Masoor dhal

Ingredients
Masoor dhal- 2 cups
Water- 3 cups
Onion- 1 medium chopped
Green chili- 2 chopped
Tomato- 1 medium chopped
Paprika- 1tsp
Salt- as needed
Lemon juice- 1tsp(optional)

For tempering
Oil- 1tbsp
Mustard- 1tsp
Cumin seeds- 1tbsp
Asafoetida- a pinch
Curry leaves- few

Method

1. In a  heavy pan, heat oil and do the tempering. Add onions and green chili and saute until the onions are translucent.
2. Add tomatoes, paprika and turmeric powder. Mix well and cover the pan with a lid.
3. Cook for 3 minutes until the tomatoes are soft. Mash the onion- tomato mixture with the back of a spoon.
4. Add the dhal and water. Bring the water to a boil and add salt. Mix well and reduce the flame. Cover the pan with a lid.
5. Cook until the dhal is soft for 15 to 20 minutes. When done, remove the pan from heat and add lemon juice. Mix well.
6. Serve warm with rice.

Simple dhal

Ingredients
Toor dhal- 2 cups
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Salt- as needed


For tempering
Oil- 2tbsp
Mustard seeds- 1tsp
Urad dhal- 1tbsp
Cumin seeds- 1tsp
Asafoetida- 1/4tsp
Curry leaves- few
Green chili- 2 slit lengthwise


Method

1. Pressure cook the dhal with 3 cups of water, salt and turmeric powder.
2. Do the seasoning and add to the dhal.
3. Serve warm with rice and papad.
4. A spicy dish like potato fry will be a good accompaniment for this dish.

Morkuzhambu

Ingredients
Butter milk- 2 cups
Water- 1cup
Ash gourd- 1 cup
Turmeric powder- 1tsp
Salt- as needed
Coriander  leaves- to garnish


To grind
Raw rice- 1tsp
Toor dhal- 1tsp
Green chili- 3
Cumin seeds-1/2tsp
Coriander seeds- 1/2tsp
Ginger paste- 1/2tsp
Coconut- 1tbsp


For tempering
Oil- 1tsp
Mustard seeds- 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds- 1/2tsp
Asafoetida- a pinch
Curry leaves- few


Method

1. Dry roast raw rice and toor dhal for few minutes till it becomes crispy. Grind all the ingredients listed under "To grind" with 1/4 cup of water in a blender. Whip the buttermilk with salt.
2. In a pan, heat oil and do the tempering. Add the ash gourd and fry till soft. Sprinkle with turmeric powder.
3. Add the ground paste to the pan with remaining 3/4 cup of water and cook till the raw smell goes and the ash gourd is completely cooked.
4. Add the whipped buttermilk and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and garnish with coriander leaves.
5. Do not boil for long after adding the buttermilk.

For creamier morkuzhambu, instead of buttermilk, use1 cup of sour cream and 1 cup of water. Whip the cream, water and salt before adding to the pan.

Rasam

Ingredients
Tomato- 2 diced
Garlic-5 cloves crushed with skin
Curry leaves- 5
Dried red chili- 3 broken into pieces
Turmeric powder- 1/4tsp
Coriander leaves- 1/2 cup
Water- 4 cups
Rasam powder- 1tbsp*
Black pepper- 1tsp(freshly ground)
Salt- as needed
Tamarind paste- 1tbsp


For tempering
Oil- 1tbsp
Mustard seeds- 1/2tsp
Cumin seeds- 1tsp
Asafoetida- 1/4tsp


Method

1. In a sauce pan, heat oil and do the tempering. When the mustard seeds splutter, add crushed garlic, red chili and curry leaves. Saute well.
2. Add the tomatoes and cover the pan with a lid. When the tomatoes are soft, mash it with the back of spatula.
3. Add in the salt, rasam powder and pepper.Pour the water and bring it to a boil.
4. When the water is boiling, add the tamarind paste and boil for 5 more minutes.
5. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with hot rice.

* Instead of rasam powder, a mixture of  1dried red chili, 1tbsp of coriander seeds and 1/2tsp of cumin seeds can be dry roasted and ground to a powder.

Eggplant-Mochai kara kuzhambu

Ingredients
Eggplant-3 cut into strips
Mochai Kottai -1 cup cooked
Onion-1
Tomato-2
Turmeric powder-1/4tsp
Sambar powder- 1tbsp
Tamarind pulp-2tbsp
Coriander leaves-few sprigs
salt as needed


For tempering
Oil- 3tbsp
Mustard seeds- 1/4 tsp
Split urad dhal-1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds- 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves-few

Asafoetida-a pinch


Method

1. In a pan splutter mustard seeds, methi and split urad dhal. 
2. Sprinkle asafoetida and turmeric. 
3. Add onion and curry leaves and fry till the onions are soft.
4. Add tomato and fry till the onion mix comes to a gravy consistency.
5. Add eggplant and mochai and fry till the veggies are soft.
6. Add 1 cup of  water, sambar powder and tamarind pulp.
7. Boil for 15- 20 minutes till the gravy becomes thick.
8. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve with steamed white rice and papad.