Traditional South Indian Meals - 2

A more popular combination of tradtional festive lunch: sambar, rasam, vadai and a traditional salad.

Whats a festive meal without piping hot urad vadas? Hot vadas in sambar are my idea of comfort food.


And vadais dunked in a light spicy rasam are absolutely perfect on a slightly chilly day!

Of course this was accompanied by the requisite 2 vegetables, one roasted/fried, and the other with a little coconut. Standard choices being roast potato curry and some beans with coconut!

I've invited a few Japanese friends over for a Navaratri lunch this weekend, and I've decided to serve a traditional south Indian meal this time. Here's wishing me luck!

Sambar (with fresh ground spices)
serves 6


The spices:
Roast individually and grind to a smooth paste
40 gms coriander seeds
20 gms dry red chillies
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
2 tbsp chana dal
1 tbsp tuvar dal
1 pinch hing
1/4 cup grated coconut

1 lemon size ball of tamarind (dissolved in 3 cups water)
1 cup tuvar dal (cooked with a little turmeric)
1 cup sliced white radish
oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 pinch hing
curry leaves
salt to taste

Heat oil. Temper with mustard and fenugreek seeds and hing.
Add radish slices and stirfry for 2 minutes.
Add tamarind water, salt and the ground spices.
Bring to a boil, and the reduce to a simmer till the radish pieces are cooked.
Add cooked dal and curry leaves. Adjust consistency with more water if desired.
Bring to boil.
Serve hot.


Salad
serves 6


1/4 cup split yellow moong dal (Soaked in water for 30 mins and drained)
2 large carrots (peeled and grated)
1 large firm tomato (chopped fine)
1 tbsp coriander leaves (finely chopped)
1 tsp green chilli (finely chopped)
1 tsp ginger (grated)
1 tsp lemon juice (or to taste)
2 tbsp grated coconut (optional)
salt to taste

Toss all the above in a large bowl, and transfer to a serving bowl.
Refrigerate till ready to serve.