South Indian Banana Leaf Thali

Step 1: Pressure Cook Dal and Rice

In a pressure cooker, add 1 cup rinsed toor dal, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp oil, and 3 cups water. Place a stand and a vessel with 1/2 cup rice and 1.5 cups water. Close the lid and pressure cook for 5 whistles.

Step 2: Prepare Tomato Saaru Base

In a kadai, add 1 cubed tomato, 2 chillies, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp jaggery, 1 tsp salt, few curry leaves, and 1 cup tamarind extract. Cover and boil for 10 minutes until the tomato softens. Mash the tomatoes slightly.

Step 3: Finish Tomato Saaru

Add 4 cups water and 1 cup cooked dal to the saaru base. Mix well and bring to a boil. Add 2 tbsp rasam powder, mix well, and boil for 1 minute. Finally, add 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander and mix well. Tomato Saaru is ready.

Step 4: Prepare Mix Veg Sambar Base

In a kadai, heat 2 tbsp oil. Add 1 tsp mustard and 1 tsp urad dal. Once spluttered, add 2 chopped brinjal, 5 chopped beans, 1 chopped carrot, 8 pieces drumstick, 1/2 cubed tomato, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp salt, 2 chillies, and few curry leaves. Saute for 1 minute until aromatic.

Step 5: Cook Sambar Vegetables

Add 3 cups water to the vegetables, cover, and boil for 10 minutes until the vegetables are cooked well. Add 1/2 cup tamarind extract and 1 tsp jaggery. Boil for 3 minutes.

Step 6: Finish Mix Veg Sambar

Add 1 cup cooked dal and mix well, adjusting consistency as needed. Add 2 tbsp sambar powder, mix well, and boil for 2 minutes. Finally, add 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander and mix well. Mix Veg Sambar is ready.

Step 7: Prepare Dal Thove Tempering

In a pan, heat 2 tbsp oil. Add 1 tsp mustard, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp chana dal, 1/2 tsp urad dal, few curry leaves, a pinch of hing, 1 inch chopped ginger, 2 finely chopped chillies, and 1/4 tsp turmeric. Saute on low flame until aromatic.

Step 8: Finish Dal Thove

Add 1 cup cooked dal and 1/2 tsp salt to the tempering. Mix well and boil for 1 minute. Add 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander and squeeze half a lemon. Mix well. Dal Thove is ready.

Step 9: Prepare Cashew Tindora Palya Tempering

In a pan, heat 2 tbsp oil. Add 1/2 tsp mustard, 1/2 tsp urad dal, 1/2 tsp chana dal, few curry leaves, and a pinch of hing. Splutter the tempering. Add 3 tbsp cashews and roast until golden brown.

Step 10: Cook Tindora Palya

Add 1 cup sliced tindora, 1/4 tsp turmeric, and 1/2 tsp salt. Stir fry well. Add 2 tbsp water, cover, and cook for 5 minutes until the tindora is cooked well. Add 2 tbsp coconut and 2 tsp rasam powder. Mix well until combined. Cashew Tindora Palya is ready.

Step 11: Prepare Lemon Rice Tempering

In a pan, heat 2 tbsp oil. Add 1 tsp mustard, 1/2 tsp urad dal, 1/2 tsp chana dal, a pinch of hing, and 2 tbsp peanuts. Saute until peanuts turn crunchy. Add 1 inch finely chopped ginger, 2 slit chillies, few curry leaves, and 1/2 tsp turmeric. Saute until aromatic.

Step 12: Finish Lemon Rice

Add 2 cups cooked rice and 1/2 tsp salt to the tempering. Mix well, ensuring not to mash the rice, until well combined. Squeeze half a lemon and add 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander. Mix well. Lemon Rice is ready.

Step 13: Prepare Semiya Kheer Base

In a kadai, heat 1 tsp ghee. Add 1/2 cup vermicelli and saute for 2 minutes until golden brown. Add 2 tbsp cashews and 2 tbsp raisins. Saute on low flame until cashews are golden brown and raisins puff up.

Step 14: Cook Semiya Kheer

Add 3 cups milk to the vermicelli mixture. Mix well and boil for 10 minutes until the vermicelli is cooked well. Add 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 tsp cardamom powder. Mix well and boil for 5 minutes until the kheer is cooked well and slightly thickened. Semiya Kheer is ready.

Step 15: Prepare Kosambari (Moong Dal Salad)

In a bowl, combine 1/2 cup soaked moong dal, 1 grated carrot, 1/2 inch finely chopped ginger, 1 finely chopped chilli, 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander, juice of half a lemon, and 1/2 tsp salt. Mix well until all ingredients are evenly distributed. Kosambari is ready.

• Ensure to rinse toor dal thoroughly before pressure cooking for better digestion.

• Adjust jaggery and tamarind quantities in rasam and sambar to suit your preferred balance of sweet, sour, and spicy.

• For crispy cashews in Tindora Palya, roast them until golden brown before adding other ingredients.

• Do not mash the rice while preparing lemon rice to maintain its fluffy texture.

• For Kosambari, soak moong dal for at least 2 hours to ensure it softens adequately for the salad.

• Substitute toor dal with moong dal for a lighter dal preparation.

• Add other seasonal vegetables to the sambar for varied flavors and nutrients.

• For a vegan thali, replace ghee with oil and curd with a plant-based yogurt alternative.