Ginger Rasam, Beans+Orange Pumpkin (Parangikai)+Carrot Lazy Kootu

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The picture was taken with a Sony Cybershot, 7.2mp DSC-P200

Beans+Orange Pumpkin (Parangikai)+Carrot Lazy Kootu

Why is this kootu called lazy? Well, Kootu mostly is associated with roasting, grinding, and slowly mixing it into the gravy. But, this Kootu can be done, when you are feeling lazy and not up to roasting.... you get the point.
What you need:
1/2 cup moong dal (may be a small handful of tuvar dal if desired)
1 1/2 cup each of beans, Orange Pumpkin, Carrot (cut in desired shapes, lenghths, etc.)
1 tsp of jeera
a dash of hing
*2 spoons of coconut -* means optional
1 1/2 spoons of sambar powder
*Half teaspoon of turmeric powder
Salt as needed
For garnish:
1 teaspoon of oil
Half a teaspoon of mustard
1 red Chili
Some curry leaves, and coriander leaves
Method:
--->In a vessel, wash the dal once, and cover with enough water; add turmeric powder* and salt. --->Once the Dal is half cooked, add the vegetables, sambar powder;(Click on the link for sambar powder recipe), jeera and hing. Make sure there is enough water;it'll all come together in 22-25 min time.(medium flame on stove;keep stirring every few minutes)
--->Turn the stove off;take another vessel and add the oil, red chili, mustard; once the mustard sputters , pour it over the cooked mixture and add the coconut* and curry leaves and coriander leaves.
Options
--- you can add 2 or 3 green chillies to the vegetables to pack a punch too!
This goes well with hot rice or rotis.
Ginger Rasam
This is just regular rasam but you add some ginger along with the tomatoes.
Here goes.
What you need: (This is for 2 people)
A tiny ball (grape tomato size) of tamarind
You could use tamarind paste (about 1/4 teaspoon), but do not expect the rasam to be tasty :(
One medium sized tomato (chopped as desired)
1/4 cup of uncooked Tuvar Dal (pressure cooked till soft)
2 inch piece of Ginger
1 tsp of jeera
1/2 tsp salt (more or less as needed)
1 tsp of rasam powder (in our house, it is the same as sambar powder but sambar and rasam taste completely different!!)
2 and 1/2 cups water
Dash of Hing
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
To garnish
1 tsp Ghee or Oil ;
1/2 tsp Mustard;
1 Red chili
1 strand Curry leaves
2 strands Coriander Leaves
Method
--->Take 2 cups of water and soak the tamarind in it. Extract all the juice from it and filter the water. You can use your hand to filter and it is ok if some tamarind escapes(!) your hand and falls in to the pot!
--->Add the chopped tomatoes, jeera, ginger, salt, hing, rasam powder, turmeric powder.
--->Let it all come to a boil. (medium high flame, keep watch, you don't want it to boil over)
--->Once it is all boiling, add the extra half cup of water, the cooked Dal,reduce the flame and let it again come to a boil.
And now garnish as mentioned for the Kootu above.
Notes:
Kootu was made in an utensil made of "Hindaleum". I really don't know which metals combine to make this alloy. This is a "hand me down" vessel from my Mom. I love this because, you can put it on the stove directly unlike "eeyam"(an alloy if tin and aluminium, for which the melting point is very low). I will never forget the yummy potato curry my grandma made in this, once upon a time in Kerala, (feels like so long ago).
Rasam was made in an Eeyam Utensil (As mentioned above, an alloy of Tin and Aluminium), You have to put the liquid directly in it and then keep on fire otherwise you Will end up making a hole in bottom. and when you lift it, you have got to use a cloth. If you use a tong, it will make a mark... very picky metal! This is a "hand me down" from mother in law.