Falafel

Ingredients:

1 cup kabuli chana 

1 cup onion (chopped)

1 tbsp Garlic (chopped)

1/4 cup Fresh Parsley (chopped)

1/4 cup Coriander leaves (chopped)

1/2 tsp Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp Baking powder

Oil for deep frying

Salt to taste

For roasting and grinding:

1/2 tbsp Coriander seeds

1/2 tbsp Fennel seeds

1/2 tbsp Cumin seeds

3 Dry chillies (Deseeded)

Method:

• Soak the chana in tap water for 8 hours or overnight. In the morning, drain and rinse the chana and pat dry with kitchen towel. Keep aside.  
• Heat a dry small pan in a medium low flame and roast the dry chillies, coriander, fennel and cumin seeds till it is fragrant. Switch off the stove.
• Cool the roasted content and grind it to a coarse powder in a dry grinder. Keep aside.
• Now place the chana in a food processor and grind it till it is coarse.
• Then add the rest of the ingredients (including the grinded powder) except oil and whiz it till all the contents are coarsely chopped and well mixed together.
• Check and adjust the seasoning accordingly. Transfer the content to a big bowl.
• Now heat oil in deep pan for frying. 
• when the oil is hot, make small lime size balls out of the grounded content and fry them till they are golden brown and crisp. 
• Drain them on kitchen towel to drain off the excess oil.
• Serve the falafels hot with pita bread and garlic mayo.

Pasi Paruppu Sambar

Ingredients:

1 cup of Moong dhal

1 Potato

5 Small Onions (Peeled)

2 Green chillies (Slit)

4 Garlic (Peeled)

1 Tomatoes (quartered)

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tbsp Sambar powder
1/4 tsp Cumin seeds
A pinch of Hing

1 tbsp Gingerly oil
1 Onion (Finely sliced)
2 strands of curry leaves

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

1/4 tsp Urad dhal

2 Dry chillies

Few stalks of coriander leaves

Method:

• Wash and peel the outer skin of the potato and cut it into medium bite size pieces. Keep aside.
• In a deep pan, add the washed moong dhal, potato, shallots, garlic, tomato, turmeric powder, hing, 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt.
• When the dhal is almost done, add the sambar powder and cumin seeds and bring to boil and switch off the stove. Cover the pan and keep aside.
• Heat the gingerly oil in small pan and splutter the mustard and urad dhal. Then add the dry chillies, onion and curry leaves. Fry for 2 mins and add the cooked dhal.
• Stir well to mix everything. Season with more salt if needed.
• Serve it garnished with chopped coriander leaves.

Paruppu Rasam

Ingredients:

1 cup Cooked Toor Dhal

2 Ripe tomatoes

3 cloves of Garlic (Crushed)

2 strands of curry leaves

3 Dry red chillies

1/4 tsp Mustard seed

1/4 tsp Urad dhal

1/2 tsp Freshly coarsely ground Cumin and Black pepper

A pinch of hing (perunkayam)

1/2 tsp Rasam powder

1 small lime size tamarind ball 

1 tsp Gingerly oil

Salt to taste

Few stalks coriander leaves to garnish

Method:

• Soak tamarind in a cup of warm water. Extract the thick pulp and set aside.
• To the tamarind pulp, add the tomatoes, rasam powder, pepper and cumin powders and salt. Smash it together with hands and check the seasoning and adjust accordingly.
• Transfer the contents to a pan and set it on medium flame. Let it come to boil and till the raw smell of the rasam powder leaves.
• Now add the cooked toor dhal and let the foam come on top.
• In a separate small pan, heat the oil, splutter mustard and urad dhal, then add the red chillies, crushed garlic, hing and curry leaves. Add it to the rasam.
• Serve the paruppu rasam garnished with coriander leaves.

Agathi Keerai Sambar

Ingredients:
1 cup of Toor dhal

1/2 cup Agathi keerai

2 green chillies (Slit)

3 cloves of Garlic (Chopped)

2 Ripe tomato (Quartered)

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

2 cups of water

1 small lime size tamarind ball

1 tbsp Sambar powder

For tempering:

1 tbsp Gingerly oil

1 small onion (thinly sliced)

2 dried red chillies

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

1/4 tsp Urad dhal

Method:

• Cook the toor dhal in a pressure cooker with a pinch of salt, turmeric powder and hing. Keep aside.
• Clean and remove the agathi keerai leaves from its stem. Wash and keep aside.
• Boil the washed agathi keerai leaves together with garlic, chillies, tomato, turmeric powder and salt in a deep bottomed pan.
• Soak tamarind in 1/4 cup of warm water. Extract the thick pulp and set aside.
• To the tamarind pulp, add the sambar powder.
• When the keerai is cooked, add the cooked toor dhal and the tamarind extract.
• In a small pan, heat gingerly oil, splutter mustard seeds and urad dhal. Add the onions, dry chillies and fry till golden brown.
• Add the tempering to the sambar and let it boil for 2 mins.
• Serve hot with rice and pappadam.

Drumstick Sambar

Ingredients:
1 cup of Toor dhal
3 cups of water

2 cloves of Garlic (Chopped)

2 Green chillies (Slit)

1 Ripe tomato (Quartered)

A pinch of hing (Perunkayam)

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1 Drumstick (Cut into 3 inch pieces)

1 small lime size tamarind ball

1 tbsp Sambar powder

1 tsp Jaggery (optional)

For tempering:

1 tbsp Gingerly oil

1 small onion (thinly sliced)

2 dried red chillies (deseeded and torn into 2)

Few strands of Curry leaves

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

1/4 tsp Urad dhal

Few stalks of coriander leaves for garnishing

Method:

• Boil washed toor dhal, water, garlic, chillies, tomato, turmeric powder, hing and salt in a deep bottomed pan.
• Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup of warm water. Extract the thick pulp and set aside.
• When the toor dhal is half cooked, add the drumstick pieces.
• To the tamarind pulp, add the jaggery and the sambar powder.
• Add the tamarind extract to the dhal when the drumstick is almost cooked.
• In a separate pan, heat gingerly oil on medium heat, splutter mustard seeds and urad dhal. Add the onions, dry chillies and curry leaves and fry till golden brown.
• Add the tempering to the sambar and let it boil for 2 mins. Garnish with chopped Coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with rice, pickle and pappadam.

Khichdi

Ingredients:

1 cup Long grain Basmati rice

1/2 cup Masoor Dhal (Red lentils)

11/2 cups water

1 tsp Fennel seeds

1 Bay leaf

1whole Cardamom

1 cloves

1 cinnamon stick

1 Star anise

1 tsp garlic ginger paste

1 onion (finely sliced)

3 Green chillies (Slit)

1 tsp Turmeric powder

Few Coriander leaves (Garnishing)

2 tbsp Ghee

Salt to taste

1 tbsp Fried onions for garnishing

Method:

• Wash rice and soak it in water for 30 mins. Wash the dhal in few changes of water and Keep aside.
• Heat ghee in a wok and add the fennel seeds and the whole garam masala (Bay leaf, Cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick and Star anise). Fry for a min.
• Add the garlic ginger pastes and fry till the raw smell leaves, then add the onion and green chillies. Fry for 2 mins.
• When the onions are browned, add the turmeric powder and washed dhal. Fry for 3 mins.
• Drain the rice and add to the wok and stir well till each grain of rice gets coated with the dhal mixture.
• Now transfer the content to a microwave safe bowl or electric rice cooker and add the water. Add salt, mix well and microwave for 20 mins on high or till rice is cooked.
• Once ready, let it stand for 10 mins before serving.