vegetable kootu

Ingredients:
1/2 cup toor dal
1 tea spn kootu podi
2 tbl spns frsh/frozen coconut
1 cup vegetables – green beans, carrot, cauliflower, onion, potato, eggplant(brinjal), tomato etc
1/2 tea spn mustard seeds
5-6 curry leaves
A pinch asafoetida
A pinch turmeric
1/4 tea spn tamarind extract(optional)
Oil
Salt
Method:
Cook dal with turmeric till it is mushy. Cook vegetables (If using cooker vessels, keep dal in bottom most pan and vegetables in topmost).
Grind coconut, tamarind with kootu podi.
Add the ground paste to dal and vegetables. Cook for about 7-8mins.
Heat oil and add mustard seeds. When they start popping, add curry leaves, asafoetida. Pour this over kootu. Serve hot with rice.
Serves : 3-4
Preparation time : 25mins

Tomato Rasam

Rasam Powder:
1/2 cup (30gms approx) coriander seeds
1/8 cup (30gms approx) chana dal
3 tbl spn (30gms approx) red chilli powder
1 tbl spn (10gms approx) pepper (for better result, use white pepper)
Method:
Dry roast coriander seeds, chana dal, pepper till a nice aroma comes out. Switch off the heat and add chilli powder. Keep mixing taking care not to burn anything. Cool to room temperature and grind to a smooth powder. Store in an air tight container.
Rasam:
2 tbl spn toor dal
1 cup chopped tomatoes
3 cups(approx) water
1 and 1/2 tea spn rasam powder
1/2 tea spn mustard seeds
4-5 curry leaves
A pinch asafoetida
1/2 tea spn tamarind extract
4-5 strands coriander leaves finely chopped
Oil
Salt
Method:
Pressure cook toor dal in water and mash it very well, add water (or just use 3 cups of water that is used to cook dal and leave out dal).
Add tomatoes to the dal water and bring it to boil. Add tamarind, salt. Cook till tomatoes are cooked. Add rasam powder. (If required, add extra chilli powder, as we already have chilli powder in rasam powder, I don’t add it again). Add coriander leaves, take off the heat.
Heat a little oil in a small pan and add mustard seeds. When they start popping, add curry leaves, asafortida. Pour this seasoning over rasam.
Serve hot.
Serves : 2-3
Preparation time : 20mins