Poondu Rasam – a flavorful garlic soup with tomatoes and lentils

Background:

Poondu rasam is the somewhat distant cousin of the regular rasam I made. One that visited once in a blue moon. Being married to a person who’s definition of masala started with garlic, it is not easy to incorporate this pungent pod in most of my dishes. I would sneak it in sometimes in other stronger tasting side dishes. Rasam being the delicate soup it is was not one to mask the flavor of garlic rather the one to highlight it. On rare days when I felt the rebel in me peek out I made this.

Stuff you will need:

A marble sized ball of tamarind soaked and juice extracted
2 small tomatoes diced
1 green chilly slit
1 pod of garlic – crushed or finely diced
Salt to taste
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 pinch of asafoetida
1 handful thuvar dhal – cooked and mashed
1 tbsp ghee
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 handful coriander leaves chopped roughly

How to make it?

In a thick bottomed vessel add diced tomatoes, tamarind juice, salt, turmeric and asafoetida. Cook on medium heat till it starts frothing and raw smell of tamarind goes away. Add the cooked and mashed thuvar dhal and add water if volume is less. In another small pan heat the ghee and add mustard seeds till they start popping. Add the green chilly and the diced or crushed garlic. When done add this to the boiling rasam. Garnish with cut coriander and cover to lock in flavors.

Serve four

Special Notes:

This rasam does not call for rasam or sambar powder that is a staple of most paruppu rasams. However the green chilly may be substituted by 1 tsp of sambar powder.

Chaat – Bhel Puri a.k.a crunchy colorful spicy salad

Background:

Quick and easy. My favorite snack and at times dinner. Packs in goodness of colorful veggies and the crunch of desi sev and puris. Lends itself to infinite customization and can be made with as many or as less ingredients on hand.

Stuff you will need:

2 cups bhel mix or a combo of thin sev, murmura (pori) or even mixture
2 tbsp date/tamarind sauce (available at Indian stores)
2 tbsp mint or coriander chutney
1 tsp hot sauce
1 tsp chaat masala
2 carrots peeled and grated
2 handfuls sprouted whole moong
1 small onion peeled and chopped fine
1/2 inch ginger peeled and grated
1 green chilly chopped fine
2 medium tomatoes chopped fine
1 potato steamed and cubed
Coriander – chopped fine to garnish
Salted peanuts – a handful

How to make it?

In a large bowl combine all the chopped and grated veggies. Add the peanuts. Add the sauces and the chaat masala. Mix well. Add the 2 cups of bhel mix. Fold in. Mix well and serve garnished with chopped coriander.

Serves two

Special notes:

2 tbsps of thick yogurt may be added to give a different taste to the dish. Get creative by adding colorful peppers chopped well. Or pander to a sweet tooth by adding chopped apples or green apples.

Homemade Thayir, Dahi, Curds or Yogurt in colder climes

Background:

As a new bride I struggled to make thayir like amma made. I tried to emulate what I had seen her do with drastically different results. Over the years, talking to old hands at this, I have discovered a way that makes my thayir almost as good as hers. This applies to colder climes.

Stuff you will need:

2% Milk – 1 liter
Left over thayir – 1 tbsp

How to make it?

Boil milk till it really is ready to boil over. Remove from heat and let cool till you can put your hands around the vessel and hold it there for 10 secs. At this point stir in the thayir. Close the vessel. If you are doing this overnight, let the microwave run for about a minute or two empty. When done, move the vessel containing the milk and close. Leave undisturbed for about 8 hours. Thayir is ready.

Serves four

Special notes:

I have experimented with putting it in the oven and leaving the oven light on, the thayir sets no doubt but becomes sour quick.

Kadalai Kuzhambu – Spicy tamarind soup with groundnuts

Background:

For a twist in the regular vatral kuzhambu, my mom adds ground nuts or kabul channa. As kids this was one of our favorite dishes. So, with amma visiting I figured this was the best time to record the recipe for later.

Stuff you will need:

Tamarind – the size of a small lemon soaked and juice extracted
Brinjal – 2 small – quartered
Groundnuts/Kabuli channa – soaked and cooked – 2 handfuls
Bengal gram dhal – 2 tsp
Urad dhal – 2 tsp
Asafoetida – 1 tsp
Oil – 1 tbsp
Red chillies – 2
Coconut – shredded 1 handful
Salt to taste
Sambar powder – 1.5 tsp
Rice flour – 2 tsp
Mustard – 2 tsp
Curry leaves – 2 sprigs chopped
Jaggery – 2 tsp powdered

How to make it?

Heat oil in a large heavy bottomed pan. Add mustard when the oil is hot. As the mustard pops, add urad dhal and bengal gram dhal. Add coconut and fry till reddish brown. Add the chopped curry leaves, brinjal and saute. Add tamarind pulp extract, salt and sambar powder. Allow the kuzhambu to boil till smell of sambar powder goes away. Add boiled groundnuts (kadalai) or kabuli channa and jaggery. If the kuzhambu is watery thicken by adding rice flour mixed in water. Simmer for about five minutes and turn heat off.

Serve hot with rice, a dollop of ghee and appalam or poduthuval

Serves four

Special notes:

This kuzambu can be made with chenai kizhangu (yam) instead of brinjal.

Beans Paruppu Usili – Dry curry with lentils and string beans

Background:

K and I love the Paruppu Usili/Morkuzhambu combo. So much so it is our weekend ritual. It defines our idea of a good Saturday or Sunday. Feast on this exotic combination and wrap up the afternoon with a siesta. Because usili takes a good amount of work compared to the other dry curries we make, it is accorded a special place on our Menu Honor Roll.

Stuff you will need:

Green string beans – 2 lb – chopped into small bits
1 cup – thuvar dhal
1 cup – mix of channa dhal/moong dhal and urad dhal
Salt to taste
Long Red chillies – 10
Asafoetida – 1 tsp
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Oil – 2 tbsps
Turmeric – 1 tsp

How to make it?

Cook beans with salt and set aside. Soak the dhals together for about an hour and grind with red chillies, salt and asafoetida using little water. Steam the ground dhal paste using idli plates. Remove, cool and crumble.

In a big kadai or wok, heat a generous measure of oil. When heated, add mustard seeds and wait till the pop. Add the crumbled dhal paste and fry till golden brown and dry. When done, add the drained cooked beans and mix in. Cook on low heat for about five minutes when the curry comes together. Taste and add salt if necessary.

Serves four

Special Notes:

Paruppu usili can be had all by itself or as a side with rice and morkuzhambu.

Rang birangi dhal – Mix of lentils simmered in a tomato onion gravy

Background:

A good way to use up small amounts of dhals leftover. It is wholesome, nutritious and pretty filling. Goes well with rotis and or parathas. Also good as a hearty soup.

Stuff you will need:

A handful each of the following mixed, washed and soaked overnight or through the day.

Masoor dhal
Channa dhal
Kabuli channa
Cow eyed peas
Black whole urad dhal
Green whole moong dhal
Rajma

Onion – 1 large
Plum tomatoes – 4-5
Garlic – 1 pod chopped
Ginger – 1 inch cube chopped
Green chillies – 3 slit
Spring onion  – 1 chopped to garnish
Shahi Dhal masala – 2 tsp
Turmeric – 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Ghee – 3 tsp
Kasuri methi – 1 tsp
Jeera or panch puran – 1 tsp
Coriander leaves – a handful chopped

How to make it?

In a small pressure cooker heat ghee and add the panch puran or jeera. When it browns add ginger, garlic and green chillies. When they are fried, add turmeric, kasuri methi and dhal masala and stir a bit. Add onions and saute till light pink, add tomatoes and salt and close and cook till ghee separates out. Now add the soaked and drained dhal. Add three cups of water and pressure cook for 4-5 whistles. When done garnish with spring onions and cut coriander leaves

Serves four

Special notes:

Adjust water to achieved desired consistency of dhal. A dash of lime juice may be added if needed.

Godhuma Dosai – Wheat flour crepes/pancakes with green chillies and ginger

Background:

Days when I have had enough of quick and easy upmas and pongals, I turn to this favorite. Easy enough to whip up and a novel change from the rice based dishes, K and I love it with a side of peanut chutney

Stuff you will need:

Wheat flour – 2 cups
Rice flour – 1 cup
Salt – 1-1/4 tsp
Asafoetida – 1 tsp
Buttermilk – 3/4 cup
Cumin seeds – 2 tsp
Black pepper – 2 tsp – broken into halves
Water – 6 cups
Green chillies – 1 – chopped
Ginger – 1/2 inch cube – chopped
Oil to shallow fry

How to make it?

Mix all ingredients and blend well with a hand blender. Let it sit for 30 minutes. On a flat tava or pan spread a few drops of oil and then ladle out two scoops of the batter in a random fashion. The batter being watery will form unusual patterns. DO NOT try spreading like you would do a dosai. Add drops of oil along the sides and cook on medium high heat till edges brown and the surface looks cooked. Turn over using a flat spatula and let cook for a couple of minutes before transferring to a plate.

Serve hot with chutney

Makes 15 crepes

Special Notes:

Curry leaves are optional. Experiment with Wheat flour/Rice Flour proportion to make dosais softer or crispier. Rice flour makes it crispy while Wheat Flour makes it softer.  To make peanut chutney roast peanuts and grind with salt, a pea sized bit of tamarind,2 read chillies and some water.

Lemon and rice make for a spicy lunch

Background:

Lemon rice for me is like a quick fix. A last minute resort when I can’t think of what to make to supplement what I already have. The dish I make when I have a get-together and get this sinking feeling food is not going to be enough.

Stuff you will need:

Rice 1 cup
Lemon/Lime – 2 – squeezed
Turmeric – 1 tsp
Urad dhal – 1 tsp
Bengal gram dhal – 1 handful – soaked for 30 mins and drained (optional)
Peanuts – 1 handful – dry roasted
Curry leaves – 1 sprig – chopped
Ginger – 1/2 inch cube chopped
Green chillies  – 2 slit
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Gingelly oil – 2 tsp
Canola oil – 2 tsp
Asafoetida – 1 pinch
Salt to taste

How to make it?

Pressure cook 1 cup rice with 2.5 cups of water. Once done add gingelly oil and spread out to cool. In a small pan heat canola oil , add mustard and when it pops add urad dhal, soaked and drained bengal gram dhal, asafoetida, turmeric, chillies, ginger, peanuts and curry leaves. When fried, remove from heat and add juice from the lemon/lime and salt to taste. Pour this mixture on top of the cooled separated rice and slowly mix in without mashing the rice.

Serves two

Special notes:

I soak and drain bengal gram dhal because it makes it softer. That step can be omitted. I usually serve lemon rice with vadam or any kind of poduthuval.

Rava upma – cream of wheat seasoned with mustard seeds and curry leaves

Background:

This is a staple in our home. If we are very hungry and really need to eat NOW, I make this. If we have plenty of guests at home and not all of them enjoy cereal or bread, I make this. It is versatile and most important quick.

Stuff you will need:

1 cup rava
2 green chillies – slit
Curry leaves – 1 sprig, washed and cut
Ginger – 1/2 cube shredded
Asafoetida – 1 pinch
Salt to taste
Mustard – 1 tsp
Urad dhal – 1 tsp
Bengal Gram dhal – 1 tsp
Cashews – 4-5 split, broken and roasted in ghee – (Optional)
Ghee/Oil – 2 tbsps
Lemon juice – 2 tsp

How to make it?

Roast rava in 1 tsp ghee till reddish brown. Set aside. Heat remaining ghee or mix of oil and ghee in a pan. Add mustard and when it pops add urad dhal and bengal gram dhal. Add asafoetida, curry leaves, green chillies and ginger. Saute. Add 2.5 cups of water and cover till it comes to a rolling boil. Add salt to taste and slowly add roasted rava in a circular motion stirring all the while so it does not form lumps. Lower heat to medium and cover and cook for 2 – 3 minutes. Spoon in a tsp of ghee and 2 tsp lemon juice. Mix in and turn off heat. Serve hot with chutney or eat as is

Garnish with cashews if using.

Serves two

Special Notes:

Vegetables like onion, carrot, potato, green peas may be added and sauteed with the seasoning before adding water to make kichidi.

Medley of vegetables with rich paneer – Vegetable Jalfrezie

Background:

A recipe my cousin V shared. I am yet to try it out. She did and I am posting it because I feel the instructions are easy enough and it does sound yummy!

Thanks V!!

Stuff you will need:

1 Potato – cut into long thin fingers  – optional
1/2 Pepper each – green, red, orange cut into long thin slices
1 cube paneer – cut into thin long slices
1 Onion – Big cut into thin long slices
2 Roma tomatoes cut into thin long slices
1 inch Ginger – Chopped finely
2 Green chillies -  slit
2 Red dry chillies
3 tsp Olive oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp red chili powder
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder 1 pinch
Garam masala 1 tsp
Coriander leaves – a handful washed and chopped to garnish
Vinegar or Lemon juice – 1 tsp

How to make it?

Add 1 tsp oil, fry the peppers separately with little salt. Keep aside. Add 1 tsp oil, fry the potatoes separately with little salt. Keep aside. Add 1 tsp oil, add cumin seeds, red chillies, green chillies, ginger, onion and saute well till onions are cooked. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt and cook. Add fried peppers, fried potatoes and saute for 3 mins. Add the paneer slice and saute for 3-5 mins. Add tomatoes slices, little garam masala. Cook everything well for 5 mins. Add little vinegar or lemon juice. Mix well and turn off. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve with Roti or Parathas

Serves four

Special Notes:

Try it and let me know