Milagu Kuzhambu

Ingredients:
Gingelly oil 2-3 tbsp
Tamarind paste - 2 tsp (vary based on preference
Red chillies 2-3
Curry leaves for garnishing

Masala to grind:
Hing - a pinch
Dhaniya 2 tsp
Kadalai paruppu 1 tsp
Methi ½ tsp
Pepper 1.5 tsp
Jeera 1 tsp


Method:
Roast all masala, in 1 tsp oil.

Heat 2 tbsp Gingelly oil in a pan. Splutter mustard seeds. Add tamarind paste, and 1-2 glasses water. Add ground mixture, mix well and boil for 5-10 mins. Optionally add powdered jaggery.
Garnish with curry leaves and red chillies. Serve mixed with hot rice. You can store this for several days in the fridge if you let most water evaporate and make a thick paste.

Omam Kuzhambu

Omam aka Ajwain/Caraway is an excellent carminative.

Method to prepare:
In the Karuveppilai kuzhambu recipe, simply substitute curry leaves with 1 tsp of Omam. You can garnish with curry leaves.

Karuveppilai Kuzhambu

Ingredients:
Gingelly oil 2-3 tbsp
Tamarind paste - 2 tsp (vary based on preference

Masala to grind:
Hing - a pinch
Dhaniya 2 tsp
Kadalai paruppu 1 tsp
Methi ½ tsp
Pepper ¾ tsp
Red chillies 2-3 (or Byadige chillies 4-5)
Handful of curry leaves washed and dried


Method:
Roast all masala including curry leaves, in 1 tsp oil. Optionally add about 1.5 tsp sambar powder and roast.

Heat 2 tbsp Gingelly oil in a pan. Splutter mustard seeds. Add tamarind paste, and 1-2 glasses water. Add ground mixture, mix well and boil for 5-10 mins. Optionally add powdered jaggery. Serve mixed with hot rice. You can store this for several days in the fridge if you let most water evaporate and make a thick paste.

Pulikaachal

Puliyogare/Puliyodarai mix is also known as Pulikaachal. This mix can be stored in the refrigerator for upto a month. Take care not to touch the mix with your fingers while or after cooking, and to store in an airtight container for longer shelf life.

Ingredients:
Tamarind – 2 large lemons size
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Peanuts – ½ cup
Jaggery – 1 lemon size
Turmeric powdr- ½ tsp
Gingely Oil – 1 cup
Black Sesame seeds – 1 tsp
Hing – size of 2 pepper corns
Curry leaves 10 bunches
Salt to taste

To Grind:
Black Sesame seeds – 1 tsp
Methi – 1 tsp
Black Pepper corns – ½ tsp
Whole Dhaniya – 1 tsp
Channa dal – 1½ tbsp
Jeera – ½ tsp
Dry Red chillies – 6 or 7

Preparation:
Extract juice from tamarind and dilute it to make 2 glasses.
Wash curry leaves well, and let them dry for a while.
Roast groundnuts and 5-6 bunches of washed and dried curry leaves in 1 tbsp oil. Keep aside.

Method:

Take 1 tbsp oil in tava, and fry all the ingredients for grinding along with 4-5 washed and dried curry leaf bunches. Set to cool, and grind to a semi-fine powder.
Heat 2 tbsp oil in tava. Splutter mustard seeds, add sesame seeds, hing and 2-3 red chillies. Add turmeric powder and sauté. Pour the tamarind extract (2 glasses), add salt and jaggery and let boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add the ground mixture and mix well.
If it looks dry, add more oil and simmer till the right consistency is reached. Turn off heat and add the roasted groundnuts and curry leaves.

To serve, cook rice and let cool well. Mix with 2 tsp gingelly oil. Add required pulikaachal and mix well. Enjoy with appalam or a vegetable of your choice or plain thick curds!

Sarkarai Pongal

Ingredients:
Mung dal/Payatham paruppu – 2 teaspoon dry roasted
Raw rice (normal cooking rice) – ½ cup
Milk – ½ cup
Jaggery – 1 cup
Pachai karpuram
Elaichi powder - a pinch
Cashews, raisins - handful

Method:
Cook rice, mung dal together along with milk and 3 cups water in a pressure cooker.
Powder the jaggery and add 2 spoons water and heat. After jaggery melts, add the cooked and mashed rice mixture and mix well. Add ghee and roasted cashwes and raisins. Add a pinch of pachai karpuram and elaichi powder.