Chetinad Kara Kuzhambu

Ingredients:

To Grind 

1. Garlic - 6 cloves
2. Small Onion - 3
3. Shredded Coconut - 1/2 cup
4. Turmeric powder - 1tsp
5. Sambar powder - 3 tbsp
6. Red chili powder - 1 tsp

To Cook

1. Small Brinjal - 5 (cut each into 4 pieces)
2. Drumstick - 5 pieces - 1 inch each
3. Small Onions - 10
4. Tomatoes - 2 big ones (Cut each into 8 pieces)
5. Sesame oil - 3 tbsp
6. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
7. Methi / Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp
8. Hing / Asafoetida - 1 pinch
9. Tamarind extract - 1.5 cups - thick in consistency
10. Salt - to taste

Procedure

• Grind all the items under "To Grind" to a fine paste by adding little water
• Heat a pan in the stove.
• Pour 1 tbsp of oil
• As soon as the oil gets heated, add Mustard seeds, hing and methi
• When the mustards start to sputter, add Small onions , Brinjal and Drumstick
• Fry until they become semitransparent
• Add little salt to the vegetables and tomatoes
• Wait until the tomatoes turns soft and pulpy
• Add the tamarind water, grounded paste and one cup of water
• Allow them to cook. When the raw smell goes off completely,you will notice a change in color
• Add required amount of Salt now and 2 tbsp of Sesame oil
• Let the kuzhambu boil in medium flame
• Once you notice that the oil is seeping out of the Kuzhambu on its surface, turn off the stove
• Eat with dosa or rice

Rasam

Rasam is my favorite all time recipes.I love having it as a soup on a cold winter evening,with rice for lunch or when I suffer from flu. I love taking Rasam with Ladies-finger/Okra curry.

Recipe:

Ingredients:

1. Soak tamarind in 1 cup of water
2. Tomatoes - 1
3. Garlic - 2 pods
4. Jeera - 1/2 tsp
5. Turmeric - 1 pinch
6. Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp
7. Rasam Powder - 1 1/2 tsp
8. Salt to taste
9. Coriander/Cilantro - 3-10 leaves (optional)


To Temper:

1. Oil - 1 tsp
2. Mustard - 1/2 tsp
3. Urad Dal - 1/2 tsp
4. Red Chilly - 1 tsp

Preparation :

1. Squeeze the tamarind,extract the juice and keep it aside.
2. Cut the tomatoes into pieces and crush the garlic.
3. Heat a pan and add the oil,followed by mustard seeds and crushed garlic
4. Once the mustard pops, add Red chilly and Urad dal
5. After one minute, add the tomatoes,turmeric,coriander powder and rasam powder.
6. Make sure to cook in lower flame.
7. Once the tomatoes cook(it takes about 3-5 minutes in low flame), add the tamarind juice. Let it boil for 2 minutes
8. Now add two more glasses of water.
9. Cook in high flame for 7 minutes.
10. Add some Coriander leaves for flavor and you can enjoy the Rasam.