Kathirikai Paruppu Kulambu | How to make Paruppu Kuzhambu | Lunch Box Series : LBS#68

I know I am getting back to my Lunch Box Series after a long time. Not that I don't carry packed lunches to work. I simply didn't have anything new or sometimes lack of time, that forced me to drop this series completely. All the lunch box recipes are very quick to make, most of them take under 30 mins or max 40 mins in different phase to get done.

Making something different for the lunch box, made me take the extra step to click the pictures as I went about. The entire thing was done within 40 mins, with me doing the breakfast as well. So I am not sure exactly how much time I must say for the lunch box recipes alone.

Anyway if you want something quick to get done, you know what to try. Today's special is all about Paruppu Kulambu, specially from Tirunelveli. In the Paruppu Kulambu that I had already shared, I mentioned a colleague of mine who hails from this city. I happen to have a conversation with another colleague of mine along with this friend. Guess what everybody talks only about food with me. So it's no wonder we started talking about what's made often at their place. They again spoke about Paruppu Kuzhambu and how differently it's made. So I asked this friend to share the recipe and she connected to her Mom. Her mom said I can use any vegetable and I had only Brinjal and so it became Kathirikai Paruppu Kulambu.

I was happy when I had my colleague taste and certify that I had the exact replica of what her mom makes. This was only time I almost followed to the T and confessed about the additions I made. She said her mom forgot to mention those and I was smart in adding them myself! There is recipe writing for you.

Today's Lunch Box had

Kathirik Paruppu Kulambuai 

Beans Aloo Curry

Plain Rice

Rasam

Curd Rice                                                                                                                               

One main predominant thing that they kept saying was about using Pearl Onions for all the dishes. Even though I know Amma uses it very much, I haven't been paying particular attention on the aspect of the cooling effect these onions are supposed to have. This brought to focus how much we ignore such important things while we cook. I decided I should be paying more attention to these things going forward.

I was also surprised of usage of Fennel Seeds in a sambar. I have only used Fennel Seeds for Kurma till now. Altogether this was a fantastic meal!

 

 

 

Kathirikai Paruppu Kulambu

Ingredients Needed:

Toor Dal - 1 cup
Hing - 1 big pinch
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fennel Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Tomatoes - 2 medium
Brinjal - 4 medium
Red Chili powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Rock Salt to taste
Tamarind Extract - 1 tbsp
Coriander leaves handful

For the paste

Fresh coconut - 2 tbsp
Pearl Onions - 5

For the Tempering

Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard, Urad dal - 3/4 tsp
Pearl Onions - 4 - 5
Curry leaves handful

How to make the Kathirik Paruppu Kulambuai

In a pan, take the cooked dal along with enough water. Add hing, then add the cumin seeds, fennel seeds. Let it start boiling.

Next add chopped tomatoes, followed by brinjals. Add chili powder, coriander powder, salt and tamarind extract. Continue boiling in simmer

For the paste, peel the pearl onions, chopped coconut and grind to a coarse paste. Add this paste to the boiling dal. Mix well.

In another pan, add oil, temper with mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves and pearl onions. Saute till the onions are browned. Pour this into the boiling dal.

Continue cooking for another 10 mins after adding coriander leaves.

Switch off when the Kulambuai thickens.

Notes:

I added cooked dal, else you can pressure cook toor dal in pressure cooker along with hing, tomatoes and certain vegetables till soft and continue the same process.

Easy Sambar Sadam, Bansi Rava Sakkarai Pongal | Navaratri Recipes | Step by Step Recipe

Today's Navaratri Pooja's Special Dishes on Day 3 were - Simple Sambar Sadam & Bansi Rava Sakkarai Pongal.

For the third day of the Navaratri Pooja, the neivedyam was decided as Sakkarai Pongal and Sambar Sadam. Since today happens to be Friday, it was also told making Sakkarai Pongal is important. So I decided to make Sambar Sadam and Sakkarai Pongal using new recipes and ingredients

I went shopping yesterday and found Bansi Rava, Sambar Goduma Rava and Broken Wheat. I know the names are so confusing and I have myself used it interchanging. Will put up the pictures and find out about them. Meanwhile I took the rava that was called Bansi Rava and made Sakkara Pongal with it. Since I was looking at a simpler Sambar Sadam, this was the simplest one can get at. Sambar Sadam I made today can't exactly be called Bisi Bele Bath as it didn't have all the spices added to it, but can be called a version of it..:)

Konda's exams got over today and she has been so happy. For all the hue and cry she was making about not having holidays, we came to know that the school closes for a week and she has been so trilled over it. Well I can imagine how the next week is going to be.

Sambar Sadam / Sambar Rice | Easy Bisi Bele Bath

Rice - 1 cup

Toor Dal - 1/2 cup

Vegetables - Carrot, Beans, Drumstick - 2 cups

Tomatoes - 2 big

Sambar powder - 1 & 1/2 tsp (the powder is not very spicy)

Turmeric powder

Salt to taste

Tamarind pulp - 1 tsp

Hing/ Asafetida -  a ping

For Seasoning

Oil - 1 tsp

Ghee - 2 tsp

Onions - 1/2 medium

Garlic - 2 cloves

Mustard seeds, Urad dal, Jeera, Methi Mix - 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves few

Dry Red Chilies - 2

Cashew nuts

Spice Powder - 2 tsp (See the recipe below)

For Spice Powder:

Bengal Gram - 2 tsp

Coriander seeds - 1 tsp

Methi - few

Dry Red Chilies - 3

Copra - 1 tsp (opt)

Dry roast the above and grind to a semi smooth powder. This can be stored for couple of days and used in different recipes.

How to make the Sambar Sadam:

Wash and soak the rice for 15 - 20 mins.

Wash and pressure cook the toor dal with 1 & 1/2 cups along with few drops of oil, hing and turmeric for 3 -4 whistles till it is well cooked. Wait for the pressure to fall.

Then add the drained rice, 3 cups water. tamarind pulp, chopped tomatoes and pressure cook for 3 whistles.

Wash and chop the vegetables. Microwave for 10 mins or else cook separately.

Once the pressure is off, add the vegetables along with the water, spice powder. If required pressure cook for 1 whistle. Else add simmer for 5 mins.

Heat another pan with oil, ghee, add the seasoning ingredients, when mustard pops, add the onions, saute till brown.

Pour this tempering over the cooked rice and garnish with coriander leaves.

Bansi Rava Sakkarai Pongal | Chakkara Pongal with Bansi Rava

Step by Step Picture Recipe

Ingredients Needed:

Bansi Rava - 1/2 cup

Yellow moong dal - fistful

Bengal Gram 2 tsp

Jaggary - 3/4 cup (can decrease the amount if you feel it will be more sweet)

Ghee - 2 tsp

Cashew nuts and Raisins

How to make Bansi Rava Sakkarai Pongal:

Wash and soak the Rava along with Yellow Moong dal, Bengal Gram for 10 mins.

Then pressure cook with 1 cup water. Add more if you want it loose. Pressure cook for 2 -3 whistles.

In a pan, melt jaggary with little water, remove impurities if required. Pour this on the cooked rava and mix well.

Heat ghee and roast the nuts and add to the pongal.

The amount of water you add depends on the consistency of the cooked rava, if required add more so that it tends to be loose and easy to eat.

Bansi Rava Sakkarai Pongal was delicious. Amma told me that she liked it a lot and wanted to know how I made, well that surely made my day.

Hope you all had a wonderful day.

Thakkali Sambar Recipe | How to make Arachuvita Sambar / Tomato Sambar Step by Step Recipe | Lunch Box Series : LBS#65

I know there is no dearth of Sambar Recipes in my recipe collection, nor elsewhere in the blog world. Yet I was pleasantly surprised trying out this recipe that sounded very different. I read this recipe shared by a friend in my GDM group. I was attracted by the name Tomato Sambar. For me, there is no Sambar without tomato and hence the name was little strange. It's like saying Vengaya Sambar, when all the sambars varieties that I make, are mostly with small onions. When one says Vengaya Sambar, they mean the one made using small onions/ Shallots. I end up making with the small onion mostly all varieties. So the name is redundant.

Coming to this recipe, when I saw the measurement I realised it sure is different and calls for almost 6 whole tomatoes. Plus this is the Arachuvita Sambar method, meaning the freshly ground spices are used in this sambar. I simply love this way of making sambar, though on a regular day it's bit hard to accomplish. My kids love dosas with Sambar, though Athamma was telling me that when I made this for Saturday lunch, she was a bit concerned if the kids eat this or not. To what I know this must be their first time, tasting this way of sambar.

Another very interesting aspect was the ground curry leaves. As you all know, curry leaves are very healthy. Still to what I know, most people will simply remove from the dish. That is one reason why we make podis with Curry leaves and eat at least one mudda with Curry leaf powder.

So knowing that this recipe is going to be different, I set forth to make. I had got ripe and bright tomatoes and wanted to make the best use of it.

What is Arachuvita Sambar?
For those of you who are unaware of this technique, it's the method where spices like Dhania/ Coriander Seeds, Bengal Gram, Red Chilies are roasted and ground along with Coconut, Fenugreek seeds, just before making the sambar. Meaning the spices are freshly ground and added. This method gives an utterly delicious taste and aroma to the sambar and it's an entirely new experience if you are tasting it for the first time.

Basically years back this method was usually done. Though with the busy schedule everybody seems to have now, having a ready made Sambar powder, makes the task easy for us. Still this another method of sambar is something that's truly classic.

Going back to the basics, it helps if you have cooked dal on hand. Read How to cook Toor Dal, and proceed.
Another helpful tip will be extracting tamarind pulp. I mostly have Tamarind Extract readily available, so that my sambar gets done pretty fast.

Step by Step Picture Recipe

Ripe Tomato Sambar | Thakkali Arachuvita Sambar

Ingredients Needed:

For the Sambhar:

Ripe tomatoes - 5-6 medium sized
Toor Dal / Piegion Pea - 1 cup (pressure cooked in advance)
Tamarind paste - 2 tsp diluted in 2-3 cups of water
Salt to taste

Preparation to be made:

Pressure Cook the Tur Dal and store to use as and when required (Normally Turmeric and Hing is added at this stage)
Tamarind paste made ahead

For the ground Masala / For Arachuvita Sambar method:

Copra* / Fresh Coconut - 1/2 cup
Curry leaves - 10 - 15 leaves
Coriander Seeds / Dhania - 2 tsp
Bengal Gram/ Channa dal - 2 tsps
Dry Red chilies - 4 -5 medium
Oil - 1 tsp (opt)

*Copra - Dried Coconut

The spices, and the lentils are normally roasted in oil, while I dry roasted all the ingredients this time. Allow it to cool, and grind toa smooth paste with little water, just enough for the masala to move in the mixer The paste need not be very smooth, if it's semi smooth is also fine.

To Season / To temper

Mustard Seeds, Urad Dal - 1/4 tsp
Methi / Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp (just about 10 of them)

How to make Arachuvita Sambar / Tomato Sambar:

Since I pressured cook dal just before making this sambar, I used the same cooker to make the samber. Else you can take a medium size vessel and proceed.

Bring the tamarind juice to a rolling boil and simmer for 5-6 minutes.
Then add tomatoes, which are cut in 8 pieces or more, depending on the size. Continue to simmer on medium heat until cooked.

Once done, add the cooked tur dal and bring to a rolling boil again. Add more water at this stage if required.

Add the ground masala and bring to a rolling boil. 

Heat another pan with 1 tsp oil, do the seasoning with mustard, urad dal and methi.

Finally add the fresh coriander leaves and simmer for few minutes before removing from heat.

I served it with Rice and Bhindi stir fry

How to make Sambar - Tirunelveli Style | Step by Step Recipe | Lunch Box Series : LBS#61

Being from South of India, Sambar is almost a staple for us at home. Though in Andhra sambhar is not supposed to be a native dish. Yet these days it's quite common to hear it being prepared frequently. But when you talk about Tamil Nadu and the way Sambar is made, well it's inevitable that there are many ways to make this simple dish.

Even though I make Sambar almost twice or thrice at times a week, I was still tempted to learn the way this sambar was made by my colleague's mom. They hail from Tirunelveli, and this is the way they make their sambar. I am sure even this might vary from other families from the same city. Tirunelveli is famous for its Tirunelveli Halwa. I was happy knowing another delicacy from the place.

When I finally made it at home, I did forget some and by practice added some. Like my friend said they normally don't add tomatoes. But then I got it confirmed from her mom that tomato can be added. Well it's all what's available at hand finally I guess. Still this had lots of different steps involved. It tasted great with steaming Rice. I took this for my lunch and had fun.

Step By Step Pictures

Heat a pan with oil, saute shallot onions, Brinjal pieces, Green chilies till they turn light brown.

Add chopped tomatoes

In another pan, add 1 tsp oil, roast coconut, cumin seeds, shallot onions and 1/2 tsp bengal gram

Allow it to cool.

Meanwhile, stir the mashed tomatoes, add red chili powder, Coriander powder.

Next goes the tamarind extract and salt to taste

Bring it to boil

Add cooked toor dal to the pan, add required amount of water.

Make a smooth paste with the roasted ingredients. Add to the boiling dal.

Finally season it with curry leaves, methi seeds, Hing, Urad dal and mustard seeds.


Ingredients Needed:


Toor Dal, cooked - 1 cup
Tamarind extract - 2 tbsp (adjust to taste)
Shallot onions - 4
Tomato - 1 medium
Green chilies - 1 medium
Red chili  powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder a pinch
Brinjal - 3 medium
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Water - 2 cups

For the Ground paste

Coconut - 2 tbsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Shallot Onions - 3

For Seasoning

Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Asofoetida / Hing - a pinch
Curry leaves - 4- 5


Method to prepare:

Pressure cook Toor dal with twice its amount of water til soft. Keep it aside.

In a bowl soak Tamarind and extract the pulp from it. If you want you can mix the red chili powder, coriander powder and salt in this water and keep it aside. I normally prefer to add to the dal directly.

To make the ground paste:
In a separate pan, add 1 tsp oil, roast chopped Coconut, Cumin seeds, Small Onions and little Bengal gram. Allow it to Cool and grind to a smooth paste using water. This can be added raw but I wanted the roasted aroma of the coconut.

To make the Sambar:

In a pan, add shallot onions, brinjal pieces and green chilies. Sauté well.

Then add chopped tomatoes and fry till it's soft. Then add the Red chili powder, Coriander powder, tamarind extract and salt.

Simmer for 5 mins for everything to get cooked well. Then add the cooked dal, bring to boil.

Then add the ground paste required water to get required consistency.

Seasoning the Dal
Finally season by heat a pan with oil, add a pinch of hing, Curry leaves, methi seeds, Urad dal, mustard seeds. Pour this over the boiling dal.

Enjoy with Steaming Rice and vegetables.

Notes:
Different vegetables like Radish, Drumstick can be used.
You can make instant spice powder by roasting Dry Red chili, Coriander Seeds and Bengal Gram and powdering it to be added directly.
Tomatoes can be avoided if you want.

Check out other Rasam, Sambar, Kuzhambu