TOMATO AND ONION SALAD

INGREDIENTS

1 large onion
1 ripe tomato
1/2 green chilli (optional)
2 tsp fresh coriander leaves finely chopped
2 tbsp  grated coconut
1/4 tsp sugar
a pinch of salt

FOR TEMPERING

1 tsp coconut oil
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp udad dal /black gram dal
1 dry red chilli

PREPARATION

Mix together finely chopped onion, tomato, coriander leaves, sugar ,salt and grated coconut.
Temper with mustard , udad dal and red chilli pieces. Mix well and serve.

RASAM VADA / RASSA VADA

A South Indian appetizer made of fried lentil balls soaked in a tangy soup of tamarind and tomatoes.

This recipe can be divided into two steps.
The  first is the preparation of the RASAM/SOUP  and the second is the preparation of  the VADAS.


 STEP I                                      
                                                                RASAM


INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp toovar dal/pigeon peas
2-3 medium sized ripe tomatoes
a small lemon sized ball of tamarind

2-3 cloves of garlic crushed finely
1/2-1 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp haldi/turmeric powder
1/2 tsp hing powder/ asafoetida

1tsp jeera/cumin seeds
1 tsp pepper
Grind the pepper and jeera to fine powder

Jeera and pepper powder

Salt to taste
1 -2 tbsp coriander leaves

METHOD.

• Boil the dal till it is very soft and keep aside.

  

  Boiled daal

• In about 300 ml water, add chopped tomatoes and tamarind and boil till the tomatoes become soft.
  
• Mash the tomatoes well and filter the mixture.

  

  Tomato and Tamarind Paste

  

  Filtered Mixture

• Add a litre of water to the filtered mixture.
• Add mashed daal, crushed garlic, curry leaves, haldi, chilli powder,hing and salt and boil well on medium flame.
  
• Reduce the flame and add the jeera and pepper powder

• Bring to a light boiling point and remove from the stove
• Add chopped coriander leaves .
• Temper with mustard , jeera and hing and cover the vessel with a lid

  

  Tempering for the Rasam

THE RASAM IS NOW READY : )     

                                                                                                                    
STEP II
                                                        VADA
INGREDIENTS

1 cup udad dal/ black gram daal
1/2 tsp pepper corns 
salt to taste
a few bits of fresh coconut( optional)
Oil for deep frying

 METHOD

• Soak the daal for 3-4 hrs.

  

  Soaked Udada dal

• Drain the water and grind to a fine smooth paste adding very little water. (Approx less than 3/4 cup.)
• Grind on a slow speed adding water little at a time .
• The paste will be light and fluffy.

  

  Ground Dal

• Keep aside for 15-20 mins.
• Add salt , pepper, coconut pieces and mix well.

  

  Ready To Be Fried

• Heat oil in a deep pan /kadai .
• Drop the paste into the oil in the form of small balls
  
• Fry to a golden yellow colour .

  

  Ready For The Rasam (Or Straight into The Mouth)

• Now drop them into the hot rasam and allow to soak for about 15-20 mins.

  

  Rasam Vada

• Serve hot.

  

ENJOY THE SPICY AND TANGY RASAM VADAS !!! 

 

 POINTS TO REMEMBER

While grinding the dal grind at the lowest speed and add very little water . (Just enough to run the mixer/grinder..
Add water little by little .
The vadaas can be fried immediately also, but  I find that when the paste is set aside for some time, the  vadas turn out crispy and light.
A few chopped curry leaves and finely chopped ginger can be added to the vada batter.

WARNING :)
The crucial stage is saving the vadas before they get soaked in the rasam (from hungry mouths hovering around the fried vadas.)

 

TOMATO PICKLE

INGREDIENTS

1 kg firm ripe tomatoes
2 tsp salt
2tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 1/2 tsp mustard
1/2 tsp methi (fenugreek seeds)
1/4 tsp hing (asafoetida)

FOR TEMPERING

5 tbsp oil
1 tsp chana dal ( split bengal gram)
1 tsp  mustard
1/4 tsp methi 
1/4 tsp hing
2 dry red chillies


METHOD

• Wash the tomatoes and wipe them dry.
• Chop them into small pieces and allow to cook in a wide pan  after adding salt and turmeric.
• Cook till reaches a semi solid consistency.
• Roast the mustard and methi separately and powder it along with chilli powder and hing.
• Mix it to the tomato paste.
• Now temper the tomato paste.
• Heat oil. Add mustard and allow it to splutter,
• Add chana dal, hing, methi ,red chillis and curry leaves.
• Add it to the tomato paste.
• Allow to cool and fill it in a clean and dry bottle.
• 
  

This pickle can be stored for 2-3 months and longer if stored in the refrigerator

PRECAUTIONS

Prepare the pickle in a dry area. Do not allow to come in contact with water.

Do not touch the ingredients with bare hands.

Always use a clean and dry spoon.

KADAI PANEER

This is a very tasty side dish for rotis or parathas.
Very simple and quick to make.

INGREDIENTS:

2 medium sized onions

2 capsicums

2 firm ripe tomatoes

1 cup paneer cubes (cottage cheese)

1 green chilli slit lengthwise

1tsp jeera (cumin)

2 tsp ginger garlic paste

3 tsp tomato sauce

1 tsp garam masala powder

1/2 tsp chilli powder

A pinch of turmeric powder

2tbsp ghee (It can be replaced with oil)

2tbsp oil

salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD

• Chop the vegetables into large cubes
• Heat the oil and ghee in a pan. Add jeera , ginger garlic paste and fry.
• Add chopped onions and the green chilli.
• Saute till the onion begins to get transparent.
• Now add the paneer cubes and mix well.
• Add the tomatoes and tomato sauce.
• Add garam masala,chilli powder and turmeric powder and mix well. 
• Allow to cook for a min
• Add salt and mix well.

Kadai Paneer is ready to be served!!!

Precautions:

Do not add salt at the beginning as the tomatoes will  start releasing water.

The vegetables should be cooked but yet be firm and not mushy .

Cook on a medium flame and do not stir too much.

ONION TOMATO RAITA

INGREDIENTS

1 onion

1 tomato

Curd/ Yogurt

Salt to taste

2 tsp coconut ground to a fine paste (optional)

FOR TEMPERING

1/2 tsp coconut oil or refined oil

( coconut oil gives a nice flavour)

Mustard seeds

Udad dal (black gram)

1 red chili broken into 2-3 pieces

Mix finely chopped onion and tomato with the curd and salt and temper.

This raita can be eaten with meals mixed with white rice. 

Try crushing a piece of the red chili and mixing it with the rice to get that extra hot punch!!

TOMATO IN COCONUT GRAVY

INGREDIENTS
3 ripe and firm tomatoes chopped into large cubes
1 tbsp udad dal (black gram )
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp methi seeds (fenugreek)
3-4 red chilies
1/4 tsp hing (asafoetida)
2 tsp tamarind paste
3-4 tbsp grated coconut
1/4 tsp of turmeric powder(haldi)
salt to taste

METHOD
In a drop of oil, fry all the ingredients. Add tamarind paste and coconut and grind to a paste
In a pan heat 1/2 tsp oil. Add mustard and hing powder. When they splutter add the ground paste and the tomatoes. Add about a cup of water and salt and boil for 10 mins.

Tomato Ginger Chutney

This  chutney tastes very good with dosa, chapati and puris.

INGREDIENTS
4 medium sized tomatoes                              

4 medium onions
3-4 cloves garlic
2'' piece ginger
1 tsp cumin (jeera)
4-5 red chilies
2 tsp oil

FOR TEMPERING
5-6 tsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
A sprig of curry leaves
2 red chilies (broken )

Heat oil in a pan and add the onions till they become almost transparent. Then add cumin, red chilies, ginger, garlic and saute. Then add the chopped tomatoes and salt .Cover the pan with a lid and simmer for a min or two. The tomatoes begin to leave water and get cooked. Fry for some more time till water starts evaporating. Remove from flame and allow to cool. Now grind it to a coarse paste without adding water.

In another pan heat oil and add the mustard, then red chilies and then curry leaves. When the curry leaves turn crisp add the ground paste and fry for a few mins.

This yummy chutney is now ready to be served.

This can be stored for a day or two at room temp and in the refrigerator for almost a week.
(Do not bring it in contact with a wet spoon. )