Babuji ( my father) loves South Indian food. He can eat Sambhar and Dosa 365 days a year for lunch and dinner. Once a month on Sundays, he would pack Ma and us four kids into the car and we would head to this lovely restaurant to have our pick of a Thali / Dosa-Idli's / Idli-Vada's and the like for lunch. Satiated and content we would troop back home, counting the days to the next such food outing.
Ma would make Dosa, Idli, Sambhar, Chutney at home quite frequently. As much as Rice, Dal, Curry were a part of our diet, so was Pongal, Rasam, Sambhar. I tried making Dosas a couple of times and to say they were a disaster was putting it mildly. I finally asked Ma for her recipe for Dosa batter and my Father-in-law for the Chutney. The sambhar recipe is courtesy Indira of
Mahanandi and tried my hand and these dishes. Much to my joy and to K's approval, they came out really good.
Dosa 
1 cup split Urad Dal, picked and washed
2 cups rice (I used Basmati rice, since that was the only one I had in hand)
1 tsp Methi (Fenugreek) seeds
Salt to taste
1/2 onion
Oil
Soak the rice, dal and methi seeds in warm water for 6-8 hours. Grind to a paste. transfer to a large bowl, cover and keep in a warm place overnight to ferment. If it is cold, then put the bowl inside the oven and switch on the light. The heat from the light bulb will keep the bowl warm and enable fermentation. You know the batter has fermented if the volume is double. Add salt and water. Make sure that the batter is
not watery.
Heat a flat bottomed pan. Take the cut onion, dip in a little oil and lightly rub all over the pan. Take a ladleful of the dosa batter and pour in the pan. Using the bottom of the ladle, gently spread the batter in a circular motion. Take 1/2 tsp oil and spread around the dosa. Cook till it turns a light brwon. Your Dosa is ready to enjoy with Sambhar and Chutney.
Okra (Bhindi) Sambhar
1 cup Tur Dal, pressure cooked in 2 cups water.
Lime sized tamarind soaked in 1/2 cup warm water
1/2 packet frozen cut okra
2 medium sized tomatoes, chopped
1/2 onion, sliced fine
1 tbsp sambhar powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
7-8 curry leaves
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp minced garlic
Salt to taste
In a Dutch oven, heat oil. Add the minced garlic, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves. When the mustard seeds begin to pop, add the sliced onion and cook till light brown. Add the chopped tomatoes and okra. Now add the sambhar powder, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt, tamarind water and 2 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook till the okra is tender, about 15-20 minutes.
Now add the cokked Dal, mix well and simmer another 10-15 minutes till all the flavors are blended. Serve hot with Dosa / Idli/ Rice.
Coriander-Coconut (Nariyal-Dhaniya) Chutney
1 bunch coriander, picked, cleaned and chopped coarsely
1 cup freshly grated coconut
4 green chillies
10-12 mint leaves, chopped coarsely
1/2 tsp cumin powder
5-6 curry leaves
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
Salt to taste
In a food pocessor, make a smooth paste of the coriander leaves, mint leaves, coconut, green chillies, salt with 1/2 cup water. heat oil in a small pan, add the mustard seeds. When they begin to pop add the curry leaves. Pour this oil over the chutney and serve with Dosa/Idli. Enjoy !
I love tomatoes in any form - stuffed tomato, raw in salads, soup, chutney ... This tomato chutney is a staple in my house. The smoky taste of the tomatoes, coupled with the slightly sharp mustard oil ... it is a dance session for the tastebuds.
Wash the tomatoes and pat dry. Lightly coat the tomatoes with a couple of drops od mustard oil. Heat 1/2 tsp oil in a pan, place the tomatoes, cover and cook on medium low heat till the tomaotes are cooked, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
