VENGAYA SAMBAR

INGREDIENTS :

1.    Small onions (Vengayam)    -    ½ Kg
(or) big cut in cubes
2.    Tovar Dal    -    ¾ Cup
Cooked and kept.
For masala:
3.    Urad Dal    -    2 Teaspoons
4.    Dhaniya    -    4 Teaspoons
5.    Chana Dal    -    2 Teaspoons
6.    Red Chilly    -    2 Nos.
7.    Methi    -    1 Teaspoon
Fry them together in a little oil and grind to a paste.

8.    Tamarind Paste    -    2 Table Spoons
9.    Gingelli oil    -    2 Table Spoons
10.    Mustard    -    1 Teaspoon
11.    Urad Dal    -    1 Teaspoon
12.    Turmeric    -     ¼ teaspoon
13.    Green Chilly    -    2 Nos.
14.    Salt     -    to taste
15.    Rice Powder or Corn Flour-     Little
16.    Mustard Seeds       -    1 teaspoon
17.    Garlic                      -     1 pod

METHOD 1 :

In a thick bottomed vessel, pour the gingelly oil, crackle the  mustard seeds,  add the urad dal, turmeric and  green chilly. When you get a nice smell of fried dal,  put the onions and   garlic cut into small pieces.  Add the curry leaves,  salt to taste and fry till you feel onions are half
done.  Pour 3 cups of water and add the tamarind paste.  After a  few minutes,  add the Ground Masala Paste  and the cooked dal.   Boil till the whole mixture thickens a little.  Now Vengaya Sambar is ready.

METHOD 2 :

First take a thick bottomed vessel.   Pour the oil, crackle the mustard & add the Urad dal.  When the dal is golden brown, add the curry leaves, green chilly, salt,  2 teaspoons Sambar powder and the onions and fry till the onions are half done.  Pour 3 cups of water.  Add the tamarind paste.   Boil till you get the sambar smell and then add the cooked dal,  methi and dhaniya powder.   Boil for a few more minutes and remove.  The Sambar is ready.

MOOR KOZHAMBU

INGREDIENTS :-

(1)    Tovar dal    -    2 table spoons
(2)    Chana dal     -    1 table spoon
(3)    Urad dal    -    1 table spoon
(4)    Green chilly    –    2 Nos.
(5)    Red chilly    –    2 Nos.
(6)    Asafoetida    -    a pinch
(7)    Methi    -    1 teaspoon
(8)    Dhaniya    -    4 table spoons
(9)    Jeera    -    1 teaspoon
(10)    Grated coconut    -    2 table spoons
(11)    Moor (buttermilk)    -      1 cup (to be added in the end)

METHOD :

Fry all the ingredients in a little oil, adding the  coconut and green chilly in the end. Grind the paste, mix well with the buttermilk and keep aside.  Take a heavy bottomed vessel and pour 2 cups of water with whatever vegetable you want cut in cubes (eg: Pushanikai, Cucumber, Potata etc)., or, cut in pieces, (Vendai, Carrot, Beetroot etc.). Add salt and turmeric also at the same time. Cook the vegetables. When the vegetables are cooked,  pour the moor(buttermilk) mixed with the ground paste.  Then cook on  the fire till it is frothy on top. Add the curry leaves.  Do not close for 5 minutes or close with Jali or plate with holes.

MOOR KOZHAMBU (2)

INGREDIENTS :-

(1)    Tovar dal    -    2 table spoons
(2)    Oil        -    2 teaspoons
(3)    Mustard     -    1 teaspoon
(4)    Urad dal    -    1 teaspoon
(5)    Asafoetida    -    a pinch
(6)    Curry leaves    -    few
(7)    Sambar powder    -    1 table spoon

METHOD :

Take a thick bottomed vessel and add the oil. Crackle the mustard.  Add the urad dal, some Asafoetida, and a few curry leaves.  Now, put the  Sambar powder in it and mix after a moment.  Pour 1 cup of water,  Add salt and any pieces of vegetable that you want.  Boil till the vegetables are cooked.  Then, pour a little cold water and add the moor (buttermilk) and a few more curry leaves and coriander leaves.  Keep on  the fire till it is frothy and then remove from fire.   Do not close.  To thicken,  add rice flour.

MOOR KOZHAMBU (3)

INGREDIENTS :-

(1)    Coconut    –    half  (Grated)
(2)    Green chilly    –    3 Nos.
(3)    Jeera    –    1 table spoon
(4)    Oil    -    1 teaspoon
(5)    Mustard     -    1 teaspoon
(6)    Urad dal    -    2 teaspoons
(7)    Curry leaves    -    few
(8)    Moor (buttermilk)  -      1 cup

METHOD :

Grind ½ coconut,  green chillies and Jeera into a soft paste.  Beat the moor well so there are no lumps.  Mix the ground paste well with the beaten moor.  Take a  heavy bottomed vessel and pour the oil.  Crackle the mustard.  Add the urad dal and a few curry leaves.  Now,  pour the ‘moor’ beaten well and mixed well with the ground paste.  Add some more curry leaves and cook the mixture on low fire till it is frothy.  Remove and do not close at once.  You can add any Vegetable pieces you want by boiling them separately in water & salt.  Remove the water and add with the Moor Kozhambu.

MANKOTTAI KOZHAMBU

INGREDIENTS :-

(1) Dried Mango – some pieces
(2) Oil – 2 teaspoons
(3) Mustard seeds – 2 teaspoons
(4) Urad dal – 2 teaspoons
(5) Curry leaves – few
(6) Sambar powder – 1 teaspoon
(7) Asafoetida – ¼ teaspoon

METHOD :

The amount of Mankottai (Dried Mango pieces) is according to the taste and sourness of the Mango pieces. Put the mango pieces in a cup of water. Take a heavy bottomed vessel. Pour the oil and crackle the mustard. Add the urad dal. When the urad dal becomes golden brown, add the sambar powder and the asafoetida. Now, add the mango pieces & water and salt to taste. When the mango pieces are soft, add 3 more cups of water. When you feel they are cooked, thicken the mixture with rice flour or corn flour. Add curry leaves before removing from the fire.

JEERA MOLAGU RASA PODI

INGREDIENTS:

1.    Tovar dal                        -  1 cup
2.    Jeera                                -  ¼ cup
3.    Pepper                            -  ¼ cup

METHOD:
Fry the dal in a heavy kadai.  When it smells good, switch off the burner.  Add pepper and jeera and fry in the hot kadai.  Cool and grind to powder.

SAMBAR PODI

INGREDIENTS:

1.    Tovar dal                          – 2 cups
2.    Chana dal                          – 4 cups
3.     Dhaniya                           – 18 cups
4.    Methi (Venthiyam)        – ¼ cup
5.    Asafoetida (perungayam)- To taste
6.    Curry leaves                    – 1 cup
7.    Red chilly                      – 2 cups
8.    Turmeric pieces             – ¼ cup

METHOD:
In a thick kadai, fry the dals first.  Add dhaniya,  methi and asafoetida.  Put off the fire.  Add turmeric and curry leaves and fry for a few minutes.  Cool and grind to powder.

RASAM PODI

INGREDIENTS:

1.    Tovar dal                           – 4 cups
2.    Chana dal                           – 2 cups
3.    Dhaniya                             – 18 cups
4.    Jeera                                  – ½ cup
5.    Pepper                               – ¼ cup
6.    Red chilly                        -1 ½ cups
7.    Turmeric  pieces               – ¼ cup
8.    Asafoetida powder          – 2 table spoons

METHOD:

Fry as in Sambar podi adding Jeera last.  Switch off the flame.  Spread to cool and grind to powder.

KOOTU PODI

INGREDIENTS:

1.    Urad dal    -   1 cup
2.    Chana dal   -   1 cup
3.    Asafoetida  -  ¼ cup
4.    Red chilly  -  ¼ cup
5.    Pepper    – 2 table spoons

METHOD:

Fry the dals, chilly and asafoetida  in a dry kadai adding pepper in the end.  Cool and grind to a rough consistency powder.
Fresh grated coconut may be added at the time of making the Kootu.

METHI (VENTHIYAM) , TOVARAM PARUPPU (TOVARDAL) PODI

INGREDIENTS:

1.    Tovar dal     -   1 cup
2.    Methi     – 3 table spoons

METHOD:

Fry tovardal in a thick dry pan till you get a nice smell.  Once the pan is hot, for best results, reduce the heat and fry.  Remove and cool.  Now, take the methi in the same pan and fry till it begins to crackle.  You will get a nice smell of fried methi.  Remove and cool with dal .  Grind to powder.  This is mainly used for Venthiya Kuzhambu but, can also be used wherever Venthiya flavour is necessary.

DHANIYA JEERA PODI

INGREDIENTS:

1.    Dhaniya        – 3 cups
2.    Jeera         – ½ cup

METHOD:

Take a thick pan and fry the Dhaniya without oil.  When done, remove.  Now, fry the jeera.
Cool and powder both together.  This powder is useful  for North Indian dishes like Sookhi dal etc.

DHANIYA PODI

INGREDIENTS:

1.    Dhaniya         -   4  cups

METHOD:

Fry Dhaniya in a thick pan on low fire till you get a nice smell.  Cool and powder.  Use for Sambar, Rasam and many other preparations.