Easy vathakuzhambu!

Tamarind : Big lemon size ( or use tamarind paste accordingly)

Gingely oil : 4 tsps

Mustard: 1 tsp

Red Chillies - 2 or 3

Mehti or vendayam or fenugreek seeds : 1 tsp

Tur dal or thuvaramparupu or redgram- 2 tsps

Omam or ajwain or tymol seeds : 1 tsp

Manathakkali vatral - 1 tsp (Sunberry) - (vatral = salted and sundried)

Sambar powder or red chillie powder : 2 tsps

Salt - 1 and a 1\2 tsps

Asafoetida powder - 1tsp

Groundnuts : half cup

Tapioca - sliced - 1 cup

Rice flour - 1 to 2 tsps

curry leaves for garnishing

1. Take a pressure pan.

2. Extract the pulp from tamarind apprx 2 to 21/2 cups.

3. Heat oil in a pressure pan, splutter mustards. Add red gram, chillies, mehthi or fenugreek seeds and fry till golden brown. Add groundnuts. Then add ajwain, asafoetida and vatral.

4.Add the sambar powder or red chillie powder and stir well till it becomes brown. Add asafoetida. Add the tapioca ( cut into medium pieces) and stir well till the sambar powder mixes well with the tapioca.. Then add salt. These additions take a few seconds only.

5.Then add the tamarind pulp or paste and stir well. Add the curry leaves.

6. Close the pressure pan. Put on the weight and wait for 3 to 4 whistles. Then open the pan and allow the flame to simmer till the gravy reduces well to become a little thick.

7. The option is to make a paste of rice flour and water and add it to the gravy to make it more thick .

Carrot - capsicum pulao

carrot - medium sized - 3

capsicum - 1

Milk - 2 to 3 tsps

Oil- 2 tsps

Cooked pulao rice - 2 cups

salt - 1 tsp

Garam masala - 2 tsps

1. Cut the carrot and capsicum into 1" long pieces.

2. Boil them adding two tsps of milk and just enough water for the vegetables to be cooked

3 Add salt

4. Add the cooked rice and mix well.

5. Add garam masala

6. Add oil and mix.

7. Simmer for 2 or 3 minutes and granish with coriander leaves.

South Indian recipe : Coconut Chutney

Indian chutneys are very tasty and can be used a side dish for Idli, dosa , adai and almost all South Indian tiffins. Chutneys can be made out of onion, tomatoes, and other green leaves such as pudhina, coriander leaves and even curry leaves.

Coconut chutney:

Coconut scrapings - 1 cup
Green chillies - 3
Roasted gram or pottu kadalai or buna channa - half cup
Salt - half to 1 tsp as required
Mustard - half tsp
Oil - 1 tsp

1. Grind the green chillies and roasted gram in the mixie well.
2. Add coconut and grind again.
3. Add sufficient water and salt to bring it to a gravy consistency and grind again.
4. Transfer it to a vessel.
5. Heat oil, splutter the mustards and mix it with the chutney.

Tangy tamarind gravy

This is a gravy made of tamarind and onion and tangy in taste. This gravy is mixed with rice and eaten, with side dishes like cooked vegetables.

Tamarind : Big lemon size ( or use tamarind paste accordingly)
Gingely oil : 4 tsps
Mustard: 1 tspMehti or vendayam or fenugreek seeds : 1 tsp
Tur dal or thuvaramparupu or redgram- 2 tsps
Omam or ajwain or tymol seeds : 3/4 tsp
Sambar powder or red chillie powder : 2 tsps
Salt - 1 and a 1\2 tspsGroundnuts : 2 tspns
Drumsticks,or tapioca , or onion , or carrot any of these veggies wld best be suited
Rice flour - 1 to 2 tsps
curry leaves for garnishing

1. Take a pressure pan.
2. Extract the pulp from tamarind apprx 2 to 21/2 cups.
3. Take gingely oil and heat and splutter the mustards. Then add fenugreek seeds, red grams and heat till brown and add the groundnuts. Then add tymol seeds.
4.Add the sambar powder or red chillie powder and mix till it becomes red to a little brown. Add the vegetables ( cut into medium pieces) and fry for a few seconds. Then add the salt. These additions take a few seconds only. 5.Then add the tamarind pulp or paste and stir well. Add the curry leaves.
6. Close the pressure pan. Put on the weight and wait for 3 to 4 whistles. Then open the pan and allow the flame to simmer.
7. Make a paste of rice flour and water and add it to the gravy to make it thick .

Moong Dal (split green gram) Dosa

Moong Dal ( Split green gram) - 1
Boiled rice - 1\4 cup
Salt - to taste
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Green chillies - 2
Coriander leaves - as required
Oil - for making dosa

Method:
1. Soak moong dal and boiled rice separately for 2 hrs.
2. Grind moong dal with green chillies and cumin seeds in the mxie to dosa consistency.
3. Grind rice and add it to the moong dal mixture.
4. Mix rice and moong dal to make a batter. Cut the coriander leaves and add it. Add salt. Mix the batter well.
5. Prepare the dosa.

Lemon Rasam

An Indian Soup, this can be taken as soup or mixed with rice and eaten as food with spicy cooked vegetables for side dish.

Lemon Rasam :

Tur Dal or Red gram - Cooked (1 cup)
Lemons(medium sized) - 2
Green chillies- 3 or more according to taste
Mustard - 1tsp
Oil - 1tsp
Tomatoes - 2 (medium size)
Turmeric powder - half tsp
Corinader leaves for garnishing.
Salt to taste.

Method:

1. Cut the tomatoes into slices.
2. Add 1 cup water to half cup tur dal, add the tomato slices and turmeric and cook till dhal becomes soft.
3. Heat oil, splutter the mustards, add green chillies.
4. Mix it with the cooked dal.
5. Add a little more boiled water to bring it to "rasam"consistency.
6. Add salt to taste
7. Stir well.
8. Heat the mixture till froth forms on top.
7. Squeeze the lemons after allowing the mixture to cool for sometime.
8. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Mint pulao

This rice dish is yummy to eat .

Required :

Mint leaves - 2 cups

Cooked Basmati rice - 2 cups

Green Chillies - 2 or 3 according to taste

Salt - 1 tsp ( according to taste)

Onion - 1 cup (sliced)

Cinnamon sticks - 2 or 3

Cooking Oil - 2 to 3 tsps

Method:

1. Grind Mint leaves and chillies to a paste with salt.

2. Heat oil and fry the cinnamon sitcks. Add and roast onion to light brown.

3. Then add the mint mixture and stir for a few seconds.

4. Add the rice to it and cook on low heat for a few minutes.

Then serve garnished with roasted cashew nuts and small raisins.

Avakkai (Mango) Pickle

Mangoes are available in plenty in India in April, May and June. Yummmy dishes can be made from these mangoes , both vegetables and fruits. Andhra Pradesh is famous for its Avakkai Mango pickle which can be stored and used for a year.
Recipe for Avakkai Mango Pickle :

Mango pieces ( Cut one medium size mango into 8 pieces) = 5 cups
Salt Powder : 3/4 cup
Chilli Powder : 3/4 cup
Mustard Powder : 3/4 cup
Gingely Oil : 3/4 cup Kg
Asafoetida : Add till you get the smell

Method:

Cut Mangoes into small pieces (but not very small) , 8 pieces from one mango.
Take a big vessel and a cup.
For 5 cups of Mango pieces: add 3/4 cup salt : 3/4 cup chilli powder :3/4 cup mustard powder : 3/4 cup gingely oil and add the asafoetida till you get the smell of it.
Mix all these together and shake well.
Then transfer this to a strerilised bottle and close the lid tightly . ake out the bottle everyday and shake it so that all ingredients get mixed well.

Type of foods!

Indian cuisines are generally said to be spicy and depends on the weather and restrictions placed by the religions and castes as well. The impact of foreigners have also influenced the cuisine.

Tamilnadu is famous for its Masala dosai and Sambar , the idlis and pongal. Kerala can boast of its kuzha puttu while Kannadigas are known for their bisi bele huli anna. Rajasthan has varieties if dhal dishes while Gujarat is famous for its kachoris and doklas.Andhra food can be really chili-hot. It is believed that a hot and spicy curry may be one of the best ways to combat the flu virus!

From, ancient times Indian food has been on principle, divided into the Satwik and Rajsik kinds. The satwik included vegetables and fruits but, not onions, garlic, root vegetables and mushrooms while Rajsik food allowed eating just about anything under the sun, with the exception of beef.Many Indian dishes require an entire day’s preparation of cutting vegetables, pounding spices on a stone or just sitting patiently by the fire for hours on end.

On the other hand, there are simple dishes which are ideal for everyday eating.In Bombay, the food is a happy combination of north and south. Both rice and wheat are included in their diets. A lot of fish is available along the long coastline and the Bombay Prawn and Pomfret preparations are delicious. Further down south along the coast, in Goa, a Portuguese influence is evident in dishes like the sweet and sour Vindaloo, duck baffad, sorpotel and egg molie.The variation in Indian food from region to region can be quite staggering.List out your mouth watering foods too !