Due South

South indian meal; sambar, two vegetable curries, salad, and a pickle!

Well as I said my brother in law is in town so of course I had to make him something decent to eat. He is a very good cook as are many people in my husband's family which makes cooking an intimidating task for me. I'm guessing I passed the test from the seconds that both he and my husband had. Or else they were really hungry....(secret to getting everyone to love your food, serve them when they are really hungry).

The combo was:

Green Pepper Sambar
Cabbage and Peas curry
Cauliflower curry
Carrot salad
My dad's really good mango pickle

The green pepper sambar recipe I got from my bro-in-law's recipes that he got from his mother, the cabbage and peas curry is from Shakar's cousin Ramya, and its a nice variation to plain cabbage and peas. The cauliflower curry was one I learned from our friend Radhika, and the salad 'recipe' is in the classic style of my mother-in-law. The pickle, a close guarded secret of my fathers which I just brought a batch of with me from Toronto.

Cabbage Curry
A small handful of cilantro, 1 medium green chili, 1 tbsp grated coconut, 1 tbsp ginger, 1/4 head of cabbage, handful of peas, 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp urad daal, a pinch of asafetida, 2 red chilis

1. Grind together the cilantro, green chili, and coconut with a little water.
2. Splutter the mustard seeds in oil, then roast the urad daal. Add the asafetida and red chilis.
3. Add the cilantro gravy and cook for a few seconds.
4. Add the cabbage and peas and mix with salt.
5. Steam till cooked.

Cauliflower Curry
2 cups of cauliflower florets (frozen or fresh), 1 tbsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp chili powder, a pinch of asafetida

1. Roast the cumin seeds in oil, add the asafetida.
2. Microwave the cauliflower until it is cooked.
3. Add the cauliflower, turmeric, chili powder, salt and mix.
4. Cook for a few minutes on medium heat.

Carrot Salad
carrots, tomatoes, cucumber, cilantro, lime or lemon juice

1. Mince the vegetables and chop the herbs.
2. Mix with salt, pepper, and lime juice.

You can add pretty much any fruit to this salad! My mother-in-law adds pomegranate, and I had some so I put it in as a garnish.

Here are some pictures of our snowy weekend!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

enjoyed trying your recipes!

A British "desi"