Vegetarian thali : Drumsticks sambar, avrakkai thoran, vazhapoo usli, mango pickle

I have updated a recipe which I have written a few years ago. 

A beautiful morning, I took a walk in the cool breeze. In summer it's better to go for early morning walks. When kids have their summer holidays after exams. I am lucky my children are in nearby schools so I can have the luxury of a brisk morning walking now and then!

Today for lunch menu drumsticks sambar, avarakai curry, vazha poo usli(platain flower), kilimooku mango pickle, marachini papad(tapioca), curd and rice.

I will today share with you traditional palghat thali. With sambhar, two curries, papad, pickle, rice and yummy curd.

Drumsticks Sambhar with a twist

Ingredients

Drumsticks/Moringakkai - 3 (cut into 2 1/2 inch long)

Turkey berry a handful halved

10 Avarakkai chopped 
turmeric powder - a pinch
salt as required
tamarind - a lemon size

For the sambhar masala(dry roast) if you prefer to add fresh sambar podi, follow this step. Or you can add two tsp sambar podi. 

Thuvar dal - 2 tbsp(optional) 
methi seeds - 1/2 tsp
dhaniya seeds - 1 tsp
red chilly - 5 small
badigay chilly - 5
curry leaves - a few
kayam/heeng- 1 small piece
oil - 1 tsp

grated coconut - 1/4 cup

1/4 cup tuvar dal, soaked, cooked in 1 cup water in pressure cooker. 

For the tadka

1/2 tsp mustard seeds 

1tsp ghee/gingly oil

2 tsp fresh methi leaves 

Turkey Berry (chundakkai) 

Method

* In kalchatti cook drumsticks, chundakkai, avarakkai by adding enough water, turmeric powder and salt.

*Pressure cook for 2 whistles the washed tuvar dal in a cup of water. 

* In another pan dry roast all the ingredients and grind using a little water. If you want to add readymade sambar powder you can skip this step. 

*Add coconut and grind further. Keep aside. 

*Pressure cook tamarind for two whistles. Add tamarind juice in drumsticks boil for 2 minutes. 

*Add cooked tuvar dal along with the water. 

*Add ground coconut paste  allow it to boil. 

*In a small pan pour a tsp of ghee/gingly oil add mustard seeds. 

*Allow mustard seeds to splutter add chopped me this leaves  and pour into the prepared sambhar.

Tips : You can cook 1/4 cup tuvar dal in pressure cooker and add if you like. But for better taste enhancement I have roasted dal and added to sambhar.

If you want to add readymade sambar powder you can skip the dry roast step, but then you have to pressure cook tuvar dal and add. 

Variation

Drumsticks, Turkey berry and avarakkai (hyacinth beans) 

Drumsticks sambar and olan

Avarakai thoran

Avarakai - 1/2 kg
coconut - 1 tbsp
green chilly - 2
curry leaves a few
salt - as required

for frying

Sunflower oil/coconut oil - 1 tbsp
mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
red chilly - 2
broken urad dal - 1 tsp

Method 

*Wash trim and cut avarakai into small pieces.

* In a heated pan pour oil add mustard seeds and urad dal, allow the mustard seeds to splutter. 

*Add red chilly, now add the avarakai, turmeric powder and salt mix well. 

*Allow it to cook in high flame stirring now and then.

* In a mixer grind coconut and green chilly.  

*When the avarakai is cooked well add grounded coconut and curry leaves. 

*Mix well and remove from stove. 

*Serve with rice and sambhar. 

Vazha poo usli ( plantain flower)

Ingredients

Vazha poo - 1
tuvar dal - 1/4 cup (soak in water)
grated coconut - 1 tbsp
green chilly - 2
ginger - a small piece
turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
salt - as required
hing powder a little

For frying

sunflower oil/coconut oil - 1 tbsp
mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
urad dal - 1/2 tsp
red chilly - 2

Method 

*Clean the vazha poo and chop finely. 

*Grind soaked tuvar dal with green chilly, ginger and salt mix it with chopped vazhapoo and steam for about 10 minutes by spreading a plantain leaf in the steaming vessal. 

*Allow it to cool for a while gently try to separate the cooked vazha poo. 

*In a heated pan pour oil add mustard seeds and urad dal, allow the mustard to splutter add red chilly now carefully add the cooled vazha poo and heeng. 

*Mix well. Add grounded coconut and curry leaves.


Mango pickle 

Raw mango/totapuri - 3 to 4

red chilly powder - 5 tbsp
mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
meethi seeds - 1/2 tsp
red chiillly - 2 broken
salt - as required
hing powder - 1 tsp
curry leaves - a few (optional)
turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
sunflower oil/gingly oil - 2 tbsp

Method 

*Clean and chop mango into small pieces. (I used tupperware smart chef.) 

*In a pan heat sunflower oil/gingly oil add mustard seeds and meeti seeds. allow it to splutter. 

*Add red chilly powder , heeng powder and curry leaves. Mix well. 

*Now add chopped mango, turmeric powder and salt. 

*Mix well and cool it to room temperature. 

*Keep it in air tight jar and refrigerate.

 

*Make fresh pickle throughout the season for better flavour and taste.

Marachini papad(Tapioca papad) is a trivandrum speciality. Its made out of tapioca, red chilly and salt. Fry it in oil like appalam or papadam.

Have lunch with freshly made rice and curd.