This is a quick, healthy powder (podi) that makes a great side for idli, dosa, methi paratha, and to mix with rice.
Jeera Rasam (Pepper Jeera Rasam)
This rasam is super easy, and requires no cooked dhal (toor dal is added to the spices and ground into a paste).
This is a very flavorful rasam that is highly recommended when you’re suffering from a cold, or have had a few days of heavy food, and need something light. It makes a wonderful soup, especially when the weather outside is chilly and yucky.
Kootu Variety 2 – With Coconut, Jeera And Chilies
“Koottu” is an amazingly simple, nutritious, and wholesome dish and makes a complete meal when eaten with a raita. When my kids were little, they wouldn’t eat it if I said it was kootu. But they loved paruppu saadam with ghee (dhal chawal), and I used to trick them into eating it by mixing it myself, with a generous dollop of ghee on top, and calling it paruppu saadam. They loved it. Now it’s one of their most favorite comfort foods, and I have to make it whenever they come home.
This version is my daughter’s favorite. The other kootu with the toasted and blended spices is my son’s favorite.
Onion Chutney
A chutney from the memories of my childhood; a rustic onion chutney to serve with a multiple of dishes such as idli, dosai, poori, rotis, upma, etc. Heat of the chilies, balanced with the sweetness of the onion, and the sourness of the tamarind makes a wonderful accompaniment to mild and bland dishes.
Masal Vadai (Chana Dhal Fritters)
An excellent rainy day snack, high in protein and loaded with the complex flavors of onions, mint, and fennel seeds.