Kathirikai kadyal / Brinjal sambar/ Eggplant sambar

A Tamilian friend of mine treated me to soft fluffy idlis and instead of the usual sambar or chutney, she served them with this kadyal. When she gave me the recipe, I was delighted as it is simple and delicious. Thanks to you for this, Kalpana!

Ingredients: 
Toor daal: 2 tablespoons
Tomato: 1 medium
Onion: 1 medium
Brinjal: 1 medium
Garlic cloves: 4-5

For seasoning: 
Oil: 1 tablespoon
Mustard seeds: 1 teaspoon
Urad daal: 1 teaspoon
Green chilly: 1 big
Curry leaves: 5-8

Way to go: 
1. Soak daal in half a cup of water for about half an hour.
2. Roughly chop brinjal, tomato and onion.
3. Add all the ingredients in a cooker along with half a cup of water( use the water in which daal was soaked). Let the cooker whistle twice.
4. Cool down and puree. The consistency should be medium thick. It should be thicker than the ususal sambar.
5. Now season and serve hot with idlis.

Bhutte ke pakore/ Corn pakoras

August is my favorite month. Not because it happens to be my birthday month, but mainly because it's choc- a- bloc with festivals. Raksha bandhan, teej, hariyali amavasya, janmashtami, Independence Day and after coming to South India Varamahalaksmhi and Gauri-Ganesh. In Rajasthan, monsoon starts in July and is at its peak in August. The brown landscape turns refreshing green and is a popular time for picnics. It is also a time for nature's bounty in form of  bhutte or corn and rainy days provide a perfect backdrop for hot seasonal delicacies like bhutte ka kis, bhutte ke pakore or simply sika hua bhutta! Oh, it's making my mouth water now so let's make some pakoras.

Makes:15 medium sized pakoras

Ingredients:

1 medium sized corn cob
Akha dhaniya / whole coriander seeds 

3 chopped green chillies

A pinch of red chilly powder Chopped coriander

Besan / gram flour - approx 4 tbsp
Salt to taste
Garam masala
Oil for frying

Way to go:
1.Take out corn kernels from the cob. Run them lightly in a food processor so that they get a rough texture. Don't make a paste. It's alright to have a few whole corn kernels too. I love it when the whole kernels crunch in my mouth!
2. Add besan to the crushed kernels, one spoonful at a time. This batter is made without adding any water as the moisture from corn would provide enough water. Add all other ingredients.
3. Heat oil and when the oil is medium hot, make pakoras by adding a dollop of this mix in oil.
4. Sometimes, whole kernels can burst out and hurt you. Be careful and  if you have protective cooking goggles, now is the time to take them out:)
5. Serve and eat hot with any yummy chutney of your choice. Green chutneys are my personal favorites.