Vatha Kozhambu/Kara Kozhambu

INGREDIENTS: (Serves 4)

1. Tamarind - gooseberry sized ball
2. Onion(Big or small) - 1 big onion or 10 small onions
3. Mustard seeds,urad dhal,bengal gram,pepper,toor dhal - 1 teaspoon each
4. Red chillies -2 nos
5. Salt
6. Gingelly oil - 1 table spoon
7. Sambhar powder - 1 table spoon
8. Manathakkali kai & Sundakkai - 1 teaspoon each
9. Asafoetida powder - 1/4 teaspoon
10. Curry leaves - few
11. Turmeric powder -1/4 teaspoon
12. Drumstick -1 

NOTE: You can make this kozhambu with onions or drumstick or manathakkali kai or sundakkai alone. Since I had everything in stock I have added all of them:)

METHOD:

1. Extract the tamarind water from the tamarind.
2. Take a heavy bottomed vesses, add the oil and splutter the mustard seeds
3. Once the seeds splutter, add the urad dhal,bengal gram , pepper, toor dhal,asafoetida powder,manathakkali kai,sundakkai,red chillies,curry leaves,onions,drumstick and fry well.
4. Add salt,sambhar powder,turmeric powder,tamarind extract and allow to boil well.
5. Once the raw smell of the tamarind goes,remove from flame and serve with hot rice:)
6. If the kozhambu does not become thick in the end, you can add a paste made of 1 teaspoon rice flour and water and add at the last.This thickens the kozhambu. 
7. Also,adding a pinch of jaggery will reduce the spice and tangy taste of tamarind.

Puli Inji/Inji Thokku/Ginger thokku

INGREDIENTS: Yields about 200g of thokku/pickle

1. Ginger - half a kilo - Peeled,cut and grounded
2. Salt
3. Red chillies - 4 or chilli powder - 1 teaspoon
4. Jaggery - 1 teaspoon
5. Gingelly Oil - 100ml or 2 tablespoons 
6. Asafoetida powder or cubes - Cube is better for flavouring
7. Turmeric powder or Turmeric cube if available.
8. Mustard seeds - for seasoning
9. Tamarind - gooseberry sized ball

METHOD:

1. Take a heavy bottomed pan , heat a dollop of oil and roast the asfoetida cube,red chillies and turmeric cube and powder them in mixer.If you are going to use them in powder form skip this step.
2. Peel ,mince and grind the ginger into paste in a mixer.
3. Take the tamarind extract out of the gooseberry sized tamarind.
4. Take the pan,add 3/4th of gingelly oil and allow the mustard seeds to splutter.Add 1 or 2 red chillies for seasoning.
5. Add the ginger paste after the seeds splutter and add salt, chilli powder,asafoetida powder,turmeric powder,tamarind extract and allow the mixture to boil well. Check for taste and add salt/chilli powder/tamarind in this stage itself.
6. Once the mixture comes to thick paste like consistency add jaggery and the remaining 1/4th oil and allow the mixture to cool
7. This can be stored in refrigerator for upto 3 weeks.

Vegetable Semiya Upma

INGREDIENTS: Serves 4

1. Semiya/Vermicelli - 2 cups
2. Salt- As per taste
3. Beans chopped- 1/2 cup
4. Tomato - 1 chopped
5. Onion - 4 chopped
6. Peas - 1/2 cup
7. Carrot - 2 medium sized chopped
8. Capsicum - 1 chopped
9. Ginger,Coriander leaves&curry leaves,Green chillies - for garnishing
10. Potato - 2 chopped
11. Sambhar powder - 1 teaspoon
12. Mustard seeds, Urad dhal, Bengal gram, Cooking Oil - For Seasoning

METHOD:

1. Dry roast the vermicelli and keep aside.
2. Add few spoons of oil , splutter the mustard seeds and after that urad dhal,bengal gram and roast for few seconds.
3. Add chopped onions,ginger,chillies,tomato and roast them.
4. Once they get roasted add other vegetables and allow them to cook well.
5. Once they get cooked,add the semiya,add salt,sambhar powder and add 4 cups of water
6. Allow the mixture to cook well and once cooked serve hot:)