Cabbage Kadalai Paruppu Kootu ( முட்டைகோஸ் கடலை பருப்பு கூட்டு )

This is my husband's favorite dish. Although I call it kadalai paruppu kootu, I do it in a very different way than the usual - I had to customise the original way according to my DH's taste buds..

• Soak abt 1/4 cup of Chana dhal in water for atleast 40 minutes and microwave the dhal for 20 minutes or until the dhal is soft but not mushy. Add little salt just couple of minutes it is done and cook further. You should be able to crush the dhal between your fingers but it must retain its shape otherwise. Once cooked, drain all the water and transfer the dhal to a perforated container or strainera and run some cold water over it - this is to prevent the dhals from breaking down when sauted along with the cabbage
• Heat 4 tsp of oil in a non-stick pan and season it with 1 tsp of mustard seeds, 1/2 tsp of cumin seeds, 1 spring of curry leaves, pinch of hing
• Add 1 very coarsely crushed garlic, 1 medium onion finely chopped and saute well until the onions turn translucent
• Sprinkle little salt (as cabbage has mineral salt in it, always add a little less upfront just to be sure), 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder and stir well
• Now add 1 medium sized cabbage that is finely chopped and saute all for about 30 mins on medium flame
• Do not add water as cabbage leaves water when cooked and you will not get the desired taste and consistency if you add water. You may sprinkle some water if you prefer.
• Add 1/2 tsp of red chilly powder and saute all for 10 more minutes
• Test for salt and add more if you want
• When the cabbage is almost done and the raw smell of red chilly is gone, add 1 tsp of any rice dhal podi (I go with 777 ganesa brand dhal powder - butu any of your favorite would do) and stir well
• This is the secret ingredient - well not any more a secret ;-) (kinda like Victoria's Secret - I never understood what is that secret, whatsoever, when.. well you get the picture!) that will make the poriyal get the kootu texture - kinda blends all the ingredients together and adds nice flavor
• Stir for 5 more minutes and add the cold cooked chana dhal
• Saute them all for another 5 mins so the chana dhal gets a chance to get to know the other folks in the mix
• Serve hot or cold with plain rice or as a side with any rasam

Moru Kulambu ( மோர் குழம்பு )

This is one of those dishes that has thousands of variations. If you gather up 10 people in a room and ask them how they would make moru kolambu, I bet you would end up with ten different recipes! And this mild buttermilk curry is my most favorite item in south indian thali. And this is the most simplest yet delicious dish.

• Steam the vegetables with little salt in a microwaveable steamer 
• You may also boil them in a pan the traditional way or pressure cook it - I hate to throw away the water after boiling the veges for fear of losing the vitamins/minerals or over cook it..I have a steamer that works wonders..just 5 to 7 mins in microwave is all it takes..
• You can add vegetables like Cho-Cho, White Pumpkin, Okra, Senai kilangu (suran.) - any bland vegetable goes well with this kolambu.
• If adding Okra, saute it well in little oil until the goey stuff disappears and the vegetable is dry and well cooked
• Soak the following in enough water to immerse them for about 30 mins: 

1. 1 tsp of Toor Dhal
2. 1 tsp of Chana dhal
3. 1/4 tsp of Dhania or Coriander Seeds
4. 1/4 tsp of Raw Rice
5. 1/4 tsp of Cumin Seeds
6. 1 Red Chilly

• Skim 1 cup of curd with 1 cup of water and very little salt (your veges have some salt already)
• The curd must be void of all lumps and sour curd is preferred. Just leave it out of the fridge for few hours if you don't have sour curd
• Grind the soaked spices along with 1 green chilly, 2 tbsp of grated coconut (or 4 1-inch coconut pieces) into a fine paste
• Now in a pan pour the buttermilk and add 1/4 tsp of turmeric, 1 spring of curry leaves, ground paste, cooked vegetables and mix well
• Check for salt and adjust the salt & consistency of the kolambu. The given water /curd ratio is precise though
• Now heat the contant on medium low flame for about 10 mins until froth appears
• Do not heat the kolambu on high flame - that will make the curd break and water will separate out.
• Once froth appears, remove the pan from heat.
• Do a tadka (season the hot oil with 1 tsp of mustard seeds, 1 red chilly) and pour it over the kulambu
• Serve hot or cold with plain white rice and any spicy side dish or poriyal
• Note: do not reheat this kolambu - it will taste good even when cold. If you prefer, just warm the rice and add the curry instead of reheating the curry directly.

Kothamalli Pulav ( கொத்தமல்லி pulav )

• Soak 1 1/4 cup of rice in equal measure of waterWhile it is soaking prepare the veges/ingredients for the pulav
• Peel about 10 pearl onions (if pearl onions are not available, go with regular red onions - about 1/2 of a medium onion - chop into wide long pieces)
• Chop 1/2 cup of beans, 10 baby carrots into bite size pieces
• Grind 3 garlic pods, 1 inch of ginger, 1 handful of cilantro leaves, 1 green chilly into a fine paste
• Heat 5 tsp of oil in a non-stick pan
• When oil is hot enough, season it with 5 cloves, 2 small cinnamon sticks, 2 bay leaves, 2 cardomoms
• Add the ginger-garlic-cilantro-chilly paste and saute on low flame until the green color turns dark green - but do not burn/char the paste. This step is key - saute well otherwise the leaves will infuse the raw smell into the pulav
• Add the pearl onions and saute until they turn translucent
• Add 2 green chillies slit lengthwise
• Add the vegetables and saute them too for 5 mins
• Add salt per taste
• You may add beetroot too but if adding chop just 1 beets into big pieces and wash once and then add. Otherwise the pulav will be red in color.
• Add 1/2 cup of cilantro leaves (do not grind these)
• Saute well until leaves wilt
• Add 1/2 tsp of any briyani masala (I use Priya Briyani Powder) and stir well
• Add 1 cube of  frozen coconut milk
• Add 1 1/2 cup of water and stir until the milk cube melts
• Add the soaked rice without draining the water
• Stir once and adjust the salt
• Cover the pan with a tight glass lid and cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes
• Do not open the lid at any time. The water will evaporate and craters will form and that is the indication that the rice is 90% done
• Turn down the heat to the lowest possible flame and simmer it for another 10 mins with the lid still closed
• Turn off the stove and leave the pan on the same burner for another 5 mins
• A nice flavor will announce that the pulav is ready to be served
• Serve it hot with Raita

Paruppu Thogaiyal (பருப்பு தொகையல்)

This is my Mom's recipe. She is a great cook and I love this especially with Rasam.

• Dry roast 1/2 cup of Toor dhal and 2 long red chillies in medium flame for about 6 mins until the lentils turn golden brown. 
• Make sure you do not burn the lentils
• Keep stirring constantly to dissipate the heat evenly over the surface
• You will get nice aroma when the lentils are quite roasted
• Turn off the stove and transfer the lentils to another pan to stop further cooking
• Once the lentils cool down, grind them along with 5 1-inch coconut pieces (or about 1/2 cup of grated coconut) and 1/2 of a small garlic pod (yes, add it raw - it gives a great flavor - but add very small piece and yes ofcourse adding garlic is optional), and salt (per taste)  into a grainy paste.
• The thogaiyal should be slightly grainy but not too coarse or too fine
• This is an easy protein rich side that goes well with Rasam or Vathal Kolambu
• You can have it with just plain rice and oil/ghee or have it as a side for rasam.
• Very simple and tasty delight, it is!

Some variations are you might add a little tamarind (raw) while grinding. You may also substitute Moong dhal or Chana dhal for Toor dhal and tickle your palate.

Potato Masala Kulambu

No tomato, No green chilly, No dhania powder, No garam masala..Very few ingredients and great taste.Use red potatoes preferably. Baby red potatoes are even better.

• Quarter 10 small potatoes and boil them in a pan with a bit of salt (if possible, do not use pressure cooker. It really makes a difference boiling potatoes this way..so if you have the time, avoid cooker for this curry)
• When the potatoes are soft and can be easily poked by a knife, transfer them to a bowl, peel them & set aside
• Peel about 10 garlic pods and grind it with 1 inch of ginger to a fine paste
• Grind about 5 1-inch pieces of coconut, 1/4 cup of dalia with a little water into a fine paste and set aside
• Heat the pan and add 3 tsp of oil
• When oil is hot, season it with 1 tsp of mustard seeds. Allow the seeds to splutter and then add 1 tsp of cumin seeds, 1 spring of curry leaves
• Add the ginger garlic paste and saute well without burning the spices
• Add 1 large onions chopped and saute until the onions, paste turn brown. Use medium-low flame
• Add 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder and toss in the peeled potatoes
• Saute well until the masala coats the potatoes and it will look like 'poriyal' or side dish at this point
• Mash up 1 or 2 potato pieces in the pan with the laddle to add flavor to the curry (this is optional)
• Add 1 tsp of red chilly powder and stir well
• Add the coconut-dalia paste and stir for 2 to 3 minutes
• Now add about 4 cups of water (adjust as per your desired consistency) and mix well
• Let it come to a boil  (about 5 mins) in a medium flame
• Note: Do not boil it for a long time after adding the coconut
• Serve it hot with pretty much anything. This is a versatile curry that goes equally good with rice as well as roti or idli. 

Idli / Dosa Sambar (இட்லி / தோசை சாம்பார்)

This is an easy sambar that tastes so divine with idli and dosa. You can put pretty much any vegetable you like to the sambar and each vege would sure justify it's addition to the recipe. You can make this sambar with Toor dhal or Moong dhal. 
No grinding the masala..No fuss..just a quick cooker method. Ideal for working moms. My son just came from his playdate now and as he entered he was screaming, "I smell dhal..I got to have it right now!" I served it with dosa and he loved it. (Partly because he was on a BRAT diet for the past 2 days after a mild stomach flu attack. ;-) ..) But trust me it will taste good anytime of the day. Although this goes well with Tiffins, you can have it with rice too. Just thicken the sambar if intended for rice.


Makes about 5 cups

• In a small pressure cooker, add 3 tsp of oil
• When oil is hot, temper it with 1 tsp of mustard seeds
• When seeds splutter, add 1 green chilly slit lengthwise,  a pinch of hing, a spring of curry leaves, 1 crushed garlic pod, 1/2 tsp of methi seeds, in the specified order
• Do not brown the methi seeds, it will become bitter
• Add 1 medium onion chopped lengthwise (The onions must not be thinly chopped..make it little bigger pieces)
• Saute just until it is slightly translucent. Do not over saute..we need to be able to bite into the onions.
• Now add any vegetable you like..just chop them all into large cubes. Some veges that go very well with this recipe are green beans, carrots, brinjals, cho-cho, white pumpkin, squash, potato. Some non-compatible veges are okra, spinach, cauliflower.. you can add these too but they would alter the taste distinctively.
• Saute for just couple of minutes
• Add 1 meduim size tomato chopped into large pieces
• Add salt per taste, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and stir once
• Add 1/2 cup of tamarind extract (soak a lemon szed tamarind in half cup of water for 10 mins and extract the juice)
• Stir for a minute and add 1 tbsp of any sambar powder - I use 777 Madras Sambar powder
• Mix well and add 3 cups of water
• Add 1 cup of cooked toor dhal (or moong dhal). You may also add 1/2 cup of uncooked toor dhal..I happened to have cooked dhal and it tastes much better this way.
• Mix the contents well. Adjust salt. 
• Pressure cook it (with weight on) for 15 minutes or until 1 whistle on medium high flame
• Serve hot with Idli or Dosa or Plain rice

Vendhaya Kulambu ( வெந்தய குழம்பு )

This is a very simple curry that will take about 25 mins in all to prepare. The methi seeds you add in tempering gives an unique flavor to the curry and hence the name 'vendhaya kolambu'. This is very similar to puli kulambu except for the methi seeds addition. Make sure to add lots of garlic as they play a good role in the curry too. This curry keeps good in fridge for more than 2 days too in cold regions. This is my all time favorite.

Makes about 5 servings

• In a hot pan, add 3 tsp of oil. When oil is hot enough, add 1 tsp of mustard seeds, 1 tsp of cumin seeds, 1 tsp of chana dhal, 1 tsp of urid dhal, 1 spring of curry leaves, a pinch of hing and 1 tsp of methi seeds in the order specified
• Do not add brown the methi seeds as they will turn very bitter otherwise. Same way add the above ingredients one by one, making sure each spice is sauted for few seconds before the next spice follows it
• Now add 1 big onion (finely chopped) and saute until onions brown a little. 
• Add a pinch of salt, 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder, about 15 garlic pods and saute until garlics are translucent
• Add 1 big tomato finely chopped to the pan and saute until oil leaves the sides
• You may cover and cook the tomatoes if you wish. Stir occasionally though
• Now add 1 tsp of red chilly powder, 3 tsp of dhania powder, more salt per taste and stir for a minute
• Add 1/2 cup of tamarind juice extracted from saoked tamarind or add 1tbsp of tamarind paste
• Add 2 cups of water and cover and cook for 10 minutes with occasional stirring
• Once the curry comes to a boil, add 1 cube of cocount milk or 1 tbsp of grated coconut
• Bring the curry to a boil again (might take about 5 mins in low flame)
• Serve hot or cold with plain rice. Some may like it with Idli/Dosa too.

Bagara Baingan - Brinjal Curry

• In medium heat, roast well a little less than 1/4 cup of peanuts in 1 tsp of oil (more peanuts or sesame seeds will actually ruin the curry..so go easy on them)
• Add 1/8th cup of white sesame seeds and roast to a slight golden color
• Now add 1/4 cup of grated coconut and roast for few seconds
• Grind the above into a grainy paste adding very little water (do not make it too fine, it has got to be slightly grainy - that adds nice texture to the curry)
• Cut the eggplants (small brinjals) in such a way that the stem remains intact and the brinjals remain wholesome
• Deep fry them in hot oil for few seconds so the eggplants are 90% cooked and set them aside
• In a different pan, add 3 tsp of oil, when oil is hot enough, add 2 bay leaves, 5 cloves, 3 cinnamon sticks, 2 cardomoms, 1 tsp of mustard seeds, 1 tsp of cumin seeds, 1/4 tsp of methi seeds, a pinch of hing, 1 spring of curry leaves in the order given, one by one
• Add 1 medium red onion finely sliced and saute all with a little salt until the onions turn sightly brown
• Add 1/4 tsp of turmeric & 1 tbsp of ginger-garlic paste and saute well
• When the ginger paste is void of all raw odor, add 1 tbsp of cumin powder, 1 tbsp of dhania powder, 1/2 tsp of red chilly powder and fry for a minute
• You may sprinkle drops of water to prevent the spices from burning
• Once the spices are well sauted, add 2 1/2 cups of water and bring it to a boil (This will take about 3 mins)
• Add the grainy coconut-sesame-peanut paste and stir occasionally to prevent charring for about 5 mins on medium flame
• Now cover the pan with a tight lid and cook on the same medium heat until oil oozes out with occasional stirring (might take about 5 to 8 mins)
• Add about 1/2 cup of tamarind juice (soak 1 small gooseberry size tamarind in water for few minutes and squeeze out the juice)
• Optional: Some may prefer to add little (1 tsp) of jaggery or sugar at this point.. It doesn't cut it for me in this particular curry..but that is just me
• Stir well and adjust the salt, cover and cook for another 5 mins on medium flame
• Once again when oil oozes out, add the fried brinjals and simmer for about 15 minutes ( or until the brinjals are well done ) on lowest possible flame
• Serve hot with any pulav/briyani or just plain rice or roti