Category: Sambar / Rasam / Kuzhambu Varieties.

No Need of Onions!!! · Sambar / Rasam / Kuzhambu Varieties.

Tangy Tomatillo Lemon Rasam.

Shoba6 Comments
Tangy Tomatillo Lemon Rasam.
Tangy Tomatillo Lemon Rasam.

Cold weather and rains always make me remember Comfort Foods….Foods that have been a part of our growing up, something that I always took for granted for a long long time. When I went to stay in the hostel for my Masters, I realised the warmth and love that goes in to the food our moms make for us. Nothing that I can have in restaurants can even come close to the lingering fragrance and warmth from food cooked at home with loving hands.

After a festival or function,we would crave for amma`s home made simple pathyam food to cleanse our systems.  I always loved her simple lemon rasam with Beans Curry or Chow Chow Kootu and Appalam. I am not so happy with the tomatoes here in the U.S, as I feel they lack tartness and tang. Yesterday when I saw tomatillos at the local produce store, I bought a pound or two, all the while imaging endless possibilities. Tomatillos can be stored in paper bags and kept in the refridgerator for around 2-3 weeks. The tomatillos have a protective outside husk. Remove the husk and wash before use. Tomatillos are used in many places in teh treatment of fever. I had to make this lemon rasam today, as its been pouring since morning and I suddenly yearned for amma`s cooking…

Tomatillos with husks...
Tomatillos with husks…Pic Courtesy Gourmetsleuth.com

INGREDIENTS:

2 Tomatillos or 1 Tomato

1  Jalapeno  slit vertically.

2 red chillies.

2 1/2  cups of water

4 spoons of cooked Toor dhal.

1 Inch Piece of Tamarind.

1 Tsp Rasam Powder

Hing

Curry Leaves.

1 Lemon.

Salt

Cilantro / Curry Leaves to Garnish.

PREPARATION:

  • Chop the tomatillos in to little pieces so it saves cooking time. Dilute the cooked toor dhal in the 2 1/2 cups of water and set aside.
  • In a kadai, add a spoon of ghee and when it is hot, add mustard. When the mustard splutters, add hing, curry leaves, red chillies, slit jalapenos, and finally the chopped tomatillos.
  • Allow to saute for a few minutes till the tomatillos are a little mushy.
  • Add 1 cup  of the dhal water at this stage and allow to simmer. Add salt, hing, Rasam powder and  turmeric.
  • After about ten  minutes, remove in a spoon, a few cooked pieces of tomatillos and crush them with a spoon in a cup. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of toor dhal water to the crushed tomatillos and pour it all back in to the kadai.
  • Allow the whole rasam to simmer and then switch off in about 15 minutes or so. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and curry leaves. Keep the rasam closed.
  • After the rasam has cooled down a bit,  squeeze the juice from the lemon and keep closed again until time to serve.
  • Serve HOT with Beans Poriyal or Pumpkin Poricha Kootu. Alu Fry is always the recommended option!!

NOTES:

  • The same rasam can be made with regular tomatoes too. I add a pinch of  tamarind to the dal water as it cooks.
  • Adjust the tartness based on the sourness of the Lemon/ lime etc.
  • For added taste,  you can zest the lemon a little bit after switching off the stove
  • Add a marble size of jaggery for added taste.

Let me know what you think! Did you try it?

Kerala / Palakkad Recipes. · No Need of Onions!!! · Sambar / Rasam / Kuzhambu Varieties.

Kerala Style Ten Minute Mango Morkuzhambu.

Shoba15 Comments
Morkuzhambu.
Morkuzhambu.

Morkuzhambu, better known to the others as “Kadi”, is a typical kerala gravy thats very fabulously easy to make as well as bursting with flavours. It can be made with any vegetable in it, typically with ash gourd or plantain, and definitely seasoned with “manathangalikka vethal” or “sundakkai vethal” but I vary the vegetables  with mango, spinach etc. I don’t for the life of me understand whats with me and mangoes….I love to add it to any dish for a kick of flavour and fun.

In those days, when I was in school, Madaurai amma would make Morkuzhambu and that day typically the best side would be Ulundhu Appalam or better still Ambika Appalam Depot`s Marachini Appalam. We would take the appalam and crush it in the rice completely and mix  it in to find little specks of appalam soaked in the gravy……Still YUM!!! These days on account of health, I have saved Appalam days to probably 5-6 times a year like Avani Avittam, Vishu and the likes. This is still Madurai amma`s method of making it and it never fails to remind me of her healthy wholesome cooking when I was a student….Without further delay,here goes the recipe…

INGREDIENTS:

Half a Mango cut in to big pieces say in to 8 -10 pieces.

3 spoons of bengal gram soaked in water for 20 minutes.

1/3 cup of dessicated /fresh coconut.

4 -6 green chillies.

Salt

Curry Leaves.

Manathangalikka Vethal.(Optional)

A pinch of Hing.

2/3 cup of thick buttermilk or slightly diluted curd.

PREPERATION:

  • In a copper bottomed vessel, place the mango pieces and add a little water and boil with some salt and turmeric. Switch off for a few seconds.
  • Grind the coconut, green chillies and  soaked bengal gram to a smooth paste.
  • Add this groound paste to the cooked mango. Add salt, hing, curry leaves, buttermilk and switch on the stove on medium low.
  • Be very careful as the buttermilk might curdle.
  • At the first boil, switch off the stove. In a kadai, add 2 spoons on coconut oil and when hot add mustard, manathangalikkai vethal and curry leaves and pour it on the morkozhambu.
  • Serve with rice and appalam. It`s also an excellent side for Coconut Sevai.

HINT:

Manathangalikka Vethal is a completely optional seasoning. If not available, you can also use “Mor Molaga” or “Thayir Molaga” or even any spicy vethal.

Kerala / Palakkad Recipes. · Sambar / Rasam / Kuzhambu Varieties.

Manga Kuzhambu (Raw mango simmered in a coconut-yoghurt gravy with seasonings)

Shoba4 Comments
Delicious Mango Kuzhambu
Delicious Mango Kuzhambu

Mango Kuzhambu (Manga Kootan) is one of those typical kerala gravies that I love to make. This is one dish that’s simple, bursting with flavours and can be made in a jiffy. All you need is a nice tangy raw mango and a few minutes and ou have this amazing kuzhambu ready. Without any further delay, let me share with you the recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

1 half of a raw mango chopped n to big pieces.

1 spoon of Methi seeds (Venthayam)

4-5 red chillies.

1/3 cup of coconut.

A pinch of jaggery.

1-2 ladles of thicd curd.

Seasoning:

Mustard & Curry Leaves.

PREPARATION:

  • Drop the cut mango pieces in the copper bottom vessel, and pour water adequate to cover the mangoes, add a pinch of turmeric and allow to cook for 7-8 mins. Switch off the stove.
  • Now roast  the methi seeds and red chillies in oil and grind with the coconut to a smooth paste.
  • Add this paste to the cooked mango, add salt, and a little water(around 1/2 cup)   to get it in to a kuzhambu consistency.
  • Switch on the stove till it boils and turn off the heat. Add 1-2 ladles of curd and mix it in well.
  • Season in coconut oil with mustard and curry leaves.

Sending this amazingly delicious Mango Kuzhambu to Srivalli`s Mango Mela….

Sambar / Rasam / Kuzhambu Varieties.

Milagu Jeeraga Rasam (Tomato broth simmered with roasted cummin,pepper and lentils.)

Shoba10 Comments
Milagu Jeeraga Rasam - Pathya Samayal.
Milagu Jeeraga Rasam - Pathya Samayal.

Milagu Jeeraga Rasam is also part of the comfort food series…On a cold day to have a dose of steaming pepper rasam along with piping hot rice and your favorite side of vegetable like vendekkai kari, Amma`s Alu Fry or “kootu” is something I can never trade anything else for!!! Whenever its the rainy season and we come down with a cold or cough, amma or Madurai amma would make piping hot rasam and we would feel fussed. It`s also “Pathya Samayal” as its given to people when are they not keeping well, to purify the body, build immunity and to recuperate. The flavor of the “rasam” is enhanced when you add a drop of ghee – what else can you call that aroma and taste – Divine!!!

This morning my husband was not keeping too well, complained of cold and sore throat and I thought this was a good day to make comfort food. Its lightly flavored with the sourness of the tomatoes and the pepper and cumin gives it that extra kick that enhances the warmth around the throat. Here it is, from my kitchen to yours…

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups of tamarind water extracted from a lime size tamarind .

1/4 cup of cooked toor dhal. (Optional)

1 Tomato.

Turmeric

Hing

Salt to taste

Curry Leaves.

Roast Dry:

Dry Roasted Ingredients.
Dry Roasted Ingredients.

1 1/2 spoons of pepper.

1 spoon of jeera (cumin)

3/4 spoon of Bengal Gram

5 curry leaves.

Seasoning:

Mustard, Vepampoo and curry leaves.

PREPARATION:

  • In the mixer, grind the dry roasted ingredients to a powder and THEN add one tomato chopped coarsely with a little tamarind water and grind to a paste.
  • In the copper bottomed vessel, add the ground paste and the remaining tamarind water.
  • Add salt, hing. curry leaves and turmeric and allow to boil on a medium low flame.
  • When the raw smell is gone and the liquid is reduced by 1/3, dilute the cooked toor dhal with 1/2-3/4 cup of water and pour it in.
  • If you are making this for a person who has an upset stomach, you may skip the toor dhal and simply dilute it with 1/2 cup of plain water.
  • When it begings to boil, switch off the stove and add chopped corriander.
  • Season in ghee with mustard, vepampoo and curry leaves.
  • The Vepampoo or the Neem Flower is believed to aid in digestion and stimulate the liver and also prevent many kinds of cancers, so I thought it would be a good idea to add some more nutrition and build immunity in to our systems.

Sending  piping hot pots of  Pepper Jeera Rasam to “Think Spice – Think Pepper” event hosted by Divya Vikram of Dil Se and started by Sunita.

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Sambar / Rasam / Kuzhambu Varieties.

Vengaya VethalKuzhambu (Onions fried and simmered in tamarind gravy)

Shoba6 Comments
Vengaya Vethalkuzhambu served with rice.
Vengaya Vethalkuzhambu served with rice.

My mum makes the most fragrant, yummy, delicious,mouth watering Vengaya Vethalkuzhambu you ever ate!!! It always used to be a delicacy my sister and me would get indulged in, over the weekends…Weekends would always be spending long hours on things that we wouod never get time for during the frenzied weekdays – amma smothering our scalps with gently warmed gingely oil, cleaning the window sills chatting about what happened in school and college over the week, and amma listening to us and making fragrant Vengaya vethalkuzhambu and alu fry. We would have our beauty baths with shikhakai traditionally ground my Madurai amma and get so hungry that we would be ravenous…A slow filling lunch consisting of this kuzhambu, alu fry, thakkali rasam, vadam and thayir sadam with vepallaikatti…Man, my day was made!!!
It`s now a huge favorite of my husband`s. It`s one of those comfort feel good gravies that make you content on a cold lazy sunday afternoon…Here it is, for all of you to try and test…
This is also my entry for FIC-Orange which is the brainchild of Harini of Sunshinemomsblog and hosted by Aparna of MydiverseKitchens.

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups of Tamarind Juice extracted from a lime sized tamarind ball.

1 Medium onion chopped or 20 numbers small onions or 10 numbers shallots.

1 spoon of Vathal (sundaikkai or manathangalikkai) (this is optional)

1 spoon heaped Sambar Powder.

My amma`s sambar powder...
My amma`s sambar powder...

1 spoon salt
A dash of Turmeric.

A pinch of hing.

3 spoons of Oil.

A dash of mustard and curry leaves for seasoning.

1 spoon of rice flour dissolved in 4  spoons of water.

PREPARATION:

  • Take a heavy bottomed kadai or copper bottomed vessel and pour in 3 spoons of oil. When the oil starts to smoke, reduce the flame and pop in the mustard, curry leaves and immediately the chopped onions or the shallots.
  • Allow to saute in the oil for sometime until they get a little brown and then add the vathals which are pretty dispensable in this version of the kuzhambu. You can also make this kuzhambu completely omitting the vathal.
  • When well roasted, add the extracted tamarind juice, hing, turmeric, salt, and sambar powder and allow to simmer for 25 mins or so until it reduces to a thicker consistency.
  • At the very end, add the rice flour dissolved in the water, to this thick reduction to loosen it a bit, so it comes to a pouring consistency.
  • Garnish with corriander leaves and serve HOT over rice with Alu Fry.
No Need of Onions!!! · Sambar / Rasam / Kuzhambu Varieties.

Vathal Kuzhambu…

Shoba8 Comments
Spicy yummy Vathal Kuzhambu
Spicy yummy Vathal Kuzhambu

What can I say about the Vathal Kuzhambu? Simply put its everybody`s favorite…I can`t even trace back the times when I  fell hook line and sinker for this amazingly delicious simple dish.  Every home has its own way of doing it and its definitely comfort food for them. Vathal Kuzhambu simply put is the delicious gravy got by simmering “Vathals” in tamarind water which is spiced with other ingredients like sambar powder, turmeric, hing etc. It`s also a very resourceful preparation as it derives it tastes from the  vegetable/vathal which its cooked in. There are a gazillion varieties of vathals but the ones that are most commonly used are “Sundakkai”, ” Manathangalikkai”, “thamara kazhangu”, arisi koozhu vathal” and some times even “thayir molagai”.

I remember going to my favorite Annalakshmi restaurant in Chennai on mount road for their “Preethi Bhojan”. I am told that the people who cook the various dishes in Annalakshmi are people who are from normal walks of life, like professionals, doctors, teachers etc, who willingly offer their services to the Ashram. At one occasion, where I had been to Annalakshmi for lunch, the day`s specialty was “Arisi Appalam Vathal Kuzhambu”. It was so delicious, as the kuzhambu had derived its taste from the fried appalam. Many people also prepare it with vegetables like Brinjal, Onions, Ladies finger and even drumsticks.

The Grand Sweets and Snacks has this amazing “Vathakozhambu Thokku” which is a boon to people who are hard pressed for time. All one needs to do is, scoop a spoonful, add some water, heat for a couple minutes on the microwave, and there you have steaming hot “Vatha Kuzhambu” for two!!!

INGREDIENTS:

Tamarind             – Lemon sized to extract 1 1/2 cups of juice.

Vathal                   – Any variety a small handful.

Turmeric              – A pinch.

Coconut Milk      – 2 spoons (Optional)

Sambar Powder-  1 spoon heaped.

Salt                           – 3/4 spoon

Hing

Curry Leaves.

Seasoning:

Mustard, Bengal Gram,Raw Peanuts, Curry Leaves, gingely oil.

PREPARATION:

  • Keep the vathals,tamarind water  and the seasoning ingredients ready.
  • Use a heavy bottomed vessel and pour in it 4 spoons of gingely oil.
  • When hot, add 2 spoons of bengal gram, and raw peanuts and saute it for 3-4 seconds.
  • Add the vathal and allow to slowly roast in the oil.  Immediately add the mustard, curry leaves and hing in split seconds.
  • Care should be taken so the mustard or any of the seasoning ingredients dont brown in the oil as this may alter the taste.
  • Pour in the tamarind water on to the vessel.
  • Add more torn curry leaves, sambar powder, turmeric, salt and give it a good stir.
  • Allow the gravy to simmer and reduce till it becomes a little thicker on medium flame.
  • If you have guests visiting, you could add 2 spoons of coconut milk at this point for a richer taste . This is purely optional.
  • If you want it to thicken a little more add 4 spoons of water to one spoon of rice flour and briskly mix it to dissolve any clumps.
  • Add this rice flour mix to the vatha kuzhambu and stir in to see instant thickening of the gravy.
  • Serve Hot with Alu Fry or Beans Paruppu Usili.
Kerala / Palakkad Recipes. · Sambar / Rasam / Kuzhambu Varieties.

Pavakkai Pitlae.

Shoba4 Comments

Pavakkai-pitlae

Definitely an acquired taste, bitter gourd (Latin Momordica charantia) is also called Balsam pear or bitter melon. Young immature bitter gourds are the best for cooking: the skin is bright green in color, the flesh inside is white, and the seeds are small and tender.Bitter gourd contains vitamin A, B1, B2, and C. It also contains minerals like calcium, phosphorous, iron, copper and potassium.It helps purify blood tissue, enhances digestion, and stimulates the liver.

When I was a small girl, I used to watch my grandfather have his daily dose of this bitter vegetable and wonder why he would even want to try?? He was a diabetic, but a very strict person in his diet. You could not tempt him to eat anything that he did not want to. As a rule, there were no exclusions for any of us, kids to avoid any vegetables. No matter what is cooked, had to partaken by all of us. That way, I would also get a small dash of the pavakkai from my mami, as she had to play with the rules. Nevertheless, I knew she would just dollop a little as she knew how much I hated it. As days went by, I actually started liking this vegetable..Although Madurai appa left us in 1995, I still remember him everytime I eat this vegetable, in whatever form I make it.

Today as I had saved a little after making the Pavakka fry, I decided to make the Pitlae. I am guessing this is the “Pal Brahm” way of doing it, but I can never be too sure. It`s simple and easy and very good for health.

INGREDIENTS:

Bitter Gourd          – 1/2 de-seeded and chopped.

Tamarind              – 11/2 cups of juice extracted.

Toor Dhal              – Cooked 1/4 cup

Turmeric               – A pinch.

Salt, Hing, Curry Leaves

To Roast in Oil:

Bengal Gram          – 2 spoons

Pepper                 – 8-10

Red Chillis             – 3-4.

Coconut                – 1/4 cup.

PREPARATION:

  • Take a kadai and pour a spoon of oil, when warm add mustard and allow to splutter.
  • Add curry leaves and immediately the chopped bitter-gourd and allow to saute for 3-4 mins.
  • We do this to get a better flavour as well as to slightly tone down the bitterness of the bitter-gourd.
  • Now add the extracted tamarind juice.
  • Add sufficient salt, hing, and turmeric and allow to boil on medium heat.
  • Roast the aforementioned ingredients in oil and grind to a smooth paste with water and set aside.
  • When the tamarind mixture along with the vegetable is reduced by 1/3`rd, and when you feel that the raw smell is done with, add the ground paste, along with the cooked toor dhal.
  • Stir well and allow to boil. Finally add curry leaves and a chopped cilantro.
  • Serve Hot with your favourite side dish or Cabbage Poduthuval.



No Need of Onions!!! · Sambar / Rasam / Kuzhambu Varieties.

Milagu Kuzhambu (Pepper Gravy simmered in tamarind and spices cooked with baby brinjals)

Shoba17 Comments
Delicious Pepper Kuzhambu with whole brinjals.
Delicious Pepper Kuzhambu with whole brinjals.

I remember the first time I ever had it in my Mom in law`s place in Srirangam….She had made her special dishes, as we were visiting and when I had it, my senses simply shot up. It was all the more tantalising as she had used teeny tiny whole brinjals, to float and take in the flavours of the gravy. That trip I told her that I simpy had to have the recipe and she more than generously passed it on to me. Since then its been a favourite of mine, as it can be made as a spicy side for Pongal, to mix with rice, or  simply in its thicker form to take with delicious “thayir sadam”…I usually make a lot of it ahead so it is an inclusion to my husband`s plate almost everyday.

To all my friends in Enclave, here it is…to look up and try, whenever….

INGREDIENTS:

Black Pepper          – 1 spoon

Bengal Gram           – 1 spoon

Red Chillis                – 3

Dhania                       – 3/4 spoon

Coconut                    – 3 spoons

Hing

Tamarind                 – Ball sized soaked or eqv Tamarind Paste.

Brinjals                     –  4 – 5 small ones washed and cleaned.

Curry Leaves, Salt.

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PREPARATION:

  • First saute the pepper alone in a spoon of ghee and set aside to cool in the mixer jar.
  • Fry the remaining ingredients in oil, ie,  bengal gram, dhania, red chilli and finally add the coconut in the end just for a few seconds.
  • Add a  little water and grind all this  is to smooth paste.
  • Take a container, and add the required quantity of the tamarind paste and dilute. Optionally extract the tamarind juice and keep.
  • Add the ground paste, salt, turmeric, hing, curry leaves to the tamarind juice and keep on stove.
  • Slowly add whole small brinjals along with stalk in to the vessel.
  • Keep the kuzhambu on medium low and allow to simmer enough to reduce by one third.
  • Delicious Milagu Kuzhambu is ready to be eaten with rice or as a side for Venn Pongal.

Sending this delicious home made preparation to Think Spice Think Pepper – hosted by Dil Se of Divya Vikram and started by Sunita.

p1000059

Kerala / Palakkad Recipes. · No Need of Onions!!! · Sambar / Rasam / Kuzhambu Varieties.

Keerai Molagootal – Spinach ground with coconut and spices and cooked with dal.

Shoba6 Comments

Keerai-molagootal

Keerai Molagootal has of course our “keerai” or spinach as the main ingredient. Spinach being known as a rich source of iron and calcium would figure in our menu at least twice a week. Whenever Amma used to make it she would be sure that there would be no problems as my sister and me loved it so much.  Madurai amma would get the keerai from the vendor fresh that morning and she would not hear of me getting it ahead of time from the freezer in FoodWorld. She would take the previous week`s newspaper, spread it all over the dining table and painstakingly seperate the weeds from the “keerai” and then the next process would be to wash it in the huge collander.She would wash it and then hand it over to me to chop it roughly.as they were anyway getting ground.  Here all I need to do is to open the box of Organic Baby Spinach leaves and hey pronto!!! We would do it in Madras with the “molai keerai” or the “are keerai”, but I replicate this recipe with collard greens. spinach or even broccolli.   When I was pregnant with S, my amma and patti would make keerai for me almost every alternate day. But one never gets bored as there are so many sides to go with it!!!

Keerai Molagootal is best served with “Chenai Arachu Kalakki”, or Vendekkai Thayir Pachadi, or Vendekkai/Kathirikkai Puli Pachadi, or Kadu Manga Arachu Kalakki or Inji Pulikachal or plain Lemon Pickle!!! Its the most versatile, easy, delicious and satvik preparation of spinach. .In fact many of my non-tamil  friends here swear by it.. Of course they have found a way to rehash it with lots more red chillis, buy hey…to each his own!!! Here is the recipe for you to try and relish.

INGREDIENTS:

Spinach          – A bunch/A box. Can also use the aforementioned “keerais” or the collard greens too!)

Toor Dal         – Cooked and mashed – 1/2 cup

Salt                   – To Taste.

Jeera               – A spoon

Coconut           – 5 Tbsps

Frying:

Broken Urad Dhal   – 2 Tsp

Red Chillis                  – 3 -4

PREPARATION:

  • Clean the spinach and cook in the microwave/stove with a few drops of water for 4 mins and grind to a fine paste.
  • Clean and cook the toor dhal so its mushy.
  • Roast the urad dhal and red chillis in a spoon of oil till the urad browns and set aside to cool.
  • Grind the urad dhal and red chilli with the coconut and jeera with a little water to a fine paste.
  • Take the kadai and simply pour the spinach paste, add salt and allow to cook.
  • Slowly stir in the ground coconut paste and mix well.
  • After a few minutes add the mushy toor dhal along with the water. Mix well now with a ladle and make sure that the whole mixture has a sambar like pouring consistency.
  • Season in a spoon of coconut oil (optional) with mustard and broken urad dhal.
  • Serve HOT with Vadu Maanga or Vendekkai Pachadi. or Nelikkai Oorga.
  • Hint:

Since there is a lot of caution on using coconuts, please feel free to vary this recipe by slightly increasing the toor dhal and reducing the coconut to that extent. The consistency has to be maintained as this is not as free flowing as rasam.

Keerai Molagootal & Nelikkai Oorga.
Keerai Molagootal & Nelikkai Oorga.