RECIPES FROM SOUTH INDIA

AVIYAL:

Ingredients

3/4 kg Vegetables 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder 1/2 teaspoon Red chilli powder 6-8 nos. Green chillies 2 large Onions 1 cup Grated coconut 1 tablespoon Tamarind paste 2 tablespoons Oil 5-6 nos. Curry leaves

Preparation

Vegetables:Drumsticks, Brinjals, Yam, String beans, Raw banana, Ash gourd, Ridge gourd. Peel and cube the vegetables. Slightly boil the drum sticks with salt. Grind the coconut to a fine paste. Boil some water and add cubed vegetables to it. Add the red chilli and turmeric powders. When the vegetables are almost cooked add green chillies and salt. Add the tamarind extract and coconut paste. Simmer on a low flame for 15 minutes. Heat oil in a small pan and add the curry leaves. When the leaves change colour pour over the cooked vegetables. Serve hot with rice and pickle. sambar: Ingredients 1 cup Toovar dal 2 tablespoons Coriander seeds 2 tablespoons Bengal gram dal 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder 3/4 teaspoon Fenugreek seeds 4 tablespoons Tamarind paste 4-5 nos. Green chillies 7-8 nos. Curry leaves 100 grams Brinjals 1/2 cup Grated coconut 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds 4 nos. Red chillies 1 pinch Asafoetida Salt 3 tablespoons Oil Preparation Wash the toovar dal and boil with turmeric powder. When the dal is tender churn it completely. Dissolve the tamarind paste in 2 cups water. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a small pan, add 2 red chillies, coriander seeds, chana dal, 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds and sauté for 2 minutes. Cool and grind to a paste. Sauté coconut in the remaining oil and grind to a fine paste. Mix the masala paste with tamarind water, chopped brinjals, green chillies and curry leaves. Add this into the mashed dal along with more water if required. Cook this on a low flame till it starts boiling. Add coconut paste and continue cooking on a low flame till the gravy thickens slightly. Heat oil in a small pan, add mustard seeds, remaining red chillies, fenugreek seeds and asafoetida. When the seeds start crackling add into the dal. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Serve hot with steamed rice. KALAN[MORU CURRY]: Ingredients 1 cup Toovar dal 2 tablespoons Coriander seeds 2 tablespoons Bengal gram dal 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder 3/4 teaspoon Fenugreek seeds 4 tablespoons Tamarind paste 4-5 nos. Green chillies 7-8 nos. Curry leaves 100 grams Brinjals 1/2 cup Grated coconut 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds 4 nos. Red chillies 1 pinch Asafoetida Salt 3 tablespoons Oil Preparation Wash the toovar dal and boil with turmeric powder. When the dal is tender churn it completely. Dissolve the tamarind paste in 2 cups water. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a small pan, add 2 red chillies, coriander seeds, chana dal, 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds and sauté for 2 minutes. Cool and grind to a paste. Sauté coconut in the remaining oil and grind to a fine paste. Mix the masala paste with tamarind water, chopped brinjals, green chillies and curry leaves. Add this into the mashed dal along with more water if required. Cook this on a low flame till it starts boiling. Add coconut paste and continue cooking on a low flame till the gravy thickens slightly. Heat oil in a small pan, add mustard seeds, remaining red chillies, fenugreek seeds and asafoetida. When the seeds start crackling add into the dal. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Serve hot with steamed rice.