Friday, November 26, 2010

Kadalai Sundal

Since I am more the ‘savoury’ and ‘spicy’ kind than the sweet one, my prasadam is usually more of sundals. This is a deviation from the normal kadalai sundal and a recipe I learnt from my aunt with some additional touches from moi.

Ingredients
250gm chickpeas (Kabuli channa)
Salt to taste
3tsp mustard seeds
2tsp split urad dal
1 ½ tbsp coriander seeds
4 red chillies
2tbsp oil
2tbsp finely chopped mango pieces
2tbsp finely chopped coconut pieces
Curry leaves for garnishing

How to prepare
Pressure cook chickpeas with salt until soft to touch (but not overboiled). In a pan, lightly roast coriander seeds, and red chillies. In a mixie, powder finely.
In a pan, heat oil, add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add urad dal and curry leaves. When it gives off a slightly roasted smell, add the powder. Add the chickpeas and salt and mix well. Switch off the flame. Finally, add coconut and mango pieces. And serve to the Gods.

Lemon Rasam

Drop the tamarind and still bring on the tangy taste. Lemon rasam brings in the flavor of green chillies and ginger along with the goodness of tuvar dal. Goes well with rice, pappadums and spicy potato curry. Or simply, have it as a hot soup. Perfect for these chilly winter evenings.

Ingredients
3 cups of water
½ inch ginger mashed
2 green chillies, slit
1tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp of boiled tuvar dal
2 medium sized tomatoes
1tsp ghee
1tsp mustard seeds
1tsp cumin seeds
A small piece of jaggery
2 small lemons
Chopped coriander leaves for garnishing.

To prepare
In a vessel, bring water to boil. Add turmeric powder, chopped tomatoes, green chillies, ginger, jaggery and salt to taste. Bring to boil on medium flame. After 7-8 minutes (after the tomatoes have cooked well), add dal and add water to bring to rasam consistency. After a lather-like foam appears on top, switch off flame. Take a small pan, add ghee, mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Once it splutters, switch off flame. Pour over rasam. Garnish with chopped coriander seeds. Finally, add the juice of two lemons and stir lightly. Piping, hot rasam is ready to serve.

Manga Curry

This is a simple green mango pickle that can be made in a jiffy. An important part of every Kerala sadya and Tam sadi served at the top left-hand corner of the banana leaf. Goes with curd rice, dosais and well, almost everything. And tastes real yum!


Ingredients
2 big green mangoes
2 tbsp salt
2 tbsp red chilli powder
3 tsp asafetida
2 tsp mustard seeds
3 tbsp til oil (or normal refined oil. Til oil gives a special taste)

To prepare
Chop mangoes into very fine pieces. Mix well with salt and red chilli powder. In a pan, add oil. Heat, add mustard seeds. Once the mustard splutters, add asafetida and switch off flame. Once the oil is cool, add to the mango pieces. Mix well. It will keep well outside for 3-4 days. After that, store in refrigerator.