Spicy Tomato Chutney / Pickle 

This recipe makes a perfect match for rotis and rice, and a good side for idlis and dosas too. But i use them in so many ways, as a bread spread for spicy version of sandwich , or as a dip for corn chips too...;)

All right ...here goes the recipe :

Ingredients

• 4- 5 - Tomatoes ( medium sized )
• 4-5 - garlic cloves 
• 1/4 - cup oil ( prefer gingelly/sesame oil )
• 1/2 tsp - Mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp - Hing( Asafoetida )
• 2 - Whole red chilly
• Curry leaves ( few)
• 1/4 tsp - Turmeric
• Red chilly powder (as per taste)
• Salt ( as per taste)
• 1/4 tsp - Mustard and fenugreek seeds ( roasted and powdered - its optional)

Method

1. Roughly chop tomatoes and place in a food processor or blender and grind to a puree along with 2 garlic cloves.
2. In a heavy bottomed wok or kadhai, heat oil and add mustard seeds. When they pop add asafetida or hing and whole red chilly and curry leaves, and chopped garlic.
3. Now add the ground paste, turmeric powder, red chilly powder, salt and allow to cook on low heat with lid closed and stirring in between so that it does not stick to the bottom of the wok or pan.
4. When the pickle/chutney starts leaving oil add the roasted and crushed fenugreek ( methi) seeds and mustard seeds.
5. Allow to cool and place in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator.

P.S  This chutney / pickle has a tendency to splutter and splash while cooking making it a messy affair. Using a thick bottomed vessel or pan and wearing gloves can help.

Paruppu idli / Steamed rice and lentils cake

Paruppu idli or moonu (3) paruppu idli as often called, is made by steaming the batter consisting of fermented black lentils(urad dal) , split pigeon peas (toor dal) , split chick peas (bengal gram) and rice. 
Traditionally these idlis are made by pouring the batter into stainless steel tumblers/cups and steamed in pressure cooker(no weights reqd) for about 15 - 20 min, and once they are done will insert the knife to the edges of the tumblers then turn it upside down and you will get a nice tumbler shaped idlis. Goes well with spicy tomato chutney or Pudhina chutney. 

Ingredients
To soak and grind:

• idly rice - 3 cups
• urad dal / whole skinned  black lentils  -  1 cup
• toor dal / split pigeon peas - 3/4 cup
• bengal gram / split chick peas - 3/4 cup

For seasoning:

• mustard seeds - 2 tsp

• urad dal - 2 tsp
• cumin seeds - 2 tsp
• pepper - 2 tsp
• red chilly - 3
• green chillies - 3 ( add  more or less as per taste )
• curry leaves
• coconut - 1 cup
• oil - 1/4 cup

Method:  

1. Soak the ingredients in seperate bowls for 5-6 hours. (toor dal and bengal gram can be soaked together , where as rice and urad dal should be soaked seperately in different bowls.)
2. Drain the water and fine grind the urad dal until the mixture is frothy and set aside. ( prefer grinding it for atleast 15-20 min with 2 cups of water)
3. Grind the rice to a coarse mixture for about 10-15 minutes with 1 1/2 cups of water and set aside.
4.  And last grind the dals( toor dal & bengal gram)  to a coarse mixture for just 2-3 min and they are done. (no need to add water)
5. Now add all the ground mixture together and mix well with salt.
6. Set aside to ferment for about 8-12 hours or even overnight.
7. Heat oil in a wide pan, add mustard seeds. Once the seeds start to splutter then add urad dal, cumin seeds, pepper, red chillies, green chillies, curry leaves and grated coconut. 
8. Fry them all until golden color and add to the batter, mix well.
9. Grease the moulds on an Idli tray with cooking oil. Pour enough batter in each mould to fill it 3/4 full and steam for 15-20 min on a low medium flame.( to check if the idlis are cooked, just insert a tooth pick or fork, if comes out clean then its done.)
10. Now your paruppu idlis are ready to serve hot with any chutney of your taste. (Tip: take a teaspoon and apply little oil and go round the edges of the idlis on the tray and your idlis will come out ease without losing it shape).

Paneer Kuzhambu/ Indian cottage cheese spicy gravy

Paneer / paal kadambu is a soft indian cottage cheese made by using acid (usually lemon juice, vinegar, citric acid or yogurt) and does not involve rennet thus making it completely vegetarian and providing one of the sources of protein for vegetarians. Its extensively used in North indian cuisines fom sweets to snacks, curries and even flat breads.
Paneer kara kuzhambu is a lip smacking south indian style spicy gravy. My all time favorite dish, goes well with the combination of hot steamed rice, carrot coconut curry and crispy pappad. 

    Ingredients

• small onions (8-10 shallots) or medium sized onion -1 
• tomato - 1 small sized
• Tamarind - 1 gooseberry size
• garlic - 3-4 cloves
• fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp
• curry leaves - few
• oil - 1/4 cup ( taste good with sesame oil)
• turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• chilly powder - 4 tablespoons ( add more or less as per your taste)
• salt

Method:  

1. Soak the tamarind in 1 1/2 cup of water, extract the juice and add  chilly powder, turmeric, salt mix well and set aside. ( Tip: If you make paneer/cottage cheese at home then you can use the leftover whey instead of water to extract the tamarind juice. This will give extra flavor to the gravy.)
2. Heat oil in a deep pan, and add the fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. 
3. Once the fenugreek seeds turn little brown, add onions and tomatoes then saute till onions translucent.
4. Now add the tamarind mixture and cover and cook for few  minutes and once the sauce starts to boil, add ginger garlic paste. (this is very important,adding ginger garlic paste at this stage will give more flavor than adding it in the beginning ).
5. Now reduce the flame to low medium and allow it cook covered for 15-20 min until the oil oozes out. 
6. at this stage add the cut paneer cubes one by one and let it sit on stove for 5 min covered. ( Tip: Do not cook more than 5 min as the paneer cubes will become too hard. )
7. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with steamed rice or hot idlis. :) 

Chundangi thogayal / roasted bengal gram thogayal

Chundangi thogayal is one of my favourite recipe which my mom used to make for me in combination with milagu kuzhambu. I just love this recipe for its simple ingredients and the taste. Especially for kids, its an awesome recipe as it does not have any spice in it, also protein rich. Goes well with spicy black pepper / milagu kuzhambu (check out blog for recipe)

Ingredients

• Roasted bengal gram / pottu kadalai - 1/2 cup
• fresh coconut grated  - 1/2 cup
• salt

Method:  

1. Grind the roasted gram , coconut and salt to a coarse mixture. (* do not add too much water)
2. Now your thogayal is ready to serve. Isn't it so simple :) 

Milagu Kuzhambu ( Black pepper spicy gravy )

Milagu / Black pepper kuzhambu is a mouth watering recipe. This spicy gravy is very helpful during winter in relieving common cold and cough as its main ingredients are black pepper and garlic. So its one of a kind recipe which has medicinal value at the same time super tasty. You can make this gravy and store it in fridge for upto 2 weeks. I will always enjoy this kuzhambu with steamed rice and chundangi thogayal (check out my blog for recipe) with fried appalam /pappad. Hearty thanks to my friend Kavitha who actually shared this wonderful recipe with me. 


Ingredients

• small onions (8-10 shallots) or medium sized onion -1 
• Tamarind - 1 gooseberry size
• garlic - 5-6 cloves
• pepper - 2 tablespoon
• cumin seeds - 1 tablespoon
• fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp
• curry leaves - few
• oil - 1/4 cup ( taste good with sesame oil)
• turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• chilly powder -  1 tsp
• salt

Method:  

1. Soak the tamarind in 1 1/2 cup of water, extract the juice and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add chopped onions, pepper, cumin seeds, garlic and curry leaves.
3. Saute on a medium flame until the onions translucent and soft. 
4. Remove the pan off the flame and let the mixture cool down to room temperature and then grind them into a fine paste. ( do not add water)
5. Add the ground mixture, chilly powder, turmeric, salt to the tamarind extract and mix well. 
6. Now heat oil in a deep pan, and add the fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. 
7. Once the fenugreek seeds turn little brown, add the tamarind mixture. 
8. Cover and cook for few  minutes and once the sauce starts to boil, add ginger garlic paste. (this is very important,adding ginger garlic paste at this stage will give more flavor than adding it in the beginning )
9. Now reduce the flame to low medium and allow it cook covered for 15-20 min until the oil oozes out.
10. Garnish with cilantro and serve with hot steamed rice. 

Urad dal Halwa / black lentils dessert

These are black lentils (or urad dal) that have been split and skinned. It is rich in protein so this dessert is a very healthy snack for kids and grown ups too :)

Ingredients

• 1 cups roasted urad flour, sifted
• 1/4 cup Ghee (solidified)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 pods cardamom (optional)

Method: 

If the urad flour is already roasted then follow this simple method:

1. Add the ghee in a thick bottomed pan.
2. Once the ghee melts add water and sugar and allow it to boil. ( no longer than it dissolves)
3. Now reduce the flame to low medium and add the urad flour mixture and keep stirring until it absorbs all the water and its not sticking to the pan. (its optional to add cardamom at the last)
4. Now an easy and healthy dessert is ready to serve.

If the urad flour is not roasted then follow this method:

1. Add the ghee in a thick bottomed pan.
2. Once the ghee melts add urad flour and fry on a low flame, until flour changes its color to slight golden.
3. Meantime add water and sugar in a pan, let it boil until sugar dissolves.
4. Now pour the water and sugar mixture to the flour pan and keep stirring, on a medium low flame until the flour absorbs all the water and leaves the pan without sticking.

Urundai Kuzhambu(Bengal gram balls in spicy gravy)

Bengal gram / chana dal / lentil balls cooked in spicy tamarind sauce. Its very easy to make if you follow these simple steps:
Ingredients

For grinding: ( #1)

• bengal gram - 1 cup ( washed and soaked for 2 hours)
• ginger ( 1 inch)
• garlic ( 3-4 cloves)
• cumin seeds ( 1 tsp)
• cinnamon sticks ( 1 inch)
• fennel seeds/ saunf (1 tsp)
• salt 

For making the Bengal gram balls: (#2)

• Ground gram mixture
• onions - 2 ( medium sized)
• green chillies( chopped  ) - 4 ( add more or less as preferred)
• curry leaves ( few chopped)
• cilantro ( few chopped)
• coconut ( grated) - 1/2 cup
• turmeric

For seasoning: (#3)

• Oil ( 3-4 tablespoons)
• Fenugreek seeds (1 tsp)
• Vadagam ( is a seasoning ball which most of the indians use/ if not available you can alter with these: "mustard seeds, split urad dal, and cumin seeds" )
• curry leaves ( few)
• chopped onions ( 1 - small sized onion)

For Gravy: (#4)

• 4 cups of thin tamarind extract ( small lime sized ball of tamarind)
• Turmeric( 1/4 tsp)
• chilly powder ( 5 tablespoons / as per taste)
• salt

Method

1. Soak the tamarind in 4 cups of water, extract the juiceand set aside.
2. Soak the bengal gram for 2 hours and grind it with #1 ingredients (ginger, garlic, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, cinnamon and salt, and the mixture should be little coarser and not too smooth)
3. Add #2 ingredients (onions, green chillies, curry leaves, cilantro, turmeric, and coconut) to the ground mixture and knead well. 
4. Make into a medium sized balls and keep aside.
5. Mix all the #4 ingredients ( tamarind water , salt, turmeric, chilly powder ) and keep aside.
6. Heat oil in a deep non stick pan, add the seasonings #3 (fenugreek seeds, vadagam, curry leaves, chopped onions), fry them for few minutes until the onions are slightly golden.
7. Now add the tamarind mixture into the pan and let it cook on a medium flame.
8. Once the mixture comes to a boil, add half of the balls into it and wait for few minuted until the balls come up then add the remaining balls and let it cook covered for 20-25 minutes on a low flame until the balls are well cooked. (Tips: 1 Do not mix the curry after you drop the balls as there are chances for the balls to break, instead just lift the pot and rotate on a circular motion often so it doesn't stick to the bottom and the balls are evenly cooked. 2 check the onions inside the balls- "if you press the onions with your finger tip it should be soft")
9. Now garnish with cilantro and the authentic urundai kozhambu is ready to serve with hot steamed rice or soft idlis.