Inji pachadi and Puli Inji

Ingredients
Ginger                        the size of a finger
Red chillies                 3-4
Coriander seeds         1tsp
Tamarind                    the size of a large marble
Grated Coconut         3  to 4 tblsp
Salt                            To taste
Mustard                     1 Tsp
Urad dal                    1 tsp
Oil                             2 tblsp
Jaggery                      a small piece or 2 tsp powdered.


Method:
Peel the skin and saute the ginger in a little oil till it turns brown
Fry the red chilly, Coriander seeds and grated coconut  separately
Grind the ginger along with these and tamarind. Add salt.
In a pan heat the rest of the oil, temper mustard seeds and urad dal.
Finally add the ginger paste and  saute them together till it thickens.
Switch off and add the jaggery.


A variation of this is 
Puli Inji

Ingredients:

Tamarind                     Size of a lemon

Green Chillies             1Cup (Chopped Fine)

Ginger                         ½ Cup (Chopped Fine)

Oil                               2 tbsp

Mustard Seeds           1 Tsp

Asafoetida                   ½ tsp

Turmeric powder         ½ Tsp

Salt

Jaggery                        a small piece

Method:

Soak Tamarind for a few minutes and extract thick pulp.

Heat oil in a pan. Add Mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add the ginger and Green chillies and turmeric powder. Saute for 2 minutes.

Add the tamarind extract and salt.

After it has boiled well add Jaggery.  When it is thick like a pickle remove from fire.

Pathiya Samayal

Molagushyam

Can be made with Vazhai, Chenai, White pumpkin, Beans or a combination of these 

Ingredients:

Vegetables (cut into small cubes) : 2 cups

Moong dal                                     : 1/2 cup (lightly fried and pressure cooked)

Turmeric powder                           : 1/2 spoon

Pepper powder                             : 1 tsp ( adjust according to karam required)

Salt                                               : to taste

Curry leaves                                 : 2 sprigs

Coconut oil                                   : 2 tsps

Method:

Dry fry pepper corns and powder them.

Boil vegetables. Add salt,turmeric powder and pepper powder.

When it comes to a boil add the cooked dal and gently mash it together with the boiled vegetables. Add enough water for the required consistency. Boil together for a few minutes.

Add curry leaves and coconut oil  after turning off the flame.

Serve with hot rice.

                                      Rasam (without Puli) 

Ingredients:

Ripe Tomato (diced)         : 1

Pepper powder                 : 1 tsp

Salt                                   : To taste

Garlic flakes crushed        : 2/3

Ghee                                : 1/2 tsp

Mustard seeds                  : 1/2 tsp

Powdered Cumin              : 1 tsp

Method:

Cut tomatoes, add pepper and salt and enough water and bring it to boil.

Once it has boiled well , add crushed garlic. Boil for 2 more minutes.

Heat ghee. Splutter mustard seeds. Add jeeraga podi.(Cumin powder)

Pour it over the rasam.

Serve hot.

Can be drunk as soup. Great for throat related problems, cold, flatulence etc.

Can be mixed with hot rice.

                                           Digestive Thogayal /Thuvayal

Ingredients:

Freshly Grated Coconut        : 1/2 cup

Ginger                                  : a small piece about  an inch

Tamarind                              : a marble size ball

Urad dal                               : 1 tsp

Hing                                     : a pinch

Red Chilli                             : 1 or 2

Sesame seeds                      : 1 tsp.

Oil                                       : 1 tsp
Curry leaves                        : a handful

Method:

Toast the sesame seeds in a hot pan. Set aside.

In a tsp oil, fry urad dall till it turns red. Add red chilli and hing.

To the above add coconut, tamarind, ginger, curry leaves and salt and grind to a smooth paste.

Can be served on any  festive occasion to lighten the burden on the digestive system.

                                             Kariveppilai Podi (for upset stomach)

Ingredients

Curry leaves                    : 1 cup

Moong dal                      : a fistful

Red chillies                      : 1 or 2

Hing ( asafoetida)            : a pinch

Salt

Method:

Dry fry curry leaves in a hot pan. Set aside.

Dry fry the chilly/ies moong dal and asafoetida.

Grind together to a coarse powder.

Serve with hot rice and sesame oil ( nallennai/ gingelly oil).

Works like miracle to cure upset stomach.

You can dry fry curry leaves, pepper corn and jeera (cumin) and make a powder. This has similar effect.

Veppampoo-Vengayam vadhakkal for stomach pain

Peel 5 or 6 sambar onions.

Heat a spoon of oil. Splutter mustard seeds and saute the onions. 

After 2/3 minutes add a palmful of  dried neem flowers to the onions and saute for 2 more minutes.

Add salt.

Serve with hot rice and ghee.

inji Thuvayal

Ingredients:

Ginger                            :  1/2 cup grated
Tamarind                        :  size of small marble
Urad dal                         :  1 tsp
Green chilli                    :   2
Coconut                         :   3 tblsp
Curry leaves                  :   20
Salt
Oil                                  : 1 tblsp

Method:

In a little oil fry urad dal and curry leaves. Drain set aside.
Add rest of the oil and saute ginger and green chillies/
Add coconut, tamarind, green chillies and salt. Grind to a smooth paste.
You can add a little jaggery to this while grinding.

This is usually made along with feast food to aid digestion.

A variation of this can be made as accompaniment to idli/ dosa or hot rice. Here the ginger is less and coconut is more.

Ingredients:
Urad dal                    2 Tablespoons
Fried Gram                2 Tablespoons (Pottu kadalai)
Red chillies               3 or 4 (or more if you like it spicier)
Curry leaves             15
asafoetida                 a pinch
Grated Coconut        half a coconut
Ginger                       1 " piece
Salt
Jaggery                     a little
Tamarind                   a sliver

Method:

In a little oil fry  urad dal,  fried gram, red chillies , curry leaves and asafetida. Cool.

Add  grated coconut,  ginger, tamarind, salt and jaggery.

Grind together to a smooth paste.