Sambar

Ingredients:

Tuvar Dal (Red gram) - 1 cup, Red Onion - 1/2, Green chillies slit - 2
Tamarind - ½ lemon sized ball, Oil – as required, Salt to taste

Vegetables (peeled and cut into bite sized pieces )

2 brinjals, 1 small yam, 1 small red pumpkin, 3 french beans, 1 carrot, 1 potato,
2 drumsticks


For Sambar Masala, grind and mix well the following

Red chillies – 5 to 6 , Coriander seeds – 1 tbsp, Fenugreek Seeds – 1 tsp,
Trumeric Powder – 1 tsp, Asafoetida - ½ tsp, Cumin powder -1/4 tsp(Optional)

For tempering

Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp, Red chillies - 3, Curry Leaves - a sprig. Oil-as needed
Garlic-3 or 4 cloves

Method:

Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup of warm water for sometime,squeeze and take the extract from it. Keep aside. Cook the dal in a pressure cooker,adding required water,salt,1/2 tsp of ghee/oil,sliced onion and green chillies. When the dal is done, remove the lid and add the tamarind extract, stir and simmer for some more time ,so that the dal is mashed well. Now add the cut vegetables into the cooker and cook till they are done, adding the sambar masala and extra water(if required). Once the vegetables are cooked, keep the cooker aside. In a frying pan heat oil, add mustard seeds and allow them to splutter. Add red chillies, curry leaves, and the garlic (just hit them a little to break the skin). Fry for a minute. Add this to the sambhar, mix well and simmer for few more minutes and serve hot.

Chakkar Pongal

Ingredients
• 2 cups long grain rice
• 1 cup moong dal (without skins)
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh coconut cut into small pieces or shredded coconut
• 3/4 cup ghee
• 2 1/2 cup sugar
• 6 cardamoms
• 4 tablespoons of raisins and cashews
• 2 cups milk
• 21/2 cups water

Method

• Dry roast the moong dal on medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes till it becomes light pink and a nice aroma arises.
• Cook the rice and moong dal in 2 cups milk + 2 1/2 cups water in rice cooker or on stove in a pan.
• In the meantime, while it is cooking melt the 3 tablespoons of ghee and fry the raisins and cashews on medium heat till cashews turn light golden, drain them and and fry coconut pieces or shredded coconut in the same ghee till golden. Set all these seasoning aside. Crush the cardamom to powder.
• When the rice gets cooked remove the rice and place it in a pan large enough to hold it and the sugar. Add sugar, cook on medium heat till all the sugar is absorbed. Stir it often to avoid burning.
• After the sugar has been absorbed add 1/2 cup ghee and turn off the stove.
• Add the fried coconut, cashews, raisins and cardamom powder. Stir it and let it stay on the stove for 2 or 3 minutes.
• Afterwards remove from heat. Serve warm.