Hotel Vethal kuzhambu

serves 4

Ingredients:
Coriander seeds 1 tbsp
Coconut 2 tbsp
poppy seeds 1 tsp
Red chilli 4
Chana dal 1 tsp
Urad dal 1 tsp
asafoetida 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
curry leaves handful
small sambhar oinions 100g or one big onion
Manathakaali 1 tbsp
Tomato big 1
Chilli powder 1 tsp
Coriander powder 1 tsp
turmeric powder 1 tsp
Tamarind lemon size
salt to taste
 Sesame Oil

Method:
Soak the tamarind in water for 10 minutes and take the tamarind water extract for use.
Roast the redchili, coconut, coriander seeds and poppy seeds separately in a teaspoon of oil and grind it.
Take a vessel. add 2 tbsp of oil to it, Add mustard seeds and asafoetida and allow it to splatter.
Add Urad dal and chana dal and fry it till light brown. Add curry leaves and Manathakaali to it .
Add sambhar onions to it and fry it till transparent.
Add tomato to  it and fry it till the tomato is completely mashed.
Add coriander powder, red chilli powder and turmeric powder to it and fry for 2 minutes.
Add the tamarind extract and cook well till the raw smell of tamarind goes off.
Add the ground mixture to it and required salt to it and cook till the semisolid consistency is reached.

Note: Use of Sesameoil enhances the taste and aroma of the dish. If not available any other oil can be used.
Manathakaali ( Withania somnifera) are dried southindian berries, with lot of medicinal properties.  The use of this berry enhances the taste alternatively this vethal kuzhambhu can be prepared without it, by adding the rest of the ingredients.

Jat pat Alloo

Serves 4:

Ingredients:
 boiled Potatoes medium 4
Onion 1
Tomato 1
ginger garlic paste 2 tsp
Curd 1/2 cup
Tomato puree 2 tbsp
Tuermeric powder 1 tsp
garam masala 1 tsp
chilli powder 1 tsp
Kasoori methi 1 tsp
cumin seeds 1 tsp
Asafoetida 1 pinch (optional)
oil
salt to taste

Method:
Take  a frying pan. Add 2 tbsp of oil to it. Add cumin seeds, asafoetida and allow it to splatter.
Add sliced onions to it  and saute till brown.
Add ginger garlic paste and saute till light brown.
Add tomatoes to it and cook till tender.
Add tomato puree and curd to it and cook for 2 mintues.
Add Kasoori methi,turmericpowder, chilli powder, garam masala and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the cubed potatoes to it and mix well. Cook for 5 minutes.
Garnish with coriander and serve hot with Rotis.

Cauliflower curry

Serves 4

Ingredients:
Caulfilower florets 250g
Ginger 1 inch
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Urad dal 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
Sambhar powder 1 tsp
Salt
Oil
grated Coconut 1 tbsp
Asaofoetida 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves 1 strand

Method
Remove the florets of cauliflower.
Take a pan. Add 1 tbsp Oil to it. Add mustard seeds and allow it to splatter.
 Add urad dal to it and wait till it turns light brown .
Add turmeric powder, asafoetida to it.
Add the sliced ginger, florets, curry leaves and mix well. Add sambhar powder, salt and mix well.
Add half cup water and cook well.
Add coconut at the end and mix well.
Serve hot with roti or rice.

Milagu kuzhambu (Peppercorn curry)

Serves 4

Ingredients:
Pepper 2 tb sp
Cumin seeds 1 tbsp
Toordal 2 tbsp
Red Chilli 3
Curry leaves Handful (optional)
Tamarind lemon sized
oil
mustard seeds 1 tsp
Asafoetida 1/2 tsp
Garlic  1 to 2 pod or drumsticks 2
salt to taste

Method:
Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan. Add pepper,cumin seeds, toordal, redchilli, fry it till brown. Add curry leaves and also fry till its turns little brown.
Grind it in a mixer with  the tamarind ball. Add water to get a paste like consistency while grinding.
Take a vessel. Add  2 tbsp of oil, mustard seeds. Allow it to splatter. Add the asafoetida, drumsticks or garlic and fry it for sometime.
Add the paste and add enough water for the vegetables to cook .Add salt to taste. Allow it to boil , till the raw tamarind smell goes off and  a brown semisolid curry is visble.
Serve hot with rice, ghee or Sesameoil.
Note: When curry leaves are not used in the grinding step, then a string of curryleaves can be used in tempering.
Adding vegetables is optional in this kuzambhu. Vegetables liks garlic or drumsticks can be used or else it can be prepared without vegetables when need to be stored for a long time.
Use of sesame oil enhances the tastes and fragrance of this kuzhambhu.

Chilli Rasam

Serves 4

Ingredients:
Tamarind small ball
Tomato 2
Toor dal 3 tbsp
Green chilli 2
Red chilli 2
Turmeric
Asafoetida 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves
Salt to taste
Ghee or Oil 1tsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method:
Boil toor dal with enough water and turmeric for 3 whistles.
Cut the tomatoes into cubes. Cut green chilli vertically and slightly press the red chilli and add it intact.
Take Tamarind water in a vessel, add the tomato cubes, green chilli, red chilli, 1/2 tsp turmeric, asafoetida, salt and heat till it starts boiling.
Add the toor dal with water to the rasam  and allow it to boil for 5 more minutes.
Take a pan, add ghee or oil, add the mustard seeds and allow it to splatter.
Add the curry leaves and add this to the Rasam.
Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves
Serve hot with rice.

Note: No need to add rasam powder or sambhar powder
Increase the quantity of chillies according to your taste apart from what is mentioned here.

Keerai Masiyal (Spinach Dal curry)

Ingredients:
Moong dal 1/2 cup
Spinach  400g
Cumin seeds 1 tbsp
Green chilli 2-3
grated Coconut 4 tbsp
Red chilli 1
Urad dal 1 tsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Asafoetida a pinch
Oil
Salt
Curry leaves 5

Method
Boil the moong dal,spinach  with requited salt in enough water for 3 whistles.
Mash the cooked dal and spinach in a masher or a mixer  and keep aside.
Grind together cumin seeds, green chillies and coconut with little water.
Take a pan. Add 1 tsp of oil, add mustard seeds and allow it to splatter.
Add the urad dal, red chilli, Asafoetida, curry leaves and wait till it turns light brown.
Add the mashed spinach and grinded mixture and allow it to boil for 5 minutes.
Serve hot with rice or roti

Vegetable Kurma

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Green cardamom 4

Black Cardamom 4

Clove 4

Cinnamom stick 2 inches long

Poppy seeds ( Khas Khas) 1- 1 1/2 tbsp

Fennel seeds 1 tbsp

Coriander seeds 1 tb sp

Coconut  shredded or dired,1 cup

Onion 2

Tomato 2

Garlic 3-4

Ginger 1 inch  optional

green Chilli 3-4

Cashew nuts 4-5

Beans 100g

Potato 2

Carrot 1-2 

Peas 1 cup

Cauliflower 1 cup

Kohlrabi (optional) 1/2

Curd 2 tbsp

Oil

Curry leaves handful

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method:

Grind togehter all the masala ingredients (clove, cardamoms, cinnamom, poppy seeds,fennel seeds, coriander seeds) with cashew nut, green chillies, onion, tomato, ginger and garlic into a fine paste. Keep aside.

Cut all the vegetables into small cubes and cook it in little water and salt.Let it be half cooked.

In a pan add 1-2 tbsp oil,curry leaves and add the grinded mixture to it and fry till the raw smell goes off.

Add the cooked vegetables with cooked water and mix well.

Cook it for 5 mintues.

Add salt if required.

Add the curd and remove from it and mix well.

Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with triangle parattas or biryani.

Instant Rasam

Can be served with rice or also can be served as  a soup

Ingredients:
Tomatoes small 3
Water 3 cups
Sambhar powder 1 tb sp
Freshly ground cumin and pepper powder 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Asafoetida 1/2 tsp
for tempering
Ghee 1 tsp
Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves few
Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method
Take a vessel with water.
Cut tomatoes into small slices and add it to the water.
Add the sambhar powder, Asafoetida and salt and allow it to boil.
Once the tomatoes are tender, add the cumin pepper powder and remove from heat and set aside.
For tempering:
Take  a pan, add ghee and add mustard seeds to it.
When mustard seeds statrts splattering, add the curry leaves and add it to the rasam.
Add very well chopped corinader leaves and serve hot.

Note: Tomatoes should not be over cooked, it should be cooked till it becomes tender.

MORU KUTAAN (Buttermilk Coconut Stew)

Can be served with rice

Ingredients
Raw banana or white pumpkin or cucumber 500g
Grated Coconut 1
Cumin seeds 1 tb sp
Pepper corns 1 tb sp
Green chillis 2 -3
Curry leaves few
Dried red chilli 1
Coconut oil 1 tb sp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Turmeric powder ½ tsp
Yoghurt 200g

Method:
Cut the vegetable in small cubes. Put it in a vessel and add a little water, turmeric powder and salt. Let it boil, till the vegetables get cooked. Note: Add enough water for the vegetables to get cooked.
Grind together grated coconut, cumin seeds, peppercorns, green chilli and curry leaves to a paste.
Add the paste to the boiled vegetables and cook for 5 minutes.
Switch off the stove and let it cool.
Add the yoghurt and mix well.
In a frying pan, take 1 tbsp coconut oil. Add the mustard seeds, dried red chilli and some curry leaves. Let it splatter and add it to the rest of the mixture and mix well.
Allow the kootan to cook for 2 minutes.
Serve with rice

KARA KUZHAMBHU (Tangy Tamarind Stew)

Goes very well with rice

Ingredients:
Cumin seeds (Jeera) 1 t sp
Pepper corns 1 tsp
Dried red chilli 3 -4
Coriander seeds 1 tsp
Toor dal 1 tsp
Garlic 4-5 pearls
Small onions 250 g or 2 big onions
Tomatoes 1
Brinjal 100g optional
Tamarind 1 lemon size
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Curry leaves 2 tb sp
Oil 3 tbsp
Asafoetida (Ing)
Red chilli powder 1 tsp
salt

Method:
Take 1 tb sp oil in a frying pan. Add the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, pepper corns, dry red chilli and toor dal and fry.
Add 4 -5 garlic pearls and a little Onion, curry leaves and fry it for some time.
Grind all of it together into a paste.
Soak the tamarind in water for some time and squeeze it to take the tamarind juice .
Take 2 tb sp of oil in a frying pan. Add the mustard seeds and allow it to splatter. Add the curry leaves.
Add the rest of the onions and brinjal and fry it for some more time.
Add the turmeric powder, ing and red chilli powder.
Add the tamarind water and required amount of salt.
Add the paste and let it boil till the quantity gets reduced to half and the raw smell of the tamarind goes off.
Let it simmer till the oil comes to the top.