Kathrikai Gothsu

This is an easy to make side dish for idli, Dosai, Arisi upma and pongal.

And it's the best side dish for Idli! 

It's best if you can find the medium sized soft Indian brinjals. Otherwise an Italian eggplant that's soft to touch will work very well. 

You start with roasting the eggplant directly on fire. I've done them in the oven wrapped in aluminum foil when my apartment stove had electric coils. But have to say the charred taste of the eggplant is the best. So if you have a gas stove, please do them on the stove. I have a grill that I use only for this purpose! 

Make sure the Brinjal is cooked all over, cos if that's uncooked, it's going to taste bad.

To make gothsu for 2 people that love gothsu and eat more gothsu than idlies, You need:

Two really big and soft (Italian) eggplants, charred, peeled, and mashed with hand.

Oil-- 2 tsp

Mustard seeds -- 1/2 tsp

Green chili -- 4 or 5 

Tamarind -- lime sized 

Red chili -- 1

Curry leaves - few

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Asafoetida -- 1/4 tsp

If you have a kalchetti, it works very well. Otherwise an heavy bottomed vessel will work.

---> soak the tamarind in about a cup of warm water and let it sit

---> during this time, take out your kalchetti and revel in its beauty :) 

---> take a break and put the brinjals on a medium flame, you could put two on the same flame if you have a big stove or do it one by one.

--->Make sure to turn them around so they get charred all over.

---> keep aside and let cool and use this time again to admire the beauty of your kalchetti( if you have one) 

--->mash the tamarind and squeeze the pulp, and add some more water to this

---> scoop out the pulp from the charred brinjals and mash it and mix it with the tamarind 

--->break the chillis in to two and keep all the other things handy near the stove

You could chop them but it makes the gothsu super spicy. 

--->On a medium flame, add some oil in the kalchetti. Let it get hot. Once it's hot, add the mustard seeds. Let them sputter.

---> now add the chillies, curry leaves, hing, turmeric powder and reduce the flame and now add the tamarind brinjal mixture to the kal chetti

---> add some salt and let it come to one boil,

---> this should not be boiling too much..

---> make some super soft idlies or dosai and enjoy it :)

Kitchen Mishaps!

Warning: this post has no recipes what so ever. Just a collection of funny incidents that happened over the years in our family.

Well, this whole thing started with me making Rava Dosai for dinner. It was a long day and I was tired and in my hurry to make the dough, I picked up the Cream of rice / idli rava instead of rava and made the dough. When I was making the dosas, it was not getting crispy and not getting cooked enough at all. Still my family enjoyed them and had at least 4 each, while appreciating the 'tasty' rava dosais. I realized my mistake the next day and told them what I did. And then one by one went, 'Oh! Is that why it was not good', 'Oh! Is that why it was not crispy' 'Oh! Is that why it was not cooked'. We all had a good laugh about it.

I was telling about this incident to my grandma(paati) and she recalled this particular incident.
It was a time when they had moved to a new house and all the stuff in the kitchen was all over the place. My aunt was there during the move but had to leave to her husbands house by train in the evening, so she quickly arranged the kitchen for my paati before she left.
My Grandpa(Thatha) was hungry in the evening and asked if my paati could make 'Gothumai (Wheat Flour) Dosai' for him to eat. Gothumai dosai is very similar to rava dosai except its made with Gothumai (Wheat Flour), Maida(All Purpose Four). Well, my paati made the dosai with what she thought was Maida but it was actually bleaching powder. She was struggling to make the dosai, and somehow made a few and served it to him on a plate. She also had tasted the first itty bitty one, and thought it tasted a bit funny but was too tired to notice anything major.As soon as he had the first one, he felt that his throat was on fire. He immediately lied down and accused my paati of serving him a poisonous dosai and said that he was going to die soon :) My paati found the whole situation funny and was giggling and said 'What are you talking about'. Just at that time, my (Chithapa) Thatha's younger brother who's is actually my Chinna thatha but since my mom and uncles called him chithapa all the grand kids also called him chithapa (who lived diagonally opposite us) happened to be passing by out house and stopped to say hello. He noticed that my thatha was lying down rather uncomfortably and asked him about it. My thatha narrated the whole story and then my Chithapa turned and asked my paati, 'Well if you wanted to poison him, why go out of your way and make dosai out of it, why not just give it directly!'
That's how matter of fact we are in our family!!
And then he tasted it and found that it was bleaching powder and told my thatha he had nothing to worry about and asked him to drink a litre of water to wash it out!

This one again involves my paati, the time she made Rava Kesari. She let the sugar melt and then when it was time to add rava, she added sugar again and then was wondering why it was all melting and not coming together!

Speaking of crazy families, our family friend also have equally crazy incidents. My aunt told me was how her friend 'Mrs.C' had gone for a wedding in the morning and told her family that she would do a simple 'paruppu podi' dinner. She put hot rice and ghee on everyone's plates and then put a spoonful of paruppu podi. When her son tasted it, he complained something was wrong with it and 'Mrs.C' chided everyone until she had a taste of it, the alleged 'paruppu podi' was actually Horlicks!!

 This is my cousin S's first experience making Mango Cake in the form of a poem!

My attempt @ Eggless Mango Cake By S
Was my first baking experience (alone) ever.
So all the baking equipment including measuring cups & spoons, ingredients & me got together.

Made a near perfect dough – “perfect”, according to my standard.
Poured into the baking tin & off it went into the oven and me hoping my baking journey would continue onward .

The oven is new so is being tested for the first time so..
It conked off!! Tried once again but it wouldn’t budge & so hard we did try though!

But giving up is not the solution right?
And so put it in one of the saviours of the kitchen for 7-8 mins – The Microwave which put up a good fight.

Now that was a whee bit too long and so the result was a spongy edible cake..
BUT.. something told me that it was going to harden up and turn into stone bake .

So what did I do? Quickly literally gobbled up two huge slices of the cake!
Almost 60% of my first “masterpiece” of a cake

Before it turned into stone and it did eventually turn into a hard rock filled with stress,
Relished the “taste” & was pretty satisfied that none of the appliances burst in the process.

And now, my baking equipment, ingredients & me are all waiting for the oven to get well soon
So that we can together bake my official first cake hoping that doesn’t turn into a mishap too!

PS – All words within “ “ are sarcasm hints.

Golu 2010

This post was meant to be published in October 2010!!
As usual I did have two parties and the menu was almost the same for both the parties....

Menu on Day 1

Javvarisi (sabudana) Payasam
Neer Mor (Diluted Buttermilk)
Microwave Aplams
Potato chips (bought)
Idli
Sambar
Coconut Chutney
Red Bell Pepper Chutney
Gun Powder mixed with oil
Spinach Rice
Lemon Rice
Potato Curry
Avial
Chapathi (catered)
Panner with Bell Pepper
Eggplant and Peanut Gravy

Menu on Day2

Javvarisi (sabudana) Payasam
Neer Mor (Diluted Buttermilk)
Microwave Aplams
Potato chips (bought)
Idli
Kanjeevaram Idli
Sambar
Coconut Chutney
Red Bell Pepper Chutney
Gun Powder mixed with oil
Vathakuzhambu Sadham

Potato Curry
Avial

  

I had a lot of help from my friends and neighbors, Madhu, Suman, Priya, and my sister in law Bairavi.......

It would have been impossible, if not for all of them...

Golu

  and Sophie --- upset because we left her in doggie day care for a day due to Golu!!

Red Bell Pepper Chutney குடைமிளகாய் சட்னி

I made this chutney for Golu 2009. It is a great accompaniment to Roti, Idli and Dosa...

To make about 2 cups of this chutney you will need 7 to 8 Red Bell Peppers,
I have used a mix of red, yellow and orange, If you use all red, then it will be in an even more darker shade of red.

7 to 8 Red Bell Peppers - chopped
Oil - 3 Tablespoons
Mustard - 1 Teaspoon
Red Chili - 5
Tamarind Paste - 1 teaspoon
Fenugreek - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt - as needed

---> In an empty pan, (on a medium high flame) add 1 tbsp oil, and half of the mustard and once that sputters add 3 red chili to it an then the fenugreek.
---> Add the chopped bell pepper to it and start to saute it lightly
---> add the salt to it, and keep sauteing it,, it will shed some water and wilt
---> At this point, switch off the stove and let cool
---> In your mixer, grind this to a smooth paste
---> In the same kadai, (agian on a mediyum high flame) add the rest of the oil, and the mustard and once that sputters add red chilies, and then add this paste to the pan and mix well and cover the pan, (it will start to bubble)
---> After two minutes, mix in the tamarind paste and taste for salt
---> Cover the pan again and let this be simmering on a low to medium flame for about 5 to 7 minutes
---> The color this chutney will darken a bit.
---> Let cool and keep in a dry container

This will last for a month in the fridge (i bet you will finish this faster) as long as you don't use a wet spoon.

Ilai Vadam

Ilai Vadam!! Ilai means leaf and Vadam means the dry papad like item, which u have to fry in hot oil,
But in our house, we make ilai vadam to eat like a snack...
it is hard work but, the end result is just amazing...

To make 40 to 50 ilai vadams, it will take 3 hrs (more or less).. if you want, you can resist eating them and let them dry and then deep fry them and enjoy them..

You need
Idli Rice ---- 1 Cup
Salt---- as needed
Ajwain (Omam in Tamil) - 1/4th teaspoon
Water --- as needed

---->Soak the Idli rice for 3 to 4 hours
----> Grind to a smooth fine paste and let ferment for 2 days
---->On the third day, you can smell the dough and it will smell a little sour
---->At this point, you add the salt and ajwain to it and add enough water so that when you try to pour some on a plate, it doesnt run too much ....
--->Assemble your steaming equipment, i have used a kadai, a ring, and three stainless steel plates with oil on them, you will also need a lid
---->alternatively you can use a ilai vadam steamer, if you are lucky to have one.... (I have heard my great grandma used to own one and it could do about 15 vadams in one take... )--
---> Add some water to the kadai and keep on a medium high flame, and let it come to a boil
---->now start pouring one ladleful dough on the oiled plate and place the plate on it
---> in about 45 seconds it should have cooked and you should be able to roll it out of the plate easily
--->now repeat the process agian and again and again (you get the point)
--->The dough should be in a good consistency (not very watery and not very thick)

Some of the ilai vadam posts i liked are this and this!!!


My sister, cousins and myself enjoy this sooooo much... and just thinking of the days when i would come back from school and find a stack of ilai vadams waiting for me on the table, makes me so happy...... must have taken my mom hours to do that....

Golu 2009

Navarathri started on September 19th. Just like last year I had two big Parties...

Only this time, I had them back to back.... one on Sep 19th Saturday and the other on Sunday Sep 20th...

Menu for Party on September 19th

Idli

Sambar

Coconut Chutney

Red Bell Pepper Chutney

Milagai Podi

Vatha Kuzhambu Sadham (Rice)

Urulaikizhangu Kari

Aplam (PapadS)

Chapathi

Paneer Sabji

Kollu Sundal

Neer Mor

Javvarisi (sabudana) Payasam

Menu for Party on September 20th

Idli

Kanjeevaram Idli

Sambar

Coconut Chutney

Red Bell Pepper Chutney

Milagai Podi

Milagu Kuzhambu Sadham (Rice)

Urulaikizhangu Kari

Aplam

Pachai Pattani Sundal (with Mango)

Neer Mor

Javvarisi (sabudana) Payasam

I had made lots of Bell Pepper Chutney, earlier in the week, enough for both the parties. That was the hit Chutney in both the parties. On Saturday, the Vathakuzhambu sadham was a hit also and on sunday the Milagu Kuzhambu sadham was a hit.

The new addition to this year’s golu was the Kali Doll that I got from Calcutta, and the Vittal and Rakumayi doll which I got in Chennai. The Marriage set is also a new addition to my collection this year.

I would like to mention some of my friends who helped me make these parties a grand success...

Drum Roll Please......

First of all to Gayatri a.k.a. Gayu, my daughter's friend, who dutifully came on a nice Friday evening, to help us unwrap the dolls and arrange them on the steps. She also helped in making the streets of India exhibit...

To Mina, who came after playing tennis to rearrange some of the dolls on the shelf.

And thanks to my husband, and my kids, Varun and Varsha who helped in the unpacking of the dolls, in arranging the cricket set and the other dolls and also packing all of them again, sealing the boxes and special thanks to Varun for dismantling the Golu Shelf and putting them back in the basement!!

As for the Parties here is my thanking speech

For the Saturday Party Many Many Thanks to

Suman , Priya and Madhu.

Suman Helped in peeling and cubing the potatoes, Washing the coriander, Frying the Aplams, garnishing everything.....

Priya helped in Making the Potato curry, frying the aplams

Madhu helped in washing all the vessels I had used that day......

And to Bairavi, Suman, Priya, Harshi, who helped in making the idlies during the party....

For the Sunday Party, Many Many Thanks to

Aparna, Asha, Bairavi, Vasanthi who helped in making the idlies while the party was going on....

Dosai Milagai Podi a.k.a Gun Powder and Idlies...... In India

Most of our friends call this Gun Powder because of the spice it has. I have seen a lot of versions of this all through my life.... My favorite is how my Paati (Grandma) Mrs Vimala Ramamurthy makes it.

People who don't like the spice , make it in an orange color, and i would not call THAT Milagai Podi because Milagai means Red Chily. You've gotta add the spice it needs, some others add Jaggery to this, and I cannot bring myself to even try it, because it takes away the spice......

Depending on your spice level, adjust the amount of Red Chillies you add to this, but please do SOME justice............

Lets goto the Recipe

You Need

Urad Dal ------1/4 cup
Channa Dal --------Half of 1/4th Cup

Sesame Seeds (Optional)------- 2Teaspoons

Mustard Seeds ---- 1/4th Teaspoons

Dry Red Chillies--------1 Cup (yes i said it right, 1 cup)

Hing - 1 Teaspoon

Salt - To Taste (I would add a teaspoon first and then taste it)

Method

---> In a heavy bottomed pan, start by roasting every item, one by one with little oil for each item

---> You have to roast the Channa Dal until it becomes an even shade of rose

---> Take it out and then in the same pan, now roast the urad dal

---> Now take that out and roast the sesame seeds

---> Now Take that out and roast the mustard seeds

---> Now Take that out and roast the Red Chillies (put your stovetop fan on if you don't want everyone in the room to cough)

---> Keep the roasted items on a big plate and let cool

---> Once it is cooled, add them to your big mixie jar and make a fine to a little coarse powder

---> Add some salt while it is grinding

and then

---> Make a nice soft Dosa and take the Milagai Podi for a test drive...... :)

Notes:

You could even dry roast everything but, it will hit your throat really hard since it will get very dry.

So of you add some oil, it will become moist and also have that glowing red color.

******

I have already posted the recipe for Idli here. Idli is one of my comfort foods. Had it a lot at home in India. Wanted to post a picture of my perima, Mrs Sugantha's Idlies...

I have already posted the recipe for Idli here. Idli is one of my comfort foods. Had it a lot at home in India. Wanted to post a picture of my perima, Mrs Sugantha's Idlies...

Tomato Chutney (Tomato Thokku)

In Tamil, there is a phrase -

"All in All Azhaguraja"(Azhagu means Handsome or Beautiful and Raja means King)

Azhaguraja the guy has everything in his shop etc.

There was this character played by Actor Kaundamani in a tamil movie where he has a store and he rents out everything for the village.

I found this clip, the scene in which he claims to be "All in All Azhaguraja".

I am reminded of that whenever i make this Chutney, because it really can transform in to anything you want if you have this at home.

Some uses for this chutney in my house

--->As a spread for bread

--->Mix with hot rice and you have tomato rice instantly

--->Use it as a pickle for Curd Rice

--->Goes great with a soft Dosa as a chutney

--->Spread on a hot roti with ghee and this chutney and roll it up for an extremly yummy snack.

--->Serve on the side with Idli

(I make some small Idlis and roll them in this chutney lightly and put in a bowl before my daughter and it vanishes instantly!)

Now Don't you ALL agree this is an ALL in ALL Azhaguraja???

Whenever I shop for Vegetables, I go overboard when I see Tomatoes and invariably by too many of them. And after a week to 10 days of cooking, if I still havent used them then I make this.

I had 6 tomatoes leftover, and they were big, The oil to tomato ratio is for 2 big tomatoes use, 1 tablespoon oil. I dont make this too spicy since my kids also enjoy it and use it liberally. If you find the spice is too much, you can reduce it. The tomatoes I use are generally little sour, so this brings it to a better taste.

You Need
Tomatoes - 6 chopped
Gingelly Oil - 3 Tablespoons
Salt - 2 Teaspoons (more or less according to your taste)
Mustard seeds- 1 Teaspoon
Green Chillies- 3 chopped
Red Chili Powder - 2 Teaspoons
Hing- 1 Teaspoon

Method

---> First Chop the Tomatoes.
---> In a pan, add the oil (on a medium high flame)and the mustard seeds and once they sputter add the green chillies, hing, tomatoes and salt all at once.
---> Mix well and cover this and reduce the flame to a medium.
---> Go around the house and do your chores returning to the stove every 15 minutes to mix once and make sure the mixture doesnt get too thick.
--->After about an hour, you will see it become almost a liquid and the and also gone considerably low in the pan, please look at the picture above.
---> Once you feel this is thick enough switch it off and let cool.
---> After it cools down, transfer to an airtight container and treat it like a pickle, so NO wet hands or wet spoons. This will last as long as a month, or even lesser if you finish it faster :)


I have made some tomato rice with it....

Cooking Oil ?????

I have mostly used canola oil for cooking. A couple of years ago, I was using Olive oil to cook for about 6 months. at that time, everyone was saying that Olive oil is healthier etc, so I switched.

Now I am back to using Canola Oil. I read in readers digest that Canola Oil is used in Mediterranean cuisine and it seems after some survey they found that people from that region had fewer hear attacks.

I also use it to deep fry.

I use it mainly because it does not have a taste to it.

My mom used to use Sunflower oil. That also did no have a specific taste to it.

I found this information about Canola Oil,

http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/canola.asp

Let me know what oils you all use..

In India, my Mother in law, (Mrs Meena Ganesan) uses Gingelly Oil,
My aunt (Mrs. Sugantha Gurumoorthy) uses Sunflower Oil, to cook.

Here I have not seen Sunflower Oil in the markets. But I have come across Vegetable Oil.

Other Than Canola Oil, I use
Olive Oil if I make Pasta or Salads and use
Gingelly Oil, to mix with rice with some Podi, with Idli Milagai podi, to make Vathakuzhambu, etc.

Golu 2008

Navartahri started on September 30th. Just like last year I had two big Parties...

This time around, I didn't have the time to take pictures of what I made, but here is the menu for both the parties....

On Friday October 3rd I had made

Idli

Sambar (it was a mixed vegetable sambar)

Chutney (regular Coconut Chutney

Vadai Morkuzhambu

Poricha Keerai (Spinach with seasonings --Tamilian style)

Potato Curry

Rice

Rotis (This was catered)

Amla Pickle

Mysorepak

Carrot Mango Vatana Sundal

Sabudana Payasam

Cut Cantaloupe

And for the Sunday October 5th Party I had made

Idli

Vegetable Rava Idli

Sambar

Chutney

Vathakuzhambu Sadham

Spinach Rice

Curd Rice

Potato Curry

Cut Mango Pickle

Mysorepak

Kollu sundal

Sabudana Payasam

The sabudana payasam (which Aparna started and I finished) made for the friday party tasted so good that my husband didnt get to have it, everyone told him it was the best, so he requested me to make it again so I made the same payasam again for the Sunday Party.

The Vadai Morkuhambu was the Hit of Friday party and the Vathakuzhambu Sadham, was the hit for the sunday Party.

I will post the recipes of the dishes that I have made here, which still I have not blogged about. I know the masoor Dal Kofta which I had made last year is still pending for the blog. Can't believe that I haven't made that in a year, but hopefully you will see all the recipes soon...

Before I end this blog, I have to thank some people who helped me a lot in both the parties;

(Imagine me having an Oscar award in one hand and saying this :)))) )

For the Friday Party, many thanks to

--->Bindu, who just landed at my place in the morning, and stayed till 2 in the afternoon, and helped me cut all the veggies and made me stay on track and just gave me GREAT company,

--->Priya, who stayed for an hour and a half in the evening and helped make the potato curry, cut, peel and grate the huge enormous mango for the sundal and also helped me clean up the sink before everyone came,

--->Aparna, (my cousin), who came at 7pm before everyone came and made the rice, started the payasam on the stove and started the first load of the idlis,

--->Manju, Suman, Harshi for helping to keep the subsequent batch of idlis as and when needed...

For the Sunday Party I have to thank

--->Sivagami, who was one of the first few guests, who helped me peel all the potatoes,

--->Devina, who diced all the potatoes,

--->Vasanthi, who helped me in making the potato curry,

--->Asha and Abi(my cousin), who made the idlis in batches...

If I have forgotten anyone, please excuse me....

Even though the last week has been hectic and my sister calls me the craziest person alive to cook everything by myself for the parties, I still enjoyed every bit of it. I could not sleep properly because I was so excited about cooking ..... :)

As promised, I will post all the recipies one by one........

Tomorrow is Saraswati pooja, and the day after is Vijayadasami!

Pongal (Rice And Lentil Grits) and Spinach Sambar (Spinach with Split Pigeon Peas)

This is one of the most easiest and tastiest meals to make, and also very healthy for you!

Pongal is kind of like Grits, although in North India they make something similar (not the exact recipe) and call it Khichdi.

I always make it in this Vengala Paanai (Bronze Pot in Tamil). The inside of this is coated with Eeyam. This is my mother's pot and the Pongal or anything made in this tastes exceptional. This also retains heat very well and cooks faster.

My Pongal links on Instagram-

Pongal with Gothsu - https://www.instagram.com/p/5CT4gwOWWl/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

At a south indian wedding - https://www.instagram.com/p/3nKQjVOWSD/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Alright lets come to the recipe

Pongal

The rice used to make this has to be raw rice. I use sona masoori rice to make this, you want the pongal to be soft and the grains shouldnt be noticeable after its cooked.

The measure of Rice to Mung Lentil is 1 is to 3/4th proportion. you may use more or less lentils, how ever you like.

Rice 1 Cup

Split Skinned Mung Bean 3/4th Cup

Cumin Whole (Coarsely ground) 2 to 3 Teaspoons

Black Pepper (coarsely ground) 2 Teaspoons 

Cashewnuts Sliced - a handful

Ghee - 3 tablespoons

Water - 4 to 5 Cups

Salt - 2 teaspoons

Method

---> Wash the rice and the lentils and put in the vessel you are going to make and add about 4 cups of water, add the salt and half of the cumins and let it come to aboil, keep stirring it with a wooden spoon so it does not boil over

--->after the rice is about 3/4ths cooked, check to see if the water is enough and add the extra water if needed

---> In a small kadai, add half of the ghee and let it get hot, when it is hot, add the rest of the cumin and all of the black pepper, and pout it in to the the pongal vessel and return the kadai back to the stove

--->add the rest of the ghee to the kadai and add the sliced cashews, and roast it till it gets light brown, be careful not to burn the cashews

--->Pour it over the Pongal and by now the water should all be gone. Check if the rice and the mung bean is cooked, test by taking a spoon of it and put on plate and smash with your finger lightly, it should get smashed, then it means it is done.

The other option is to make this in a pressure cooker, in that case, add all the water, rice and mung dal together in the cooker, add salt and let it come to 3 whistles. after pressure comes down you can do the tempering and garnish.

Serve hot with Sambar or Chutney or Gothsu!!

Spinach Sambar

This is even more easier than any other sambar, Just follow the same recipe as my Shallot sambar, only use a half pound of frozen spinach and boil in the tamarind water, along with the spices mentioned in the other recipe....

you don't even have to thaw it, just plop it tn the water and do your thing!

I have added a handful of soaked black chick peas to the sambar.

P.S.(I always soak a lot of chick peas once every two weeks and drain the water and store in a Ziploc in the freezer and throw some in my Sambar, or Dal to get the extra protein. If i want to add it to my salad, I just put some in the pressure cooker with some salt and water, and when it is done drain the water and add the water to my Dal or rasam and just the chickpeas to my salad)


Scaling this for a party

NOTE: The one thing about pongal is when you make it for a large group, and plan to serve it after 5 hrs, it ill go bad if you follow the same ratio above. Any dish made of Mung Dal will usually go bad if not served immediately cooking it.

So in temples when they make pongal for prasadams, you will notice that they have very less of mug dal in it. This is the reason.
Also since mung dal tends to stick after its cooked, it makes the whole pongal like a brick as time goes by and it gets worse if it gets cold.

But in case you want to make this for a party, and make it ahead of time, you can by reducing the amount of moong dal in pongal.


When you make pongal, if its the main dish then you need to count the following recipe for about 15 to 20 generous servings.
If you are making it along with idli then the following recipe will yield about 30 servings.
Either way, if you have an idea of the guests appetite, scale it accordingly.

For 15 to 20 generous servings / 30 servings if you are serving with another dish - Standard half a tray

Double the recipe for a full Tray of Pongal

Rice 4 Cups

Split Skinned Mung Bean 1 Cup 

Cumin Whole 6  to 7 Teaspoons (Coarsely ground) 2 to 3 Teaspoons

Black Pepper Whole (coarsely ground) 5 Teaspoons

Cashewnuts Sliced - 3/4 cup

Ghee- 3/4 cup to 1 cup

Water - 16  to  20Cups

Salt -  2 tablespoons (Depends on the taste)

the more ghee you add, the longer this will stay fresh. Try and keep this in a crock pot so it will be warm so the ghee or the mug dal doesn't solidify.

Keerai Masiyal (Simple Mashed Spinach)

You can use fresh or frozen spinach for this.

2 lbs Frozen Spinach or 2 bunches Fresh Spinach
1 and 1/2 Spoons Cumin
1 and 1/2 Spoons Urad Dal
2 or 3 Dry red Chili
1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
2 teaspoons oil
2 teaspoons grated coconut
1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
1 and 1/2 spoons salt (more or less)


---> If using Fresh Spinach, Cut the ends and wash 3 times.
---> In a big pan, place the drianed spinach leaves or if using frozen place them directly with just a 1/4 cup of water on a medium low fire and cover the pan.
---> Keep stirring the spinach to make sure it is not getting burnt.
---> Using a hand blender, blend the spinach well
---> In a different pan, add a teaspoon of oil, and add the Urad Dal, Red Chillies, Jeera and Black pepper and roast till you smell the cumin and the pepper and the dal becomes slighlty rose in color
---> Add coconut to the roasted ingredients, and make a fine powder with a regular mixer or a coffee grinder
---> Add this to the Spinach and mix well
---> As a last step, add a teaspoon of oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds and let it sputter, add this to the spinach, garnish with curry leaves and serve.

When you are done, this should have a consistency of Idli Dough.
This goes well with Rice and Rasam!

Lemon Sevai - Lemon flavored Home made Rice Noodles

Sevai is the tamil name for rice noodles.
I made rice sevai using my old sevai machine.
I have an updated version of the sevai machine (called Sevai Naazhi in Tamil), in Atlanta, so I gave the old one to my sister.
So Here is what you need
a Sevai Machine or the press used to make Thenkuzhal or mullu murukku
and
Idli Rice - 1 cup
Oil - 4 teaspoons
Salt - 1/2 teaspoon
Method
--->Soak the rice for about 2 hours
--->Grind to a thin soup consistency
--->In a kadai, add the oil and pour the batter, and add the salt, and keep stirring it, until it becomes a ball like dough.
--->Make small balls, and steam for 15 minutes
--->After it is steamed, put the balls one by one in the machine and make the sevai.
---->Once the sevai is done, make any flavor sevai that you like.
My childron love Lemon Sevai, so I usually make that.
Lemon Sevai is made just like Lemon Rice
You Need (to make 2 servings)
Lemon - 1
Turmeric powder-1/2 Teaspoon
Salt - 1/2 Teaspoon
Oil - 1 Teaspoon
Asafoetida- a pinch
Mustard Seeds- 1/2 Teaspoon
Channa Dal-1 Teaspoon
Red Chili - 1 broken in 2
Green Chili - 1, slit
Method
---> In a small pan, add the oil, after it gets hot, add the mustard seeds
--->Once the mustard seeds start to sputter, add the Channa Dal and the Chilies, and the Asafoetida
--->On the sevai add the turmeric powder, and pour the hot oil with the mustard seed and all the things on the Turmeric powder
--->Take the juice of 1 lemon, and pour on top of the sevai
--->Add the salt and mix well
This can be enjoyed at any time. I make this for my kids lunch.

A Comparison of the Sevai made at home and the store bought Rice noodles
---> tastes much much better.
--->It will not have the rubbery feeling that the store bought one has.
--->This absorbs the flavor
--->Involves Hard Work!
--->Worth the hard work!

Idli

I usually make decent idlis and wanted to share it with everyone.
You will need a wet grinder for this.
Soak 3 cups of Idli Rice and 1 cup of Whole skinned Urad Dal seperately from 5 to 8 hours.
I buy the swad Dakshin brand of Idli rice.
Grind the Dal first to a ball like consistency. (For 1 cup of dal, it takes anywhere from an hour to an hour and half)
Grind the Rice next, (this will take 1 hour for 3 cups of rice)
Add the rice mixture slowly to the dal and add the salt and mix slightly.
Leave out in the open if you have good weather or in the oven with the light on or put a green chili to the dough to help rise faster.

Once the dough is risen, you can use your idli moulds to make soft fluffy idli's
I found this recipe for Whole Grain Idlis at Jai and Bee's Jugalbandi here. It is a nice read. So if the oven light thing does not work for you, there are other methods too..
Luckily for me it does!

Even though Idli , Sambar, Chutney is a heavenly combination, this is the way I like to eat my idlis! My podi is slightly?? more?? spicier than other podi's I will share the recipe soon...

When we travel in India, by trains, my grandmas (both sides) used to pack these and White dosas ( before it ferments) doused generously in Milagai podi and Gingelly (Sesame) Oil and pack in banana leaves and newspaper, and we usually would finish eating this as soon as we get on the train...
Yum Yum............................. :)

---> Another way to enjoy this is is to make a batch of Mini Idlies. This is my Aunt Mrs.R.Sugantha's  recipe.
In  a pan, on a medium flame, add some oil. When it heats, add the mustard, let it sputter. Add some Curry leaves, and hing and when the leaves are crispy, reduce the flame and add some dosai milagai powder to the pan and then switch the stove off. Add the idlies to the pan and toss them and mix well. Sprinkle a pinch of salt on top if necessary. This makes a great appetizer too.

Shallot Sambar / Chinna Vengaya Sambar (Shallots in Lentil Gravy)

When ever I make Onion Sambar, I am reminded of this; It was about a year ago, my daughter fell down on the tennis court while reaching for the ball and hit her face and head very badly. We rushed her to the emergency room, since her head was hurting and she was feeling giddy, The doctor checked her and found that she chipped a tooth (it was a baby tooth) and said if she faints or anything like that bring her back, but make sure she is speaks coherently etc. (With a head injury you have to watch the child.)
So any way we come back home, I had made Mini Idlis and Shallot Sambar for lunch. My husband thought she can have the idlis with sugar since her mouth was swollen, and asked her if she wants idlis with sugar or sambar,
she asked "What sambar have you made?"
I replied, "Shallot sambar"
She said "I will have idli and sambar"
My husband heaved a sigh of releif, and exclaimed "Everything is fine with her!!"

Back to our recipe

When you want to make Onion Sambar, you have got to use shallots. Do not use pearl onions since they really do not have any extraordinary taste, except being tiny and hard to peel. You could also make this sambar with big Onions (sliced big onions), even though they may not taste better than Shallots.

This measurement will feed approximately 8 people or twice for a family of 4!

Items you need

First Soak a plum tomato sized tamarind piece in 1½ cups of water

Oil -- 3 Teaspoons

Shallots --Approximately 15 (Peeled, and cut in halves or fours)

Shallots are Small Onions or (Vengayam means Onions in Tamil) (Chinna means Small)

Toor Dal (Split Pigeon peas)-- ¾ th cup

Tomato --1 medium (cut in pieces) Optional

Sambar powder -- 1 ½ teaspoon

Turmeric powder-- ½ teaspoon

Asafoetida --½ teaspoon

Salt -- 1½ teaspoon

Mustard ½ teaspoon

Dry Red Chili - 2

Curry leaves and Corainder for Garnish

Method

--> Cook the toor Dal in the pressure cooker. Please wash the dal under running water and fill the container with 1½cups of water, add ¼ teaspoon of turmeric powder and give it about 3 whistles or until the Dal is soft and easy to mash with a fork. If you don't have a pressure cooker, you can cook this in a electric rice cooker. I have not tried this before, but some of my friends did.

-->Squeeze the juice out of the tamarind pulp and filter the tamarind out.

-->In a pan, add 2 teaspoons oil, add one red chili and the curry leaves, once the oil is hot and the leaves start to sizzle, add the shallots, saute them till light brown and not really dark brown, make sure the fire is in medium high

-->Once the shallots are all loose, slowly add the sambhar powder, turmeric powder, and the tamarind water and let it come to a boil.

Add 1 cup of water to this if you feel the mixture is too thick. It should of tomato soup consistency

-->By this time your dal should be ready, lightly mash it with a fork and add this to the Pan.

After you add the dal, it should come to cream of Tomato soup consistency.

-->In a separate pan, add the remaining oil, add mustard seeds and Red chili, once the seeds start sputtering, add the hing and pour over the boiling sambar, garnish with coriander leaves.

Options

I added one tomato to the onions while I was sauteing them .

You can make this with any vegetable of your choice.

To make this even tastier, I removed about a handful of the onions while sauteing and grind them to a pulp and add them back to pan, I find this makes the sambar more richer than usual.

You can eat this with hot rice (white or brown), Idlis or Dosas