Tamarind Rice (Puliyodharai) Mix

Ingredients:

Tamarind - 1/2 cup
Rasam Powder - 4 tbsp
Water - 4 cups
Jaggery - 1/2 cup
Salt - 2 tbsp
Sesame Seed Oil - 2 tbsp
Channa Dal - 1 tsp
Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves - 8 leaves
Mustard - 1 tsp


For Powder:
White Sesame Seeds - 2 tbsp
Urad Dal - 2 tbsp
Coconut Dried - 2 tbsp

Method:
1. Heat oil in a pan.
2. Add mustard seeds and fry.
3. When they start spluttering, add channa dal, urad dal, curry leaves, turmeric powder, and asafoetida.
4. Pour the tamarind water into it.
5. Let it boil till it becomes thick (~ 15 minutes).
6. Add jaggery, stir and let it boil. Keep stirring and let it get to almost to a paste(~ 10 minutes).
7. Make the dry powder as outlined in steps 7-9.
8. In a separate pan, dry roast the urad dal for the powder till it becomes brown.
9. Add the sesame seeds and coconut to roasted urad dal.
10. Grind it to a powder once you let it cool.
11. Add the powder to the tamarind mix, stir it in and switch off the stove.

Vathal Kuzhambu (Gojju)

Ingredients:

Tamarind - 2 tbsp (golf ball size)
Jaggery - 2 tbsp
Rasam Powder - 2 tsp (heaped)
Asafoetida - 1 pinch
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Water - 2 cups
Salt - to taste
Rice Flour - 2 tsp
Oil - 1tbsp
Vegetables - one from the list below.
Dried Vegetables -
- Dried Neem Flowers (shallow roasted)
- Sprouted Methi (shallow roasted)
- Dried Manathakkali (shallow roasted)
- Sundakkai (shallow roasted)
Fresh Vegetables -
- Shallots (shallow roasted)
- Okra (shallow roasted)
- Drumstick (boiled)
- Eggplant (shallow roasted)
- Capsicum (shallow roasted)

For Garnish:
Red Chillies - 2 broken pieces
Curry Leaves - 5 leaves
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Urad Dal - 1/2 tsp
Channa Dal - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek - 1/2 tsp (except when using methi leaves)

This can be made with one of the following vegetables:

Method:
1. Soak tamarind in water for 1 minute in microwave.
2. In a pan, heat the oil, add mustard seeds.
3. When mustard seed splutters add urad and channa dal.
4. Add chillies, turmeric powder, asafoetida and curry leaves.
5. If using fresh vegetables, then you can add them here and roast till they get soft.
6. Add rasam powder and salt. Mix it well.
7. Add the tamarind water and boil it for 10-15 minutes.
8. Till it thickens.
9. Add jaggery and let it boil 5 minutes.
10. Dissolve rice flour in water and add it. Let it boil for a minute.

Tips:
1. Add jaggery after the tamarind water boils. If you add before, the syrup from jaggery can make it difficult to observe tamarind boil.

Coconut Mysore Paak

Ingredients:

Coconut - 1cup, grated
Sugar - 2 cups
Gram Flour (Besan) - 1 cup
Ghee - 1 cup
Milk - 1/2 cup
Water - 1/2 cup
Almond Slivers - 1 tbsp
Vanilla Essence - 3-4 drops

Method:
1. Roast the almonds in a little ghee and keep aside.
2. In a pan, add sugar, milk and water. Bring to a boil and let it boil for a minute.
3. Add coconut.
4. Once it boils again, add the flour (sprinkle it in).
5. Add ghee a little at a time, and keep stirring. Take care to not let it burn. Wait for the ghee to be absorbed before adding more.
6. Keep stirring till it starts to clump and turns golden brown. It should stop sticking to the walls. (~ 10 minutes)
7. Add the vanilla essence.
8. Add the roasted almonds and continue stirring till it forms a single mass, and ghee starts to separate. (~ 5 minutes)


Tips:
1. Use a regular pan, not a non-stick. This way you will know when it is done. Non-stick can be misleading and you might stop earlier than needed.

Venn Pongal (White Pongal)



Ingredients:

Moong Dal - 1 cup (dehusked)
Rice - 1 cup
Peppercorns - 1 tsp (pound coarsely)
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - 1 pinch
Cashew Nuts - 2 tbsp
Copra (optional) - 1 handful (thin slivers)
Ginger - 1 tsp (cut in small pieces)
Curry Leaves - 1 sprig
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Turmeric - 1 pinch
Green Chillies - 4 or 5 split lengthwise
Salt - to taste

Method:

1. Dry roast the moong dal till it just changes color.
2. Mix it with rice and wash them together.
3. Add 4 cups of water & the turmeric and pressure cook (2 whistles)
4. Fry the cashew nuts & coconut in the ghee and keep it away.
5. Add oil in a frying pan. Add pepper and cumin seeds.
6. After they splutter add green chillies, asafoetida, ginger & curry leaves and fry for a minute. To retain the flavor don't let it roast too much.
7. Add the cooked rice and dal to the pan and mix with salt.
8. Garnish with cashew nuts and coconut.
9. Add water, to get a good consistency.


Tips:

1. You can add the salt later because sometimes the dal does not get cooked if there is salt.
2. To keep the coconut taste, fry the cashew nuts, turn off the stove and add the coconut slivers.
3. Use peeler to make the coconut slices.

Coconut Chutney

Ingredients:

Coconut - 1/2, grated
Ginger - 4in piece
Cilantro - 4-5 twigs
Roasted Channa - 1 cup
Green Chillies - 10 small
Tamarind - 1/2 tsp
Garlic, optional - 1 teeth
Salt - to taste

For Garnish:
Curry Leaves - 12 leaves
Mustard - 1 tsp
Urad Dal, optional - 1 tsp

Method:
1. Dry grind the roasted channa to a powder.
2. Mix all the ingredients in a blender, and blend with water.
3. Garnish with mustard, urad dal, and curry leaves fried in some oil.

Tips:
1. For a sweetish taste, retain the coconut water and use it instead of water.
2. Add some hot water to the blender to prevent forming of oil in the blender.