Onion Vatha Kozhambu

Ingredients

Onion : 1 medium, finely chopped
Tomato : 1 small, finely chopped
Tamarind : 1 gooseberry size
Sambar powder : 2 tsp
Garlic flakes : 4
Gingelly oil : 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds : 1/4 tsp
Fenugreek seeds (Vendhayam) : 1/4 tsp
Jaggery : 1 tsp (can be substituted with sugar)
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves and curry leaves : 1 tsp, finely chopped

Method

1. Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds.
2. Add chopped onions, garlic and tomatoes and saute till onions become pink in colour and tomatoes are cooked.
3. Add tamarind extract, sambar powder, salt and 3 cups water and allow to boil for 15-20 min or till the kozhambu becomes thick. At this point add jaggery and let it boil again.
4. Garnish with coriander leaves and curry leaves.
5. Serve hot with rice and potato fry.

Varuthu Aracha Kozhambu

Ingredients

Butternut Squash : 1/2 small, diced

Raw banana (Vazhaikkai) : 1/4, cut lengthwise

Carrot : 1, cut lengthwise

Potato : 1, cut lengthwise

Brinjal : 1, diced

Coconut : 1/4 cup

Sesame seeds (Ellu) : 2 tsp

Toor dal : 2 tsp

Red chillies : 7-8

Fenugreek seeds (Vendhyam) : 1/4 tsp

Asafoetida : 1/4 tsp

Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp

Tamarind : 1 gooseberry size

Coconut oil : 3 tsp

Vegetable oil : 2 tsp

Curry leaves : 5-6

Jaggery : 1 small gooseberry size

Mustard seeds : 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

Method

1. In a pan, dry roast sesame seeds till it crackles and keep aside. Take 2 tsp vegetable oil in the same pan and roast toor dal, fenugreek seeds and red chillies till golden brown. Turn off heat and add coconut and saute for a minute. Grind this to a paste with a little water. Add the roasted sesame seeds and grind well again.
2. Meanwhile, boil all vegetables together with salt, tamarind extract and turmeric powder.
3. Add the ground mixture and mix well and bring to a boil.
4. Add jaggery and boil again.
5. In a pan, heat coconut oil and splutter mustard seeds and curry leaves. Add to the kozhambu.
6. Serve hot with rice, dosa or chapathi. Tastes good with toast too!

Tomatillo Pitla

Ingredients

Green Tomato (Tomatillo) : 2 nos.
Toor Dal : 1/3 cup
Tamarind : juice extracted from 1 grape size piece
Grated Coconut : 1/2 cup (i always prefer fresh coconut, however u can also use coconut flakes)
Sambar powder : 2 tsp
Coconut oil : 4 tsp
Mustard seeds : 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves : 5-6
Salt to taste

To grind to a paste

Chana Dal (Kadalai paruppu) : 1.5 tsp
Coriander seeds : 1.5 tsp
Red chillies : 4-5

Take 2 tsp vegetable oil in a pan and saute the above ingredients together till the dal turns slightly brown. Turn off the heat and add half of the grated coconut and toss a few times. Grind this to a smooth paste by adding a little water.

Method

1. Pressure cook toor dal well and keep aside.
2. Cut tomatillos into medium cubes. Put this in a deep bottomed pan and add the tamarind extract, sambar powder and salt and bring to a boil till tomatillos are cooked and slightly mushy.
3. Mash the toor dal well and add to the above.
4. Then add the coconut mixture and allow to boil for 5 min.
5. Meanwhile, take coconut oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds and curry leaves.
6. Add the remaining grated coconut and saute for 1 min and add to the sambar.
7. Serve hot with rice, dosa or chapathi.

Chinna Vengaya Sambar

Ingredients

Small Onions : 20 nos
Toor dal : 1/4 cup
Tamarind : 1 small lime size
Sambar powder : 3/4 tsp
Chana Dal : 1 tbsp
Coriander seeds : 1 tbsp
Dry red chillies : 9 nos
Fenugreek seeds (Methi) : 1 tsp
Grated coconut : 1/4 cup
Mustard seeds : 1 tsp
Oil and ghee
Salt to taste
Coriander and curry leaves : 1 tbsp, chopped fine

Method

1. Soak tamarind in hot water for about half an hour and extract the juice.
2. Pressure cook toor dal and keep aside.
3. Saute onions in a little ghee till transluscent. Add tamarind extract, sambar powder and salt and bring to a boil.
4. Mash the toor dal well and add to the boiling sambar.
5. Meanwhile, take 1 tsp oil in a kadai and add chana dal, coriander seeds, red chillies and fenugreek seeds and saute till golden brown. Turn off heat and add grated coconut and toss. Allow to cool a little and grind to a smooth paste by adding some water.
6. Add this mixture to the sambar and allow to boil. If the sambar is too thick, dilute by adding some water. Check for salt.
7. Add spluttered mustard seeds and 1 tsp ghee.
8. Garnish with chopped coriander and curry leaves. Serve hot with rice.

Kaara Kolambu

Ingredients

Small (Pearl) Onions : 1/4 kg
Garlic : 10 flakes
Tomato : 1, finely chopped
Tamarind : 1 small lime size
Chilli powder : 2 tsp
Salt to taste

To grind to a paste

Onion : 1 medium
Jeera : 1 tsp
Pepper corns : 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves : 5-6
Aniseed (saunf) : 1 tsp
Coriander seeds : 1 tsp
Grated coconut : 2 tbsp

Saute the above ingredients in a little oil and grind to a smooth paste.

Method

1. Saute small onions, garlic and tomato.
2. Once cooked, add tamarind extract, ground paste, chilli powder and salt and boil well.
3. Serve hot with rice and potato curry.

Mor Kozhambu

Ingredients
Coconut : 1 cup
Green chillies : 4
Red chillies : 2
Curd : 2 cups
Water : 1/2 cup
Salt to taste

To Garnish
Spluttered mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves

Method

1. Grind coconut, green chillies, red chillies and curd
2. Mix above mixture with water. Add salt and heat on medium and turn off gas immediately after it just begins to boil
3. Add spluttered mustard seeds and chopped coriander and curry leaves
4. Serve hot with rice, coconut sevai or adai