Happy Onam

Photos of Homemade Boondi Laddu (Trial version)

Here's the recipe of Boondi Laddu.

Boondi Laddus with dry fruits

Boondi Laddus without dry fruits

Sambar for Onam

Homemade Sambar Powder

Makes: 105 g

Ingredients

20 dried red chillies

1 cup (100 g) coriander seeds (dhania)

¼ cup (25 g) chana dal (Bengal gram)

¼ cup (25 g) urad dal

¼ cup (25 g) methi seeds (fenugreek seeds)

1 teaspoon hing (asafoetida / kaayam)

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

Method

In an iron kadai, dry roast separately dried red chillies, coriander seeds, chana dal, urad dal and methi seeds on a low to medium heat. Do not dry roast on high heat. Approximate dry roasting time 20 - 22 minutes until fragrant, slight color change and crisp. Switch off the heat. Finally mix all the dry roasted ingredients together. Add turmeric powder and hing. Stir continuously for 5 minutes. Keep aside to cool for 15 minutes. Transfer these ingredients in a mixer bowl and make a fine powder. If using small mixer bowl, make powder in batches. Store in an airtight container.

The exact quantity of this powder to be added to the sambar depends on ones taste (2 teaspoons sambar powder required for 3 servings (1 medium bowl) . Make in smaller quantity - ie for use for a few times. The fragrance / freshness may be lost if one makes in large quantity and store for longer duration.

Sambar for Onam

A delicious sambar, goes well with Idli / Dosa / Rice / Variety rice …

Serves: 4

Ingredients

For dal :

1/2 cup ( 100 g ) tur dal (Indian standard measuring cup of 100 ml / 4 oz capacity)

300 ml water

1 teaspoon oil

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

1 onion, roughly chopped

1 tomato, roughly chopped

Method

For Dal:

Wash and clean tur dal.

In a steel bowl, mix tur dal, water, oil and turmeric powder. Pressure cook tur dal along with water, turmeric powder, oil, onion and tomatoes for 20 minutes. Water level should be 1 - inch above dal - tomato - onion ( reduce heat after 2nd whistle and cook cook on a low heat for 15 minutes. Allow the pressure cooker to cool naturally.

Open the lid. Gently mash cooked dal- tomato - onion mixture. Adding onion and tomato will make the sambar gravy thick and creamy.

Other ingredients for sambar:

1 teaspoon oil

15 sambar onions (small onion / shallots / chuvannulli in Malayalam / Piyyavu in Konkani / sambar venkayam in Tamil ) or any vegetables of your choice like 2 drumsticks, 1 small piece vellarikka, 5 bhindi, mixed vegetables ... cut all the vegetables in equal size

100 ml (1/2 cup) water

3/4 teaspoon salt ( or to taste)

1 - 2 tablespoon tamarind juice (or 1 - 2 teaspoon thick tamarind paste)

2 1/4 teaspoon 777 brand Madras Sambar Powder/ Eastern / Melam / MTR Sambar powder / homemade sambar powder ( 2 ½ - 2 ¾ teaspoon homemade sambar powder if using ) - Dilute sambar powder in 2 tablespoon water and keep aside.

For sambar :

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a pan. Add small onion and fry on a low heat until light pink color.

In a bowl, mix shallow fried onion, (if adding mixed vegetables no need to shallow fry. Cook directly) other vegetables, cooked dal – onion – tomato mixture, tamarind juice / paste, salt to taste and extra 100 ml (1/2 cup) water. Sambar should be of pouring consistency.

Cover with lid and cook on a medium heat for 5 - 7 minutes.

Add diluted sambar powder and boil again for 10 - 12 minutes on a low heat to medium heat till done / well cooked. You can find a slight reduction in the quantity of the sambar and nice aroma of sambar powder / sambar thickens (Sprinkle 1 pinch hing if required).

For seasoning :

2 teaspoon cooking oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 spring curry leaves (6 nos)

1 red chilli, halved

1 teaspoon chopped coriander leaves

For seasoning :

Heat oil in a pan . Add mustard seeds. When they start crackle, add curry leaves and halved red chilli. Saute for 2 - 3 minutes and pour this seasoning over sambar. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves (optional). Serve with Idli / Dosa / Pongal / Rice ....

Puli Inji

Puli Inji

Puli Inji is an essential ingredient for Onasadya (feast) - for that matter any sadya connected with auspicious events in Kerala. The main ingredient is ginger which is famous for assisting digestion. It also enhances the flavor and variety in the whole spectrum of dishes served during sadya. Recipe from Vanitha Magazine 2011 !!

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

2 spring curry leaves

3 medium size dried red chillies

4 tablespoon finely chopped ginger

2 tablespoon finely chopped green chilli

2 teaspoons tamarind paste or ¼ cup / 50 ml tamarind juice (soak a small lemon sized ball tamarind in ½ cup (100 ml warm water and then extract juice). This step is very important.

75 ml water (less than 1/2 cup)

1/4 teaspoon hing (kaayam / asafoetida)

1/2 teaspoon melted and sieved jaggery

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon red chilli powder

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/4 teaspoon uluva podi / powder (methi seed powder)

Method

Heat oil in a frying pan. Add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add broken red chillies and curry leaves and fry till crisp.

Add finely chopped ginger and green chilli and fry on a low to medium heat till golden color and crisp (approximate frying time 15 minutes). At this point, add tamarind paste and water.

Add hing, jaggery, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt. Cover with a lid and cook on a low to medium heat for 10 - 12 minutes or until the gravy thickens / golden brown in color.

Keep aside to cool for 15 minutes and mix with uluva podi (methi seed powder). Consume Puli Inji after 1 - 2 hours. Then it'll absorb all the flavors. Serve with rice.