Avial

I tried Avial using frozen vegetables this time. Of course it would taste great when fresh vegetables are used.

Ingredients:
2 cups mixed fresh or frozen vegetables like beans, carrot, potato, chayote squash (chow chow), drum stick, pumpkin, elephant yam (senai kizhangu)
1/3 cup grated coconut
About a cup of yogurt
2 tsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp jeera
1 green chilli
6 cashew pieces
Salt
A few curry leaves
A pinch of hing
1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Method:
Chop vegetables into long thin pieces and boil in water adding turmeric powder till the veggies are fully cooked. Drain excess water. Let it cool.
Grind coconut, jeera, chilli and cashews to a smooth paste adding some water.
Add this paste and boiled veggies to yogurt. Add salt and hing. Drizzle coconut oil on top and garnish with curry leaves.
Stir well and serve with rice or adai.

If the gravy is thin, add some more yogurt. If it is very thick, add some left over water used for boiling the veggies. 

Sweet Potato Vatha Kuzhambu (Spicy Tamarind Gravy)

Vatha kuzhambu is one of the gravies we make regularly at home. It is mixed with rice and ghee and had with some curry. When I travel for days and eat out a lot, all I crave for is, this Vatha kuzhambu and pappad. It is a perfect comfort food!

Instead of sweet potato, you can one of these veggies: capsicum, okra, onion, brinjal, drum stick

Ingredients:
Tamarind - medium lemon size ball
Sambar Powder - 3 tsp
Hing/Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Salt - as needed
Sweet Potato - 1 peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch thick disks
Onion (optional) - 1/2 cup sliced
Jaggery - 1/2 tsp
Rice flour - 2 tsp

Seasonings:
Sesame Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp
Channa Dal or Thur Dal - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - a few

Method:
Soak tamarind in 1 cup warm water for 10 minutes.
Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add fenugreek, channa dal or thur dal and curry leaves. I personally like to use thur dal.
When they turn golden brown, add onion and fry till it turns transparent.
Sprinkle some salt.
Add sliced sweet potatoes and saute for a minute.
Extract 3 cups of tamarind water.
In a deep pan, boil tamarind water along with salt, asafoetida, sambar powder and the sauteed veggies. Let it boil for 25 minutes. Check if the veggies are cooked fully.
Mix rice flour with 1/2 cup water and make a smooth paste.
Add this paste to the boiling mixture and stir continuously. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes.
The tamarind gravy will thicken.
Add jaggery and mix well.
Turn off the heat and serve hot with rice, ghee and some curry.

Milagu Kuzhambu

Milagu Kuzhambu-a spicy gravy made by boiling tamarind extract with fresh ground spices is usually had with rice and ghee. When it rains, I can't think of a better main course meal than this one! Here's Milagu Kozhambu recipe coming straight from my Amma's kitchen.

Ingredients:
Tamarind-Medium lime size ball
Sambar powder-1/2 tsp(optional)
Salt
Hing-1/4 tsp
Rice flour paste-Mix 1.5 tsp of rice flour in some water to make a thick paste(optional)
Grated Jaggery-1/2 tsp

To roast in 1/2 tsp oil until golden brown:
Urud Dal-2 tsp
Channa Dal-2 tsp
Red chillis-2
Curry leaves-a few(about 8)
Whole pepper-1 tsp

Seasoning:
Mustard seeds-1 tsp
Curry leaves-a few
Oil-1/2 tsp

Method:
Soak tamarind in 1 cup warm water.
Roast the spices. Cool and grind into a smooth paste adding some water.
Extract 2.5 cups of tamarind water. Discard the tamarind. Add salt, hing, sambar powder, 1 cup water and boil for 12-15 minutes.
Add the ground spice paste and continue boiling for another 10 minutes.
If the mixture is not thick enough, add rice flour paste and stir continuously for a minute.
Add jaggery and stir.
Season with mustard seeds and curry leaves.
Serve hot with rice and ghee.

Tomato Kurma- Very simple and tasty

This recipe is from Mallika Badrinath's cookbook. I like this recipe for it's simplicity.

Ingredients:
Onion chopped-1 cup
Tomatoes chopped-2 small
Oil-1 tbsp
Star Anise-1
Salt
Sugar-1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves-to garnish

To grind with little water into a smooth paste:
Coconut-1/4 cup
Almonds-20(can use cashews)
Green chilli-small piece(or according to spice level)
Red chillies-2
Coriander seeds-1 tsp
Garam masala powder-1/2 tsp

Method:
Heat oil in a pan. Add star anise. Fry for 10 seconds. Add onions. Sprinkle salt. Fry till it turns soft.
Add tomatoes. Cook till tomatoes turn soft.
Add the ground paste and some more salt. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup water if the gravy is very thick. Bring the mixture to boil. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add sugar. Stir well.
Garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve with rotis or pooris.