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Manathakkali Vathakuzhambu Recipe

Ingredients: 2 tablespoons gingelly oil 1 gooseberry-sized piece of tamarind 1 teaspoon mustard seeds 1 teaspoon urad dal 2 red chilies (broken) 1 teaspoon toor dal 1 teaspoon manathakkali vathal Salt to taste 1 teaspoon ghee A few curry leaves Instructions: Prepare Tamarind Extract : Briefly heat the tamarind over a flame. Soak it in water to extract the juice. Set aside the tamarind juice. Fry Manathakkali Vathal : Heat ghee in a pan. Fry the manathakkali vathal until it turns crisp. Remove from the pan and set aside on a plate. Prepare Vathakuzhambu : In the same pan, heat the gingelly oil. Add mustard seeds and let them sputter. Add urad dal, broken red chilies, and toor dal. Fry until the dals turn golden brown. Combine Ingredients : Pour the tamarind extract into the pan. Add salt to taste. Allow the mixture to boil until the raw smell of tamarind disappears. Finish and Serve : Add the fried manathakkali vathal and curry leaves to the boiling mixture. Stir well and remove from he
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Venjanam (Venchanam) Recipe

  This is a traditional dish, typically prepared by the farmers and eaten with green beans. A traditional recipe from the Kongu region of Tamil Nadu, a typical kongunadu recipe which was taught to me by my grandma, who is from that region. Ingredients: Tamarind : Size of a lemon Chillies : 10 to 12 (depending on desired spiciness) Coriander Seeds (Taniya) : 2 tbsp Bengal gram da l- 1 tbsp Pepper : 1/4 tsp Cumin Seeds : 1 tsp Toor Dal : 1/2 cup or Avarai paruppu which is also called as Thattai paruppu locally Coconut : 1, finely grated Small Onions : 1/4 kg Big Onions : 2 Eggplant : 1/4 to 1/2 kg (you can also use banana, cluster beans, or other vegetables) Karamani - 1/2 cup optional Method: Fry the coriander seeds, pepper, bengal gram, red chillies and cumin seeds in gingely oil. Can add 1 tsp of ghee too. Chop the onions to a reasonably sized pieces and add the along with the roasted spices. Once cool, grind it together with grated coconut to a coarse paste.  Pressure cook the toor d
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Quick and Flavorful Onion Chutney Recipe (Vengaya Chutney)

An aromatic and flavourful side dish for idlis or dosas and that too something to be done in a jiffy, theis chutney is known as Avasara Chutney - Urgent chutney in our family as this is done when ppl say we dont want milagaipodi which is always available at home. This chutney is very tasty and also bursting with flavours. A favourite dish for every one at home and this is taught by my Mother in law. This is a recipe that is pungent and also sweet due to the onions. The best part of this dish is that you can also mix it with steaming hot rice and a spoon of gingely oil too. Ingredients: Onions - 2 medium sized (increase the quantity if you are making this for more people) Red Chiily round - 4 nos Tamarind - small gooseberry size or 1/2 tbsp Tamarind paste Crystal salt - Kal uppu - 1/2 tsp For tempering: Gingely Oil - 4tbsp Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp Curry leaves - a few Method: Heat 2 tbsp oil in a hard bottom flat pan. Chop the onions roughly and add it to the oil along with the red chi
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How to make ghee at home

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Now a days there are lots of brands of ghee available in the market. They advertise it as Manal Manalaai Nei - Sand like textured ghee. I have grown up eating ghee that was made at home. Dad will purchase butter - the Oothukuli butter from the famous Thayar Dairy stores in Ranganathan Street, T. Nagar, near the railway station. The butter will be pure white. I am not sure now if it is cow butter or butter from buffalo as the butter that I get now a days are slightly yellow in colour. The ghee made from this store bought butter at home smells great and the whole house will be full of that smell for almost the whole day. The best part of it is we kids get to eat a small ball of the butter which definitely we look for. The butter is not table butter. It is saltless and is of a smooth texture. I find that texture lacking in today's store bought cooking butter be it of any brand. Making ghee at home is indeed a cherished tradition for many, and the quality and texture often surpass stor
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Delicious Tomato Sambar Recipe for Idly, Dosa, and Roti

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Looking for a flavourful side dish for your favourite breakfast or dinner staples? Try this tangy and aromatic tomato sambar recipe, perfect for pairing with idly, dosa, or roti. Quick and easy to make, it's a sure fire hit at any mealtime. "Tangy Tomato Sambar Recipe" When you're in need of a delectable side dish for your idly, dosa, or roti, this tomato chutney recipe comes to the rescue! Bursting with flavor and easy to whip up, it's a must-try for any South Indian food lover. "Ingredients" 8 medium-sized tomatoes (preferably country variety for optimal sourness) 8 shallots 2 green chillies 2 red chillies A handful of curry leaves 1/4 cup finely chopped coriander leaves 1 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp hing (asafoetida) 1/2 tsp turmeric powder 1 tbsp gingelly oil 1/2 tsp mustard seeds 1 tsp cumin seeds 2 cups thuvar dal (optional, pressure cooked and mashed) Method: Peel and chop the shallots into halves. Chop the tomatoes into small cubes using a chopper or k
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Manathakkali Vathakuzhambu A traditional recipe

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 When we say Vathakuzhambu we in our family end up voting for either shallots vathakuzhambu or Poondu Vathakuzhambu . But my personal favourite is the manathakkali vathakuzhambu made using dried manathakkali vathal. Mom used to make it with fresh green manathakkali too. But this one gets thicker by the day and tastes too good in the night or the next day. Though the best combination with this is Keerai koottu or Keerai masiya l, I also prefer it with potato kara curry . Here's the recipe for delicious Manathakkali Vathakuzhambu: Ingredients: 2 tablespoons Manathakkali Vathal (unsalted) 8 tablespoons Tamarind Paste 4 tablespoons Vathakuzhambu Podi Few Curry Leaves (optional) 6 tablespoons Gingelly Oil Salt, to taste 200 ml Water For tempering: 1/2 teaspoon Mustard Seeds 1 teaspoon Channa Dal 1/2 teaspoon Hing (Asafoetida) Method: Heat gingelly oil in a hard-bottomed pan. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add channa dal and hing to the pan. Mix well until the dal turns golden
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Keerai Masiyal - a quick and simple recipe

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Convenience in food preparation has become increasingly important in today's fast-paced lifestyle. With options like cut fruits, chopped vegetables, and even pre-cleaned spinach available in the market, it's easier than ever to incorporate healthy and nutritious ingredients into our meals. Even if pre-chopped spinach isn't readily available, purchasing cleaned spinach and using a vegetable cutter or chopper to prepare it can significantly streamline the cooking process. Chopping spinach ahead of time saves valuable time in the kitchen, making meal preparation more efficient and manageable, especially during busy weekdays. By taking advantage of these convenient options, we can ensure that we have access to fresh, wholesome ingredients while minimizing the time and effort required for meal preparation. This allows us to prioritize health and nutrition without compromising on convenience or flavor in our meals.   Ingredients: 1 bunch of greens or 3 cups chopped greens 2 tbsp
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