Sambar

Sambar is one of the most loved dishes in South Indian cuisine. It accompanies almost every meal.Variates of sambar can be made and each state in the south is famous for there own sambars.Like you have Madras sambar, Mysore sambar,Andra sambar,kerala sambar and the normal ones like onion sambar,arachuvitta sambar,spinach sambar,tomato sambar ,ladies finger sambar and so on.
Sambar can be made with or without vegetable.You can use vegetables like drumstick,brinjal,carrot,beans,ladies finger and so on.

Today we are going to see a simple sambar,made using redimade sambar powder.

INGREDIENTS:

Toor Dal -1cup
Tamarind -lime sized ball
Turmeric powder -1/2tsp
Sambar powder -2 heaped tsps
oil -3spoons
Onions -1 big or 10 small onions
Tomato -1
Asefotida -1/4tsp
mustard -1tsp
coriander seeds -1tsp
garlic -5-6 cloves
dried red chillies -2
brinjal/drumstick -200g
salt -as per taste
Jagree -optional
curry leaves -1string
coriander leaves -half a cup.

DIRECTIONS :

* Soak tamarind in 1cup of water for 20 minutes and extract the pulp.
* cut onions,tomato,vegetable,garlic and keep it aside
* Cook 1cup of dal by adding two glasses of water and a pinch of turmeric powder with few drops of oil in a pressure cooker up to 4 whistles.Can also be microwaved for 10mins.
*place a heavy bottomed pan on the stove and add oil.Once oil is hot add mustard,jeera,garlic asefotida ,curry leaves and the add onions and fry for a minute now add tomato and the vegetables and cook it for a minute when the raw flavor of tomato leaves add sambar powder and stir ,now add two cups of water and allow it to boil for few minutes
* Now add four spoons of tamarind pulp to the boiling sambar and allow it to cook till the raw flavor of the tamirid is gone.you can add tamarind if its not sufficient.
*add the cooked dal and boil the sambar till its becomes thick.
*finally add chopped cilantro(coriander leaves) and off the stove.

this sambar can be served with rice,Idly,dosa etc.

Bread Upma

Bread upma is great way to use up leftover bread. It’s a perfect snack or a mini-meal that hits the spot. At our home, bread upma is often eaten for breakfast or brunch but I enjoy eating this dish at anytime of the day!

I usually use 2 slices of bread per person and add an extra 2 slices just in case. Feel free to use your favorite type of bread; really any type will work for this dish.

Peanut chutney or just tomato ketchup would be a great combination with this.

Ingredients:

Bread - 10 slices cut into cubes
Onion - 1 large
Green chillies - 3-4 slit into two
Turmeric powder - 1/4tsp
Ginger - 1/2 tsp chopped
Mustard - 1/2tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Salt - as per taste
Oil - 3spoons
lime juice - 1spoon
curry leaves - 1 string
coriander leaves - 1/4 a cup

Directions:
Heat oil in a pan and add mustard, cumin seeds, urad dal.
When they start popping add curry leaves ,onions and turmeric powder ,green chillies and fry till the onions turn transparent . Now add bread pieces and mix well, add the required amount of salt and stir and alow it to cook for a minute.Now add the lime juice and cover it with a lid and allow it to cook for a minute and switch of the stove and add coriander leaves.

You can add sugar and coconut if you would like the taste.

Serve it hot with peanut chutney or ketchup.


PEANUT CHUTNEY:

Ingredients :

Roasted Peanut(ground nut) - 1 cup
Onion - 1 chopped
Garlic - 1 clove
Red chillies - 5
Tamarind Juice - 1spoon
Salt -as per taste
oil -3-4tsp

For seasoning - Mustard,cumin seeds and urad dal each 1tsp and a string of curry leaves

Directions :

Heat a pan and add oil ,now add the red chilly,garlic ,onions and fry it till golden brown.
Allow it to cool for sometime.
Now in a mixi/blender add the roasted peanuts and the onion mixture and salt and a spoon of tamarind juice and grind it with required amount of water.
Now heat oil in a pan and add mustard,cumin seed and urad dal and curry leaves and season the chutney.
Tasty pea nut chutney is ready to be taken along with your upma.

Bachelors cooking

If you are a bachelor, stuck up in an isolated place and missing your mom's cooking like anything, browse through this section for some quick and easy recipes.

No more 'Maggie' 'Frozen foods' and 'take-away' foods.

All you need to have is a few basic ingredients in your kitchen and i have the rest for you.

Make sure to have the following in your kitchen:

Red chilly powder
Turmeric powder
Coriander powder
Garam masala powder
Pepper powder
Dried mango powder
Pav bhaji masala
Sambar powder
Rasam powder
Asafoetida

Mustard seeds
Cumin seeds(Jeera)
Urad dal
Channa dal
Tuvar dal
Coriander seeds
Dried red chilli

Atta
Rice flour
Maida flour
Basin flour


Now we are ready to go with our cooking!