Sambar Rice

For a long time I have been searching for the best procedure to make Sambar Sadham or what I like to call as 'Bisi Bela Bath' (just because i think it sounds funny). But my different experiments from different recipes have always failed, as the rice would become lumpy and never be that smooth creamy consistency that I would love to have. I finally found the procedure that worked from Vazhayila.com, although in her blog Sarah calls her procedure as the not-so-authentic version, it tasted totally authentic and heavenly to me. The recipe for Sambar Rice is here: Bisi-Bele-Bath. I followed the rice: water ratio as given in the recipe, leaving rice for 3 - 4 whistles to cook. Similary, the ratio of dhal: water also worked as in the recipe and I left the dhal to cook longer for 6 whistles. Also, after adding all the vegetables, tamarind and cooked dhal and before pressure cooking the dhal for a second time, I made sure that there was seemingly more than enough water as that stage (the key is seemingly more than enough water). This ensured that after the rice was added and let to stand, the desired consistency of the sambar rice was not lost. And I being a stingy person when it comes to adding salt (God! everyone complains about that) also made sure that according to my taste buds there was more than enough salt as well, so that when the rice is added it all balances out well. And oh!... Don't forget to add the peanuts while tempering. I think it is a must and no one should make sambar rice without them ;)

Although the recipe calls this "Quick Dinner", it took about 2 hours for a novice like me, (let's hope that I gradually learn to become more efficient), but it was 2 hours that was totally well spent. I already made this for some guests and they loved it too. Thanks to Vazhayila.com!

Kathrikkai Thakkali Kadaisal

Have you heard about the term "Comfort Food"? This is my idea of comfort food. Idli and dosai are comfort food for any South Indian, but for me this simple Kathrikkai Thakkali Kadaisal for idli or dosa is heavenly comfort. I love the tangy taste and the fact that there is a vegetable in it which you would not even realize. This recipe is from Amma, which she got from her amma who got from her amma ......

Ingredients:

• Oil - 1 tsp
  
• Cumin Seeds - for seasoning
• Curry leaves - for seasoning
• Green chillies - 3 (finely chopped)
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Medium sized Onion - 1/2 (finely chopped)
• Brinjal - 2 (finely chopped)
• Large tomatoes - 3 (finely chopped)
• Salt - as required
  

Method:
Pour oil in a kadai and season with cumin seeds and curry leaves. Add green chillies and then the onions and fry for 2-3 mins. Then add turmeric powder and mix. When onions are cooked add the brinjal and fry for 2 mins followed by tomatoes. Pour sufficient water and add salt. Cover and cook till the brinjal and tomatoes are completely cooked and mushy. Turn off the stove and mash down with a masher while it is still hot.

The best vessel to make this is with the rustic looking aluminium vessel and stir & mash down with a thayir mathu (the act of 'kadaisal'). Thats how it should be truly made to be true to its name :). But we spoil it completely, and prepare this in a non-stick pan and blend in a blender (definitely, not the same and not even close).

Note: I also found a variation of this without the brinjals @ Daily Musings blog that has a catalog of several Kongu Naadu recipes: Thakkali Kuzhambu

Pori Urundai

Usually i keep pori (puffed rice) at home to quickly make a evening snack. One odd day I had this one odd craving to have something sweet. That's when I thought of how much I missed pori urundai. I immediately started Googling - the first step to find something new or old, and came across this very helpful detailed procedure on how to make it on Rak's Kitchen. Here is the link: Pori Urundai. I followed all the tips mentioned there to get the right consistency of the syrup and everything just worked. I was glad that it came together well, cos' my previous try several years earlier, when I was still in school was a disaster. I ended up serving burnt "pori-bars" to our neighbors who had to eat it as they did not want to disappoint a anxious looking school girl :)

Cabbage Koottu for Pooris

This is the one and only dish so far that I like of cabbage. And I don't just like, but I love cabbage when cooked this way. Amma got this recipe from a friend and it is her next go to side dish for Puris after the usual potato masala. It is best for puri but works for chappathi as well.

Ingredients:

1/2 - large cabbage

1/2 cup - channa dhal

a litte oil

2 - cloves

1/2 tsp - mustard seeds

1/2 - medium sized onion (finely chopped)

1/2 tsp - turmeric powder

1 tsp - sambhar powder (or aachi kulambu milagai thool)

salt as required

To grind:

1/2 inch - ginger

2 or 3 cloves - garlic

2 tbs - coconut

Method:

Pressure cook the chopped cabbage and channa dhal with enough water (may be 3-4 whistles). Don't be fooled by the quantity of cabbage you get after cutting and increase the portion of channa dhal. I did this mistake and ended up making enough for a month. Remember, Cabbage shrinks - a lot!

Heat a little oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and when they splatter, add the cloves. Saute onions in the oil till the onions become translucent. (At this stage can add some chopped tomatoes if you prefer a little tartness). Add the turmeric powder, sambhar powder and salt. Mix well and then add the pressure cooked cabbage and dhal. Add a little water if required and let it boil for all the flavors to blend together. When the gravy boils add the coconut and ginger/garlic mixture and turn off the stove after a couple of minutes.

Try this next time when you are bored making potato masala to go with puris.

Spinach and Potato Curry

I found this recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks - Best Ever Indian Cookbook. When it comes to spinach I was either eating it raw in salads or as a mashed kuzhambu (with or without dhal). I was really in search of some other alternate form of making spinach, when I came across this recipe and liked it. Pretty simple and I don't think I can share the recipe online considering that it is taken from a book and all those copyright issues. So, just for my own reminder this is on Pg 318 of the book :). Something to remember: since we are adding the potatoes without boiling, we either need to be patient till it gets cooked well or microwave it for 2-3 mins before adding so that it gets cooked well. One thing that I didn't like though, was the recipe asks to blanch spinach in boiling water and then completely drain the water from spinach by squeezing it. Since I want to retain those nutrients I am thinking of making spinach rasam next time using this water. Not sure how that experiment will turn out. God save me! :)

Meatball Curry

First things first - here is the recipe for this awesome curry Meatball Curry.

I got the recipe from Vazhayila.com which is growing to become one of my favorite sites for getting recipes and also to get inspired about food photography. But I never end up taking such nice pictures, cos as soon as I finish cooking I want to dig in.

I made the meat balls with ground lamb. If you are a lamb lover you will love this dish. If you are not a lamb lover, you will still love this dish :). I made this curry for Idiyappam and Chappathi and it worked for both. When you make it for Chappathi, add a little bit more oil and less water / coconut milk so that it comes out like a gravy. While making it for idiyappam, lesser oil and more water and coconut milk to make it thinner (like stew consistency). The meatballs made me realize how much flavor could be imparted by a simple thing as adding just a couple of chopped garlic and green chillies; and slow cooking in coconut milk makes the meat balls perfect.

If you are a non-vegetarian, this is a must try. If you are a vegetarian, its high time you change cos you are missing this awesome dish.

Methi Dhal

Recipe by Bhanu Sistla

Ingredients:
Toor Dhal - 1 cup
Coriander leaves - 1 small bunch
Methi leaves - 1 bunch
Tomato - 1
Salt - as required
Oil - as health conscience dictates :)
Mustard seeds - as required
Jeera - as required
Hing - a pinch
Curry leaves - few
Red chillies - as required
Green chillies - as required
Ginger (crushed)- 1 tsp
Garlic (crushed) - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder - as required :)
Coraiander powder - little :)
Cumin powder - little :)
Aachi kulambu milagai thool - little :)
Sugar - little

* little :) means use as u please

Note:
(Recipes passed on through word of mouth never have exact tsp, tbl, cup wise measurements for ingredients)

Method:

Pressure cook the dhal, coriander leaves, methi leaves along with chopped tomatoes and salt with enough water. Might want to cook for about 6 - 8 whistles so that the dhal is completely cooked. Do not try to add more dhal thinking you have bigger bunch of methi. It will shrink to an inconspicuous quantity when cooked and you will end up searching for methi leaves in your dhal.
In a separate kadai, add some oil and splatter mustard seeds and then add jeera. Add a pinch of hing followed by curry leaves, red and green chillies. Follow it up with crushed ginger and garlic and then all the spice powders. Before you burn it up, pour this into the cooked methi dhal. Add little sugar in the end to the dhal to enhance flavor (as said in most recipes and what I follow blindly).

What's so special about this Methi Dhal? Well, it totally transformed two things (dhal and greens) that I don't like, into a dish that I absolutely love. I have come to like methi so much and appreciate its flavor. Thanks to my friend Bhanu for giving me the recipe. I have finally put this in writing, so that I wouldn't disturb her again for the n-th time asking for this recipe.