Sambar - Traditional Sambar

Sambar is one of the traditional dishes that one can find in almost all the South Indian homes. They taste excellent and is a very good accompaniment for rice, idly, dosa, vada (vadai), pongal, etc. So, how to prepare the tasty sambar. 

Items Needed:

Cut vegetables (Brinjal, Drumstick) - 1 cup

Sambar Powder - 2 tbsp

Tamarind Extract - 1 cup

Toor dhal (cooked and mashed well) - 1 cup

Asafoetida - a pinch

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Salt - to taste

For Seasoning:

Oil - 2 tsp

Mustard - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 arc

Coriander - 1 tsp

How to Prepare:

1. Switch on the flame and heat a kadai or a heavy-bottomed vessel.

2. Heat the oil in the kadai and add the mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add the curry leaves and the cut vegetables.

3. Now, add the turmeric powder, asafoetida and the sambar powder. Mix them for about a minute.

4. Add the tamarind extract; add water according to the quantity of sambar you require.

5. Add salt and allow it to boil. Wait till the vegetables are cooked and the raw smell of the tamarind is gone.

6. Add the cooked and mashed toor dhal to the cooked vegetables. Allow it to boil for about 5 minutes.

7. Your delicious sambar is ready to serve. Enjoy it!

NOTE:

1. If you wish, you can saute onions before adding the vegetables.

2. Vegetables like radish, carrot, potato, capsicum can also be used.

Oats Upma

Do you wish to try out a new recipe with oats other than the normal oats porridge? Dash in some vegetables along with oats and your healthy oats upma is ready. It can be made quickly and is good for both breakfast and a light dinner.

Items needed:

Oats - 1 Cup
Mixed Vegetables (Carrots, Beans, Potato) - 1/2 Cup
Onion - 1 small
Tomato - 2 small or 1 big
Salt - To Taste

Seasoning:

Oil - 1 Tbsp
Mustard - 1 Tsp
Urid Dal - 1 Tsp
Bengal Gram Dal or Channa Dal - 1 Tsp
Curry Leaves - 1 Arc
Green Chillies - 1 Big

How to Prepare:

Take a wide-mouthed vessel or a kadai or a wok. Switch on the flame and dry roast oats in it for about 4-5 minutes. Now, transfer it to a plate and keep it aside.

2. Heat oil in the kadai. Once the oil is hot, add mustard. Allow it splutter. Now add, the remaining items mentioned in seasoning one after the other. Add onions and cook them till they are translucent.

3. Add the remaining vegetables one after the other and add little water. Cover and cook till the vegetables are done. Finally add the tomatoes and cook for about 1 minute.

4. Now add the roasted oats and mix them well. If you feel, it looks dry add about 1/4 cup of water else the water in the tomatoes is enough to cook the roasted oats. Your delicious and healthy oats upma is now ready.

NOTE:

You can add any vegetables of your choice like cauliflower, peas, sweet corn, etc.

Soya Chunks Tikki

Ingredients:

Soya Chunks - 2 Cups
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
Green chillies - 2 (finely chopped)
Oil
Salt to taste
Maida flour - 1 Cup
Rice flour - 2 tsp

Preparation: (Serving - 2 persons)

1. Boil water. 
2. Switch off the stove and put the soya chunks in boiling water.
3. Keep it aside for about 5-10 minutes.
4. Remove the soya chunks from water and squeeze the excess water.
5. Grind soya chunks, ginger garlic paste and green chillies without adding water.
6. Mix 1 teaspoon of maida and 2 tsp of rice flour with the grind soya chunks.
7. Make them into small balls and pat them into small vadas.
8. Coat these vadas in the maida flour.
9. Shallow fry in a frying pan.

 Delicious soya chunks tikki is now ready. Serve hot with tomato sauce or any chutney.