#covid19#lockdownspecial# traditional side dishes for lunch

The main traditional vegetarian dishes for lunch include sambar, a curry and two side dishes avial and  pachadi or kichadi. The speciality of South Kerala sambar is that any kind of vegetables can go in. In North Kerala the list of sambar goes like bindi sambar, drumstick sambar, spinach sambar, onion sambar. So also the sambar is thicker in South with elephant foot yam, potato, taro, cucumber, pumpkin, onion, green chilli, drumstick, carrots likewise it goes on. Based on the quantity of the toordal you have to limit the quantity of the veggies with you. It is great dish with vitamins, minerals, fibre and protein. Today I cooked these three together based on our neighbor’s wish to have sambar and avial. They bought the veggies and it comes real. Reminds my mom’s cooking style throughout.

Thank you Nissar and family for giving me the opportunity of cooking traditional dishes❤️ Really nostalgic ❤️

Sambar

Pressure cook 1 cup toordal and keep aside.

Add the cubed veggies and curry leaf. Pressure cook  for two whistles. 

When the pressure is gone, open it and add tamarind juice, salt and sambar masala powder. 

Allow to boil and garnish chopped shallots, garlic, mustard, dried red chilli, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. Pour the garnish over the sambar. Serve with rice, dosa and idli.

Avial
Again another nutritious and delicious vegetable dish. Avial can be used as a substitute meal for those who are on diet. All the veggies used in sambar can be used for avial. The way of cutting the vegetables is very important in making avial. Cut veggies into 3inch slender pieces. Cook it with half glass of water. Add curry leaves, turmeric and chilli powders 1/2 tsp. each .Combine well and close with a lid. Water will oozes out from the veggies. Cook on medium flame for 10 to 15 minutes.
Grated coconut 2 cups, shallots 4, cumin seeds 1/2tsp., green chilli 3, turmeric powder a pinch, salt to taste.  Grind it coarsely, add some curry leaves and grind once more.
Add the coconut mix on the cooked veggies, combine carefully with a fork or spoon without breaking the cooked veggies. Bring to low flame, pour 2 tbsp. coconut oil in a circular motion, add some more curry leaves and close it with a lid for two minutes.
Serve hot with rice, poori and chapatti.
Pumpkin pachadi
Pumpkin peeled and cut into small pieces. Green chilli 3, cut into circles. Curry leaf a sprig. Cook on medium flame. Grated coconut, cumin seeds 1/4 tsp., shallots 2. Grind it softly in yogurt into a paste.
Add the coconut paste over the cooked pumpkin, add salt. Combine well. Put it on low flame and add a teaspoon of sugar and a cup of thick yogurt. Allow to remain on flame for a minute.
Garnish mustard seeds, 2 red chilli cut into rings and curry leaves. Pour the garnish over the yogurt mix. Serve hot with rice.