Vengaya Sambar

An elegant , tangy and intensely flavored onion (called as vengaya in Tamil) sambar is prepared with freshly ground spices. The roasted pearl onions are cooked in a tangy tamarind sauce and ground masala made up of - red chilies, coriander seeds, bengal gram , fenugreek seeds, curry leaves and coconut. 

Vengaya sambhar is a perfect accompaniment for idly and dosa. This sambar is so tasty that it reminds me of a Sagar Fast Food in Rajajinagar, Bangalore which serves excellent sambar for idly.  

I have been trying to create as well as borrow onion sambar recipes from many. But thanks to my sister Bhavya, who shared this recipe with me.

Ingredients

15 Pearl red onions

1/2 cup Toor dal

Marble sized Tamarind

3/4 tsp Jaggery

4 tsp Oil/ Ghee, divided

For the masala ~

2 tsp Coriander seeds

1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds

1/2 tsp Channa dal

A sprig of Curry leaves

5 Byadagi  Red Chilies

1/4 tsp Asafoetida (hing)

3 Pearl Onions

1/2 cup freshly grated coconut

For tempering ~

2 tsp Oil

1 tsp Mustard seeds

1 tsp Cumin seeds

a sprig of Curry leaves

Method

• Wash and cook dal with 3 cups of water in a pressure pan for 10 -15 minutes. After it has cooled, mash the dal completely

• Soak tamarind in hot water and extract tamarind pulp

• In a large pot, heat 2 tsp of oil. Roast all the ingredients listed under masala  except coconut. Grind these ingredients with coconut into a smooth paste

• In the same pot, roast onions with 2 tsp of oil until it brown. Add tamarind juice and jaggery. Simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens

• Return ground masala and dal to the pot. Adjust thickness of water depending upon thickness. Season with salt and simmer for 10 minutes

• In a pan, heat oil. When it turns smoky, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves. Pour it on sambar

• Serve hot with idly and dosa

Besan Gojju | Petla

Besan Gojju is a vegetarian chickpea flour based semi gravy. Idly and dosa are made to pair with Besan Gojju accentuates taste. This gojju is a novel way to prepare an instant curry.

The recipe is inspired from Maharashtrian cuisine and I learnt it from my mom. Besan Gojju otherwise also called "petla" in my house.   

Ingredients 

4 tsp oil

1 tsp mustard seeds 

1 tsp urad dal

1/2 tsp fennel seeds
2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1/4 cup Besan ( chickpea flour)

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 tomato, finely chopped

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp red chili powder

Salt 

4 cups of water 

Cilantro for garnish 

Method

• On a preheated large pot, add oil, mustard seeds , urad dal and fennel seeds. When it starts to crackle , add garlic and onions. Sauté until onions turns transparent 
• Add tomatoes  and cook for 3 minutes
• While this is cooking, in a bowl mix besan, turmeric powder and chili powder . Add a cup of water and mix well without any lumps. Return this liquid to the pot and stir frequently. Add water as needed depending upon thickness 
• Season with salt and simmer for 10 minutes until gravy thickens 
• Garnish with cilantro; and serve hot with idly or dosa

Sweet Pongal | Sakkarai Pongal

A divine recipe made during auspicious occasions. It is the main sweet dish made for harvest festival ~ MAKAR SANKRANTI or PONGAL which is celebrated for four days by Hindus all over India. Sweet pongal is made mainly with rice, moong dal and jaggery. 

Pongal is made as a part of ritual on 2nd day of the harvest festival which is offered sun god for prosperity. Both the cookware and the stove is decorated with flowers and rangoli (kolum).

Ingredients

1/2 cup Rice

2 tsp Moong Dal

2 cups Water

1/2 cup Jaggery (gur)

1/4 tsp Cardamon powder

8 nos Cashew nuts

2 tsp Golden raisins

4 tsp Ghee (clarified butter)

Method

• In a pressure pan, roast moong dal until it turns golden brown. Add washed rice and water. Cook upto 3 - 4 whistles
• In another pan, melt jaggery with 2 tsp of water to one thread consistency. Use a strainer to remove impurities
• Mash rice and moong dal with a laddle (you can use potato masher). Pour Jaggery syrup and add cardamom powder
• Fry cashew nuts and raisins in ghee. Return it to the pongal and mix well

Additional notes ~

• Some recipe do add a pinch of nutmeg powder and edible camphor
• Moong dal is an optional ingredient. Some versions add moong dal and some don't
• Freshly grated coconut can added in the end

Dosa and Idly Batter

Dosa and idly is staple breakfast food in southern part of India. In TamilNadu, it is served both for breakfast and dinner. 

At home, I always stock up dosa batter in fridge. I use wet grinder to make the batter. It can also be prepared using a blender, but it tastes better with wet grinder than a blender.  This batter comes in handy,  especially when I am tired after work or when there are unexpected guests.  I just make chutney  and make either dosa, paniyaram or idly. 

The batter has shelf life upto 10 days when stored in proper condition. You can make so many dishes with this batter  such as different varieties of dosas that include masala dosa, plain dosa, uttapam, onion/ vegetable dosa, egg dosa; idli, paniyaram both sweet and savory, punugulu (deep fried dosa batter fritters) and the list goes on.

Ingredients

4 cups Idly rice

1 cup Urad dal

1 tsp Fenugreek seeds

2 tsp Bengal gram 

2 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Baking Soda (optional)

Water as needed

Method

• Wash rice in a large pot and soak it in water for 5 to 6 hours
• Next, wash urad dal, fenugreek seeds and bengal gram together; and soak in water for 5 to 6 hours
• Wash the grains and drain water from both the pots. Repeat this step for atleast 2-3 times
• Grind rice first into smooth batter. Add just enough water to run the wet grinder ( do not add excess water. It should be thick). Transfer the batter into a pot
• Next, grind urad dal, fenugreek seeds and bengal gram into smooth. Again add just enough water to run the wet grinder. Transfer the batter to the same pot
• Add salt and baking soda. Mix well
• Keep in warm place for 10 - 12 hours to ferment (until the batter raises and becomes spongy)

Additional notes:

• By adding bengal gram, dosa can be roasted until brown 
• Fenugreek seeds helps in fermentation. By adding too much, it will leave batter bitter
• Baking soda assists in fermentation. In summer, it is not required to add this ingredient because it ferments fast in summer in just 5 hours
• Tips for Fermentation : If you live in cold place, I suggest to keep your batter next to stove while cooking or inside the oven. This way, it is warm and ferments at a faster pace

Aloo Methi Subzi

Aloo methi subzi is one of the yummiest recipes which I have tried in recent times. Potato (aloo) and Fenugreek (methi) leaves is such a great combination with roti's. 

In the city where I live, we get Indian fruits and vegetables once a week and during this time, fenugreek leaves sells like hot cakes on first cum first serve basis. Methi leaves is highly nutritive leafy vegetable which is a good source of iron.

The recipe below is my version of aloo-methi. I like to keep it a little spicy with dry gravy made from onion-ginger-garlic paste which  nicely balances with potato. The potatoes tossed with dry ingredients make it toothsome and very delicious, it tastes just like a chat. In the end fried cashew nuts adds a lot of crunch to this great dish.

Ingredient

4 Potatoes 

1 large bunch of Fenugreek leaves (methi leaves), roughly chopped

1 Onion, cubed

4 Garlic cloves

A small piece of Ginger

1/4 cup Roasted cashew nuts (optional)

4 tsp Oil

2 tsp Ghee

For dry masala~

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Coriander powder

1/2 tsp Garam masala powder

1/2 tsp Cumin powder

2 tsp lemon juice

Salt

Method

• Cut potatoes in half and cook in a large pot of boiling water until fork tender. Cool potatoes in cold water and peel off the skin. Cut into cubes

• In a mixing bowl, mix all the ingredients listed under dry masala. Add potato and toss it well

• Make a paste of ginger, garlic and onions. Heat oil and ghee on a preheated skillet. Add ginger, garlic and onion paste. Saute until it turns golden brown

• Add fenugreek leaves and saute for a minute

• Next, add potato and saute in low heat for 10 minutes

• Garnish with roasted cashew nuts and serve hot with roti

Ragi Mudde | Sankati | Finger Millet Ball

A magnificent  recipe from southern part of Karnataka is a staple diet of rural folk. It was common recipe in urban areas long time back but started to diminish due fast food hotels and trending western foods. But some of the  military hotels and mess still serve ragi mudde. 

Now-a-days ragi mudde has become very popular due to its nutritional benefits. It is a recommended food by doctors due to its rich source of calcium, protein, amino acids ( such as isoleucine, leucine, methionine and phenyl alanine), vitamin B6, folic acid and several others. It is an excellent source for weight loss as it reduces appetite. 

Ragi mudde is prepared with only 3 ingredients- finger millet flour, water and salt. Traditionally it is prepared in mud pots or copper utensils with the help of wooden stick (called as "mudde kolu" in Kannada). I used a simple non-stick pot and a wooden ladle to prepare this recipe. This is an easy version of this recipe.

Ingredients

1 cup Finger Millet flour (ragi)

2 cups of water, divided

Pinch of salt 

Method

• Boil 1 cup of water in a pot. Add a pinch of salt

• While water is boiling, mix together ragi flour with 1 cup of water. Slowly pour the ragi mix to the boiling water

• On low heat, with the help of wooden ladle slowly stir the liquid in one direction to form smooth dough

• Transfer this dough on a wet wooden slab, wet your hands, divide the dough into equal portions and roll into balls (size of an orange) 

• Serve hot with Bas Saaru or uppu saaru

Additional notes-

• use a wet teaspoon to scrap out all of ragi mudde from the pot

Chicken Chow Mein

Chicken Chow Mein is a Chinese stir fry noodles recipe. It is made with flavorful combination of soy sauce, vinegar and chili sauce. 

A very easy recipe and suits when you just need your mouth to sizzle. The base for this recipe is noodles and different sauces. I used angel hair pasta, but you can prepare it with any kinds of noodles.

Also toss it up with fresh vegetables like carrots, broccoli, onions, bell pepper and a little bit of protein like boneless chicken strips. 

Ingredients

1 pack Angel hair pasta

200 gms Boneless Chicken strips

1 Carrot, thinly sliced

1 Bell pepper, cut into strips

1 onion, sliced lengthwise

Handful of Broccoli florets

Salt 

1/2 tsp Pepper

6 tsp Oil

For the sauce

1 cup Chicken broth

4 tsp dark Soy sauce

3 tsp Sriracha sauce or hot sauce

4 tsp Rice vinegar

1/2 tsp Aginomotto

1 tsp corn Starch

Method

• Bring a large port of salted water to boil. Add the angel hair pasta and cook until it is tender. Drain the water and run cold water on pasta. Drain the water again

• Spread the chicken on a preheated wok. Sprinkle little vegetable oil and season it with salt and pepper. Cook on medium heat until it is tender. Keep it aside

• Heat remaining oil and on high heat toss in vegetables for 2 min. Give it a little stir

                                             

• In a bowl, mix all the ingredients listed under sauce

• Return pasta and cooked chicken strips to the wok. Pour the sauce on top of noodles. Season it with salt and pepper. Stir on high heat for  2-4 minutes

• Serve hot