Masur Dailor Bor (Red Lentil Fritters)

            Exploring the flavours of #NorthEastCuisine for the 29th #FoodieMonday #Bloghop, I picked a popular Assamese dish - 'Masur Dailor bor' or Red Lentil fritters that are usually served on the side with rice and Dal. A variation as always, used Pearl millet / Bajra flour along with Rice.

MASUR DAILOR BOR (RED LENTIL FRITTERS)

Ingredients : 
Red Lentils (Masoor dal) - 1 cup
Rice - 2 tbsps
Pearl millet (Bajra) flour - 2 tbsps
Salt to taste
Cumin seeds (Jeera) - 1/2 tsp
Green Chili (chopped) - 1 big
Coriander leaves, chopped
Chopped onions (optional)
Spinach leaves, chopped (optional)
Asafoetida powder (hing) - 1/4 tsp (optional)

Method :
1. Wash and soak the lentils and rice together for 3 hours. 

2. Drain water and coarsely grind in a mixer. Add the bajra flour, salt to taste, hing and grind again to a thick paste using as little water as possible. Remove to a bowl.

3. Heat oil for frying. Add the cumin seeds, chopped green chili, coriander and spinach leaves and mix well with the batter. Check for salt.

4. Using a spoon or hands, drop small fritters or portions into the medium hot oil. Take care to let them fry first on low- medium flame then increase so that the batter within gets evenly cooked as well. Remove once fried to golden brown.
Drain excess oil, serve with accompaniment of choice, or as a side with Rice and lentils.

Panchratni Dal

              The classic Panchratni Dal - a gem of a dish with typically five lentils, combined with spices and served with rice or Indian breads. Make it even more classic by serving some cut onions and green chilies on the side!!!

PANCHRATNI DAL

Ingredients :
Lentils :
Bengal gram (Chana Dal) - 60 gms
Whole Black gram ( Urad dal) - 60 gms
Split pigeon peas ( Arahar dal) - 30 gms
Split green gram (Moong dal) - 60 gms
Split red lentil ( Masoor dal) - 60 gms
Turmeric pwd (haldi )  - 1 tsp
Asafoetida (hing) - a pinch
Curds - 1 tbsp

Salt to taste
Gravy : 
Ginger paste - 2 tsps
Onion - 1 small (ground)
Tomato - 1 big (pureed)
Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Ground black pepper - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds (Jeera) - 1 tsp
Clarified butter (Ghee) - 1/3 cup
Green chilies - 2

Method : 
1. Wash the lentils together, pressure cook with enough water and turmeric powder till 3/4th done. Take care not to over cook. Remove once pressure reduces and transfer to a pan.

2. Prepare a tempering by heating 1 tbsp ghee and adding hing to it. Roast for a minute and add to the cooked lentils. Heat pan containing the lentils, add salt to taste, chili powder, black peppers, curds and let simmer.

3. Heat the remaining ghee in another pan. Add the ground onion and ginger paste and saute till light brown.

4. Add jeera, chopped green chilies and tomato puree and let cook till gravy thickens. Check for salt. Add the simmering lentils to this gravy, mix well and cover-cook for 7-8 minutes.
Remove, garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot.

Eggless Red Velvet Cupcakes

                 True foodies love to be inspired by others' culinary creations. I recall the time when exchanging recipes on paper, scouring through magazines and proudly possessing that neatly catalogued recipe book was a delight in those good ol' days. 
                 Now that everyone has access to almost every information they seek, the recipe book might have been literally 'shelved', but the trend of being inspired will continue forever. For our 28th bloghop theme, we chose to be inspired by recipes from each other's blogs, and give it a twist if we want too!!
                 I was spoilt for choice in selecting from my Bloghop mate, Preethi's blog I chose a simple Eggless red velvet cupcake recipe as I have been looking to try it for quite sometime now. I liked that fact that this recipe used wheat flour & no fat and looked so simple to make. Baking always makes me nervous, so I found it especially comforting !!!
Only change, I used strawberry compote (happy that they are in season!!) instead of the food colour. 

MICROWAVE EGGLESS RED VELVET CUPCAKE

Ingredients:
150 ml Wheat flour
50 ml Refined flour
6 tbsps + 1 tbsp Powdered Sugar
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 cup finely chopped strawberries (if in season, else use red food grade colour)
100ml Milk
Whipped cream, Chopped strawberries for garnishing

Method:
1. Heat a non-stick pan, add 1 cup strawberries and 1 tbsp sugar to it and let caramelise. If the strawberries are medium sweet, then use 2 tbsps sugar instead. Stir occasionally and mash lightly till the strawberries are soft. I wanted a bite to them, so did not cook till too soft. This should take about 10 mins or so. Remove and let cool.

2. Sieve together the flours, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl. Since using wheat flour I sieved them at least thrice. 

3. Add in the milk and mix well. Finally add the cooled strawberry compote and mix again. Pour the batter into greased cupcake moulds. I use a combination microwave oven. I baked at 200 deg C for about 5 minutes followed by 4 more minutes at 170 deg C, or till the knife came out clean. 
Remove and let cool to room temperature. Decorate with whipped cream and strawberries or jam. Serve.

Achaari Subz Pulao

               Be it a quiet weekend afternoon, guests for lunch or special dinner, this Achaari Subz Pulao is one of those ultimate One-pot meals that will have you craving for more...
My contribution for the 27th Foodie Monday Blog Hop, with the theme of North Indian dishes.

ACHAARI SUBZ PULAO

Ingredients :
Basmati Rice - 1.5 cups (washed lightly and soaked for 1 hour)
Warm Milk - 1 tsp
Saffron strands - a pinch
Cumin seeds (Jeera) - 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon stick - 1"piece
Cloves - 2
Green cardamom (Choti Elaichi) - 2
Oil - 2-3 tbsps
Salt to taste
For the marination : 
Paneer (cubed) - 1 cup
Soya chunks (soaked in warm water for 1 hour) - 1/2 cup
Par-boiled Mixed vegetables (Green peas, carrot, French beans) - 1 cup
Blanched Cauliflower - 1/4 cup
Blanched Broccoli - 1/4 cup
Curds - 3/4 cup (water drained)
Masala paste from Mango or Chili pickle(recipe for Stuffed Chili pickle here) - 1.5 tbsps
Fennel seeds (Saunf) - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds (Methi) - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds (Jeera) - 1 tsp
Turmeric pwd (Haldi ) - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

Method :
1. For the achaari marination, blend curds and the achaar (pickle) paste together till smooth. To this, add saunf, sarson, methi seeds, jeera, haldi, oil and salt and blend coarsely. Take care not to grind the spices too fine. Transfer to a large bowl.

2. Add paneer, soaked and drained soya chunks, vegetables and marinate for 20 minutes. 

3. Heat a grill pan or non-stick pan. Grill / shallow fry the vegetables and paneer till light golden brown (without the marination mixture) with very little oil. No need to grill the soya chunks. They can be left in the marination till the rice is ready, so they can soak the spices better.

4. For preparing the rice, boil the basmati rice in a vessel full of water and added salt, till 90% done. Take care not to over cook. Drain and let cool to room temperature.

5. Add the saffron strands to 1 tbsp warm milk and let soak. Add to the cooked rice, mix gently and keep aside while we prepare the tempering.

6. Heat oil in a large wok or kadhai, add jeera, cinnamon stick, cloves, elaichi and fry for about 2-3 minutes. Add the fried vegetables, paneer and soya chunks (marination drained) and lightly mix. Finally add the rice and mix gently so that the seasoning spices coat all the ingredients evenly. 
Serve hot with raita and roasted papad.

Bajra with curd

                 There is a growing interest and fondness for the use of millets and multi grains in our diet. Millets have been the backbone of our cuisine for ages, especially if we talk about the rural cuisine. My mother had the privilege of growing up close to her roots, and she has endless stories to share, about food, festivals, life in those days, and above all, how naturally healthy everyone was!! 
                 For the farmers it was imperative to have a wholesome breakfast, which was defined not by the quantity but the quality of items. It could be something as humble as leftover rice soaked overnight and eaten with an onion the next morning. Or anything made with soaked and cooked millets that would keep them going till lunchtime! 
                 As a replacement to rice at night, we are now using alternatives like cracked wheat, bajra or pearl millet, and the difference in digestion and overall health is quite apparent. Though the suggestion here is for bajra with curd, one can have it in any form they wish, as one would with rice. 

BAJRA WITH CURD

Ingredients :
Bajra (Pearl millet) - 1 cup
Curds - as required
Salt to taste 
Hing (Asafoetida pwd) to taste
Fresh curry leaves 
Method :
1. Lightly crush the bajra using either a mixer or the stone masala crusher. We just want to roughly break it in the form of broken wheat. Wash once and soak for an hour. 

2. Pressure cook using 2.5 cups water up to 4-5 whistles, then reduce flame and let cook for 7-8 minutes more. 

3. Once pressure has subsided, remove and let cool. Lightly beat curds, add salt and hing. Add required amount of cooked bajra and serve garnished with curry leaves.

Chocolate Cake with Jalebi Crust

Featured on http://www.chefajaychopra.com/chocolate-cake-on-jalebi-crust/                
         Love is in the air! Much heard, much said :) But my principle when it comes to food, as long as one can eat what makes them and their health happy, that for me is true love :)
               Wishing to create something more than just a layered dessert, I thought of using crisp Jalebi as the base for a soft cake. Easier decided than done as I had never tried making Jalebi in my life before. God bless the GITS company for this Jalebi mix with a free nozzle bottle as well!!
                I am not sure how a true dessert connoiseur would interpret this combination, but as a foodie, the layers of crisp, slightly warm jalebi, soft chocolate cake with whipped cream icing, and further topped off with more Jalebi and melted chocolate was "THE WOW" factor for me :) 
On to the recipe....

EGGLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH JALEBI CRUST

Ingredients :
For the cake : 
Refined flour / Maida - 1 cup (250 ml) 
Baking pwd -  1 tsp
Baking soda -  1/2 tsp
Salt a pinch
Butter - 60 gms
Pwd sugar - 90gms (3/4 cup)
Lukewarm Milk - 150 ml
Vanilla essence -  1/2 tsp

Other ingredients : 
Whipped cream
Instant Jalebi mix (Or one can follow any basic Jalebi recipe)
Sugar syrup for the Jalebis
Chocolate syrup

Method : 
1. For the cake, sieve together the dry ingredients into a clean bowl.
2. In another bowl, beat together butter & sugar. Fold in the sieved flour mixture. 

3. Finally add milk and vanilla essence and lightly mix, till you get a smooth cake batter.
4. Pour into a cake mould and bake @180 for 10 mins. (Since I use a combination microwave, I tend to bake at 200 deg C for about 4-5 minutes, followed by 4 more minutes at 170 deg C.) Remove and cool to room temperature.

5. Using a clean palette knife, apply whipped cream evenly over and around the cake or decorate as desired. Refrigerate till the jalebis are done.

5. Prepare Jalebis as per the instructions, dip for about 20-30 seconds in warm sugar syrup and keep aside. (Note : Try making jalebis in shapes similar to the cake wedges you will serve, for eg, a triangle or meshed square instead of the traditional round design)

6. Now for the assemling and serving... cut the cake into wedges. Place a jalebi on the serving plate. Keep the cake wedge on top of it. Garnish further as desired with more Jalebi pieces, cream and chocolate syrup!!!

Besanwali bhindi

          Besanwali bhindi has quite a few culinary interpretations. It could be gram flour-coated okra crisp fried or sautéed, spices could vary, and so on. This one here uses my mother's special spice mix that she prepares for a capsicum curry.

BESANWALI BHINDI

Ingredients :
Okra/Ladiesfinger/Bhindi (chopped into 1 cm long pieces) - 1 cup
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds (sarson) - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds (jeera) - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder (haldi ) - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Gram flour (Besan) - 1.5 tbsps

Spice mix :
Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp
Fenugreek seeds (Methi) - 1 tsp
Dry red chilies - 2 medium

Method :

1. Dry roast the spice mix ingredients, let cool and coarsely grind in a mixer.

2. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and let crackle. Add jeera and once it crackles as well follow it up with the cut okra and haldi. Mix well and let cook (uncovered) till about half done.

3. Add salt at this stage and let cook some more. Meanwhile dry roast the gram flour/Besan on low flame till it lets out an aroma. Take care not to over-roast it. Keep aside.

4. When the okra is 3/4th done, add the ground spices and mix well. Let cook while stirring occasionally for about 7-8 minutes more. Finally add the roasted besan, mix and let cook for just 2 minutes more. Remove and serve hot with desired accompaniment.

Aloo Poha

                Aloo Poha, quite arguably one of the more popular Indian breakfast, or snack dish for that matter, is a humble preparation that's immensely satisfying. There are innumerable varieties to be found, and the flavour and ingredients vary from even household to household!!
                I add here a pretty basic recipe which can be developed in any way one prefers. Sticking to my mantra of less white and more brown, I used Brown Poha or flattened rice for this recipe. Both the thick and semi-thick ones can be used. The paper thin variety might not yield that great a result. If the brown version is not available, use the white one.

ALOO POHA

Ingredients :

Sesame or Olive oil - 1.5 tbsps
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds (Jeera) - 1/2 tsp
Slit green chilies - 1 big or 2 medium
Potato - 1 medium (diced)
Turmeric powder (haldi) - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Brown Flattened rice or Poha (Chivda, Aval) - 1 cup
Chopped coriander leaves
Juice of 1 lemon

Method :

1. Wash the poha to remove impurities and soak in about half the quantity of water for 10 minutes or just before beginning the preparation. If using the thicker poha, soak it for longer. Typically the poha would have soaked up all the water, else drain excess water and let it rest in a colander/sieve. Take care not to soak to the extent that the poha or flattened rice becomes squishy. 

2. Heat oil in a pan or wok. Add the mustard seeds and let splutter, followed by cumin seeds. 

3. Now add the slit green chilies and sauté a bit. Tip in the diced potatoes along with haldi and salt. Mix well and cover-cook for about 5-7 minutes or till the potatoes are cooked (but not too soft)

4. Add the soaked poha and mix so the potato mixture coats it well. Check for salt and let cook for about 5-7 minutes more. Turn off the flame and finally add the lemon juice. Mix again. Garnish with chopped fresh coriander leaves and let rest for about 5 minutes more to allow the added flavours to get soaked in.
Serve hot.

Custard-Fruit Tart

             A fun tart that's sure to be an any-time favourite...

CUSTARD FRUIT TART

Ingredients : 
Biscuit base :
Crushed digestive biscuits - 125 gms
Unsalted softened Butter - 85 gms

Fruits layer :
Assorted fruits of choice (finely chopped) - I used Apples, blueberries, banana, plum, melon)
Sugar - 2 tbsps
Cinnamon powder - 1/2 tsp
Clove powder (optional) - 1/4 tsp

Custard layer :
Milk - 1/2 litre
Custard powder (Vanilla flavour) - 2.5 tbsps
Sugar - 1.5 tbsps

Method : 

1. For the biscuit base, mix together the crushed (but not finely powdered) biscuits with softened butter till the butter is well incorporated. Spread evenly in a cake or tart tin and press firmly. Refrigerate until the remaining layers are prepared.

2. For the fruit layer, heat a non-stick pan and add the chopped fruits along with the sugar and let cook on low flame till sugar melts and maximum moisture from fruits evaporates. Sprinkle the cinnamon and clove powder, mix well and let simmer for a minute more. Remove and let cool.

3. Take out the biscuit base and spread the cooled fruits evenly over it, and shove it back into the refrigerator.

4. Finally, for the custard, add custard powder and 4 tbsps cool milk in a small bowl and mix leaving no lumps. Heat the remaining milk and sugar on low flame till it reaches a boil. Add in the custard-milk mix, stirring continuously to avoid lumps. Stir till mixture starts to thicken. Remove from flame immediately and continue stirring. Cool for about 5-7 minutes.

5. Take out the biscuit base again and gently pour the custard over the fruits layer. Even out the surface and refrigerate again for about one hour or till set.
Cut into wedges, garnish with desired fruits and serve.

Star Brunch at Five Star

                   Another bright morning in my favourite foodie city of Bangalore; and my next meet with the Food Bloggers Association of Bangalore(FBAB) at Five Star Chicken, CPF Tower, Indira Nagar. My first point of apprehension as with any vegetarian, or a non-meat eater was, would there be enough veg options for me to review? But a foodie at heart, must play the part!!
                  The venue was pretty easy to locate, right on the foodilicious 100ft road of Indira Nagar, opposite Dominos. 

On the outside, it would appear to be a simple take-away outlet. We were ushered up to the 4th floor. The team informed us that the entire building housed CP (Charoen Pokphand) Foods, a pioneer in the food industry with representation in as many as nine countries. Five Star Chicken, as a brand is already claimed to be popular in many countries in Asia and a good presence in India too. We were also informed that the brand renaming to Five Star Cafe was done with a view to attract more vegetarians and dilute the typical image of it being a meat-lovers' hub.

                    After a brief intro by the solicitous Five Star team, the goodies started arriving!! The first one to make its appearance was Thai Crispy Chicken. First impression, as the name suggested, crispy. A couple co-members liked the flavour too. (I shall leave the taste review to those who actually tasted it!!) Likewise for the Crunchy masala chicken. The flaky crust had me wondering if it was muesli-coated. But Chef Prabhmeet surprised us by saying no! The actual formula is apparently a Five Star special technique, all we could glean out of the chef was that it was refined flour-based!! Hmmm...'crunch for thought'!!

                    Eventually the veg offerings came our way. Veg burger to begin with. One has a certain expectation of a burger; crunchy patty, soft bun, generous mayo or cheese and few layers of veggies. The five-star Veg burger did fulfil that expectation to an extent, however they could go a bit easy with the onions, as they tend to over-power the rest of the flavours, and maybe add a dash of crisp lettuce (which for me is a sure-killer burger ingredient). That said, this burger would do well to satisfy that quick in-between appetite, or be good in a friends' meet platter, but I wouldn't term it a conversation-stopper. 

                    There is also the Veg Roll, which is stuffed with a crisp patty (sliced to fit into the roll), capsicum and onion rings. The roll has good promise, in my humble opinion, they could perhaps build on this further to make it more filling, or experiment with different fillings. Typically a veg (or non-veg for that matter!!) roll reveals its wares with each bite, so would be interested to know if they take this further in their culinary future.

                    Next on the list, Aloo Paratha. Mildly spiced, not too oily, the paratha was certainly soft and easy on the bite. A true Indian foodie though visualises a paratha as much more. The parathas could do with a little more generosity in terms of stuffing, spices, and richness of the crust, but less dough in the bite. 

                     The Veg Pulao was quite agreeable. Served with the humble onion raita, the rice was cooked just right, and the spice-level was great, which really brought out the flavours well. Not much of a rice fan, I did help myself to a few more fork-fuls this time!! I must mention here for those who might enter Five Star with hung-over visions from other fast-food joints, the option of having a complete meal is definitely there. 

                            But the true stars of the menu that can make any adult scramble around for more, were the Peri Peri fries and Cheese Corn Nuggets. The fries were not too oily, were quite crisp, and where we are used to the salted version, the light sprinkling of the Peri-peri spice was pretty awesome. They weren't too hot and certainly didn't make me reach for my chilled drink, but I did reach out for a few more fries!!! The corn nuggets were another delight, the team claimed that it was one of their fast-moving and more popular offerings. They were really crunchy and one is able to detect and delight in the killer-combo of mozzarella and corn. Note of caution : If you are in a group, and would like to have more than one, order plenty, coz the plate will be wiped clean in a blink!!

                     All in all, the Five Star outlet, and brand look set to grow. The outlet is a wi-fi enabled zone, so one can socialize in every way!! The staff is friendly, helpful and courteous. Outside seating is available at this venue as well. Would I come back for more? I would indeed!!!
Last but not the least, it was yet another amazing outing with the FBAB team, chatted up new and caught up with the old members. Had good fun the foodie way - Click, taste, review. 

Until the next meet, watch the space :) ...

Cheesy Veg Casserole

              A cheesy Veg Casserole with a fused Tricolor theme for our 24th BlogHop. Why fused? Well, aren't we all like that too!! The love of food has, since time immemorial, gone beyond boundaries and today we find so many fusion flavours around us, of not just the national, but international cuisines as well.. 
This dish is an ode to our ever-growing love for food...

CHEESY TRICOLOR VEG CASSEROLE

Ingredients

Saffron/Red layer -
Olive oil - 1.5 tbsps
Cumin (Jeera seeds)  -1 tsp
Diced Carrots - 1/2 cup
Diced Red Bell Pepper - 1/2 cup
Diced Red Pumpkin (optional) - 1/4 cup
Tomatoes - 4 medium (Blanched and puréed)
Salt to taste
Chili powder - 1 tsp
Dried herbs / oregano - 1 tsp

Green layer -
Olive oil - 1 tbsp
Chopped spinach - 1/2 cup
Spinach purée - 1/4 cup
Diced zucchini - 1/2 cup
Diced capsicum - 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Black pepper powder to taste
Dried herbs / oregano - 1 tsp

White layer -
Olive oil - 1 tbsp + 1 tbsp
Diced potatoes - 1 cup
Refined /Wheat flour - 2 tbsps
Milk - 1/4 cup
Cream - 1/4 cup (If you wish to keep it light, use 1/2 cup milk instead)
Salt to taste
Black pepper powder to taste
Garlic powder - 1/s tsp
Shredded cheese - 1/4 cup

Other - 
Brown bread slices - 5-6
Grated cheese - 1 cup
Dried herbs
Olive oil

Method :

1. First, the saffron/red layer....Heat olive oil in a pan or wok. Season with cumin seeds. Once they crackle, add the tomato purée. Add salt to taste and let cook till gravy starts to thicken. 

2. At this point, add the carrots, cover and cook for about 7-8 minutes or till carrots are semi-soft. Now add the red bell pepper and pumpkin, along with chili powder, cover-cook for 5-7 minutes, again till veggies are semi-soft. Check for salt and finally sprinkle the dried herbs. Give it a quick simmer, and remove. Keep aside.

3. We'll do the white layer last as the white sauce will thicken further when cooled. Let's prepare the green layer next. Heat olive oil in another pan. Add the zucchini along with salt and let cook for about 5 minutes. 

4. Follow it up with capsicum, chopped spinach, pepper powder, stir well and let cook for 5-7 minutes more. Finally add the spinach purée and dried herbs, check for salt and let cook for 5 minutes more. Remove and keep aside.

5. Now for the white layer, heat olive oil in a pan. Add the diced potatoes and a little salt, cover-cook till 3/4th done. Remove to a bowl so we can use the same pan for the white sauce. 

6. For the traditional roux, the flour is roasted in the fat, but to make it easier, I whisk it along with the milk. Heat oil in the pan, keep heat on low and add the milk-flour mixture. Quickly stir to avoid lumps, add in salt, garlic powder and pepper powder and keep stirring. As the sauce starts to thicken, add in the cream, stirring all the time. (If you are not using cream, add in the entire 1/2 cup milk with the flour). 

7. Add in the cooked potatoes and let simmer for 2-3 minutes more. Turn off the flame. Finally add in the shredded cheese and dried herbs, stir again till cheese mixes well with the sauce. Keep aside.

8. Now for the assembling. In a baking dish, arrange the brown bread slices to cover the entire base. (The idea behind using the bread is that it gives the dish an unofficial crust, plus it soaks up the excess moisture and prevents the layers from running over each other too much)

9. Gently pour the green layer mix over the slices and spread it out evenly. Follow it up with the white sauce layer. Spread carefully so as to not disturb the green layer underneath. Now finally, the red layer (drain out any excess gravy water before adding to baking dish). Spread out again carefully. 

10. Sprinkle cheese generously, along with dried herbs. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200 deg C for about 15 minutes (or 7-8 minutes in a microwave) till cheese turns golden brown. 
Remove, let cool a little. Drizzle olive oil over the baked casserole. Cut into wedges and serve.

Veg Sambhar (Pongal spl)

              In continuation with Pongal celebrations, comes 'Maattu Pongal' , the day when, in villages, people worship their cattle. I keep hearing about many interesting stories & rituals attached to festivals from my mother, who spent a good part of her growing-up years in a village. 
              One such story/ritual related to Pongal was that during this harvest season all the farmers living in the lane adjacent to our ancestral home, would simply dump their produce in the house's backyard. This was then left stacked up in a special store room in the house, free for any neighbour to take their pick and stock. As a thanksgiving, on the day of Maattu Pongal, the ladies of the house would prepare a huge urn-full of a special tamarind and vegetable stew, using the very produce given by the farmers, and this would be then supplied to the latter, as much as they could take.
              Simple rituals like these brought together people of all walks & occupation, and helped strengthened the bonds at a time when social life had a much more human touch to it!!
             This is a mixed stew that we prepare on Maattu Pongal, but slightly different to the one mentioned above. This one is a relative of the Sambhar family and includes a bit of every possible & complimentary vegetable as part of the tradition. We live in times when we hardly appreciate the seasonality of vegetables anymore. But those days were special, when tired of the monotony of Bhindi (Okra) and Tinda (Apple gourd) in the summer months, we used to look forward to winters, when vegetable shopping was a sinful pleasure :)

SPECIAL VEGETABLE SAMBHAR 

Ingredients :
Chopped vegetables - 1 cup
[Potato, Raw banana, Red pumpkin, White pumpkin, Lima beans or Mochai, Fresh green peas, Broad Beans, French beans, Capsicum, Sweet potato, Carrot]
Tamarind - size of a small lemon (using enough water extract juice to make 1.5 cups)
Curry leaves - a few
Pigeon peas (Tuvar/ Arahar dal) - 1/4 cup (cooked using a little turmeric powder)
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Fresh coriander leaves

For Sambhar powder - (If you have a readymade Sambhar powder available, you can use 2 tsps of that)
Coriander (dhaniya) seeds - 2 tsps
Fenugreek (Methi) seeds - 1 tsp
Bengal gram (Chana dal) - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds (Sarson) - 1/4 tsp
Dry red chilies - 2 (medium)

Seasoning - 
Sesame (Til) oil - 2 tsps
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp
Dry red chili - 1 small
Asafoetida (Hing) powder - 1.5 tsps

Method :

1. Cook vegetables in a large saucepan using just enough water, little salt to taste and haldi powder. The veggies need to be just 3/4th cooked. If using a pressure cooker, take care to shut off flame immediately after the first whistle and keep aside to let the pressure drop. Drain the water.

2. Heat a small pan, dry roast mustard seeds till they start to splutter. Now add the methi and coriander seeds, followed by chana dal and red chilies. Roast for 3-5 minutes. Take care not to let the methi seeds become too brown else they will taste sour. Let cool and dry grind in a mixer.


3. Add vegetables to a large saucepan or wok, add tamarind juice, salt, curry leaves, about 2 tsps of ground or Readymade sambhar powder and let boil till tamarind juice leaves its raw flavour & aroma. This should take about 10 minutes.

4. Whisk the cooked tuvar dal, keep the consistency slightly thin but not too watery. Add this to the sambhar mix, stir and let simmer on low for 7-8 minutes more. Add chopped corainder and stir again.

5. Prepare the seasoning by heating the til oil, adding mustard seeds, methi seeds, the red chili and finally the hing powder. The hing powder added in the end gives the sambhar the "kick" it needs!! Add this to the sambhar, and remove from flame. Serve hot with rice.