South Indian Veg Lunch in 30 Minutes

Step 1: Prepare Rice and Dal

Wash 1/4 cup of Thuvard Dal along with 1 tablespoon of Moong Dal. Add a pinch of Haldi/Turmeric Powder. Wash 1/2 cup of Rice. Place the dal in the lower container and rice in the upper container of a pressure cooker. Cook for 3 whistles, then switch off the flame.

Step 2: Prepare Pumpkin Poriyal (Stir-fry)

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and urad dal. Once the urad dal changes color, add 1 green chili, a little hing/asafoetida, and a few curry leaves. Then add the chopped pumpkin pieces. Add a pinch of Haldi/Turmeric Powder, salt to taste, and a little Kashmiri Chilli Powder. Stir everything well. Add a sprinkling of water, cover the pan, and cook until the pumpkin is tender and all the water is absorbed. Switch off the flame and add 2 tablespoons of fresh grated coconut. Mix well.

Step 3: Prepare Kara Kuzhambu (Tamarind Curry)

Soak a lemon-sized piece of tamarind in water. Peel a handful of small onions and a few garlic cloves. Chop the lady's finger/okra. Heat 3 tablespoons of sesame/til oil in a stone pot (or regular pan). While the oil is heating, extract the tamarind pulp using about 2 cups of water. Add mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds to the hot oil. Once they splutter, add the peeled garlic and onions, followed by the chopped lady's finger/okra. Fry everything well in the oil. Add a few curry leaves, 1/4 teaspoon of Haldi/Turmeric Powder, 2 teaspoons of homemade sambar powder, a pinch of hing/asafoetida, and 1/2 teaspoon of Kashmiri Chilli Powder (for color). Mix all the vegetables and masalas well. Add salt to taste. Pour in the tamarind extract. Let it all boil together over a medium flame until it thickens to the desired consistency. Switch off the flame.

Step 4: Prepare Pudina Raita (Mint Yogurt)

Take 1 cup of homemade curd/yogurt in a bowl and whisk it well. Grind a few pudina/mint leaves with a little water to make a paste. Add the pudina paste to the beaten curd. Add a pinch of pink salt and a pinch of roasted jeera powder. Mix everything well together. For tempering, heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a small pan. Add mustard seeds and 1 finely chopped green chili. Once the mustard seeds splutter, pour this tempering on top of the raita.

Step 5: Serve the Meal

Once the pressure from the cooker is released, remove the cooked rice and dal. Mash the dal a little bit to achieve a creamy consistency. Add salt to the dal and mix well. Serve the steaming hot rice with a dollop of ghee, plain dal, vendakkai kara kuzhambu, parangikai poriyal, and pudina raita.

• Always arrange dal in the lower container and rice in the upper container in a pressure cooker for even cooking.

• Using til oil (sesame oil) for kara kuzhambu enhances flavor.

• Adding a spoon of moong dal to tuvar dal helps achieve a creamy consistency.

• If adding tomato to kara kuzhambu, reduce tamarind quantity.

• Add jaggery to pumpkin poriyal for a sweeter taste.

• Add ripe tomato to kara kuzhambu.