Kuzhambus - Gravies of South India!

Keerai Puliseri - a Palghat signature dish!!

This goes best with hot rice+ghee, a roast curry/paruppusili and papadum.

Thick sour curds - 1 cup

Cooked greens/keerai - ½ cup

Grind to a paste:

Coconut - ½ cup

Red chillies - 3 (slightly roasted in a drop of oil)

Jeera - ½ tsp

To temper:

Coconut oil - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Red chillies - 1-2

Methi seeds/powder - a pinch

To the cooked greens, add the paste mixed with little water & give a boil.

Switch off, add salt & beaten curds.

Mix with a ladle for 1-2 mtes to prevent ‘breakage’ of curds.

Temper as given.

 

Jain Cholar Dhal - - khub balo ?

This is a Bengali dish – very, very yummy!! They eat this with luchis, but we can eat it like our traditional paruppu saadam.I fell in love with this dish!

Channa dhal - ½ cup ( soak for 1 hr in warm water or cold water for 3-4 hrs)

Minced green chillies & ginger - 1 tsp

salt, haldi, sugar

To temper:

ghee - 1 tbsp (this is traditional & gives a nice taste; use oil optionally)

Red chillies - 2

Coconut - 2 tbsp ( chopped small pieces is traditional – I added grated coconut)

Bay leaf - 1 piece

cardamom - 2-3

Cinnamon - 1”

jeera - 1 tsp

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Jeera powder - ½ tsp

Cook drained gram dhal with 2 ½ volumes of water, haldi & green chilli-ginger paste. Do not make it mushy; keep it grainy but soft.

In direct pressurepan cooking, after first whistle, simmer for 5mtes.

Cool, open & temper as given. The coconut should become golden in colour.

Add to dhal & simmer till flavours are absorbed. This is slightly thick.

 

Whole Moong Stew - goes best with Puttu – aappam & ofcourse, rice!

If eating with rice use it as a side dish for vathakuzambu, pliyodarai etc.

Whole green moong - ½ cup

To cook with moong - 2 red chillies

Thick coconut milk - 5-6 tbsp

To temper:

Oil - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Urad dhal - 2 tsp

Red chillies - 2-3

Curry leaves.

lightly roast moong & soak in plenty of water for 5-6 hrs.

Wash,add red chillies & cook with just enough water till soft, but not mushy.

Cool, open & add salt.

Add coconut milk & temper as given.

Mix very well.

In the photo, it is served with ragi puttu.

 

Chettinadu Pasiparuppu Pachadi - not a raitha, but a gravy!

This goes with rice and all tiffins.

Boil together in a pressure pan:

Moong dhal - 1/3 cup ( soaked for 1 hour & drained)

Potatoes, brinjals, tomatoes, onions - each ½ cup, cubed ( add more amount of these vegetables if preferable).

Slit green chillies - 3-4 ( to taste)

with 2 cups of water, haldi & salt. After the whistle comes, lower the stove & cook for 5 mtes.

Cool, open & mix well.

Temper as follows:

Oil - 1 tsp

Red chillies - 2

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

urad dhal - 2 tsp

Curry leaves - few.

You can make a meal out of this dish!!

 

Kasuri Methi Dhal - when fresh greens are not available.

Masoor dhal & moong dhal - each ½ cup

Minced ginger - 2 tsp

Kasuri methi - 2 tbsp

Whole red chilli - 1

Haldi, salt & 1 tsp oil

Mix & wash both dhals. Drain.

Cook with all the above ingredients and 3 ½ cups of water in a pressure pan.

After the first whisle, cook on low fire for 10 mtsw.

Allow to cool & open.

Temper in 2 tbsp oil:

Hing - a pinch

Methi powder - ½ tsp

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Dhaniya powder - 2 tsp

Garam masala powder - ½ tsp

Mix well & add chopped coriander leaves.

 

Sultani dhal - a less common,combo!

I watched this recipe shown in a TV programme.

Khichdi dhal (split mong dhal with green skin) - ½ cup

Tur dhal - ¼ cup

Mix & soak the above dhals in warmwater for 1 hr or in cold water for 4-5 hrs.

Wash & drain well.

Cook in 2 cups of water with:

Minced green chillies-ginger-garlic - 1 tbsp

Chopped tomatoes - 2

Cook directly in pressure pan simmering for 10 mtes after first whistle.

Cool & open.

Add salt & mash with a ladle. Do not use blender.

Heat 2 tsp ghee & temper with 1 tsp jeera & 3 tbsp chopped onions, sauting them till light brown.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

 

Milaku VeLLam - a Palghat Speciality!

Goes best with any roast curry.This is ideally made when the digestion is less than perfect
or one is convalescing after illness.

Curds must be very sour & pepper, freshly powdered.

Curds - 1 cup

Pepper powder - 1 tsp (or to taste – can be a little more)

Salt

To temper:

Ghee - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Jeera - ½ tsp

Curry leaves - few

Boil pepper powder, haldi & salt in ½ cup of water till it reduces to 2 tbsp, on low fire.

Add thick curds, beaten well to that & mix.

Remove when it froths around the edge & mix thoroughly – this is important.

Temper.

 

Methi Leaves kuzambu - irresistible flavor!

Amma used to be make tis with only tamarind paste. But as for many of my kuzambus, I add 2 tomatoes to 1 tsp tamarind paste.

Select a big bunch of methi leaves, pick the leaves & tender roots, chop & wash. Drain very well.

To roast in ½ tsp oil & grind to a paste:

Red chillies - 3-4

Pepper - ½ tsp

gram & urad dhals - 1 tsp each

Jeera - ½ tsp

Grated coconut - 2-3 tbsp

Hing, salt

To temper:

Oil - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Tur dhal - 2 tsp

Methi seeds - ½ tsp

Keep the mixture of tamarind paste + tomato pulp ready, mixed with 1 cup of water.

In a kadai, temper as given.

Now add 2 cups of methi leaves, lower the flame & sauté till they shrink.

Add the mixture of tamarind paste + tomato pulp, salt & haldi.

After it boils for a few mtes, add the ground paste.

Add enough water o get the desired consistency & simmer ill it boils.

Remove & serve hot.

 

Paruppu Kadayal - a rural recipe, down south! Cook together in a pressure pan: Tu

Cook together in a pressure pan:

Tur dhal - ½ cup (soaked in warm waterfor 30 mtes)

Tamarind paste - 1 tsp

Tomaoes - 2

Green chillies - 2-3or to taste

Red chilli powder

DO NOT ADD SALT NOW.

When the first whistle comes, simmer & cook for 10 mtes.

Cool & open.

Add salt & mash with awhisk or potato masher ( do not use blender).

Temper in 1 tsp oil:

Redchillies - 2

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Jeera - ½ tsp

Crushed garlic - 2-3 pieces

Curry leaves - few

Add the above & mash once more.

Best served with hot rice + ghee


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Khatta Urad Dhal - goes with hot rice+ghee, besides rotis.

Use thick, sour curds for a tangy taste.

White broken urad dhal - ½ cup

Thick sour curds - 1 cup

Red chilli powder - 1-2 tsp

Garam masaa - 1 tsp

Minced garlic - 1-2 tsp

Hing, haldi, salt

Soak urad dhal n warm water for 1 hour.

Drain 7 cook with 1 ½ cups of water & adi.

When the first whistle cmes, simmer & cook for 5-8mtes depending on how soft you like it.

Cool, open, add salt & temper masalas+garlic in 1 tsp ghee.

Simmer for a few mtes for the flavours to blend.

Switch off , add well beaten curds & stir for a few mtes fo good texture.