Keerai Chola Masiyal

Hello everyone,

Keerai chola masiyal | Spinach corn curry is a tasty side dish made with spinach, coconut, cooked moong dal and some corn kernals.

I got a chance to taste this at Kathakali Kerala restaurant in kirkland. It was inviting but my son did not like it as it had smoky flavor. I liked the idea of adding corn to the spinach. I wanted to replicate the same and tried to make it with my own recipe without the smoky flavor. To my surprise my son liked it very much. 

Here is the recipe which is good enough for 3-4 servings.

Ingredients:

Spinach - 1 bunch

Water - 3 cups

Coconut - 1/4 cup

Green chili - 1 or 2

Moong dal - 1/4 cup 

Turmeric powder - 1 pinch

Coconut oil - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1tsp 

Curry leaves - 4-5 nos

Sweet corn kernels - 1/4 cup

Hing a pinch

Salt as needed

Method:

1. Pressure cook the moong dal with a pinch of salt, turmeric powder and water for 1 whistle. Mash the cooked dal and keep it ready.

2. Chop the stem and wash the spinach nicely for 3-4 times to remove the sand particles. 

3. Boil 3 cups of water in a pan. When it comes to rolling boil, switch off the heat and add the spinach. Allow the leaves to be in hot water for a minute.

4. Take them out and put them in ice cold water. This helps to retain the color.

5. Transfer the blanched spinach to a blender. Add coconut, green chili and grind it to smooth paste. 

6. In a heavy bottomed pan heat coconut oil, add mustard seeds. Once it splutters, add curry leaves, hing and corn kernels. Fry for couple of mins. 

7. Now add the ground spinach paste, cooked moong dal and mix well. Add little water to adjust the consistency. Reduce the heat, allow it boil for 3-4 mins and then switch off the heat.

8. Keerai chola masiyal is ready to serve with hot rice. 

Note: 

1. Add extra green chili, if you want it to be more spicy. 

Ash gourd mor kootu

Hello everyone,

Ash gourd mor kootu is a traditional palakkad style dish which is very similar to Aviyal. Aviyal is a mix of veggies but in mor kootu just ash gourd/ poosanikai is used. The base coconut paste for aviyal and mor kootu are the same. 

I got this recipe from my aunty. When I was talking to her over phone, I casually asked her what's the lunch. She said mor kootu and I was wondering what is mor kootu. Her daughter(my akka) shared the recipe and I tried it the very next day. 

Ash gourd mor kootu can be prepared within 20 mins of time. This can be severed as a main dish for lunch along with vatha kuzhambu or as a side dish with Adai. 

Ingredients:

Ash gourd or poosanikai - 2 - 2.5 Cups

Grated coconut - 1/4 cup + 1 tblsp

Green chili - 1 or 2 

Beaten curd - 1/4 cup

Coconut oil - 1.5 tsp

Curry leaves - 4-5 leaves chopped

Water - 2 tbsp 

Pre-preparation:

1. In a mixie jar or blender, add coconut, green chili and water. Grind it to a smooth paste.

Method:

1. Cook the chopped ash gourd with salt and little water in a heavy bottomed vessel.

2. When it is half cooked add the ground coconut paste and cook until it is combined well. Adjust the salt if required. 

3. Switch off the stove and allow it to cool. Add the beaten curd and mix well. 

4. Add coconut oil and curry leaves to the kootu. Give it a stir. 

5. Mor kootu is ready to serve with steamed rice. 

Notes:

1. Ash gourd itself leaves water when cooked so be careful in adding water for cooking. 

2. Make sure ash gourd is not overcooked otherwise it will become mushy. 

3. Do not boil the kootu once the curd is added. 

Ivy gourd cashew stir fry

 

Hello everyone,

Ivy gourd cashew stir fry is prepared with tender Ivy gourd and tender cashews. Ivy gourd is referred as Kovakkai in tamil and Thondekai in Kannada. This is a very special dish in dakshina kannada region. 

I was introduced to this by my friend from Dakshina Kannada(Puttur). I tasted this at her sister's wedding. It was so rich and tasty. Never tasted Ivy gourd stir fry with cashews till then. Then one day she gave me the recipe and the story behind it. Dakshina Kannada region is rich in cashew cultivation. Cashew nut trading season is from March to May. The fully grown cashews are sold to the market. The leftover cashews that are not of high quality are used by the people in that region to make this Ivy gourd palya at home. Ideally we should use tender cashews to prepare this, as we don't get tender cashews here I soaked the raw cashews in water and cooked along with ivy gourd. This is a mandatory dish in marriages or any functions if it is during April-June. Here is the recipe. 

Ingredients:

Tindora - 3 cups cut lengthwise

Cashew - 1/4 cup

water - 1/2 cup 

Salt as per taste

To Grind:

Grated coconut - 1/4 cup

Green chili - 1 or 2

To Temper:

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Urad dal - 1/4 tsp

Chana dal - 1/4 tsp

Byadige chili - 1 

Curry leaves

Hing a pinch

Method:

1. Soak cashew in warm water for half an hour. Drain the water and keep it aside.

2. Grind coconut and green chili coarsely without water. Keep it ready.

3. Heat oil in a kadai or large pan, add ingredients under 'To temper' section. Fry until dal turns golden brown. 

4. Add tindora, soaked cashews and saute until it is combined well.

5. Now add water, salt as required. Cover and cook for about 12-15mins. Tindora will be cooked and water gets dried up. 

6. Finally, add coconut green chili and mix well. Turn off the heat.

Note: 

1. Avoid green chili if you want it to be less spicy.

Thavala Adai

Hello everyone,

Thavala adai is a traditional recipe from Tanjore. It is prepared with arisi kurunai(broken rice) and lentils. 

I never tasted this until I got married. My MIL makes it and I learnt this recipe from her. Thavala means big pot in Tamil. Adai is roasted in thavala instead of dosa tawa. My MIL used to make this in vengala thavalai later she started doing using dosa tawa as she used to get burns in hand while flipping the adai.  

Thavala adai can be made as a tiffin instead of regular dosa, idli,upma etc. This is rich is in protein. It is crispy outside and soft inside. This is little time consuming but it tastes great. 

This can be given to kids for lunch box and they would love it. Give it a try and here is the recipe. 

Ingredients:

Raw rice - 1 cup

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Hing - a generous pinch

Grated coconut - 1/4 cup

Coconut oil - 1 tbsp for preparing mix + 2 tbsp for roasting

Salt as needed

To Soak and Grind:

Toor dal - 1/4 cup

Chana dal - 1/4 cup

Mung dal - 1/4 cup

Urad dal - 1.5 tbsp

Red chili - 1

Green chili - 1

Ginger - 1/2 inch

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Pepper corns - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - 7-8 nos

Method:

1. Grind rice coarsely like sooji and keep it aside.
2. In a bowl soak toor dal, chana dal, moong dal & urad dal in enough water for 2 hrs. 
3. Transfer the soaked dals into a blender and add red chili, green chili, ginger, cumin seeds, pepper,curry leaves to it. Grind it coarsely without adding water. Keep this aside.
4. Heat 1tbsp coconut oil in a large pan, add mustard seeds. Once it sizzles, add 2 cups of water, salt, coconut and hing. Allow the water to boil.
5. When the water starts to boil, add coarsely ground rice. Mix well with a laddle without any lumps. Once it is cooked, add the dal mix. Combine well to make it like upma. Allow it to cool down.  
6. Apply oil in dosa tawa and heat it. Take lemon size ball and make it like thin cutlet and roast in dosa tawa. Apply oil and gently flip to cook the other side. Add 3-4 adai in one batch. 
7. Adai will be crispy when both the sides turn golden brown. Remove them from the tawa and repeat the same with rest of the rice dal mix. 
8. Thavala adai is ready to serve with any kind of chutney. 

Mambazha Pulissery

Hello everyone,

Mambazha pulissery or mambazha mor kuzhambu is a delicious mango curry made with mangoes, yogurt, coconut and spices. This authentic kerala dish has sweet and sour taste. It is served as part of onam sadhya.

 

I tasted mambazha pulissery for the first time in thalathoor heritage resort, Kazargod. Resort's owner aunty prepared this authentic curry with whole mangoes for our lunch. It was amazing. We don’t get small mangoes here in US so I chopped the mango to prepare this curry. Here you go, below is the recipe.

Ingredients:

Ripe Mango - 1 big or 2 small

Water -  1/2 cup

Curd or Yogurt -  2 1/2 cup

Turmeric Powder -

Jaggery - 1 or 2 tsp as per mango taste(optional)

Salt to taste

To grind:

Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup

Green chili - 1

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

To Temper:

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - few

Red chili - 1 split into 2 halves

Coconut oil - 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Peel the skin of mango and chop it into rough pieces. 

2. In a pan, add chopped mangoes, 1/2 cup water, pinch of salt, jaggery(optional). Cook them in medium heat for 3-4 mins. Switch off the heat. Allow the mangoes to cool down.

4.Meanwhile, grind the ingredients under 'To grind' section with little water to smooth paste.

5. Take curd in a vessel or bowl, add ground coconut paste, salt, turmeric powder. Mix well. 

6. Add the curd coconut mix to the mango. Stir well so that curd is mixed well with mango.

7. Turn on the stove, cook the curd mango mix for 2 mins in low flame. Switch off the heat.

8. Heat coconut oil in small skillet, add mustard seeds, red chili and curry leaves. Once it splutters add it to the cooked curry.

9. Serve with hot steamed rice and any choice of kaara kari.

Notes:

1. Always use ripe mango. 

2. Add jaggery if the mango is sour. 

3. Cook the curry in low heat to avoid curdling.

4.I always use less spice. Add an extra chili as per taste.

Mango Rice

Hello everyone,

Mango rice or manga saadham is very delicious rice which is similar to lemon rice with tangy taste. My mom used to make this but I was not fond of it. My MIL makes when its mango season. I like to take it for lunchbox.

 

This is the season for mangoes. My husband went to Indian store and bought raw mango. Its been long time since I made rice with mango. Hence, I decided to make it for lunch. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

Grated Raw Mango - 1 cup

Grated coconut - 1/4 cup

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Cooked Rice - 2 cups

Salt as per taste

Coriander leaves - few for garnishing

 

To Temper:

Oil - 1tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1tsp

Urad dal - 1 1/2 tsp

Chana dal - 2 tsp

Hing a pinch

Green chili -  1 slit

Curry leaves - few

Peanuts - 1/4 cup

 

Method

1. Dry roast the peanuts and keep it aside. Make sure not to burn the peanuts.
2. Heat oil in a kadai, add the ingredients under 'To Temper' section except curry leaves, green chili and roasted peanuts.
3. When the mustard seeds splutters and the dal turns brown, add curry leaves, green chili and peanuts.
4. Add turmeric powder, grated mango. Mix well.
5. Sauté for 2-3 mins or until the grated mango shrinks.
6. Take cooked rice in a large bowl, add the mango mix, salt, grated coconut and coriander leaves. Mix well without breaking the rice.
7.  Mango rice is ready to serve with appalam or any vadaam.

 

Notes:

1. Rice has to be cooked in such a way that it is not sticky and the grain are separate.
2. Rice has to be cooled.
3. I always use less spice so that my son can eat. If you want the rice to be more spicy, add 1-2 red or greed chili.
4. Skip step 1 if you have roasted peanuts.

Broccoli Parupu Usili

Hello everyone,

 

Parupu Usili is a very popular TamBrahm dish. Usually this is prepared with beans, cluster beans, cabbage and plantain flower. I came across broccoli version of this dish in instagram. Tried making the same very next day. It was very tasty. Broccoli is rich in vitamins, fiber and potassium. I love broccoli and use it at least twice in a week.

Parupu usili goes well as a side with mor kuzhambu or vatha kuzhambu.

Servings: 3-4

Ingredients:

Broccoli - 2 crowns

Water - 3 cups

Toor dal - 1/4 cup

Chana dal - 1/4 cup

Red chili - 2

Jeera - 1/2 tsp

Salt as per taste

Hing a pinch

 

For Seasoning:

Oil - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Uad dal - 1tsp

Curry leaves - 4-5nos

Method:

1. Pluck the broccoli florets into small pieces. Boil the water in a vessel with salt. Cook the florets for 5-6 mins until stem turns soft.
   
2. Strain the water in a colander and keep the florets aside.
3.  Wash and soak the dals in water for about two hours. Drain the water and transfer it to a mixer.
4. Add red chili, jeera, hing, salt and grind it coarsely without adding water.
   
5. Steam the idli plate or steaming basket with oil and steam the ground dal mix for 6-7 mins. Crumble it and keep it aside.
   
6. Heat oil in a kadai, temper with mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves. Add crumbled dal and fry for a minute. Then add cooked broccoli florets and mix well.
   
7. Stir it for 2 mins and switch off the heat.
   
   
   

 

Notes:

Do not over cook broccoli otherwise color if it will be changed. It has to be nice green color.

Podalangai poricha kuzhambu

Hello everyone,

Podalangai poricha kuzhambu, podalangai/snake gourd is cooked with moong dal, coconut and other spices. This version of poricha kuzhambu is Tanjore style poricha kuzhambu. It is a healthy dish as it is a combination of vegetable(fiber) and dal(protein).

 

My MIL cooks few Tanjore style dishes as her mom is from Tanjore. She used to cook podalangai poricha kuzhambu and everyone in the family likes it. I learnt this recipe from her and I often make this. It tastes great with hot rice.

 

Ingredients:

Podalangai/Snake gourd - 1 long

Moong dal - 1/2 cup

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Water - 3 Cups

Jaggery - 1tsp

Salt - as per taste

 

To roast and grind:

Urad dal - 1 tbsp

Cumin seeds/Jeera - 1 tsp

Coriander seeds/Dhania - 1 tsp

Black pepper corns - 1tsp

Dried Red Chili - 2

Fresh grated coconut - 1/4 cup

Curry leaves - 4-5

Coconut oil/Ghee - 2 tsp

 

To temper:

Coconut oil/Ghee - 2tsp

Mustard seeds - 1tsp

Urad dal - 1tsp

Curry leaves - 2

 

Method:

1. Wash snake gourd and chop it to 1/2 inch pieces.
2. Cook the moong dal in a heavy bottomed vessel with water, turmeric powder, jaggery and little salt for dal.
3. Once the dal is half cooked add chopped snake gourd, salt and cook this on medium heat for 7-10 mins.
4. Meanwhile, heat coconut oil/ghee in a pan and roast all the ingredients under "To roast and grind" except coconut. Roast it until dal turns golden brown.
5. Now add coconut. Switch off the stove. Let it cool down and then grind it to smooth paste.  Keep it aside.
6. Once the snake gourd and dal is cooked, add the ground paste and mix well.
7. Allow it to boil for about 5 mins in low heat. Stir in between so that it doesn’t stick to the bottom.
8. Heat oil/ghee in a small pan, add mustard seeds. Once it splutters, add urad dal, curry leaves and hing. Add this to the boiling kuzhambu and switch off the heat.
9. Serve hot with rice.

 

Note:

1. You can cook the dal in pressure cooker for 2-3 whistles. Cook gourd in a vessel and then dal can be added to boiling gourd. This will minimize the cooking time.
2. Adding jaggery to this Kuzhambu is optional.

Chettinad Potato Fry

Hello everyone,

 

Chettinad potato fry is a prepared with freshly ground spices which gives nice flavor to the potato fry than the regular one. Chettinad cuisine is from Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu. It uses variety of spices and their dishes are made with freshly ground masalas.

 

I personally don’t like the flavor of garlic in vegetables. I usually make the regular potato fry with just salt, turmeric powder and chili powder or the podimas. When I was out for my work on a Saturday, I asked SV to cook. He googled and found recipe for chettinad potato fry. He made this and it was delicious with nice flavor. I then did my research and found recipe for this. Tried on another day by myself and it came out well. Hence, sharing the recipe.

 

Ingredients

Potatoes - 3

Onion - 1 Cup(thinly sliced)

Garlic - 3 small pods(peeled and finely chopped)

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - 6-7

Hing - A pinch

Oil - 2-3 tbsp.

 

To marinate:

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Chili powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt as per taste

Oil - 1 tsp

 

To roast and grind:

Red chili - 2-3(As per spice level)

Channa dal - 1tsp

Urad dal - 1/2 tsp

Coriander seeds - 1/2 tsp

Pepper corns - 1/2 tsp

Fennel seeds - 1/4 tsp

 

Method:

1. Boil full potatoes. Peel the skin and cut into cubes.
2. Transfer the potatoes to a bowl, add all the ingredients in 'To marinate' section to the potatoes. Mix well so that the spices is well coated. Keep it aside.
3. Heat a pan and dry roast all the ingredients under "To roast and grind" section until the urad dal turns light brown.
4. Allow it to cool down and grind it to a coarse powder.
5. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add garlic, onion and curry leaves. Sauté till onion turns translucent.
6. Add the potatoes, adjust the salt if needed and sauté for 5-6 minutes until the potatoes are crispy.
7. Finally, add the ground spice powder to the potatoes and mix well so that the potatoes are coated with spice powder.
8. Fry until it is golden brown and switch of the stove.

 

Note:

1. Do not over cook the potatoes. Otherwise it will get mashed.
2. If you want nice color to potato fry, use byadige red chili.

 

 

Vendakkai Puli Kuzhambu

Hello everyone,

Vendakkai puli kuzhambu is a south indian curry which is easy to make. It can be made with or without coconut. Vendakai is sautéed with little salt in oil and then cooked in tamarind, onion, tomato and coconut gravy. My mom used to make as like vatha kuzhambu. When I started cooking, I googled and found many recipes which is by grinding onion, tomato. I tried and liked the taste. Hence, I thought of sharing with others.

Whenever I make this for lunch,I make little extra to keep for dinner. I make pongal or rice usili for dinner. Pongal tastes good with Vendakkai puli kuzhambu.

Ingredients:

Ladies finger – 10 tender cut into 1inch pieces

Pearl onion – 6 or 7 peeled

Tomato – 1 chopped into cubes

Coconut – 1/4 cup grated

Tamarind – gooseberry size

Sambar powder – 2 tsp

Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp

Jaggery - 1tsp

Sesame oil / Oil – 2 tbsp

Salt – As needed

Oil – 2 tblsp

Mustard – 1/2 tsp

Fenugreek seeds– 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Method:

1. Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup hot water and extract the juice by adding another 1/2 cup water.

2. Heat sesame oil in a pan, add Pearl onion Saute until it is translucent. Then add tomato. When it becomes mushy add coconut. Switch of the flame, grind it to a smooth paste and keep it aside.

3. In another pan, add 1tbsp sesame oil, add mustard seeds and once it splutters add fenugreek seeds. Then add Curry leaves and ladies finger. Fry it until there are black spots in ladies finger.

4. Add tamarind juice to the pan, then add sambhar powder, jaggery, turmeric powder, salt. Allow it to boil until ladies finger becomes soft and raw smell of tamarind goes.

5. To the tamarind , ladies finger add ground tomato onion paste and allow it to boil for another 5 mins untill the gravy is thick. Switch off the stove.

Finally serve Vendakkai puli kuzhambu with hot rice. It goes well with pongal or upma as well..

Usili Upma/Rice Usili

Hello Everyone,

Usili upma is an easy one pot dish made with rice and moong dal. We can say it as dry form of Ven Pongal :).

My grandma and my aunts used to make this. They call it as accusili(Akki Usili - Rice Usili). As far as I know my mom never made this during my early days.

After marriage I got a chance to taste this from my MIL. She makes it very often. It is easy to prepare and this can be made for lunch as well as dinner. My son likes it very much and he even takes it as a lunch for school. Sambhar/puli kuzhambu/coconut chutney goes well Usili Upma.

Ingredients:

Rice- 1 Cup

Moong Dal-1/2 cup

Water - 2 Cups

Salt as per taste

To Temper:

Coconut oil-2 tbsp

Mustard seeds- 1tsp

Split urad dal- 1tsp

Channa dal- 2 tsp

Dried red chili- 2-3(according to spice level)

Grated Coconut-2tbsp

Curry leaves -5-6

Method:

1. Dry roast rice and moong dal until dal turns light brown.
2. Wash it, drain the water and keep it aside.
3. In a pressure cooker pan, heat coconut oil and add mustard seeds. 
4. Once the mustard seeds splutters, add other ingredients in the To temper section.
5. When the dal turns brown, add washed rice, moong dal, water and salt.
6. Let it boil for 2 mins. Close the lid and pressure cook for one whistle.
7. Rice is cooked. Stir once before serving.

Usili upma can be made using instant pot as well.

1. Dry roast rice and moong dal until dal turns light brown.
2. Wash it, drain the water and keep it aside.
3. Set Sauté mode, heat coconut oil and add mustard seeds. 
4. Once the mustard seeds splutters, add other ingredients in the To temper section.
5. When the dal turns brown, add washed rice, moong dal, water and salt.
6. Let it boil for 2 mins. Close the lid and pressure cook in high pressure for 5 mins.
7. Rice is cooked. Stir once before serving.

Aval Upma/Avalakki/Poha

When you want to make quick breakfast or dinner Aval/Poha is the best option. Not everyone makes Poha by grinding. My mom makes it by grinding and everyone in our family is big fan of this. I learnt this recipe from my mom.

Ingredients:

Aval/Beaten rice flakes -2 cups
Tamarind - small lemon size
Water -1 cup
Coriander leaves to garnish
Salt to taste.
To temper:
Oil-2 tbsp
Mustard seeds, urad dal, channa dal-1 tsp each
Green chili-2, Curry leaves-5-6, hing
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp.
Peanuts-2 tbsp
Onion- 1 Cup finely chopped

Method:

1. Soak tamarind in hot water and extract the juice to 1 cup. 

2. Coarsely grind Aval/Poha in a mixer and soak it in tamarind juice for 20 mins. 

3. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan, add mustard seeds. Once it sizzles add Urad dal, channa Dal, green chili, Curry leaves peanuts,a pinch of hing. Try till Dal turns brown. 

4. Add onion,turmeric powder, salt for onion and saute until it turns translucent. 

5. Then add soaked Aval mix with it with needed salt in a medium flame for 5 mins. 

6. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.

Strawberry Rasam

Hello everyone,

We usually buy small box of strawberry whenever we go for groceries. This time SV(my husband) bought huge box from Costco. I wanted to try some interesting yet simple recipe with strawberry. Why not try south Indian Rasam instead of regular Dal, garlic, tomato or lemon Rasam. I replaced Strawberry instead of tamarind with freshly ground rasam powder. 

Ingredients:

Strawberries - 1cup chopped

Water - 2 cups

Coriander leaves few chopped

Curry leaves- 5-6

Salt to taste, pinch of hing

Rasam Powder

Toor dal -1tbsp

Pepper corns-1/2tsp

Cumin/Jeera-1/2tsp

Dhania/Coriander seeds-1/2 tsp

Dried red chilli-1-2 according to spice level

To temper

Mustard seeds-1tsp

Method:

1. Heat 1/2 tsp ghee in a pan and roast Rasam powder ingredients mentioned above. Grind it to coarse powder. Keep this aside. 

2. Grind strawberry with 2 cups of water in a mixie. Let one or 2 pulps be there. 

3. Transfer it to a vessel, add salt, turmeric powder and curry leaves. Allow it to boil in a medium heat for 5 mins. 

4. Add the ground rasam powder to strawberry mix and let it boil for another 2 mins. 

5. Heat ghee and add mustard seeds, once it sizzles and hing pour it to rasam. Garnish with cilantro. 

Serve with hot rice or drink as soup.

Sundaikai Mor Kozhambu

Time Taken: 20 mins

Ingredients:
Thick Buttermilk - 2 cup
Toor Dal - 4 tbsp
Grated Coconut - 3tbsp
Jeera seeds - 2 tsp
Green Chilis - 1 big
Sundaikai vathal/Dried Turkey Berry - 10 - 15 nos
Ginger - 1/4 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Asafetida - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 3 tsp
Salt as needed

Method:
1. Soak toor dal in water for half an hour.
2. In the mean time fry dried turkey berry in 2 tsp oil and keep it aside.
3. Grind soaked toor dal, coconut, jeera seeds, geen chilis and ginger, Grind it to fine paste.
4. Add the grounded paste, turmeric powder, salt and asafetida in thickbuttermilk and mix well.
5. Boil it in a medium flame for 3-4 mins and switch off the flame. Mor Kozhambu is ready.
6. Add fried turkey berry to the mor kozhambu.
7. For tempering - heat oil, add mustard seeds & Jeera seeds. When it splutters, add it to mor kozhambu and mix.
8. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with rice and ladies finger fry.

Bisi Belebath

Bisi belebath is a rice based dish with its origin in Karnataka. My mother in law is basically from Bangalore. I got the recipe and procedure from her and prepared bisi belebath. Recipe credit goes to my MIL :).

Time Taken: 45mins

Ingredients:

Rice - 1/2 Cup

Toor Dal - 1/4 Cup

Chopped Vegetables  - 1 1/2 Cup

Channa Dal - 4 tbsp

Urad Dal - 2 tbsp

Jeera - 2 tsp

Fenugreek - 1/4 tsp

Pepper - 1 tsp

Red Chili - 3

Kus Kus - 1 tsp

Grated Coconut - 2 tbsp

Curry Leaves - 2 strings

Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Jaggery - 1 tbsp

Tamarind - medium lemon size

Salt to taste

Oil - 2 tbsp

Water - 1 Cup

Method:

Cook the rice and toor dal and keepit aside.

Soak the tamarind in hot water and extract the tamarind water.

Boil the vegetables and keep it aside.

Heat oil in a pan, add channa dal, urad dal, jeera, fenugreek, pepper, red chili and fry till the dal turns light brown. 

Remove the above ingredients from pan and fry kus kus and curry leaves (curry leaves are added with kus kus, so that kus kus doesn't stay in pan).

Grind the fried items with coconut.

Boil the tamarind water for a minute. Add turmeric powder, Salt and Jaggery to it.

Now add vegetables and allow it to boil for 5mins.

Then add the grounded mixture. Let it boil for 2-3 mins.

Add toor dal followed by rice and cook for 2 mins.

Heat oil in a pan and fry groundnut, channa dal, urad dal and mustard for Chaunk. Add the fired items to the bisi belebath.

Garnish with boondhi and coriander leaves. Serve hot.