Kuzhambus - Gravies of South India!

Hariyali Dhal - spinach and dhal complement eachother!

Chana dhal - ½ cup ( cook for 2 whistles in 1 ½ cups of water & drain)

This is a minimum oil dish.

Spinach (palak) - 2 cups ( boil plenty of water in a pan, add this & cook for 2-3 mtes. Drain, refresh in ice cold water, drain & blend to a puree)

Heat in a pan:

Oil - 1 tsp & add

Jeera - 1 tsp

Hing - ¼ tsp

Kasuri methi ( crush between palms) - 1 tsp

Next add:

Onions, chopped - ¾ cup

Green chillies, minced - 1 tbsp

Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tsp

Saute till onions turn pink & add

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Garam masala powder - ½ tsp

Salt

Cook for 2 mtes & add spinach puree with

Milk - ¼ cup & drained water, ½ cup

Cook for 3-4 mtes.

Add dhal & simmer for 4-5 mtes.

Serve hot with any pulao.

 

Avarekalu (mochai) Sambar - no dhal or tamarind!

An ILite gave me this recipe.

Soaked, Peeled and Boiled Mochai -1cup
Boiled and cubed potato-1
Tomatoes, chopped-3-4
Grind to a paste (without frying)
Red Chilli – 6-7
Gram Dhal- 2 tsp
Urad Dhal-1tsp
Dhania – 4 tsp
Cinnamon-1/2”
Khus Khus – 2 tsp
Copra – 2 tbs
Cook chopped tomatoes, salt, haldi till soft.
Add cooked mochai, potatoes and paste.
Simmer to boil. Add enough water to get desired consistency.
Simmer for a few mins and serve. No tempering is necessary.
This can be made with thuvarangai also.
The first is with that & second with averakalu.

 

Gonkura Pappu - the Andhra way!

Tur dhal - 1 cup

Cleaned gonkura leaves - 2 cups

Green chillies - 2-3 or to taste

To temper:

Oil + ghee - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Urad dal - 2 tsp

Red chillies - 2,3-broken

Curry leaves & hing

Boil dhal with 2 cups of water, leaves, green chillies & haldi till soft.

Cool & whisk.

Temper as given above & blend thoroughly.

Garnish with onions, chopped & sauted in ghee.

Goes very well with rice-ghee or rotis.

 

Drumstick theeyal - a nice new recipe!!

Cut drumsticks 2” long.

Drumstick pieces - 2 cups

Small onions - 10-12

Tomatoes - 2,3, chopped

Roast in ½ tsp oil:

Small onions - 7, 8

Saunf - a tiny pinch (more by choice)

Coconut - ½ cup

Dhanya powder - 1 tsp

Red chilli powder - 2 tsp

Hing & curry leaves

Grind to a fine paste:

Tamarind paste - 1-2 tsp

Salt

To temper;

mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Heat 1 tbsp oil & fy onions & tomatoes first till soft & then add drumsticks & hadi.

Saute & add ttamarind paste + salt + 1 cup o water.

Cook till drumsticks become soft.

Add paste , simmer to boil for 2-3 mtes.

Remove & temper.

 

Omum Kuzambu - for postpartum use as well.

This is a digestive, but, tast kuzambu! Preserves for up to 10 days in the fridge.

Mix hot white rice + ghee+ dhal (kalathukku paruppu) & eat with this rice!!

First dry roast;

Methi seeds, ajwain, jeera - each ½ tsp

Dry ginger - 1”

Pepper - 1 tsp

Hing - ½ tsp

Curry leaves - few

And then add

Coconut - 2 tbsp

Roast till the coconut becomes dry.

Grind fine with:

Tamarind paste - 2 tsp (or to taste)

Dhaniya & red chilli powder - 1 tsp, each

Mix with salt & ½ cup of water.

Simmer to get desired thickness.

Temper with mustard seeds.

Keeps for a week in refrigerator.

 

Coriander Leaf Sambar - aroma & flavor besides taste!!

Clean, chop & wash coriander leaves thoroughly.

Chopped leaves - 1 cup

Tamarind paste - 2 tsp (or to taste)

Cooked thur dhal - ½ cup

To roast in 1 tsp oil & grind to a paste:

Red chillies - 3,4

Gramdhal - 2 tsp

Dhaniya - 4 tsp

Methi seeds & jeera - ½ tsp each

Hing - ½ tsp

To temper:

Oil - 2 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Chopped tomatoes - 2

Slit green chillies - 2

Salt

Heat oil & temper mustard seeds.

Next add tomatoes, green chillies & coriander leaves.

Saute till they get mushy.

Add tamarind paste with 1 cup of water & salt.

Boil for 5 mtes & add cooked dhal & the paste.

Add water to get the desired consistency.

Boil & simmer for 5 mtes.

 

Brinjal-Drumstick Masal Kuzambu - make it spicy!!

Brinjals, onions, tomatoes - 200 gms, each, cut into long pieces

drumsticks - 2, cut 2” long

Ginger - garlic paste - 2 tsp

Chilli powder - 2 tsp

Dhaniya powder - 3 tsp

Haldi, Salt

Green chillies - 3, 4

Roast & powder:

Groundnuts - 4 tsp

Gram dhal - 2 tsp

Tur dhal & urad dhal - 1 tsp, each

Curry leaves - few

To temper;

Oil - 2 tbsp

Saunf & jeera - ½ tsp, each

Heat oil, temper as given & sauté onions.

When glossy, add tomatoes, green chillies & fry.

Add red chilli powder & dhaniya powder.

Fry lightly & add brinjals & drumsticks.

Add haldi, water, salt; cover & cook till soft.

Mix enough powder with little water & add, to thicken.

Simmer to required consistency.

 

Beetroot-Peanut Pitlai - a less common combo!!

Soaked & boiled raw peanuts - 1 cup

Peeled,cubed & boiled beetroot - 1 cup

Cooked tur dhal - ½ cup

Tamarind paste - 2 tsp

Sambar powder - 1 tsp

Salt

Roast in ½ tsp oil & grind to a paste:

Red chillies - 4, 5

Dhaniya - 3 tsp

Gram dhal & uurad dhal, each - 1 ½ tsp

Methi seeds - ½ tsp

Small onions - 2,3 (optional)
Tomato - 1, chopped

hing & curry leaves

Add 1 cup of water to tamarind paste with salt, haldi & sambar powder.

Cook for one whisle.

Open, add cooked peanuts + beetroot, ground paste & cooked dhal.

Adjust the thickness to desired consistency by adding little water.

Cook for one whistle.

Temper with mustard seeds in ½ tspoil & garnish with choppd coriander .

 

Rayar Sambar - has an inviting flavor!!

Make sambar, the usual way, with sambar powder.

At the end, add either of the following pastes, give 2-3 boils, remove & keep covered for the flavours to penetrate.

1 – grind ½ cup of chopped fresh coriander leaves fine & add.

2 – chop 3-4 small onions. Pour boilng water over the same & allow to stand for 2-3 mtes. Drain & add chopped fresh coriander leaves & grind.
This is excellent with tiffins.

 

Sukku / Dry ginger Kuzambu - to drive away the Deepaval ‘blues’!

This is good for digestion & makes you feel light on the stomach.
The levels of dry ginger powder & pepper powder depend on how spicy, you want it.

Small onions (or big) chopped - 1 cup

Garlic, chopped - 2 tbsp

Tamarind - 2-3 tsp ( to taste)

Dry ginger powder - 1 tbsp

Pepper powder - 4-5 tsp ( to suit your spice level)

Gingelly oil - 2 tbsp

Salt

Heat 1 tbsp oil & sauté onions & garlic.

Next add tamarind paste + 1 cup of water with the dry ginger powder.

When it starts boiling, simmer & cook for 5 mtes.

Finally add salt+pepper powder & cook just for a 2-3 mtes

Remove & temper 1 tsp mustard seeds in 1 tbsp gingelly oil.