Green chili sambar

Ingredients:
1 cup toor dal
1 marble-sized tamarind
1/2 tsp mustard
1/4 tsp fenugreek
4 green chilies
8 curry leaves
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 pinch asafoetida
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tsp oil
10 pieces of drumstick
1 carrot sliced
1/2 radish sliced
Salt to taste

Method:
Pressure cook the dal with little turmeric and keep aside.
In a deep pan, add oil, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida and green chilies. When the mustard pops add the tamarind water, salt and turmeric.
Cut the vegetables according to desired size. When the tamarind starts boiling add the vegetables, allow to cook.
Then add the cooked dal and let it boil for 2 minutes, then add cilantro.
Serve with rice or idli (rice cakes).

Rice upuma kozhakattai

Ingredients:
1 cup raw rice
1 tbsp toor dal
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
8 curry leaves
4 red chilies whole
1 pinch of asafoetida
1 tbsp oil
2 tbsp grated coconut
Salt to taste

Method:
First grind the rice and toor dal into semolina-like consistency.
In a deep pan add oil, mustard seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida, and whole red chilies broken into half.
When the mustard seeds pop, add 1 1/2 cup of water, salt and coconut.
When the water comes to a boil add the ground rice and keep stirring until there are no lumps. When everything comes together remove from stove and allow it to cool.
Now make small balls out of the dough and steam cook.
Serve with coconut chutney.

Eggplant kari

Ingredients:
10 small eggplant
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
3 or 4 curry leaves
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp curry powder
Salt to taste

Method for curry powder:
1 tbsp chana dal
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp urad dal
10 red chilies whole
4 cardamom
4 cloves
1 small cinnamon stick
Dry roast everything and grind it dry into a powder with salt to taste

Method for curry:
Cut the eggplant into half and make thin slices.
In a frying pan add oil, mustard seeds, and turmeric. When the mustard seeds pop add the eggplant and fry until golden brown.
Now add the curry powder, salt and fry.
Serve with sambar or rasam.

Black-eyed peas and mung dal

Ingredients:
1 large onion
2 medium-sized tomatoes
2 green chilies
1 tbsp ginger paste
1/4 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp sambar powder
1/2 garam masala powder
1/2 black pepper powder
1/2 turmeric powder
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 cup black-eyed peas
1 cup whole green mung dal (lentils)
3 tbsp oil
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
Salt to taste

Method:
Soak the dal and black-eyed peas overnight.
In a deep saucepan, add oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, ginger paste, green chili, and sauté until the mustard seeds pop. Then add onion and fry until golden. Add tomatoes and fry for a minute, then add all the spices and stir for a minute or two.
Add the soaked dal and black-eyed peas, water and salt. Pressure cook until there are six to seven whistles. Turn off the stove and when the pressure subsides open the cooker. Garnish with cilantro.
Serve with rice or chapati.

Nombu adai (sweet)

Ingredients:
1 cup rice flour
3/4 cup grated jaggery
1/4 cup yellow mung dal
1 tbsp grated coconut

Method:
First dry fry the rice flour, when it turns slightly golden take it out and keep aside.
Now dry fry the mung dal, when it is slightly golden add water and allow it to cook until tender. Do not overcook.
Now add 1 cup of water, jaggery, and coconut. When the jaggery is melted add the rice flour and stir well to make a dough.Now make into a small gooseberry-sized balls. Flatten on a foil with your palm and make a small depression in the center of each. Steam it. The adai will change color when cooked. Cool it and remove from the foil.
Serve with unsalted butter.

Bajji

Ingredients:
3 handfuls gram flour
1 handful rice flour
1/2 tsp soda
2 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp asafoetida
2 tbsp hot oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 medium-sized eggplant
1 potato peeled
1/2 carrot
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

Method:
Slice the vegetables.
Mix the above ingredients, add the hot oil and water to make a paste in the consistency of dough for fritters.
Dip vegetables in the mixture and deep fry in a wok.
Serve with ketchup or chutney.

Eggplant pitlai

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup cooked toor dal
1 medium-sized eggplant cubed
1 tbsp chana da
1 tbsp coriander seeds
3 whole red chilies
1 tbsp grated coconut
1  gooseberry-sized tamarind
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp jaggery
1 tbsp cilantro chopped
1 pinch of asafoetida
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
4 curry leaves
Salt to taste

Method:
In a deep saucepan fry the chana dal, coriander seeds, and red chilies. When slightly toasted add the coconut and once it turns golden, remove it and grind with cilantro to make into a smooth paste.
Soak the tamarind in warm water and squeeze out the juice. Put oil in the pan and add mustard seeds and curry leaves. Once the mustard pops add the cubed eggplant and sauté, then add turmeric. Sauté for a while then add the tamarind water, salt and jaggery. Allow eggplant to cook. Add the grounded paste and cooked dal and let it boil for 2 minutes.
Serve with rice or chapati.