Asha’s Poha: A South Indian Symphony

In the kadai, where oil from coconut beams,
Mustard seeds pop to start Ashaa’s dreams.
A symphony spicy, with cadence, it flares,
Red chilies, curry leaves thrown without cares.

Raw mango, grated, into the medley slips,
Under Ashaa’s watchful eye, it flips and dips.
Golden turmeric, methi’s grounded grace,
In the South Indian poha, they find their place.

Speckled with the pink of ancient Himalayan salt,
Each flavor in this dance, a delicate waltz.
Coconut grated, from the palm’s embrace,
Weaves in warmth, this southern space.

Poha, soft and swollen with stories to share,
Nests in the mixture with nurturing care.
Sealed with a lid to simmer slow and sure,
On flames whispered low, its essence pure.

When the moment’s ripe with aroma’s rush,
Crowned with cashews, in gentle hush.
Asha’s handiwork, from a recipe bold,
In this poha poem, her tale is told.

Tamarind Rice

A tangy rice dish made with channa and urad dals, infused with the flavor of tamarind pulp.

Ingredients

• 1 cup rice-cooked ‘bite-like’
• 2 Tbsp ghee
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 2-3 whole red chillies
• 1 tsp asafoetida
• 1 tsp mustard seed
• 1 Tbsp channa daal
• 1 Tbsp urad daal,dhuli
• 2 tsp salt
• 40 gm tamarind-made into pulp
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 2 tsp sugar
• Peanuts, optional

How to Make Tamarind Rice

1. Heat ghee and add curry leaves, whole red chillies, asafoetida, mustard and both the daals.
2. Saute till slightly colored.
3. Add the rice and saute till well mixed.
4. Make the tamarind pulp into 1 cup, with water and add to the rice.
5. Add salt, chilli powder and sugar, bring to a boil and simmer for about 5 minutes and serve.

Aamras Ki Kadhi

Aditya Bal and his eager group of students get set to tackle Rajputana with a delicious Aamras ki Kadhi. A quick, easy and tangy curry.

Ingredients

• For the Kadhi:
• 1 cup mango puree
• 1 cup kairi puree (raw mango)
• 1 cup thin buttermilk
• 1/4 cup besan mixed with some butteremilk, paste like
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp red chilly powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp heeng(asafoetida)
• For the Base:

  1 1/2 tsp oil

• 1/2 tsp zeera
• 1/2 tsp methi seeds
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• A few kadi patta (curry leaves)
• 2-3 green chillies slit
• 2-3 Tbsp boondi
• For Tadka:
• 1 tsp oil
• 1 tsp julienne ginger (a handful)
• 1 kashmiri chilly, chopped
• Some coriander leaves
• Some methi leaves

How to Make Aamras Ki Kadhi

1. In a bowl add the mango puree, kairi puree and buttermilk.
2. Add to this the besan paste through a sieve to get rid of the lumps.
3. Add the turmeric, red chilly, salt and heeng to this.
4. Combine all well.
5. For the base:
6. Add the oil in a kadhai.
7. Add the zeera to the oil and allow them to crackle.
8. Add the methi and mustard seeds along with the kadi patta.
9. Add the green chillies and saute.
10. Now while keep stirring this tempering add the liquid mixture you prepared above to this.
11. Mix well.
12. If you think it has become very thick add some more buttermilk to adjust the consistency.
13. Now add a couple of tablespoons of the boondi.
14. Let its simmer for about 6-8 minutes till the mixture thickens a bit.
15. 
    For the tadka:
16. In a pan heat some oil (about a teaspoon).
17. Add some julienne ginger to it.
18. Add the chillies to it and saute.
19. Add some coriander leaves, methi leaves. You can add any herbs you like.
20. Add some boondi also to this tempering to make it a bit crispy.
21. Pour the tempering over the curry.
22. Serve hot.

Kalan Kerala Curry

Kalan is a traditional Kerala dish made during Onam Sadhya. It is a curry dish prepared using buttermilk, mustard seeds, coconut and raw bananas.

Ingredients

• 3 cup thick butter milk
• 2 cups yam and raw bananas- cut into thin slices
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp powdered fenugreek seeds
• 1 tsp black pepper powder
• 1/2 cup grated coconut- grind with 2 green chilies
• Salt to taste
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
• Few curry leaves

How to Make Kalan Kerala Curry

1. Cook yam and bananas in butter milk with turmeric powder till they get soft.
2. Add salt, grated paste of coconut to it and cook for few minutes.
3. Heat the coconut oil. Add mustard seeds and curry leaves to it and stir for a few minutes.
4. Add the buttermilk mixture to this along with the black pepper and fenugreek seeds. Mix well.
5. The dish is ready to serve. Garnish with mustard seeds and curry leaves.

Buttermilk Sambar

Sambar is one of the most loved dishes in the south Indian cuisine. Lady finger and brinjal cooked in a sambar paste and buttermilk base. A tempting tadka poured over the sambar and served piping hot!

Ingredients

• For the vegetables:
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 200 gms okra/ bhindi, chopped
• Salt, a pinch
• 2 Tbsp tamarind extract
• Little water
• 5 small whole brinjals, slit into half
• For the sambar paste:
• 2 Tbsp urad dal
• 2 Tbsp tuvar dal
• 1/2 Tbsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1/2 Tbsp coriander seeds
• 1/2 Tbsp black pepper
• 4-5 garlic cloves
• Ginger, little bit
• 1/2 coconut, grated
• 1/2 Tbsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 Tbsp red chilli powder
• Sea salt, a pinch
• Water
• For the base:
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil
• 3 Tbsp sambar paste
• 2 Tbsp tamarind extract
• 1 piece of jaggery
• Little salt
• 200 ml butter milk
• For the tadka:
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil
• 5 Kashmiri red chilli
• 1 Tbsp mustard seeds
• Few curry leaves
• Sea salt
• 1 Tbsp coconut, grated

How to Make Buttermilk Sambar

1. For the vegetables:
2. In a wok add coconut oil, turmeric powder, red chilli powder. Saute.
3. Add chopped bhindi and a pinch of salt. Add the tamarind extract, mix. Add a little water and cook for 4-5 minutes.
4. Now add brinjals and cook till the brinjals are in a half cooked stage. Turn off the fire and keep aside.
5. For the sambar paste:
6. In a pan dry roast urad dal, tuvar dal, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds, black pepper, garlic, ginger, coconut, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and sea salt.
7. In a mortar and pestle grind the dry roasted spices. Add a little water to facilitate the grinding process. The paste is ready. Keep aside.
8. For the base:
9. In a pan add coconut oil and the sambar paste. Add a little water to make the paste smoother. Cook till the oil starts to leave on the sides.
10. Add tamarind extract, jaggery and salt. Mix well.
11. Now slowly and gradually add the butter milk and keep stirring.
12. Add the vegetables. Cover and cook the sambar on low to medium heat till the vegetables are done. Pour over the tadka.
13. For the tadka:
14. In a small pan add coconut oil, kashmiri red chili, mustard seeds and curry leaves. Let them crackle.
15. Add a pinch of sea salt and grated coconut. Mix well.
16. Add to the sambar.

Pumpkin Oambhal

Serves – 5

Time – 30 Minutes to prepare

INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp mustard oil

2 Tbsp mustard seeds

1 bay leaf

7 whole badeki chilli

1 Tbsp cumin seeds

1/2 Tbsp fennel seeds

15 pieces raisins

Salt, to taste

250 grams pumpkin, boiled

5 Tbsp tamarind extract

3 Tbsp jaggery syrup

1/2 lime

METHOD

In a bowl, mix boiled pumpkin and tamarind extract. Keep it aside.

In a kadai add mustard oil, bay leaf and whole chilli. Saute them well together .

Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds and raisins. Mix them well together.

Add the pumpkin-tamarind mixture and little salt into the kadai. Remove the bay leaf.

Add the jaggery syrup.

Add a squeeze of lime and let it simmer for sometime .

Serve the pumpkin oambhal hot.