CURRY LEAVES POWDER

INGREDIENTS

1 Big bunch of curry leaves(clean it and pick the leaves only)

1 cup Urad dhall

1 tbs Pepper corns

1 tbs Cummin seeds

8 Red chillies

Salt to taste

PREPARATION

Wash the Curry leaves and dry the leaves in the sun till it is crisp or pat it dry and dry in a Microwave oven. Dry fry the Urad dhall ,Pepper corns Cummin seeds and Red chillies in a frying pan after all the ingredients are fried add the Curry leaves to the hot pan and fry for a few minutes.Allow the ingredients to cool then dry grind all together coarsely. Add Salt and Asfoetida powder to taste.It goes well with rice and ghee and can be had with any side dish or fried pappads.

MILAGAI PODI(IDLY PODI)

Ingredients

1/2 cup Channa dhall

1/2 cup Urad dhall

25 Red chillies

1/2 cup White Til

1 tbs Asafoetida

Salt to taste

1 tsp Til oil

Preparation

Add the oil in a frying pan and add the dhall each separately and fry it to a pink colour. Add the Red chillies to the hot fry pan and roast it till it is crisp. Dry roast the til. Grind the chillies with the salt first and then add the dhalls and grind it to a coarse powder. Now add the til and grind it along with the other ingredients. Add the asfoetida powder and mix it to the chilli powder.This tastes good with Idlis Dosas and with any evening tiffin items. It can be stored in a dry container and used for more than a month with the rich flavour.

PARRUPPU PODI

Ingredients

1 cup Tuvar dhall

1/2 cup White Til

3 Red chillies

1 tbs Asfoetida

Salt to taste

Preparation

Dry roast the Tuvar dhall White Til separately till it gives a good aroma. Roast the Red chillies along with it. First dry grind the dhall after it is made into coarse powder add til and grind it again with Red chillies Asafoetida and salt. This tastes good with cooked rice and ghee. Any side dish with this rice tastes good.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF THOKKU

Ingredients

200 gms Tamarind

10 green chillies

1 tsp Turmeric powder

2 tbs Jaggery powder

1 tbs Asfoetida

Salt to taste

Seasoning

2 tsp Mustard seeds

2 tsp Urad dhall

4 Red chillies

3 tbs Til oil


The above ingredients for the preparation and for the seasoning are the same.

Coriander Leaves Thokku

1 big bunch Coriander leaves

Clean the coriander leaves and chop it to small pieces. Squeeze the Tamarind and take the thick pulp without adding much water. Add the coriander leaves ,green chillies, turmeric powder, asfoetida, jaggery and salt. Grind it to a fine paste with all the ingredients . Season it with 3 tbs of til oil with mustard seeds ,urad dhall red chillies. Add the ground paste and allow it to simmer. Fry it in low flame till the oil separates. This can be stored in the fridge for more than a month.

The preparation for the Curry leaves thokku and Pudina thokku is the same.The same ingredients are used but instead of Coriander leaves replace it with Curry leaves or Pudina. It tastes very good.

GOODDU RASAM

Ingredients(for four persons)

Lemon size ball of Tamarind

1 tsp Turmeric powder

1 tsp Asfoetida

1 tsp Rasam powder

Salt to taste

Little Jaggery

For Seasoning

1 tsp Tuvar dhall

1 Red chilly

1 tsp Mustard

1 tsp Cummin seeds

One sprig of Curry Leaves

1 tsp Ghee

Preparation

Squeeze the pulp of tamarind. Add 2 cups of water. Add turmeric powder,asfoetida,salt and jaggery. Boil it for 5 minutes on high flame. Add rasam powder and one more cup of water and allow it simmer on low flame. Season it with tuvar dhall,mustard seeds,cumminseeds red chilly and curry leaves with ghee. Rasam can be served with pappads or any vegetable with rice.

MYSORE RASAM

Ingredients(for four persons)

1/2 cup Tuvar Dhall

Lemon Size ball of Tamarind

2 Big Tomatoes

1 tsp Turmeric powder

1 tsp Asfoetida

Little Jaggery

1 tbs Chopped Coriander leaves

Salt to taste

For Grinding

1 tsp Coriander seeds

1/2 tsp Channa dhall

1/2 tsp Pepper corns

1/2 tsp Cummin seeds

1 Red chilly

1/2 tsp Til oil

Seasoning

1 tsp Mustard

1 tsp Cummin seeds

1 tsp Ghee

Preparation

Soak the tamarind in the squeeze the pulp. Fry all the ingredients for grinding in til oil. Grind it to a fine paste. Add it to the tamarind pulp. Add the turmeric powder,asfoetida,jaggery and salt. Add 3 cups of water. Allow it to simmer in the haeat. Once the raw smell disappears and starts boiling add one more cup of water,and chopped tomatoes. Season it with mustard and cummin seeds and add chopped coriander leaves.This rasam tastes good as a soup also.

PEPPER RASAM

INGREDENTS(for four persons)

Lemon size ball of tamarind

1 tsp Pepper

1 tbs Tuvar dhall

1 tsp Turmeric powder

Salt to taste

1 tsp Asafoetida

Sprig of curry leaves

Seasoning

1 tsp Mustard seeds

1 tsp Fenugreek seeds

1 Red chilly

1 tsp Ghee

Preparation

Soak the Tamarind and squeeze the tamarind pulp and add 2 cups of water. Add Turmeric Powder,Salt and Asafoetida and simmer it on a low flame. Coarsely grind the Pepper and add to the rasam. Cook the Tuvar dhall and mash it and add it to the rasam. Allow it to simmer and season it with Mustard and Fenugreek and Curry leaves.

LEMON RASAM

Ingredients

1/4 cup Moong Dhall

2 Green chillies

Small piece of Ginger

1 tsp Turmeric powder

1 tsp Asfoetida

Salt to taste

1 Tomato(optional)

Little Coriander leaves

1 Lemon

Seasoning

1 tsp Mustard seeds

1 tsp Cumin seeds

1 tsp Ghee

Preparation

Cook the Moong dhall. Add water about 2 cups. Add Turmeric powder, Asafoetida and Salt. Allow it to simmer.Coarsely grind green chillies and ginger and add to the rasam. Season it with Mustard seeds and cummin seeds. Add coriander leaves and squeeze one lemon juice.Now the rasam is ready. It can be served with rice and Pappadams. It can be served as a soup also.

JEERA RASAM

Ingredients

(For Four Persons)

2 tbs Cummin seeds

1 tbs Tuvar dhall

1 Red chillies

Lemon size tamarind

1 tsp turmeric powder

Salt to taste

Seasoning

1 tsp Mustard seeds

1 tsp Cummin seeds

1 tsp Ghee

One sprig Curry leaves

Preparation

Squeeze the pulp from the Tamarind and add two cups of water. Coarsely powder the Cumin seeds Red chillis and Tuvar dhall. Add this powder and turmeric powder and salt and allow it to simmer. Add some water and boil it till it is frothy. Season it with Mustard and Cummin and Curry leaves with Ghee.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF RASAM

Ingredients

Rasam powder is the main Ingredient for most of the Rasams.

Preparation of Rasam Powder

2 cups Coriander seeds

1 cup Cummin seeds Jeera

1 cup Pepper corns

1 tbs Fenugreek seeds

1 tbs Mustard seeds

1 cup Dried curry leaves

10 Red chillies

Preparation

Dry roast all the Ingredients separately and grind it to a slightly coarse powder.

TOMATO RASAM

Ingredients

Lemonsize ball of tamarind

1/2 cup of Tuvar dhall

2 Tomatoes

2 tsp Rasampowder

1 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Asfoetida

Salt to taste

SEASONIONG

1 tsp Mustard seeds

1tsp Cummin seeds

1tsp Ghee

Little curry leaves and coriander leaves

1 Green chilly(optional)

Preparation

Soak the tamarind and squeeze the pulp. Cook the tuvar dhall. Add 2 cups of water to the tamarind pulp. Add rasam powder,turmeric powder,asfoetida,salt and allow the mix to boil till the raw smell disappears. Now cut the tomatoes to small pieces and add it to the rasam. Mix the tuvar dhall with little water and add it to the rasam . Add e water so that it is enough for four persons.Allow it to simmer till it is frothy.Season it with mustard cummin seeds and curry leaves and coriander and slit the green chilly and add to the rasam.It can be served hot with rice and cna be had like a soup.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF MANGO PICKLES

This is the summer season also the season of Mangoes.It can be pickled in different ways and stored for a year.The basic Ingredients are the same but the measurement makes a lot of difference and give different tastes.

Ingredients

Fresh chilly Powder.This is now available ready made in various brand names.It should necessarily be fresh and be in deep red colour.

Roast about 200 gms of fenugreek seeds and dry grind it to coarse powder.

Fenugreek seeds

Roast or dry Mustard and dry grind it to a coarse powder.

Gingelly oil(Til oil)

Asfoetida powder

Grind the crude salt to a powder after drying it in the sun.

Garlic pods (optional)

Mustard seeds.

TENDER MANGO PICKLE

5 Measure of Tender Mangoes(more than the weight this measurement is accurate)

1 Measure of chilly powder

1 Measure of powdered mustard powder

1 Measure of salt

asfoetida (optional)

2 big tbs of till oil

Preparation

Wash the tender mangoes clean. (Normally available in the month of March and April).The mangoes must be measured and put in a clean jar. Add one measure of salt and mix it with the mangoes. Keep it a side for 3 days. Keep mixing it with a clean ladle daily. On the third day drain the salty water and add to it 1 measure of chilly powder and 1 measure of mustard powder. Add this mix to the mangoes and mix it thoroughly.Keep mixing it daily for a week.Add the till oil and cover the jar. The pickle is ready for use after one week. Always use a dry spoon inside the jar.

AVVAKKAI

This pickle is a special Andhra Variety.

500 gms of big sour Mangoes.Cut the Mangoes to small pieces.(it is not necessary to retain the seed cover)

Red chilly powder

Mustard powder

Fenugreek seeds

Gingelly oil

Powdered salt

Garlic pods optional

Preparation

Wash the mangoes and cut them to small pieces. Dry it under the fan in a cloth by spreading it in a thin cloth for one whole day. Measure the mango pieces in a cup. For 6 measures of mango pieces---one measure of chilly powder,one measure of salt,1/2 measure of mustard powder,one measure of til oil,and a handful of fenugreek seeds. Mix all the masalas with the oil in a jar and add the mango pieces to the masala and mix it throughly. Keep the lid of the jar tightly and tie it with a piece of white cloth. Keep the the jar in the hot sun for a day.After two days the oil will be floating on top of the pickle. The pickle can be used after two days. (one handful of garlic pods can be added to the pickle according to taste)

VENDHIYA MANGAAI

5 Measures of cut mango pieces

1 Measure of chilly powder

1/2 Measure of coarsely ground fenugreek powder

1 Measure til oil

1 Measure of powdered salt

2 tbs Asfoetida powder

Preparation

Mango pieces should be dry by wiping it with a dry cloth.Mix all the masala and the mangoe pieces in a dry jar.Mix it well daily for a week.It is ready for use after week.


MANGO THOKKU

250 Gms of any Mango

Chilly powder

Salt

Til oil

1 tbs of mustard seeds

2 tbs of fenugreek powder

Small piece of jaggery(optional)

Preparation

Peel the mango and cut it into smal pieces. Season with oil the mustard seeds and asfoetida powder. Add the mango pieces to the seasoning and fry it well with salt. Salt to be added according to the sourness of the mango. After 5 minutes add the chilly powder and the jaggery. It becomes like a paste. It is very delicious to eat with rice and chapati and dosas.Its shelf life is one week and if stored in the fridge it lasts long.

PAVVAKKAI (BITTER GOURD )PITLA

Ingredients(for four Persons)

150 gms Bitter gourd

Lemon sized ball of Tamarind


Little Jaggery


For Grinding

Half Coconut scraped

1 tbs Channa dhall

1 tbs Urad dhall

4 Red chillies

1 tsp oil

1 tbs Coriander seeds

For Seasoning

1 tsp Mustard

2 tbs Scraped coconut

One sprig of curry leaves

1 tbs oil


Preparation

Soak the tamarind and squeeze the pulp. Cut the bitter gourd into semicircle pieces. Fry all the ingreidients for grinding to a paste in a mixture. With little oil fry the bitter gourd pieces in a frying pan. Transfer the vegetables to the tamarind pulp and cook it with little turmeric powder and jaggery. Add salt to taste. Once the bitter gourd is cooked add the ground paste with water and allow it to simmer. Season it with mustard, scraped coconut and curry leaves with oil. Add the seasoning to the Pitalai.

Variation

The same pitalai can be prepared with Brinjal. Same ingredients and the same preparation but only the vegetable vary.

VENDHIYA PULI

Ingredients (for four persons)

Lemon size ball of Tamarind

4 Green chilles

one sprig of curry leaves

1 tsp turmeric powder

small piece of Jaggery

For the Powder

1 Tbs Fenugreek seeds

1 Tbs Rice

4 Red Chillies

For seasoning

1 tsp mustard

1 tsp fenugreek seeds

1 tbs til oil



Preparation

Soak the tamarind in water and squeeze the pulp. Add turmeric powder and the salt and jaggery. Roast all the ingredients and make it to a powder in a mixture like rawa. Boil the tamarind water with all the ingredients till the raw smell disappears. Slit the green chillies and add to the gravy. Season it with mustard, fenugreek seeds currry leaves in til oil. It can be had with rice with fried pappads or any vegetable curry.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF VATHA KUZHZMBU

Ingredients (For four Persons)

For Seasoning

2 tbs of Manathangalikkai Vathal
or
2 tbs of Chundakkai vathal

2 tbs of Gingelly oil

1 tsp of channa dhall

3 red chillies

1 tsp mustard seeds

one sprig of curry leaves

For the gravy

one lemon sized ball of tamarind

2 tbs of sambhar powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp asfoetida powder

small piece of jaggery

Preparation

Soak the tamarind and squeeze the pulp.Add the sambhar powder,turmeric powder,asfoetida,jaggery and salt.Allow it to boil till the raw smell disappears. Now season all the items in the ingredients given for seasoning in gingelly oil and add to the boiling mix. Allow it to simmer for 5minutes.This can be had with rice and pappadams roasted or fried or with any vegetable curry.The best side dish is Parrupu Thogaiyal and Olan.

Parrupu Thogaiyal


Roast 4 tbs of Moong dhall till lite pink in colour. Grate half a coconut. Add 3 red chillies and grind it to a coarse paste. Add salt to taste and grind it again. This is very good side dish for Vatha Kuzhambu.

VAZHAI THANDU PORICHA KUZHAMBU(BANANA STEM)

Ingredients (For four Persons)

1 piece of banana stem(tender)

1/2 piece of raw banana

2 colacasia tuber(optional)

2 brinjal

Handful of soaked channa(preferably white)

Lemon size ball of tamarind

For grinding

1/2 coconut

5 redchillies

2 tbs of channa dhall

2 tbs of urad dhall

3 tbs of dhania (coriander seeds)

For seasoning

1 tsp of mustard seeds

2 tbs of scraped coconut

1 sprig of curry leaves

Preparation

Soak the tamarind and squeeze the pulp. Cut all the vegetables into finger size pieces. Banana stem should be cut round and the thread removed from it. Wash all the vegetables and cook them in the tamarind pulp withturmeric powder and asafoetida. Add salt to taste to the boiling vegetables. Cook the soaked channa in a pressure pan till it is soft. Add it to the tamarind pulp with the vegetables. Fry the channa dhall urad dhall red chillies and the coconut to it. Grind it to a fine paste and add it to the cooked vegetables. Allow it to boil till it froths . Season mustard seeds and fry the coconut along with it and add curry leaves. Add the seasoning to the poricha kuzhambu. It can be had with rice.

BABY ONIONS SAMBHAR

Ingredients(For Four Persons)

400 gms of Baby onions

Lemon size ball of Tamarind

1/2 grated Coconut

1tsp Fenugreek

5 Red chillies

1 tbs Channa dall

2 tbs Coriander seeds

1 tsp Turmeric Powder

Salt to taste


For Seasoning

1 tsp Mustard seeds

Sprig of Curry leaves

3 tbs of Oil

Preparation

Peel the baby onions and wash it.Soak the Tamarind and squeeze the pulp.Fry the Channa dall, Fenugreek seeds ,Red chillies ,Coriander seeds in a fry pan with little oil.Add the Coconut scrapings to the mix and add a few peeled Baby onions and slightly fry it till the Onions are soft.Grind it into a fine paste in mixture with water.Fry the Baby onions in the oil till it becomes pink in colour.Add the onions to the Tamarind pulp and allow it to cook.Add Turmeric powder and salt to taste.Once the onions are cooked add the ground masala and allow to simmer.Season it with Mustard seeds and Curry leaves.Onion Sambhar is very tasty with Rice, Pongal,Idly,Dosas,Vada and with any main course of Rice items.Baby onion Sambhar can be had with Rice and Potato Curry and fried Pappads.It is the most delicious item served on a Sunday Menu in most of the South Indian Home.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF SAMBHAR

Ingredients(FOR FOUR PERSONS)(SAMBHAR USING PODI)

200 gms of any of the folowing vegetables

Lady's finger

Brinjal

Drumstick or White pumpkin or Red pumpkin

A mixture of all these vegetables can also be used.


1 cup of Tuvar dall

Lemaon size ball of tamarind

2 tbs of Sambhar powder(preparation given below)

1tsp of turmeric powder

1tsp of asfoetida

Salt to taste

For Seasoning

1tsp of mustard

1tsp of fenugreek

2 red chillies broken to pieces

2 green chillies slit length wise

One sprig of Curry leaves

2 tsps of oil

Preparation

Soak the tamarind in water and squeeze the pulp.Wash any one of the above vegetables or a mix of all the above vegetables and cut it into big pieces.Cook the vegetables in the tamarind water with turmeric powder and salt and asafoetida and the sambhar powder.Pressure cook the tuvar dall.Once the vegetables are cooked mash the cooked dall with a ladle.Add the cooked dall to the vegetables and add some water to make it into a pouring consistency liquid.Keep the sambhar for few minutes in the stove till it froths.Cut the stove and season it with mustard, fenugreek, curry leaves and chillies.Now the sambhar is ready and can be had with rice and fried pappads or curry.

SAMBHAR PODI

Ingredients

3 cups of coriander seeds

1 cup of Tuvar dall

1 cup of Channa dall and Urad dall mixed

2 tbs of Black Pepper

1 tbs of Mustard

21/2 cups of Chilly Powder available ready made

Preparation

Dry roast all the above ingredients separately in a Frying pan separately other than chilly powder.Dry grind all the roasted items in a mixture.Now add the chilly powder to the ground mixture and once again grind it so that the Chilly powder gets blended well.Preferably slightly coarse grind the mixture to give nice smell.This can be stored in a airtight container and used for the Podi Sambhar.


SAMBHAR MADE WITH COCONUT

Ingredients

200 gms of a mix of all the above vegetables(Onions cut into big pieces can be added depending on individual's taste)

For Grinding

1/2 coconut scraped

5-6 red chillies

1 tbs of Channa dall

2 tbs of Coriander seeds

1 tsp of Fenugreek seeds

For the Sambhar

Lemon size of Tamarind

1 cup of Tuvar dall

1 tsp turmeric posder

1 tsp of asafoetida

salt to taste

Jaggery little (optional)

For seasoning

1 tsp Mustard seeds

1 tsp of fenugreek seeds

1 sprig of curry leaves

2 tsp of oil

Fry all the ingredients given for grinding with little oil and then add the coconut last to the fry pan when it is hot and cut off the stove.Grind the ingredients to a fine paste with little water.Squeeze the tamarind pulp after soaking it in the water.wash all the vegetables and cut them into big pieces.Cook the vegetables in the tamarind water with turmeric powder, asafoetida,salt and jaggery till the vegetables are soft.Add the ground masala to the cooked vegetables in tamarind water.Boil the mix till the raw smell of the masala disappears.Now add the cooked dall.Add water to make it in the pouring consistency.Season it with mustard,fenugreek and curry leaves.Sambhar is ready and can be had with Rice Dosas and Idlis.

RECIPE FOR KARADAI NOMBU ADAI

NOMBU ADAI : SWEET

Ingredients

1 cup raw rice

3/4 cup of jaggery

2 tbs coconut cut into fine pieces

2 tbs chick peas

1 tsp cardamom powder

Preparation

Clean the rice and soak it for 15 minutes.Then strain the water and spread it on a cotton cloth. Allow the water to be absorbed and when rice is still slightly wet, powder it in a mixer and sieve the flour. Roast the sieved fine flour till it is pink in colour in a fry pan. Allow the flour to cool. Roast the chick peas lightly in the fry pan and soak it in the water for 15 minutes. Pressure cook the chick peas . In the meantime, powder the jaggery and add 2 cups of water to it and allow it to boil. Strain the jaggery water. Add the rice powder,cooked peas and cut coconut pieces to the boiling jaggery water. Season with cardamom powder and a little ghee and stir it till it becomes a mass. Allow the flour to cool. Make small balls and flatten it on small pieces of plantain leaves and cook it in an idly cooker for 20 minutes. Allow it to cool. The adai is ready and can be had with butter.


NOMBU ADAI : SALT

1 cup of roasted rice flour

1 tsp of cut green chillies

few sprig of curry leaves

1 tsp of asofoetida powder

salt to taste


For seasoning

1 tbs of oil

1tsp of mustard

1tsp of urad dhall

1 tbs of broken red chillies

Preparation

Make the roasted rice flour as described for the Sweet Adai . Season mustard urad daal and red chillies in a frying pan. Add two cups of water and salt, cut green chillies, curry leaves and asafoetida. Boil the water and add the rice flour to the boiling water. Stir it till it becomes a mass. Allow it to cool.Make the adais in cut plantain leaves (as described above) and cook it in a idly cooker for 20 minutes.Allow the adais to cool. Adai can be eaten with butter.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF MORU KUZHAMBU

Ingredients (for the first variety)

100 gms White Pumpkin or Yam or Kerala yellow cucumber or One green plantain

100 gms Churned sour curd or Sour buttermilk

1/2 coconut scraped

Curry leaves

5 green chillies

For the seasoning

1 tsp mustard

2 red chillies

1tsp fenugreek seeds

1 tbs coconut oil



Preparation


Wash any one of the above vegetables and cut into big pieces. Cook it soft with salt and little

tumeric powder. Grind the coconut with the green chillies to fine paste. Add the coconut paste

to the cooked vegetables, and boil it till the raw smell of the coconut disappears.


Cut the stove and add the churned curd and mix well. Season it with mustard and fenugreek

seeds and red chillies and curry leaves. Now this is very simple to prepare and can be had with

rice and even dosas and sevai and uppama.


Ingredients (for the second variety)


Along with the green chillies fry some 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds and 2 red chillies and grind it

together with coconut and add it to the vegetables. Rest of the preparation is the same.



Mango moru Kozhambu


Ingredients

100 gms white pumpkin or kerala cucumber

1 drumstick

1 medium sized raw mango

1 cup churned curd

1/2 coconutscraped

5 green chillies

2 red chillies

1 tsp of fenugreek seeds

For seasoning

1 tsp of mustard

1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds

curry leaves

1 red chilly broken

1 tbs of coconut oil


Preparation


Cut the white pumpkin into bug pieces and the drumstick into finger size pieces and the mango

also into big pieces. Cook all the vegetables with just enough water along with salt, turmeric

powder and little jaggery. Fry the fenugreek seeds and the red chillies and grind it with the

green chillies and coconut to fine paste. Add it to the cooked vegetables. Boil it till the raw smell

of the paste disappears. Now add the churned curd and stir the mix for a few minutes and cut

off the stove, or the kozhambu will become thin and curdled. Season it with mustard fenugreek

red chillies and curry leaves. Now the mango moru kozhambu is ready and can be had with

rice. It can be taken with fried pappadams and karuvadams.

OLAN

Ingredients

(serves four persons)


200 gms White Pumpkin

200 gms Red Pumpkin

50 gms Green Karamani

2 tbs Coconut milk

4 Green Chillies slit into two

1 tbs Coconut oil



Preparation

Peel the white Pumpkin and cut into one inch square pieces. Cut the Red Pumpkin with

the skin into one inch square pieces. Cut the Karamani into finger size portions. Cook all the

vegetables with enough water with salt as per individual taste. Add the slit green chillies and

the coconut milk after removing from the stove. Add 1 tbs of Coconut oil to the Olan.This Olan

can be eaten with Rice or as side dish for Vathakozhambu or Sambhar.

AVIAL RECIPE

Ingredients (For four persons)


Essential vegetables

200 gms White Pumpkin
200 gms Red Pumpkin
1 green Banana
100 gms Yam
1 big Drumstick

Optional Vegetables

100 gms String beans
100 gms Green karamani
100 gms Snake Gourd
200 gms Churned curd
10 green Chillies / or more as per individual taste
200 gms Scraped Coconut
Few sprigs Curry leaves
1 tbs Coconut oil

Preparation

Wash all the vegetables clean. Cut all the vegetables lengthwise to finger size. Cook it in heavy bottomed vessel with enough water (or) pressure cook all the vegetables for 20 minutes without the weight.
Grind the coconut with green chillies to fine paste. Add it to the cooked vegetables and boil the mixture for 10 min. Now add the churned curd to the Avial and boil for just enough time say for 1 to 2 minutes or else the curd will curdle and the Avial will be too thin. Add salt to taste. Add a sprig of curry leaves. Add one large tb of coconut oil to the Avial and keep aside.
Avial is ready and can be eaten with rice and fried pappadams or appalams and karuvadams.

VEN PONGAL

Ingredients

1 cup raw rice
1cup moong dhall
1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon cummin seeds small piece ginger
1tbs cashewnut
salt
curryleaves one sprig
ghee two big tbs


Prepartion

Roast the moong daal until pink in colour and add rice to it while still hot. Wash both the rice and daal together and pressure cook it till it is soft. Now fry the cashew nuts and to it add the pepper corns, cummin seeds, ginger and curry leaves. Pour it over the pongal and add salt and mix well.
Now serve hot with coconut chutney and sambhar (kotsu style)


Coconut Chutney

Scrape one half of coconut and add two green chillies and 1tbs of fried channa daal and little tamarind.Grind it to a fine paste. Season it with mustard asafoetida .Add salt and curry leaves to taste.


Sambhar (kotsu style)

Take one handful of small onions and four tomatoes. Slice them and fry it in a frying pan till onions turn golden brown. Cook 1 cup of tuvar daal in the pressure cooker.To the cooked daal add the fried onions and tomatoes. Add 1tsp of turmeric powder, two green chillies slit vertically and few curry leaves. Boil the mix for ten minutes. Season it with mustard and asfoetida.

Chakkarai Pongal

Ingredients

1 cup raw rice
1/2 cup moong daal
1 cup jaggery
1/2 cup ghee
Cashew and Kishmish : 1 tbsp each
Cardamom powder : 1/2 tsp

Preparation

Roast the moong daal until it is light pink in colour. Keep aside and add the rice to the hot daal. Now wash the rice and daal mixture and pressure cook until it is soft.
Add little water to the jaggery, boil it and strain it, to clean it. Now make a thick jaggery syrup by boiling it continuously. Add the cooked rice and daal mixture to the syrup and mix it well by stirring continuously. Your Pongal is ready.

Garnishing

Fry the cashew and kishmish separately in ghee and add it to the pongal. Finally, add the cardamom powder and serve your 'Chakkarai Pongal' while it is still hot.