Majjiga Pulusu / Mor Kuzhambu without Coconut

Any gravy or side dish made with curd or buttermilk always tempts me. Though I love to make Mor Kuzhambu in my regular meal, sometimes if you run out of fresh coconut or not in a mood to grind the paste for mor kuzhambu, Majjiga Pulusu is the better option. Neither we need fresh coconut nor we need to grind the paste for making this yummy Pulusu. My husband taught me how to make this simple, easiest Majjiga Pulusu using the leftover sour yogurt. You can either make this Pulusu with just onions or with tomatoes, grated cucumber or any veggies of your choice.  Pour this over a plate of hot rice and enjoy this with a side of some spicy potato fry.

When you are making a big meal and if you like to include a gravy item with yogurt, Majjiga Pulusu is a wonderful choice. 

Ingredients 

Thick Sour Yogurt/curd -  2 Cups

Water - As required

Red Onion - 1/2 cup sliced

Salt -  To Taste

Coriander Leaves - To Garnish

Tadka 

Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon ( Optional )

Hing / Asafoetida - 1 Dash

Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp

Cumin Seeds / Jeera - 1 tsp

Dry Red chilies - 2 

Grated Ginger - 1/2 teaspoon

Green Chili - 1 

Curry Leaves - 1 Small Stem

Urad Dal - 1 tsp

Channa Dal - 1 tsp

Preparation

Take 2 cups of thick yogurt/curd in a vessel.  Add some water into it and adjust the consistency as you like but try not to make it thin. Add required of salt into it.  On its side, heat 2 tsp of oil in a tadka pan. Add the ingredients as mentioned under Tadka. Pour the tadka over the vessel and let it remain on the stove for 3 to 4 minutes on medium flame. Switch if off and garnish with coriander leaves. Enjoy this pulusu with hot rice. 

Gujarathi Kadhi / Gujju Kadi / Gujarati Kadi

Gujarathi Kadhi with some pakoras in it!!

Kadhi is one the gravy food item made out of sour buttermilk and flavoured with spices. Though the basic preparation of Kadhi remains the same, each and every regions of India have a different version of Kadhi and they are unique in their own way. Punjabi Kadhis are bit thicker with pakodis in it and gujarathi kadhis are bit thinner and little sweet. We love all kinds of Kadhi and enjoy the authentic taste of the kadhis. Ever since we tasted the gujarathi kadhi in restaurants and at my friend's home, I wanted to try it out at home and save the recipe for future use.  After tasting this Kadi at various places including resturants, friend's home, BAPS temple, I found out that there are many versions of  Gujarathi Kadi.  Now I am blogging the version which I learnt from my gujarathi neighbour as I loved the flavour and punch of the Kadi at their home. But we would never forget the taste and warmth of the Kadhi served at my friend's home earlier and her mother in law ultimately sets a standard making us compare every gujju food with hers. But till today, we could not find any gujju platter better than hers. Her taste is unique and uncomparable though...

Ingredients

Into the Curd / Yogurt :
Sour Thick Buttermilk - 5 Cups
Grated Ginger - 1 tbsp
Grated Garlic - 1 tbsp
Salt - As Required
Sugar - 2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
Besan / Chick Pea Flour - 3 tbsp ( if sour ) or 2 tbsp ( if not that sour )
Cumin Powder - 3/4 th of a tsp
Yellow Split Mustard Seeds Powder - 3/4th of a tsp

Tadka ( Tempering )

Ghee - 2 tsp
Dry Red Chillies - 3
Cardamom Seeds - 2
Cinnamon Sticks - 2 or 3 small
Lavang or Cloves - 3 or 4
Green Chillies slit into halves - 3
Curry Leaves - 1 Stem
Cumin Seeds / Jeera - 1 tsp
Methi Seeds /Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
Split Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp

To Garnish :
Crushed Coriander Leaves - 1 tbsp

Procedure

• In a big cooking vessel, add the thick buttermilk first. Add all the other ingredients under the column "Into the Curd / Yogurt". Using a spatula or hand mixer, mix them thoroughly. Add little water to get the right consistency if the curd mixture is too thick. After getting the right consistency for Kadhi, allow the Kadhi to cook on medium flame.
• Meantime, finish the tempering process in the other gas stove. Add all the ingredients under the column "Tadka/ Tempering" into the ghee and after they are tempered properly, pour them over the cooking Kadhi.
• Keep stirring the Kadhi continuously on medium flame so that it does not get burned at the bottom. When you notice few bubbles at the top layer, switch off the gas stove.
• Garnish the Kadhi with crushed coriander leaves and enjoy with jeera rice or plain basmati rice. 

Tips / Suggestions

• Add some thin dal water into the Kadhi as well instead of adding regular water, it enhances the taste of the Kadhi.  My neighbour just washed the cooker in which we cooked the regular dal with some water and poured that water into the Kadhi vessel. 
• As you can sip the Gujarathi Kadhi during the meal at any time, I prefer to make it in a consistency where its not too thick nor too watery.
• You can avoid adding sugar to the Kadhi if your family does not vote for the sweet taste in it. Still it tastes heavenly.
• Add more grated ginger to the curd mixture if the curd / buttermilk is too thick and sour.

Sambar using Black Chole Broth / Healthy Sambar using Black Chickpeas Broth / Sambar with Karuppu Kondakalai Water

"Idly Sambar and Chutney Combo" is an all time special combo for anyone. But this time I made a small twist while making the regular Sambar. Instead of adding the tamarind juice, I used a healthy broth of Black Chick Peas ( Karuppu Kondaikadalai ). To replace the sourness of tamarind juice, I added a ripe large tomato. This is a good accompaniment to dosas and Pongal too. Enriched with proteins, a cup of this healthy sambar with idlies will definitely kick start the day with full of energy..Have a terrific day ahead by making healthy choices in your food !!!! and with lots of smile.

Black ChickPeas Broth :  Save the drained water of the cooked Black Chickpeas which is nothing but the Broth. 

Ingredients

Black Chickpeas Broth ( Karuppu Kondaikadalai / Black Chole) - 4 to 5 cups.

Tomato - 1 Ripe Large

Onion  - 1/2 cup shredded

Green Chilli - 2 or 3 slit into halves ( I used 3 chillies )

Fresh Coriander Leaves shredded - 1 tbsp ( To Garnish )

Curry Leaves - 5 to 6

Cooked Toor Dal - 1 Cup

Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Sambar Powder - 1/2 tbsp

Coriander Powder - 2 tsp

Salt - To Taste

Hing / Asafoetida - 1 Dash

Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp

Jeera / Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp

Vendhayam / Fenugreek Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 1/2 tbsp ( For tadka / tempering )

Ghee - 2 tsp ( Optional ) ( Just before serving, add 2 tsp on its top to add more flavour and yummy.!!!)

Method

• Keep the Black Chickpeas Broth, cooked toor dal and the other ingredients ready.  If all the ingredients are ready, this sambar can be prepared before the idli gets steamed as the preparation time is very less.
• In the cooking pan, add oil first and finish the tempering process by adding Hing, Mustard Seeds, Cumin Seeds and fenugreek seeds. When they sputter, add onions, green chilli, curry leaves next. When the onions get fried, then add tomato and all powders.
• No need to add salt at this stage. Cover the lid and allow them to cook for 2 minutes.
• Add the cooked dal and the broth now. Mix them well and add more water according to the consistency you desire.
• Let the sambar boil for another 3-4 minutes. Finally add required amount of salt and cook for another minute.
• Switch off and garnish with coriander leaves.
• Drop 2 tsp of melted ghee on its top before serving.

Tips / Suggestions

• Never drain the broth of White Chick peas, Black Chick Peas or any Beans. You can very well add the broth while making Kurmas, gravies in place of water which in turn enriches the dish.

Karuvepilai Kuzhambu / Curry Leaves Pepper Gravy / Karuveppillai Kuzhambu / Karuvepilai Milagu Kuzhambu

Curry Leaf is one of the important ingredients in South Indian Cuisine and its called as "Karuvepilai" in tamil and "Karivepaaku"  in Telugu. Its almost added as a seasoning agent in most of the South Indian delicacies and these leaves emanate an excellent aroma during tempering. Upon looking at its outstanding medicinal benefits, they are rich in Calcium, Phosphorus, Iron and good amount of vitamins. The alkaloids present in curry leaves are believed to have tons of antioxidant properties. Its used as a home remedy for indigestion, nausea and heartburn. They are good for maintaining a good eyesight as they prevent the growth of cataracts. Regular intake of its juice help people with kidney disease and helps people in preventing hereditary diabetes. One of its popular use is for hair growth and colour. Regular intake of curry leaves in any form helps in preventing premature greying of hair. So its an ideal thing to include curry leaves a regular part of your diet. 

Its difficult to get good amount of fresh curry leaves in the place i live. Fortunately, I was able to get these precious leaves in abundance last week. So I decided to make the Curry Leaves kuzhambu with those fresh ones. I made it in a thicker form in order to enjoy this Karuvepilai kuzhambu at least for a week. Today its snowing heavily and I decided to make our lunch time healthier and tastier with our home favourites. Our lunch includes this spicy and tangy Karuvepilai Kuzhambu with Aviyal, Spinach Pappu and Potato curry. Preparation is simpler and does not require more efforts.

Ingredients

Fresh Curry Leaves - 2 Big Bunches ( yields about 5 cups of curry leaves )

Thick Tamarind Juice - 1 cup

Thuvar Dal / Tuvaram Paruppu / Toor Dal - 3 tbsp.

Black Peppercorns /Milagu - 4 tsp

Jeera / Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp

Vendhayam / Fenugreek Seeds - 1/4 tsp

Coriander Seeds - 1 tbsp

Dry Red Chillies - 2 Medium

Hing / Asafoetida - 1 Dash

Salt - As Required

Gingelly Oil / Sesame Oil - 3 tbsp

Mustard Seeds - 3 tsp

Method

• Soak the tamarind in water and extract its juice and keep ready. Take out the leaves from the stem and wash the curry leaves thoroughly and dry them.
• In the cooking vessel / kadai, add 1/2 tbsp of gingelly oil. Roast the thuvar dal, black peppercorns, jeera, vendhayam, coriander seeds, dry red chillies to golden brown and transfer them to the mixer grinder.
• In the same vessel, fry the cleaned curry leaves with the remaining oil till the raw smell goes off.
• Grind them along with other ingredients in the blender and keep the paste ready.
• Add another tbsp of gingelly oil to the cooking vessel. When its heated, add hing/ asafoetida and mustard seeds for tempering. When its sputters, add the tamarind juice into the vessel.
• Cook them for 3-4 minutes till the raw smell goes off. Then, add the grounded curry leaves paste from the blender to the vessel carefully. Add some water to the blender and pour all the paste into the cooking vessel.
• Add required amount of salt into the cooking vessel and cook the contents for 10-15 minutes.
• Once you get a semi solid consistency add the remaining amount of gingelly oil into the vessel.
• Let the kuzhambu cook for another 2-3 minutes and then switch off the stove.Generally this kuzhambu tastes good on the second day. Enjoy this healthy south indian delicacy with a good accompaniment.

Chettinad Kara Kuzhambu / Chettinad Kaara Kuzhambu

Ever since I tasted the Chettinad Kara Kuzhambu at one of my friend's home, I started liking it very much. She made it with brinjals and small onions and served with spicy side curries in the main course. I learnt the complete recipe from her and tried it at home with brinjals, drumsticks and small onions today and it turned out very well. Thanks Preetha for sharing this wonderful recipe with us.

Ingredients

Small Brinjals / Egg Plant - 5 or 6

Drumsticks - 6 or 7 pieces ( Each cut in finger size )

Small Onions - 10 to 12
Ripe Tomatoes - 2 Big

Oil - 3 tbsp ( I used Sesame Oil - 2 tbsp and normal oil - 1 tbsp )

Mustard Seeds - 2 tsp

Methi Seeds / Fenugreek Seeds - 1 tsp

Hing / Asafoetida - 1 Dash

Tamarind Extract - 2 cup ( If its very thick, then add between 1 to 1.5 cup )

Salt - To Taste

Curry Leaves - 1 stem

To Grind

Fresh Coconut Flakes - 1 cup

Garlic Pods - 8 or 9

Small Onions - 8

Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Sambar Powder - 3 tbsp

Red Chili Powder - 3 tsp ( Put 1 tsp if you want it medium spicy, put 4 tsp if you want it more spicy )

Method

In the mixer grinder, add all the ingredients and grind them into the fine paste using little water. Keep the grounded paste ready before starting the cooking process.

Heat half the oil in the cooking pan first. When its heated, add Hing / Asafoetida, mustard seeds and methi seeds into the oil. When they sputter, add the small onions, brinjals and drumsticks into the pan and fry them till they get translucent. Add little salt just for the vegetables to absorb and then add the curry leaves and tomatoes and fry them for a minute till they get mushy.

Add the tamarind extract into the pan along with the grounded paste. Add a glass of water into it and allow them to cook thoroughly. When the raw smell completely goes off, you would notice the change in colour and gets into the darker side. 

Add required amount of salt for the Kuzhambu now and the remaining amount of Sesame Oil into the Kuzhambu and let the Kuzhambu boils in the pan under medium flame. Once you notice oil oozing out of the Kuzhambu on its surface, you could switch off the flame. 

Serve this with hot white rice with your favourite side vegetable curries and enjoy the meal.

Tips 

If the tomatoes are not soar, you can add thick tamarind extract. You can vary the amount of tomatoes and tamarind extract based on its sourness and your taste. But i would prefer equal amount of both for its best taste.

Use only Sesame oil for making this Kuzhambu to retain its authentic taste and aroma. An excellent choice to be included in your menu during any special occasions.

Milagu Kuzhambu / Black Pepper Kuzhambu / Pathiya Kuzhambu

Milagu Kuzhambu / Black Pepper Gravy is a spicy gravy made by boiling the tamarind extract with lots of freshly ground spices in it. Its generally eaten with hot rice and ghee. An excellent choice during rainy days and its given to ladies after delivery as  Pathiya Kuzhambu. Its ideal to make this Kuzhambu after festivals as we would have eaten lots of high calorie food during festivals. You can either prepare this without any additions or can add little small onions or garlic pods or some sliced brinjals into the Pepper Gravy. I made it with small onions this time and the aroma and flavour is unique. Addition of Gingelly Oil ( Nalla Yennai ) to this Kuzhambu definitely enhances its taste.

 

Ingredients
Tamarind Extract - 5 to 6 Cups
Small Onion - Between 12 and 15 peeled.
Salt - To Taste
Jaggery - 1 small pinch
Oil - 1 tbsp
Gingelly Oil / Nalla Yennai -  2 tbsp
Hing / Asafoetida - 1 Dash
Mustard Seeds - 2 tsp

For Grinding

Coriander Seeds - 2 tbsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp
Jeera / Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Channa Dal  / Kadalai Paruppu - 2 tsp
Urad Dal / Ulutham Paruppu - 3 tsp
Black Peppercorns - 3 tbsp
Dry Red Chillies - 5 Big ones

Procedure  

• Soak the tamarind in warm water for half an hour and extract its juice completely. Prepare an extract of around 5-6 cups and keep it ready.
• In the kadai, dry roast all the ingredients mentioned under Grinding till you get a nice aroma. Then make a spicy grounded powder and keep it ready.
• In the same kadai / cooking pan, add oil first. When its heated, add Hing / Asafoetida and mustard seeds. When it starts sputtering, add small onions, curry leaves  in succession. Fry them for 2-3 minutes.
• Finally add the tamarind extract and the grounded powder, salt, jaggery into the cooking pan. Mix them well and allow them to reduce in quantity.
• When the quantity gets reduced to nearing half, add the Gingelly oil and allow them to cook for another 3-4 minutes.
• Switch off the flame and serve this with hot white rice and little ghee. After its cooled completely, it can be stored in a container and it would stay for at least 10 days. 

Vathakuzhambu

Vathakuzhambu is a traditional dish from South India which is served with white rice, papads. This tangy, sweety, spicy gravy tastes good with a side of any fry or pappads. I have been eating this Vathakuzhambu since childhood and enjoyed this dish with my favorite baby potato fry or Bindi fry. Mostly my mom and my grandma prepare this dish in the same way and their versions are unbeatable. I was fortunate to taste my grandma's Vathakuzhambu even at her 85th age. Recently she passed away after having suffered terribly in the bed for more than 2-3 years. Somehow this dish reminds me more of her.  I love my Grandma and this is my tribute to my lovely special Grandma, my Patty.

Ingredients

Thick Tamarind Extract  -  2 Cups

Small Onions \ Shallots -  10

Oil - 2 tbsp

Gingelly Oil - 1 tbsp

Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Sambar Powder - 2 tbsp

Coriander Powder - 1\2 tbsp

Red Chilli powder - 2 tsp

Jaggery - 1 small piece

Salt - To Taste

Water  - 1 cup

Mustard Seeds - 3 tsp

Jeera \ Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp

Hing \ Asafoetida - 1 Dash

Thoor Dal \ Thuvaram Paruppu \ Kandhi Pappu - 1 tbsp

Dry Red Chilli - 1 or 2.

Curry Leaves - 1 stem.

Method

1. Make a thick Tamarind Extract and keep it ready. Cut the small onions and keep them ready too.
2. Keep all the ingredients handy before starting the preparation.
3. In a round thick bottomed vessel, add oil first. ( Not the Gingelly Oil now). When its heated, add Hing, Mustard Seeds, Cumin Seeds, Thuvar Dal , Dry red chillies, Curry leaves in the order and fry them.
4. When its done, add the small sambar onions and fry them till they turn golden brown.
5. On a low flame, add all the required powders to the contents in the vessel and fry them along with the contents well.
6. Now add the extracted tamarind juice, jaggery, salt and water. Mix everything together and allow them to boil on a medium flame for few minutes with the lid covered.
7. Open the lid and check to see whether the gravy is completely set with no raw smell of the tamarind juice.
8. Finally you could confirm the completion by noticing some oil oozing out of the gravy and the gravy would have become thicker in consistency.
9. Now the tangy, spicy Vethakuzhambu is ready to eat with hot white rice.

Tips \ Variations

Try to make the Vethakuzhambu with some dried Vathals like "Manathakkali Vathal , Sundaikai Vathal, etc." It tastes good with real Vathals. This time I tried using small onions.

Don't forget to add a small piece of Jaggery which is the taste maker to the Kuzhambu.

If you are making this for a festival or for special occasions, you can gracefully add little more Gingelly Oil to make it more delicious and flavourful.

Pappu Charu - Andhra Style

For so many days, I was quite confused about Pappu Charu, Sambar, Rasam. Atleast rasam would be easily differentiated with its watery nature. But I was unable to get the correct differentiation between the other two. Now I can clearly conclude by telling that Sambar is a thick version of lentils, sambar powder, veggies whereas Pappu charu is a thin version with lentil water, powders and veggies as I do both Sambar and charu regularly at home. We can add any vegetables in Pappu Charu and it can be well accompanied by any vegetable fry.  As I am a veggie freaker, I add lots of vegetables into the Pappu Charu.

Ingredients

Toor Dal -- 1/2 Cup

Tamarind Extract - 1 Cup

Jaggery - 2 tbsp full

Salt - To Taste

Turmeric Powder - 2 tsp

Coriander Powder - 1 tbsp

Red Chilli Powder - 3 tsp

Fenugreek Powder / Methi powder - 1/2 tsp

Tempering

Olive Oil - 1 tbsp

Mustard Seeds - 2 tsp

Jeera - 2 tsp

Fenugreek Seeds / Menthilu / Vendhayam - 1/2 tsp

Hing / Asafoetida - 1 Dash

Dry Red Chillies - 2 big

Curry Leaves - 1 stem

Vegetables

Okra / Ladyfinger / Vendaikai - 4  ( cut into finger size )

Carrot - 1 Small ( Sliced into smaller rounds )

White Raddish / Mullangi - 1 ( Sliced into smaller rounds )

Sorakai / BottleGourd - 1/2 Cup ( Cut into small squares )

Onion - 1 Small

Tomato - 1 Small ( cut into small pieces )

Brinjal - 2 ( Cut into small pieces )

Broad Beans/Avaraikai/ Chikkudukaya - 5 or 6 ( Cut into finger size)

Green Chillies - 4 ( Slit into Halves)

Method 

1. Soak the tamarind in water and extract the juice and keep it handy.
2. Cook the toor dal / Thuvaram paruppu / Kandi Pappu in a pressure cooker to a fine paste. Add some water, mix and keep the dal water ready.
3. Wash and cut all the vegetables in desired form and keep it ready.
4. On a thick bottomed vessel, add all the vegetables, turmeric powder, little salt, hing/asafoetida, tamarind juice and little water and allow them to cook till the vegetables get mashy and softer.
5. Then, add the dal water into the vessel followed by salt, coriander powder, red chilli powder, fenugreek powder and jaggery. Mix them well and let the charu cooks and comes to a boil.
6. Add more water if you feel that the consistency of the charu is thick due to excess boiling.
7. On a separate tempering pan, add all the ingredients in order in Olive Oil and pour the tempered contents from the pan into the Pappu Charu.
8. Garnish with coriander leaves and switch off the heat.
9. Enjoy the Pappu Charu with white rice and ghee.

Variations

You can add more green chillies to increase the spicyness of the charu.

You can add any vegetables of your choice into the Pappu Charu.

Tips

Dal water and tamarind juice are very important in this charu. So make these perfect and keep it ready.

If you add few drops of ghee during tempering, the whole pappu charu smells very good.

Adding drumsticks,small onions to the pappu charu gives an excellent flavour and taste.

Patiently wait till the vegetables get completely cooked. After its cooked fully, continue the process. Otherwise, your veggies would be little raw in the Pappu charu making it difficult for the kids to eat the veggies.

Sambar / Amma's Sambar / Regular Sambar

Sambar was one of the regular item in our daily meal since childhood. My mom never failed to make Sambar in her menu along with rasam. To me, every sambar has its unique flavour due to the addition of different vegetables into it. Taste and flavour of brinjal sambar is different from the taste of lady finger ( Okra ) Sambar. Out of all, small onion sambar scores more marks in all aspects.  If small onion sambar was made, our eyes would automatically roll around for baby potatoes fry. That combo is my all time favourite. In my perspective, white rice with simple sambar and a side of a vegetable curry or kootu is an excellent healthy meal for kids. It gives them good amount of carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and energy equally.

I will soon post the Sambar Powder recipe as it determines the taste of the Sambar.

Ingredients

Brinjals - 2 medium size

Drumsticks - 6 or 7 cut into finger size

Toor Dal - 1 Cup

Hing / Asafoetida - 1 Dash

Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Sambar Powder - 1.5 tbsp

Sugar - 1 pinch

Salt - To Taste

Tamarind Juice - 1 Cup ( mild juice not very thick )

Olive Oil - 1 tbsp

Ghee - 1 tsp

Mustard Seeds - 2 tsp

Jeera - 1 tsp

Fenugreek Seeds / Vendhayam / Menthilu - 1 tsp

Curry Leaves - 1 stem

Dry Red chillies - 2 medium size

Method

1. Wash the vegetables and cut them into desired shapes. Keep the tamarind juice ready. Keep the ingredients ready on the side. Cook 1 cup of toor dal into a smooth paste and add little water to the cooked dal thereby making it into a semi solid state.
2. On a thick bottomed vessel, start making the sambar. First, add the oil and when its heated, add mustard seeds, hing, jeera, fenugreek seeds, dry red chillies, curry leaves for tempering.
3. Add the cut brinjals, drumsticks into the oil and fry them for few seconds.
4. Then, add the turmeric powder, sambar powder, sugar and fry them with all the contents, veggies in the vessel. Veggies would get coated with the powders well.
5. Now add the extracted tamarind juice , required amount of salt and some water into the vessel.
6. Close the lid and allow the sambar to cook for 5-6 minutes.
7. You would get a nice aroma of the sambar throughout the kitchen. Check to see if the vegetables are cooked fully.
8. If its done, then add the semi solid dal paste into the sambar. Mix the sambar thoroughly without any dal lumps in it.
9. Allow the sambar to boil for just 1 or 2 minutes. Then switch off the flame. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve it with white rice and ghee.

Tips

• As this is a plain, simple sambar which we make on daily meal, I don't suggest any extra powders into it. This is just to enjoy the dal sambar with the real flavour of the sambar powder...
• Don't boil the sambar too much after adding the dal. Just switch off the heat at the right time. In this way, it retains the flavour and consistency well.
• Like this, you can make plain, simple sambar with different vegetables. ( Like Okra sambar, capsicum onion sambar, chow chow sambar, white pumpkin sambar , etc., )

 

Mixed Vegetable Araichuvitta Sambar / Kadamba Sambar

Kadamba Sambar is a special sambar made on special occasions and contains more vegetables and lentils in it, and its very filling too. With a good side curry or aviyal or vadai, it tastes very good. Uses of making this kadamba sambar are countless in our house. I can either serve this kadamba sambar separately with a good curry or make a quick kadamba Rice for everyone at one shot or serve this Kadamba sambar with Idly, Dosai, Pongal during tiffin time. So I tend to make this sambar very often at home.

Ingredients

Cooked Toor Dal / Thuvaram Paruppu / Kandhi Pappu - 1 Cup

Tamarind Juice - 1.5 cup

Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Sambar Powder - 2 tbsp

Hing / Asafoetida - 1 Dash

Mustard Seeds - 2 tsp

Jeera - 1 tsp

Fenugreek Seeds / Vendhayam / Menthilu - 1 tsp

Curry Leaves - 1 stem ( if you have )

Olive Oil - 2 tbsp

Salt - To Taste

Sugar or Jaggery - 1 small teaspoon

Vegetables List

Small Onion - 10 or 12 

Ripe Tomato - 1 Medium Size

Chow Chow - 1/2

Carrot - 1 Small Size

Drumstick - 1 Medium One

Brinjals - 4 Small Size or 2 medium ones

Potato - 1 Medium Size

Beans - 5 or 6

Frozen  Peas or fresh peas - 1 Handful

For Grinding

Coriander Seeds - 2.5 tbsp

Fresh Coconut or dry coconut powder - 1 tbsp

Dry Red Chillies - 4 or 5

Black Pepper - 4 or 5 seeds

Method

1. First wash the Thuvar Dal and cook it in a pressure cooker. After its cooked, mash it thoroughly and keep it aside.
2. Soak a lemon size tamarind in a luke warm water and extract the tamarind juice without any of its dirt and pieces and keep it ready.
3. Wash all the vegetables and cut them into smaller cubes. Cut the drumsticks into five medium size parts. Keep all the veggies ready.
4. Now, in a heavy bottomed vessel, add little oil and add coriander seeds, dry red chillies, black pepper seeds and coconut. Slightly fry them till you get a nice aroma on a medium flame. After it cools down, grind them together in a mixer grinder and keep it separate. Dont keep it open.
5. In the same vessel, on medium heat first add the Olive Oil. When it gets heated, add the Hing  / Asafoetida , mustard seeds, jeera , fenugreek seeds ( Vendhayam / Methi seeds ) , one dry red chilly, Curry leaves.
6. When tempering is done, add all the small onions into the vessel. Add a pinch of salt to it. Fry them for 2-3 minutes till they get fried and look semi cooked.
7. Now add the ripe tomato pieces into the vessel. Fry them nicely till it becomes soggy and pasty.
8. Add all the powders now to the mix in the vessel. Mix and fry them for a minute.
9. Add all the cut veggies into the vessel now. Add a pinch of sugar only. No salt at this stage too.
10. Fry all the contents in the vessel ( all veggies mixed with the powders ) for a minute. Close the vessel with a lid and let them cook with the steam inside for 2 minutes. Keep the heat on a low flame.
11. After 2 minutes, open the lid and add the extracted tamarind juice into the vessel.
12. Add little more water making it half the vessel. Add salt at this stage into the vessel.
13. Mix everything once more and close the lid. Let the sambar cooks and and you will smell a nice aroma coming out of the closed vessel. Now your kadamba sambar is in good form.
14. After 8 - 10 minutes, open the vessel and check to see if the vegetables are cooked fully. If not, close it and let the process continues.
15. After its all cooked, you will notice that the sambar would have become little thicker and the quantity would have reduced little lower in the vessel.
16. Then add the mashed dal water to the sambar. Make sure that the heat is on medium level only not on High.
17. Add the grounded powder also into the Kadamba Sambar.
18. Let the Sambar cooks for 3-4 minutes. Then switch off the flame and let the sambar settles down completely with all the spices, veggies and Dal.
19. After that, the tasty kadamba Sambar is ready to serve with Rice or in any form.

Variations

You can add any vegetables of your choice but try to cut the veggies into uniform shapes.

You can add more dry red chillies if you want the sambar to be more spicy.

You can generously add 1 or 2 tbsp of ghee on the top of Sambar before serving if its served on special occasions.

Tips

If you dont cook the dal softly, the sambar consistency will not be proper. Make sure that the Toor dal is cooked completely.

Dont cut the vegetables in bigger form for this Sambar. If its in medium size, they cook faster and easy for the kids too to eat all the veggies if given as Kadamba Rice. ( They wont be given a chance to pick their unwanted veggies and keep it in the side while eating!!!)

Brinjal Mor Kuzhambu ( Buttermilk Stew / Majjiga Pulusu ) / Mor Kuzhambu

Mor Kuzhambu is one of the most important gravy in any South Indian Meal. Especially in Tamil Nadu, Mor Kuzhambu is widely seen during all special occasions.  We always prefer to have a side of Mor Kuzhambu in any form in our meal at home as its our alltime favourite. There are so many ways to make this Mor Kuzhambu/Buttermilk Stew/Majjiga Pulusu). You can add any vegetables like Brinjal, Drumsticks, White Pumpkin, Chow Chow ( or any watery vegetable), even zuccini, paruppu urundai,etc.,

Ingredients

Brinjals - 2 Medium

Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp.

Hing ( Asafoetida ) - 1 tsp.

Thick Curd - 2 Cups.

Olive Oil - 1 tbsp.

Salt - To Taste.

For tempering

Mustard Seeds - 1 tbsp

Jeera - 1 tbsp

Urad Dal - 1 tbsp

Channa Dal - 1 tbsp

Curry Leaves - 5 or 6 ( if you have)

Red Chillies Dry - 2 Medium

For Grinding

Fresh Coconut - 1/2 Cup

Jeera - 2 tsp

Ginger - 1 small cube

Green Chillies - 3 Medium Ones
Coriander Seeds - 2 tsp

Method

1. Grind the ingredients as mentioned above with little curd and keep it aside.
2. Wash the brinjals and cut it into small pieces.
3. On a vessel, add the cut brinjals, turmeric powder, Hing ( Asafoetida ), little salt for the vegetables in water and let it cooks till its softer.
4. When its fully cooked, add the grounded mixture into the vessel. Add required amount of salt, remaining curd into the kuzhambu vessel.
5. Mix it properly. Check to see if there are any bubbles coming out on the top layer of the kuzhambu.
6. If you see those, immediately switch off the heat. Keep the Mor Kuzhambu vessel out of heat totally.
7. Meantime, add the ingredients for tempering. When tempering is done, pour them over the Kuzhambu.
8. Mix everything once again. Mor Kuzhambu is now ready for serving. It goes well with any Paruppu Usili, Mint Thogayal or any thogayals, any spicy powder rice.

Tips

Switch off the heat at the right time when you notice small bubbles coming out on the top layer. If you miss that, Mor Kuzhambu becomes watery in consistency and it spoils the yummy taste of it.