Ulunthu Sooru/Ulunthu Sadam /Urad Dal Rice/உளுந்து சாதம்

Urad dal rice/Ulunthu Sooru is a authentic lunch in south side .(Nagercoil,Tirunelveli , Madurai)
Urad dal / Ulunthu strengthen the back bones , So village mommy's used to prepare this during their girls puberty,periods time,after delivery.

Best side dish for ulunthu sooru is muttai aviyal(Egg Aviyal) and Malli thovayal (Whole Coriander seed thovayal).

Skinned urad dal is more healthy , usually split urad dal is used for this rice.

Ingredients:

Rice - 1 cup
Black split urad dal - 1/2 cup
Garlic cloves - 15 nos
Venthayam (Fenugreek seeds) – 1/4 tsp
Salt - as needed
Curry Leaves - 1 Sprig
Mustard Seed - 1/4 tsp
Red Chilly - 2 
Gingly oil - 2 tsp 
Water – 4 cups
Grated coconut - 1/4 cup (Optional)

Method:

1. In a kadai or cooker,add a tsp of oil and roast the urad dal slightly till u get a nice aroma.
2. Now wash rice and dal .
3. In hot pressure cooker add oil,mustard seeds wait till splutter , add red chilly and curryleaves .
4. Add rice and dal mixture to this cooker , add fenugreek seeds and the garlic gloves.
5. Add  water to this and add salt to taste.Close the lid 
6. Cook for 2/3 whistle. Open the lid after settles.
7. Now optional you can add grated coconut at this stage.

Meen Karuthacurry / Fish Karuthacurry

Fish Curry/Karuthacurry/Fish Marunthu curry this is the best home remedies for new mother.Even the delivery is c-section or normal all new mom will have acidity problem.
Karuthacurry is best medicine for  acidity. Omam and Thipilli helps to heal womb soon.Garlic helps to produce more mother milk.

Ingredients:

Fish - 10 pieces (  Lavrakki,Mackrel,Thundu meen ,Therachi , Nei meen these are all best for this curry)
Coconut - 1 1/4 cup grated
Red Chilli - 4 to 5 (As per spicy you need)
Coriander Seeds  - 1 tbsp
Pepper - 1/2 Spoon
Omam(Ajwain) - 2 tsp
Chukku - 1/4 Piece
Hing Powder - 1/4 tsp
Thipilli(long pepper)-2 no. small size (DON'T add TOOMUCH)
Brinjal - 1 no.(New Mom don't use brinjal)
Drumstick - 1 no.
Garlic - 6 pods
Tamarind Pulp - 2 tblspn
Gingly Oil - 2 tbsp
Curry Leaves a small handful
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat oil in a kadai, add chilli,coriander seeds ,curry leaves,Hing,Pepper,chukku, omam , thipilli saute for a min (watch it don't allow to burn ), now add coconut and roast it well (coconut should be in golden brown color). 
2. Let it cool for 5 mins. Make all roasted ingredients to paste by adding little water in mixer .
3. Cook drumstick,brinjal,garlic  with 1 cup water .Once half done add coconut masala ,oil and salt. Close the lid and cook for 15 mins till oil get separated.
4. Add tamarind pulp and mix well. Boil this for 5 more mins.
5. Finally add fish pieces and cook for 15 mins with closed lid.

Sambar - South Indian Cuisine

Without Sambar ! Then that is not a South Indian Cuisine. Sambar with steamed rice and potato fry or apalam it goes heavenly .
Idli-Sambar/Dosai-Sambar for my brother their is no limit for these combination (He will eat more than 10 solidly ;) .
We can make sambar with or without vegetables.But i prefer with vegetable it will enrich sambar taste .

Ingredients :

Toor dal : 1/3 cup
Shallot  : 6-8 nos.
Mixed Vegetables : 1 cup (carrot,raddish,small potato,drumstick,brinjal,broad beans)
Red Chilli : 1
Tomato : 1
Garlic : 3 pods
Sambar powder : 2 tsp 
Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp
Tamarind : Gooseberry sized ball
Oil : 1 tsp
Mustard seeds : 1 tsp
Hing : a generous pinch
Salt as required 
Curry leaves : 2 sprig
Coriander leaves : for garnishing

Method :

1. Pressure cook dhal ,turmeric,garlic, little salt and vegetables(except brinjal,drumstick,broad beans) with enough water to dhal immerse,  wait for 4 whistles.
2. Soak tamarind and extract 1 cups of tamarind pulp. 
3. In a pan add brinjal ,drumstick,tomato,shallots add enough water to cook (Don't add too much water ) .close the lid .
4. After 5 mins(Just half cook) add sambar powder , stir it till raw smell of sambar powder to go ,now add tamarind extract.Let it boil for 3 mins.
5. Once the pressure released mash the dhal well and add it to the prepared veg-sambar mixture , add water along with that to get your preferable consistency.
6. Reduce heat and bring everything to a boil, until the sambar thickens (check for salt )  
7. In another pan add oil once it get hot , add mustard seed let it splutter ,add curry leaves turn off and add hing . Pour this mixture to sambar
8. Garnish with coriander leaves .

Note : If you are preparing this sambar for tiffin replace oil with 1 spoon ghee.Ghee sambar goes well for tiffin.

Fish Poricha Kuzhambu (Fried Fish Curry)

Ingredients:

Fish           : 8 inch pieces
Tomato      : 1 No
Red Onion  : 1 (shallot taste better than onion , Shallot -10 )
Garlic  : 4 (Crushed Pods)
Fenugreek  : 1/4 tsp
Tamarind    : Lemon Sized
Chilli Powder  : 1 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder : 2 tsp
Lemon Juice   : 1/2 
Curry Leaves  : 2 strig
Salt               : To taste
Sesame Oil / Gingely Oil : 2 tbsp
vegetable oil : for fry

Method:

1. Clean the fish and marinate them with turmeric powder, chilli powder (1 tsp) and salt. Cover and keep it in fridge for 5 mins.
2. Heat a kadai , add vegetable oil once it is hot, fry the marinated fishes . place the fried fish in paper towel let the oil get absorbed .
3. Soak tamarind and extract thick tamarind pulp. 
4. Heat a pan and sesame add oil. Once it is hot, add fenugreek , crushed garlic and saute  for few seconds.Add curry leaves . 
5. Add chopped onion and fry till it turns to golden brown colour.
6. Add chopped tomatoes and cook till it turn mushy.Now add all spice powders and salt .Sautee it till the raw smell of spices to go off
7. pour the tamarind pulp and allow it to boil.
8. After 5 mins add 1 1/2 cup water , bring it to boil.
9. When the water gets reduce the kuzhambu become your desire consistency, put fried fish pieces 
10. Reduce the flame cook for 3 mins , add the chopped curry leaves 
11. Squeeze lemon extract in to kuzhambu after turn off the flame