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Sambhar is an integral part of every house in Tamilnadu.Again the ingredients used,the method differ from each other and we can never taste the same sambhar in any two houses.This is a very simple recipe and a healthy one too and ideal for packed lunches,though tastier when had steaming hot.

Ingredients
Rice-2 cups
Toor dal-1/2 cup
Tamarind-lemon sized
Small onions-15 nos
Mixwd Vegetables-1 to 2 cups
Carrots,beans
Drunstick,brinjal
Cluster beans
Raw banana
Potato,peas
Mochai
Salt-as required
Turmeric powder-1 tsp
Oil-as required

To Roast and Grind
Red chilli-5
Coriander seeds-4 tbsp
Channa dal-1tbsp
Split urad dal-1tbsp
Methi seeds-1/4 tsp
Grated coconut-1 tbsp

For Seasoning
Mustard-2 tsp
Split urad dal-1 tsp
Curry leaves-a few
Fresh coriander leaves-1/4 cup
Asafoetida-1 tsp



Method
Pressure cook rice and dal with 8 cups of water
Soak tamarind in water and extract the juice
Roast the ingredients in little oil and grind to fine paste
Heat oil in a kadai season with the ingredients and add all the vegetables and saute till they are half cooked
Add the extracted tamarind water to the vegetables along with turmeric powder and salt and allow to boil till almost the vegetables are cooked
Now add the ground paste and required water to it and allow to boil for 10 min
Remove and mix the sambhar little by little to the precooked rice-dal
Garnish with curry leaves and coriander leaves
Serve hot with onion raitha/chips/appalam/vadams

Vermicilli popularly known as semiya is used in different forms like kesari,upma,biryani and with curds too.This thayir semiya is popular in Tamilnadu and an ideal dish for parties.The seasoning ingredients are the same as for making curd rice and a quick to make one too.

Ingredients
Semiya-2 cups
Milk-1cup
Curd-1 cup
Water-as required
Salt-as required

For seasoning
Mustard-1tsp
Split urad-1tsp
Channa dal-2tsp
Green/red chilli-3 or 4
Curry leaves-a few
Asafoetida-1 tsp
Coriander leaves-to garnish
Oil-as required



Method
Boil required water and add the semiya with a teaspoon of oil and cook till done
Strain the hot water and add plain water as required and rinse the semiya and strain off the water completely
In a kadai heat oil add the ingredients for seasoning and add to the cooked semiya
Now add the required salt,milk and curds to the semiya and mix well.
The milk will tend to get absorbed quickly,so keep 1/2 cup milk/curd and add while serving
Serve chilled with any side dish or pickle

This form of dosai prepared with a combination of rice and lentils is a healthy one.Again the proportion differs in every household.This is the combination which I make and my daughter's favourite.

Ingredients
Idli Rice-2 cups
Raw Rice-1 cup
Channa dal-11/2 cups
Toor dal-1/2 cup
Full urad dal-1/2 cup
Red chilly-10/as required
Salt-as required

For seasoning
Mustard-2tsp
Split urad dal-1 tsp
Asafoetida-1 tsp
Curry leaves-a few
Oil-3 tbsp
Ginger- 1/2 inch optional
Small/big onions-3 finely chopped
Drumstick leaves-1/2 cup optional



Method
Soak rice and dal seperately for minimum 6-8 hours
Grind chilly and salt first and then wash and add soaked rice adding little water as required
Grind coarsely and keep aside
Wash and grind the dals coarsely and mix with the rice well,add salt as required
Heat oil in a pan and season with all the ingredients except drumstick leaves and saute well
Now add the drumstick leaves and just saute for a min
Cool and add to the ground mixture
Add water if required to dosa batter consistency,neither too thick nor watery
Make dosa either thick like uthappam or thin with required oil
Turn on sides by adjusting the flame as required till done
Serve hot with butter and jaggery
Many of them make avial as side dish which is another option
This adai should be had hot for a better taste

Podi varieties are always available in any household in Tamilnadu.They are also considered emergency food which goes well as side dish for idli,dosa and also for rice.This podi variety is very healthy one as it contains kollu/horsegram which is good for lowering the cholestrol.As many don't like to have it as sundal this version is a good substitute as you cannot find out that horsegram is added in this podi

Ingredients
Kollu/Horse gram-150 gms
Toor dal-250 gms
Pepper-1tsp
Red chilly-8
Dry ginger powder-a pinch(optional)
Asafoetida-1/2 tsp
Salt-as required



Method
Dry roast all the ingredients seperately and dry grind
Store in airtight container
Canbe served for idli,dosa or rice

As the name goes this dish originated from the place
KANCHEEPURAM near Chennai which is renowned for Pattu sarees. Sarees are common with the South Indian women but others also would also like to possess atleast one Pattu saree
This recipe is my maternal grandma's who hails from a village near Kancheepuram.It stays good for two days and it is considered as travel tiffin in those days when people have to travel for 2 days by train to the nearest place also

Ingredients
Raw rice-1 cup
Idly rice-1 cup
White urad dal-3/4 cup
Salt-to taste

For seasoning
Mustard-1tsp
Split urad dal-1tsp
Channa dal-1tsp
Pepper-1tsp full or coarsely ground
Cumin seeds-1tsp
Ginger-2" chopped finely
Green chilly-8
Asafoetida-1tsp
Coconut-1/2 cup cut to small pieces
Cashews-15 cut to pieces
Curry leaves-a few
Coriander leaves-a few
Oil-as required



Method
Soak rice and dal seperately as done for plain idli batter and grind(rice ground coarsely and dal finely)
Add salt to the batter and let ferment for 8 hrs
Heat oil in a kadai,season with all the ingredients,add to the batter and mix well
Grease stainless steel tumblers with oil,pour the batter upto 3/4 level and steamcook in idli cooker till done
To check insert a knife in the middle,it should come out clean
This will take a little longer to cook than the regular idli
Remove the tumblers,allow to cool
Use a knife and just release the sides and remove
Cut them to slices and serve with coconut chutney

COCONUT CHUTNEY FOR IDLI
Ingredients
Coconut-1 grated
Red chilly-10
Tamarind-a little
Salt-to taste
Urad dal-1tsp
Curry leaves-a few
Asafoetida-1tsp
Oil-as required

Method
Roast chilly and tamarind in little oil and keep aside
Roast urad dal and set aside
Next roast the coconut and curry leaves till aroma comes
Grind the chilly,tamarind and salt finely
Add coconut and grind till coarse
Finally add the urad dal and grind
Do not add water
This is the best chutney for the idli

There are umpteen number of variety rices but this one is my favourite.This again is a simple one which I learnt from my MIL and also ideal for kid's lunch box and potluck parties

Ingredients
Basmati/plain rice-1cup
Onions-3 cut lengthwise
Oil-5tsps
Salt-as required

Grind to paste
Coriander leaves-2cups
Green chilly-3-4nos
Garlic-10flakes
Ginger-1inch piece

For seasoning
Cinnamon-2pieces
Cloves-2-3nos
Cardamon-4nos
Bay leaf-2nos
Ghee-3tsp



Method
Heat oil in a cooker and season with the ingredients
Add onions and sauté till they are transparent
Add the ground paste and sauté for 5 minutes
Add the rice and sauté for 5 minutes
Pour 2 cups of water and salt to taste
Pressure cook for 10 minutes in low flame

Can add roasted cashews/groundnuts also
To attract children we can add a cup of cooked diced potatoes or even cooked kabuli channa
I prefer using plain rice,as the aroma of the coriander leaves is more than using basmati
Wash and soak plain rice for a few mintues before using so that the grains would be long.
Serve with any raitha and potato chips

Pav Bhaji which was once an exclusively dish of North India is now prepared and liked by everyone especially the kids and is no exception in my house.Infact a lot of chaat counters are sprouting up in many places in Tamilnadu and the supermarkets have also started selling the ingredients like pav buns,pani puris etc.

Ingredients
Potatoes-250 gms
Peas-1/2 cup
Carrot-2
Onions-3 chopped finely
Tomatoes-4 chopped finely
Capsicum-1
Jeera-2tsp
Turmeric powder-1tsp
Chilly powder-11/2 tsp
Pav bhaji masala powder-11/2 tsp
Butter-50gms
Salt-as required
Sugar-1 tsp

To grind
Garlic-6 flakes
Ginger-1/2 inch
Green chillies-4



Method
Pressure cook potatoes,peas and carrots
Peel and mash potatoes and cut the carrots
Melt butter season with jeera and add onions and fry
When golden brown add the ground masala and saute
Mix finely cut tomatoes and saute till mashed well
Add mashed potato,carrots,peas and capsicum
Mix in chilli,turmeric,pav bhaji powders,salt and sugar
Pour just enough water to make it into thick gravy
Using the laddle mash the veggies throughly when it is boiling
As the gravy thickens,serve hot with lime ,coriander leaves and cut lime

To Serve
Cut pav bun horizontally into half
Apply butter andheat on a tawa
Put little masal inside and serve with little more on its side

This is also my entry forDeepa's CFK-Potatoes event startrd by Sharmi

As I had mentioned in many of my posts the taste of every dish varies with every household in Tamilnadu by the combination of different ingredients.This kozhambu is made using buttermilk,usually sour.Vegetables which are commonly used are lady's finger,brinjal,pumpkin,chowchow,yam.In addition to this we make adding vadas which tastes good.Once you taste it we will be compelled to make only with this avoiding the veggies

Ingredients

For Urundai
Channa dal-1/2 cup
Toor dal-1/4 cup
Urad dal-a handful
Green/red chilly-3
Onions-2
Curry leaves-a few
Salt-to taste

For Kuzhambu
Sour buttermilk-2 cups
Turmeric powder-1tsp
Salt-to taste
Rice flour-2 to 3tsp

To grind
Coriander seeds-3tsp
Toor dal-2tsp
Pepper-1/2 tsp
Jeera-2tsp
Raw rice-2tsp
Green chilli-3
Small onions-4
Coconut grated-2tbsp(optional)

To Season
Mustard-1tsp
Urad dal-1tsp
Red chilly-1
Curry leaves-few
Asafoetida-1 tsp



Method

For Urundai
Soak all the dals for 1/2 an hour and wet grind it adding very little water with chilly and salt
Mix finely chopped onions,curry leaves and asafoetida
Make small Urundai/balls
Steam cook in idly plate till done and keep aside

For Kuzhambu
Add salt and turmeric powder to the buttermilk
Grind the ingredients to paste and add to the buttermilk
Now allow the buttermilk to just boil
Simmer and add the steamed balls to the boiling buttermilk for 10min
Dissolve the rice flour in little water and add
After 5 min remove and season with ingredients
The kuzhambu should be little watery as the urundais will absorb them
Serve with hot rice and potato kara curry
We can also deep fry like vadas and use,but best tastes when steamed