Chenai Kadi

Ingredients:

Chenai (elephant Yam)            : 1/2 Kg

Ginger                                      : 1 " piece

Green Chillies                          :  2

Tur dal                                      : 1/2 cup

Grated Coconut                       :  3 tbsp

Coconut oil                               : 1 tsp

Salt                                           : to taste

Curry Leaves                            : a few

Mustard seeds                          : 1/2 tsp

Method:

Clean , peel and cut about ½ kg elephant yam. The pieces don’t have to be of the same size. They can have a minced look.

Cut a few green chillies and a piece of ginger Add to the minced Yam pieces and pressure cook. Take out , add tamarind juice and cook together for a few more minutes till the raw smell disappears.

Pressure cook tur dal ( about half cup) separately.

Grind a handful of grated coconut.

Add the dal and coconut to the yam mix and cook together for a few more minutes.

Heat coconut oil. Splutter mustard seeds and curry leaves and pour over the kadi.

paruppu thogayal

Ingredients:

Tur dal                  : 1/2 cup
Whole pepper       : 1 tbsp
OIl                         : 1 tbsp
Salt                       : to taste

Method:

heat oil and fry the tur dal till it turns golden brown. Remove.
In the same oil, fry whole pepper corns.
Cool the fried ingredients, add salt and a little water and grind to a thick paste.


Method 2:

Use equal measure of Tur dal and Channa dal.Fry in a little oil.
Fry 3 or 4 chillies in oil.
Add half cup grated coconut and salt and grind to a smooth thick paste.


Travancore/ Palakkad parupputhogayal
 Ingredients:
Split green gram dal (payaru)
Coconut
Cumin seeds
Salt
One red chilli or a few pepper corns.
Method:

Clean and dry fry split green gram and grind to a coarse powder. Soak in water for an hour. Add coconut, chillies/ pepper, Cumin seeds and salt and grind to a paste.
 

Ventha saar

Ingredients:
Tamarind  extract                from lemon sized ball
green chillies                       6 - 8
jaggery                                a small piece
Asafoetida                           a pinch
Turmeric powder                 1 tsp    
salt
gingely oil                             2 tbs
rice flour                               2 tsp
mustard seeds                     1/2 tsp
fenugreek                             1/2 tsp
Curry leaves


Method:
Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. After they splutter add the chilli pieces,fenugreek,curry leaves  and asafoetida. Add turmeric powder, tamarind water, jaggery and salt. Boil till the raw smell of tamarind evaporates.
Dissolve rice flour in some water and add it to the saar and boil for a couple of more minutes.

Vaththal kuzambu / veththa kuzambu

Ingredients:

Tamarind                                   : The size of a small lemon
Sambar podi                              : 3 tsp
OIl                                              : 3 tblsp
Mustard seeds                           : 1 tsp
Methi seeds                               : 1/2 tsp
Urad dal                                     : 1 tsp
Channa dal                                : 1 tsp
Broken Red chillies                    : 3 or 4
Asafoetida                                  : a small piece or a pinch
Curry leaves                               : 15
vaththal or diced fresh vegetable: 1/4 cup
Jaggery (optional)                       : small piece

This can be made with Drumstick/brinjal/Okra or onions. Sundaikkai vaththal and Manthakkali vaththal are good in this kuzambu.
Soak tamarind the size of a medium sized Lemon and extract thick pulp.
Heat a thick bottomed pan and add three tablespoons of oil (preferably gingelly/sesame)
When the oil is hot add mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add half a spoon methi seeds,  a spoon each of urad dal and channa dal, three or four red chillies, curry leaves  and a pinch of hing.
Add the vegetable pieces and saute for 2 minutes.
Add a tablespoon of sambar powder (recipe here) . Then add the tamarind pulp and salt as required.
Add a small piece of jaggery ( one spoon if using powdered jaggery).
Let the mixture boil for 6 minutes on medium flame.
If the kuzambu is too runny dissolve 1/2 tsp rice flour in water and pour it into the kuzambu. Switch off when it thickens.
THis is how it is traditionally made.

I learnt a secret  technique from a lady who always gets the right consistency and taste. Here goes:

Dry fry 11/2 tsp each of Urad dal and Tur dal, a few pepper corns and curry leaves. Powder. Dissolve required quantity in a little water and add to the kuzambu. It will  thicken to perfect consistency. If you are  doing this avoid using rice flour in the recipe above.

Kanyakumari vathal kuzambu.

It is important that you use gingelly oil for the taste.

Gingelly oil                           4 tblsp
Mustard                                1 tsp
Tamarind water                     from a lemon size ball
Sundaikkai vaththal              a fistful
Urad dal                                1 tsp
channa dal                            1 tsp
Salt
Curry leaves

To fry and powder:
Channa dal                           1 tbsp
Urad dal                                1 tbsp
Red Chillies                           as per spice requirement 5 or more
dhaniya seeds                       1/2 tsp


Method :
Heat gingelly oil. Splutter mustard seeds. add urad dal and cahnna dal. When they turn golden, add tamarind water, salt  and the powder.
When it has boiled well and reduced to kuzambu consistecy take off fire.
Fru sundaikkai vaththal and add.

Murungai ilai poricheri / poricha kari

Ingredients:
Drumstick leaves                      : 1 cup (cleaned)
Thuvaram paruppu/ Tur Dal     : 1/2 cup (pressure cooked)
Grated Coconut                        : from half a coconut
Dried Red Chillies                     : To taste (3 for medium spice)
Jeeragam/ Cumin                      : 1 tsp
Kadugu/ Mustard seeds            : 1 tsp
Ulutham paruppu/ Urad dal       : 1 tsp
Curry leaves                              : a few
Turmeric Powder                       : 1 Tsp
Salt                                            : To Taste
Oil                                              : 1 Tbsp (use coconut oil for added taste)


Method:

In a little oil fry 2 tbsp grated coconut till it turns light brown. Keep aside for garnish.
Grind the rest of the coconut with jeera and red chillies to a fine paste.
Add this paste to the boiled leaves.
Add the boiled and mashed dal.
Boil together for about 5 minutes on  low flame.
Heat oil and add mustard seedsn. Once they splutter add urad dal and curry leaves. Pour over the mixture. Finally add the fried coconut.
Serve with rice.

In place of drumstick leaves, mixed vegetables can be used : raw banana - 1/2; White pumpkin-  a small wedge; brinjals - 1 or 2; beans - a few; elephant yam (chenai)- a small piece; green peas - a fistful; drumstick - 1
Cut all vegetables into small squares.
Rest of the procedure is same as above. In this avatar, it is called Poricha kuzambu.

Method 2:

Ingredients:
Split green gram                        a fistful
Elephant yam                            150gms
Raw plantain                               or 2

Snake gourd                              1 small
White brinjal                               100 gms
Turmeric powder                        1 tsp
Salt                                             as required

to be ground to a smooth paste:
Shredded Coconut                     1/2 cup
Red chillies                                 3 or 4  (depending on tolerance)
Cumin seeds                               1 tsp

For tempering:
Coconut oil                                 1 Tsp
Mustard seeds                           1/2 tsp
Cumin                                         1/2 tsp 


Method:
Boil the dal separately in sufficient water mash it and keep aside. Can be pressure cooked.
Cut vegetables, add a spoon of turmeric powder and salt and cook in sufficient water.
Once the vegetables are cooked add the ground paste and dal and boil together for a few minutes.
Finally heat coconut oil, splutter mustard seeds , add cumin seeds and pour over the poricha kari.

Thalagam

Ingredients 

Vegetables: Any vegetable except onion and drumstick (raw banana is a must). Usually it is done with a mix of several vegetables.

Tamarind                                :  a lemon sized ball

Manjapodi/Turmeric Powder  :  1 spoon

Vellam/ Jaggery                      :  a small piece

Salt                                         :  to taste

Grated Coconut                      :  4-5 tblsp

Red chillies                             :  3-4 for a cup of vegetables (for medium spice)

Urad dal                                  :  1 tsp

Raw rice                                  :  1/2 Tsp

Curry Leaves                           :   a few

Oil                                            :  for frying and tempering.

Mustard                                    :  1 tsp

Method:

Cut vegetables in big sizes as for sambar. 

Extract  tamarind pulp. To this add  haldi + salt + lil jaggery and cook the vegetables.

Fry coconut very well.

Separately fry red chillis + urad dal + little rice + curry leaves.

Grind the red chillis and coconut to fine paste.

Add this paste to cooked vegetables and boil it once. Add curry leaves to this.

Season this with mustard + 1 red chilli.

This goes well with Thiruvadhirai Kali as well as hot rice.

Arachu Kalakki

Ingredients:


Grated Coconut                       4 tbsp

Jeera                                       1/2 tsp
Asafoetida                                a pinch

Beaten Curd                            1 cup
3 or 4 Vadu manga pieces or a couple of pickeld nellikkais. If not using any pickle, add 1 or 2 red chillies and salt.

For seasoning:
Oil                                           2 tsp
Mustard                                  1/2 tsp

Preparation Method:

Grind together all the ingredients. If pickles are not available, include red chillies and salt while grinding

idli kozhukkattai

Ingredients

Idli Rice                 : 2 cups(Soaked for 4 hours)
Grated coconut     : 1/2 cup
Salt                       : to taste

For garnishing:
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
red chilli - 2 nos
Curry leaves (chopped) - a few
Oil - 2 tsps

Method:

1. Soak the idli rice in water for 4 hours.
2. Grind the soaked rice coarsely adding a little water. At the end, add the grated coconut to the mixture as well.
3. Heat oil in a kadai and when hot, add mustard seeds, urad seeds, red chillies and currly leaves.
4. Allow them to splutter.
5. Add the rice mixture and mix with salt till cooked and thick.
6. Make it into oblong kozhukattais or balls and steam it in the cooker.
7. Serve hot with chutney or arachu kalakki


Recipe courtesy: Bangaloremom (Via dailysamayal)

pulingkari

Ingredients:
Vegetable of choice                : 300 gms (can use mixed vegetables together)
Tamarind juice                        : from a small lemon sized ball
Channa dal (kadalai paruppu): 1 tsp
Dried red chillies                     : 3 or 4
Methi seeds                            : 1/2 tsp
curry leaves
Raw rice                                  : 1/2 tsp
Freshly grated coconut            : from half a coconut
Turmeric powder                      : 1 tsp
Mustard seeds                         : 1/2 tsp
Jaggery (optional)
Oil                                            : 1 tsp

 Method:

Cut the vegetable and boil it in tamarind juice along with turmeric powder and salt. Add a small piece of  jaggery if you like. (a spoon if using powder)

In a little oil fry kadalaiparuppu, methi seeds, raw rice, red chillies and curry leaves. Grind together with coconut into a smooth paste.

When the veggies are cooked and the raw smell of tamarind evaporates, add the ground paste and boil for  a few more minutes.

Heat oil, splutter mustard seeds and pour over the mixture. Garnish with curry leaves and coriander leaves.

Chuttu araicha kuzambu

Ingredients (To cook for 4-5 people):

Fresh/ dry/ stale coconut        :1/2 coconut

Red chilli                                 :  4/5 nos.

Jeera                                       : 1 teaspoon

Vegetables that may be used for this are - Onion (both regular or sambar onion); Potato; Lady finger; Drumstick; Pumpkin. You may use one or few or all of these vegetables - as required

Tamarind Juice                         : as required

Turmeric Powder

Salt

Curry Leaves

Mustard Seeds

Method:

Cut coconut into big pieces and roast it till slightly black on direct flame.

Dry roast red chilli + jeera.

Grind the roasted coconut with the red chilli and jeera into fine paste.

Cut the desired vegetables into pieces like for sambar.

Cook the vegetables along with turmeric powder, tamarind juice and salt till the vegetables are cooked and soft. Then add the coconut paste with little water. The consistency of this kozhambu is slightly thick. Once the kozhambu starts frothing, remove from gas and season it with fresh curry leaves and mustard seeds.

This kozhambu will be slightly black.

 

Note: Coconuts that have been used for lighting deepam during Pooja can also be raosted and used for this kuzambu.

Pitlai

Ingredients:
Two or three different vegetables like Drumstick, snake gourd(pudalangkai) , potatoes and avaraikai (Hyacinth Beans) - a large cupful of cut mixed vegetables
Tamarind                  : small lemon-size
Salt                           : to taste
Tur dal                      : 1/2 cup
Curry leaves             : a few

To be ground to a paste:
Urad dal                    : 1 Tsp
Red chillies               : 4 (if spicy) or more if less spicy
Peppercorns             : 10
Shredded Coconut    : 2 tbsp
Asafoetida                 : a pinch
Oil                             : 1 tsp

For seasoning:
Oil                             : 1 tsp
Mustard seeds          : 1/2 tsp
Urad dal                    : 1/2 Tsp

Preparation Method:

Pressure cook the tur dal and keep aside.
In a little oil, fry urad dal and red chillies, pepper corns and asafoetida. Grind them together with shredded coconut into a smooth taste.
Add enough water to the mixed vegetables cut to bite sized bits. Add turmeric powder and salt and boil the vegetables.
Once the vegetables are half cooked, add tamarind water and boil till the vegetables are well-cooked.
Add the ground paste and boil  for two minutes.
Mash the pressure cooked dal and add it and stir the mix together well.
Switch off after boiling for another minute.
This is how it used to be made in my house. So i call it kalathur method.
Method 2:
You can also add a spoon of fried channa dal to the ingredients to be ground to a paste. You can fry two spoons of coconut and add it to the pitlai in the end.
This is Travancore method.

Method 3:

Pitlai with brinjals and bittergourd are usually prepared using the following masala ingredients:
Dhaniya seeds                   : 2 spoons
Channa dal                        : 1 spoon
Red chillies                        : 2 or 3
Methi seeds                       : 1/2 spoon
Coconut                             : 4 tblsp


Fry the above one after the other and grind to a paste.
Rest of the preparation method is the same as Method 1. This tastes like araichu vitta sambar with a lot of vegetables.

This is how it is made in Thanjavur families.

Keerai recipes

Keerai molaguttal / keerai kootu

Ingredients: 

Keerai                     1 large bunch

Moong or Tur dal    1/2 cup

Jeera                      1 spoon

Urad dal                 1 tsp

red chillies              1 or 2

Salt

Oil                           for tempering

Preparation Method:

Thandu keerai (Amaranth)  is best for the recipe.

Clean, cut and boil the greens with some cumin seeds. Mash the cooked keerai nicely with a wooden masher (Maththu). Using a blender doesn’t give the same taste as the maththu. but can be done in the absence of masher.

Boil dal (half cup or less depending on the quantity of greens used)

Add to the mashed greens. Add salt.

In a spoon of oil fry urad dal, red chillies and a little coconut . Grind and add to the mixture.

Cook together for a few minutes.

Heat oil. Splutter mustard seeds and a red chilli and pour over the keerai masiyal.

Mor keerai

Molai keerai/arai keerai  1 bunch ( about 3 cups of loosely packed greens of any type)
coconut                           grated, 5 table spoons
green chillies                  1
cumin                              1/2 teaspoon
coconut oil                      1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon
mustard                          1/2 teaspoon
Curd                               whipped
salt to taste
Method:

Rinse the greens very well and chop roughly

Grind coconut, chilli and cumin into a fine paste

In a heavy-pan add the greens and enough water to just immerse the greens, salt to taste
( add salt carefully - greens tend to shrink a lot and the quantity of the final dish reduces )
After the greens are cooked completely mash it well.
Add the ground paste and continue to cook for 3-4 minutes
Add the coconut oil
Finally add the tadka of mustard in coconut oil and sizzle over the cooked greens

Cool the dish completely and add the whipped yogurt just before serving.

Recipe Courtesy: Shalini Via dailysamayal.

Kadainja keerai / keerai masiyal

Ingredients:
 Any variety of greens- mulaikeerai*, araikeerai* or thandu* - 1 large bunch cleaned and cut
Onion                          a few Sambar Onions or one large onion diced
Garlic flakes                3 or 4 peeled and crushed
Tomato                        1 ; cut into large pieces
Gren chillies                3 or 4 slit
Tur dal                         half cup
Salt                      
For tempering:
Oil                               a little
Mustard                      1/2 tsp


Method:       
Clean and chop the greens.
Wash dal and boil it in water. When dal is half-cooked add all the other ingredients. Keep the vessel covered. periodically stir the contents. when the dal gets completely cooked transfer the ingredients to a large vessel and mash them together nicely using a Mathu (Curd churner pic)
If you want to use a blender carefully take out only the greens, chillies, tomato and garlic and mash them in the blender. For the dal use the back of a heavy spoon and make it into a smooth paste. Mix them together.
Heat oil, add mustard and when it splutters add it to the dal.

Note: onion and garlic can be avoided.

Keerai Sambar

The stems of Thandu keerai (Amaranth) are ideal for this. You can also add some keerai leaves along with the stems. Other keerais can also be used.

Ingredients:
Tur dal                                 1/2 cup pressure cooked and mashed
Tamarind water                    from a small lemon sized ball
Sambar podi                        2 tsp
Salt
Curry leaves                        a sprig

For seasoning
Oil                                       1 tsp
Mustard                               1/2 tsp
asafoetida                           a pinch

Preparation Method:
Heat a little oil in a vessel and add cut keerai stems and leaves. Add tamarind water, sambar powder and salt. Boil till raw smell evaporates. Now add the dal and mix well. Boil for a few more minutes.
Heat oil and splutter mustard seeds, add asafoetida and curry leaves and pour over the sambar.