Steamed Basmati Rice, Mor Kulambu, Muttai Poriyal and Beetroot Poriyal

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp Toor Dal (Soaked in warm water for 15-20 minutes)
• 0.5 cup Grated Coconut (Fresh or frozen (thawed))
• 3 pcs Green Chillies (Adjust to your spice preference)
• 1 inch Ginger (Roughly chopped)
• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
• 1 tsp Coriander Seeds
• 0.5 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 250 g Ash Gourd (Peeled and cubed into 1-inch pieces)
• 1.25 cup Water (1 cup for cooking gourd, 1/4 cup for grinding)
• 1.5 cup Sour Curd (Full-fat recommended, whisked until smooth)
• 1 tbsp Besan (Also known as gram flour)
• 1 tsp Salt (Adjust to taste)
• 2 tbsp Coconut Oil
• 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
• 1 tsp Urad Dal
• 2 pcs Dried Red Chillies (Broken in half)
• 10 pcs Curry Leaves (About 1 sprig)
• 0.25 tsp Hing (Asafoetida)

Instructions

1. 1

   Grind the Spice Paste

   • Drain the soaked toor dal completely.
   • In a blender or grinder jar, combine the drained dal, grated coconut, green chillies, ginger, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and turmeric powder.
   • Add about 1/4 cup of water and grind to a very smooth, fine paste. Set aside.
2. 2

   Cook the Ash Gourd

   • In a medium pot or kadai, add the cubed ash gourd and 1 cup of water.
   • Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to a simmer.
   • Cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the ash gourd is tender, translucent, and fork-tender but not mushy.
3. 3

   Prepare the Yogurt Base

   • In a separate bowl, whisk the sour curd vigorously until it is completely smooth with no lumps.
   • Add the besan to the whisked curd and mix well to ensure there are no lumps.
   • Finally, add the ground coconut paste to the curd-besan mixture and stir until everything is well combined.

Ingredients

• 8 pcs Large Eggs
• 2 tbsp Coconut Oil (or any neutral vegetable oil)
• 2 medium Onion (finely chopped)
• 3 pcs Green Chili (finely chopped, adjust to taste)
• 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
• 1 tsp Urad Dal (provides a crunchy texture)
• 10 leaves Curry Leaves (fresh)
• 0.125 tsp Asafoetida (a small pinch)
• 0.25 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 0.5 tsp Black Pepper (freshly ground)
• 1 tsp Salt (or to taste)
• 2 tbsp Coriander Leaves (freshly chopped, for garnish)

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the Egg Mixture

   • In a medium bowl, crack the 8 eggs.
   • Add the salt, turmeric powder, and freshly ground black pepper.
   • Whisk gently with a fork or whisk until the yolks and whites are just combined. Be careful not to over-whisk, as this can make the eggs tough. Set aside.
2. 2

   Temper the Spices

   • Heat the coconut oil in a wide, non-stick pan or kadai over medium heat.
   • Once the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and allow them to splutter, which should take about 30 seconds.
   • Add the urad dal and sauté for 30-45 seconds until it turns a light golden brown.
   • Carefully add the curry leaves and asafoetida, and let them sizzle for a few seconds until fragrant.
3. 3

   Sauté the Aromatics

   • Add the finely chopped onions and green chilies to the pan.
   • Sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions become soft, translucent, and slightly golden at the edges.

Ingredients

• 500 g Beetroot (peeled and finely chopped)
• 2 tbsp Coconut Oil
• 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
• 1 tsp Urad Dal (split and skinned black gram)
• 1 tsp Chana Dal (split chickpeas)
• 0.25 tsp Asafoetida (also known as Hing)
• 1 sprig Curry Leaves
• 2 pcs Green Chilli (slit lengthwise)
• 100 g Onion (finely chopped)
• 0.25 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 0.75 tsp Salt (or to taste)
• 3 tbsp Water (for sprinkling)
• 4 tbsp Fresh Grated Coconut

Instructions

1. 1

   Preparation (10 mins)

   • Wash the beetroots thoroughly. Peel the skin and chop them into very small, uniform ¼-inch cubes. A food processor with a dicing attachment can speed this up.
   • Finely chop the onion and slit the green chillies lengthwise.
2. 2

   Tempering (3 mins)

   • Heat coconut oil in a heavy-bottomed pan or kadai over medium heat.
   • Add the mustard seeds and wait for them to splutter completely.
   • Add the urad dal and chana dal. Sauté for about 1-2 minutes until they turn a light golden brown, being careful not to burn them.
   • Add the asafoetida, curry leaves, and slit green chillies. Sauté for another 30 seconds until the curry leaves are crisp.
3. 3

   Sauté Aromatics (3 mins)

   • Add the finely chopped onions to the pan and sauté for 2-3 minutes until they become soft and translucent.
4. 4

   Cook the Beetroot (10 mins)