Ingredients:

• Toor Dal – 1/2 cup
• Garlic flakes – 2 to 3
• Tomatoes – 2 medium cut into medium sized pieces
• Onions – 1 medium (sliced long) (if using, Sambhar small onions – around 8-9)
• Curry Leaves – a few
• Coriander Leaves (Cilantro) – a few
• Green Chillies – 4
• Asafoetida – 1/4 tsp
• Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
• Salt – to taste
• Oil – 1 tbsp
• Mustard Seeds – 1/4 tsp
• Urad dal – 1/4 tsp
• Fenugreek seeds – 1/4 tsp

Method:

Pressure cook the dal with garlic flakes, asafoetida and turmeric powder adding required amount of water (for 1/2 cup of dal, add around 1.5 cups of water). Mash the dal well with a wooden spoon. If there is a lot of water in the dal, drain it separately and then mash the dal. The water drained can be added to rasam (will give it a very good flavor) or add it later to the sambhar mixture when it is boiling.

In a pan, heat the oil, splutter the mustard seeds, add urad dal and fenugreek. Then, add in the onions, saute for a while. Then, add the curry leaves, tomatoes, green chillies and saute. Add in the mashed dal with some water and cilantro and bring the whole mixture to a boil.

This is a very light sambhar – almost just like plain dal – except for the tomatoes and green chillies. Can stir in 2 tsps of lemon juice to this to make lemon sambhar. Serve hot with rice and a spicy side dish.

Ingredients:

• Gram Dal – 3/4 cup
• Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
• Onions – 1 diced
• Chilli powder – 1 tsp
• Coriander powder – 1 tsp
• Saunf – 1/4 tsp
• Cloves – 2
• Bay leaf – 1
• Cinnamon stick – 1 1/2 inch piece
• Oil – 2 tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Grated coconut – 1/4 cup

Method:

Pressure cook the gram dal.

In a pan, heat oil, add the garam masala items – cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon and saunf. Then add the onions and saute for a while. Add turmeric powder, chilli and coriander powders and fry for a few minutes adding some water. Then add the pressure cooked contents and allow to boil for a few minutes. Grind the grated coconut with some water to a fine paste and add to the kozhambu. An excellent side dish for aapam, idlis or dosas. Also goes well with rice.

Ingredients:

• Toor Dal – 1/2 cup
• Garlic flakes – 2 to 3
• Curry Leaves – a few
• Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp (optional)
• Green Chillies – 2 small (optional)
• Dry red chillies – 3
• Asafoetida – 1/4 tsp
• Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
• Salt – to taste
• Oil – 1 tbsp
• Mustard Seeds – 1/4 tsp

Method:

Pressure cook the dal with garlic flakes, asafoetida and turmeric powder adding required amount of water (for 1/2 cup of dal, add around 1- 1.5 cups of water). Mash the dal well with a wooden spoon.

In a pan, heat the oil, splutter the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves and chillies. Add this to the mashed dal. Add salt and mix well. Goes well with rice and rasam and also as a side dish for chapathis.

Ingredients:

• Brinjals – 5
• Onions – 1 (big) chopped
• Coconut grated – 3/4 cup
• Green Chillies – 4
• Ginger Garlic paste – 2 tsp
• Saunf – 1/2 tsp
• Cinnamon Stick – 1 small (optional)
• Cloves – 2 (optional)
• Turmeric powder – 1/2tsp
• Mustard Seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Curry Leaves – 4 or 5
• Salt to taste
• Oil – 3 tbsp

Method:

Remove the stalk of the brinjals, and slit halfway through the brinjals in 4 perpendicular directions.

In a pan, heat 1 tbsp oil and add the saunf, cloves, cinnamon, onions, green chillies and saute for a few minutes. Remove from heat allow to cool and then grind these together. Grind the grated coconut with some water separately and set aside.

In a pan, heat the oil, splutter the mustard seeds, add the brinjals and saute for a while till they become slightly soft on the outside. Then, add the ground onion-chillies mixture, then ginger garlic paste, curry leaves, salt, turmeric powder and a little water and cook till the brinjals are done. Then, add the ground coconut mixture and bring to a boil. Goes well with rice. Note: Can use black pepper in addition to green chillies for giving it a slightly different “hot” flavor.

Ingredients:

• Mochakottai – 1/4 cup
• Brinjals – 3 medium (diced)
• Onions – 1 (medium) chopped
• Tomatoes – 2 (small) chopped
• Garlic – 3 cloves (small) – chopped roughly
• Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Chilli powder – 1 tsp
• Coriander powder – 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Tamarind paste – 1/4 tsp
• Oil – 3 tbsps
• Salt to taste
• Coconut paste – 3 tsp (optional)

Method:

Soak the mochakottai overnight and pressure cook with a little salt and set aside.

In a pan, heat the oil, splutter mustard seeds. Add the onions, garlic, tomatoes and saute for a while. Then, add the chilli, coriander, turmeric powders, brinjals and salt to the mix along with some water and allow the brinjals to cook well. Then add in the mochakottai to the mix and bring the contents to a boil. Finally stir in the tamarind paste. Bring to a boil.? (Optionally, can add in the coconut paste finally and mix well and bring to a boil). Goes well with rice.

Ingredients:

• Kaaramani (dry blackeyed peas) – 1/4 cup
• Onions – 1 (medium) chopped
• Tomatoes – 2 (small) chopped
• Garlic – 3 cloves (small) – chopped roughly
• Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Chilli powder – 1 tsp
• Coriander powder – 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Tamarind paste – 1/4 tsp
• Oil – 3 tbsps
• Salt to taste
• Coconut paste – 3 tsp (optional)

Method:

Soak the kaaramani overnight and pressure cook with a little salt and set aside.

In a pan, heat the oil, splutter mustard seeds. Add the onions, garlic, tomatoes and saute for a while. Then, add the chilli, coriander, turmeric powders, cooked kaaramani and salt to the mix along with some water and allow for a few minutes. Finally stir in the tamarind paste and bring to a boil.? (Optionally, can add in the coconut paste finally and mix well and bring to a boil). Goes well with rice. You can also add brinjals to this kozhambu.

Ingredients:

• Channa/Chick peas – 1/4 cup
• Brinjals – 3 medium (diced)
• Onions – 1 (medium) chopped
• Tomatoes – 2 (small) chopped
• Garlic – 3 cloves (small) – chopped roughly
• Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Chilli powder – 1 tsp
• Coriander powder – 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Tamarind paste – 1/4 tsp
• Oil – 3 tbsps
• Salt to taste
• Coconut paste – 3 tsp (optional)

Method:

Soak the channa overnight and pressure cook with a little salt and set aside.

In a pan, heat the oil, splutter mustard seeds. Add the onions, garlic, tomatoes and saute for a while. Then, add the chilli, coriander, turmeric powders, brinjals and salt to the mix along with some water and allow the brinjals to cook well. Then add in the channa to the mix and bring the contents to a boil. Finally stir in the tamarind paste. Bring to a boil.? (Optionally, can add in the coconut paste finally and mix well and bring to a boil). Goes well with rice.

Ingredients:

• Onions – 1 (medium) chopped
• Tomatoes – 3 (small) chopped
• Garlic – 2 cloves (small) – chopped roughly
• Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Chilli powder – 1 tsp
• Coriander powder – 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Grated coconut – 1/4 cup (grind to a paste with some water)
• Oil – 1 tbsps
• Salt to taste

Method:

In a pan, heat the oil, splutter mustard seeds. Add the onions, garlic and saute for a while. Then, add the cut tomatoes and fry for a while.? Then, add the chilli, coriander, turmeric powders and salt to the mix along with some water and bring to a boil. Finally stir in ground coconut paste and bring to a boil. Serve with rice or chapathis or idli/dosas or aapams/idiappams.

Ingredients:

• Veggies – 1 cup Brinjal, Avarakkai, potatoes (diced to 1/2 inch pieces)
• Onions – 1 (medium) chopped
• Tomatoes – 2 (small) chopped
• Garlic – 3 cloves (small) – chopped roughly
• Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Urad dal – 1/2 tsp
• Chilli powder – 1 tsp
• Coriander powder – 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Tamarind paste – 1/4 tsp
• Oil – 3 tbsps
• Salt to taste

Method:

In a pan, heat the oil, splutter mustard seeds. Add the urad dal, onions, garlic and curry leaves and saute for a while. Then, add? the tomatoes and fry for a while. Then, add the chilli, coriander, turmeric powders, veggies and salt to the mix along with some water and allow the veggies to cook well. Then add the tamarind paste and allow to boil.? Goes well with rice.

Ingredients:

• Brinjal – 1/2 lb diced into 1/4 inch sized bits
• Gram Dal – 1/4 cup
• Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
• Onions – 1/2 diced
• Green chillies – 1 slit (optional)
• Dry red chillies – 2
• Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp (optional)
• Oil – 1/2 tbsp
• Curry Leaves – a few
• Salt to taste
• Grated coconut – 1/4 cup (optional)

Method:

Pressure cook the brinjals along with the gram dal adding some turmeric powder and half the required salt.

In a pan, heat oil, splutter mustard seeds, add the cumin seeds, dry red chillies, curry leaves. Then add the onions and saute for a while. Then add the pressure cooked contents to this and bring to a boil adding the rest of the salt. Finally top with grated coconut and mix well. Allow to cook for a minute and remove from heat. Goes well with rice or as a side dish.