Add the green chilly and saute it for 1 min.Add the tomatoes,saute it until it becomes soft.Add the chilli powder,coriander powder, pepper powder,turmeric powder and saute until the raw smell vanishes.Now add the vegetables.It can be a mixture of all the vegetables or one specific vegetable.Sprinkle some salt on the vegetable and saute it for 2mins.Now add little bit of water to the mixture and allow it to cook for 5 mins.Check if the vegetable is cooked.Once it is cooked add the tamarind juice, dhal and required quantity of water.Make the sambar little watery, as time goes by the dhal observes the water and makes it even more thick.Add curry leaves and little bit of coriander leaves.Add required amount of salt.Add little sugar to enhance the taste.When the whole content starts boiling add the sambar powder.Simmer for a minute.Remove from fire.Garnish with coriander leaves.It goes well with rice, dosa, idli, pongal, rava dosa