Ridged Gourd Sambar

Ingredients
Ridged gourd / Peerkanakai – 2 peeled and cut into small cubes
Onion – 1 medium
Tomato – 2 medium
Moong dal / Pasiparuppu – 3/4 cup
Sambar powder – 11/2 tsps
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Chilly powder – 1/2 tsp
Cumin – 1 tsp
Garlic pods – 4
Asafoetida a pinch
Tamarind paste – 1/4 tsp
A handful of chopped cilantro
Ghee / oil – 2 tbsps

Method
1. Heat ghee in a pressure cooker and fry the moong dal until a nice aroma comes out from the dal. (slightly brown in color). Add enough water , turmeric and asafoetida and pressure cook the dal.
2. Add little water to the ridgegourd pieces and cook seperately. Don’t over cook the vegetable.
3. Heat 2 tbsps of oil in a frying pan and pop mustard, cumin and add the sliced onion and garlic and fry until soft. Add the chopped tomato cook till the tomatoes are mashed well add the sambar powder, chilly powder fry for few more minutes.
4. Now combine everything together. To the cooked dal add the cooked vegetable and the prepared masala, tamarind juice and salt. (if you feel the sambar is too thick you can add water at this stage)
5. Finally garnish with cilantro. This sambar goes well with rice, dosai and chapathi.

Kai Murukku

Ingredients Needed:
1. Boiled Rice - 1 cup (soak in water for 2 hours)
2. Red Chilli dried 2
3. Hing
4. Butter = 1-1/2 tsp
5. Chutney Dal Powder 3 tsp
6. Salt - to taste
7. Water - if needed
8. Coconut Oil - 2 tsp for applying in hands
9. Oil for deep frying.
Method:
1. Grind Rice with Chilli into fine paste and keep in cloth to take out extra moisture.
2. Add Dal powder, Butter, Salt, Hing and mix well. (Sprinkle water if needed)
3. In a cloth or kitchen towel take small amount of dough and sprial it in circular motion (like turning a tap or a screw). Make minimum 2 rounds. As you know, more will make it bigger. Follow the same procedure for remaining.
4. Let it dry for about 30 minutes and deep fry in hot oil till done.
5. Cool and store in air tight container.

Vaazhaipoo Kola Urundai

Ingredients


Banana flower -1
Chutney dal/roasted chana dal-3/4 cup(powdered)
cashews-6 chopped finely
corainder leaves- a few chopped finely
onion- 1 chopped finely
salt to taste
oil for deep frying
To grind
green chillies-3 or acc to taste
poppy seeds- 1 tsp
cinnamon- 1 small piece
cloves-2
Saunf- 1/2 tsp
ginger - a small piece
garlic- 3 cloves chopped finely


Method


Takeout the florets from the banana flower. Then remove the stamens from them. Get a clear idea of how to do it HERE. Chop the florets finely. Boil water in a pan and add salt and the florets.When the florets are cooked , drain them and squeeze them well to remove excess water.
Add the chutney dal powder to it and mix well. Add chopped onions, cashews,coriander leaves and the ground masala to the banana flower mixture. No need to add water. Make small balls and deep fry in hot oil.