South Indian Veg Lunch in 30 Minutes

Step 1: Prepare Dal and Rice for Pressure Cooking

Wash 1/4 cup of Thuvardal along with 1 tablespoon of Moong Dal. Add a pinch of turmeric powder to the dal. Wash 1/2 cup of rice. Place the dal in the lower container and rice in the upper container of a pressure cooker stand.

Step 2: Pressure Cook Dal and Rice

Place the dal and rice containers inside the pressure cooker. Cook for 3 whistles, then switch off the flame. Allow the pressure to release naturally.

Step 3: Start Pumpkin Poriyal (Stir-fry)

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and urad dal. Once the mustard seeds splutter and urad dal changes color, add 1 green chili (slit) and a little bit of hing (asafoetida) and a few curry leaves.

Step 4: Cook Pumpkin Poriyal

Add 1 cup of chopped pumpkin pieces to the pan. Add a pinch of turmeric powder, salt to taste, and a little bit of Kashmiri chilli powder for color. Stir everything well. Sprinkle a little water, cover the pan, and cook until the pumpkin is tender and all the water is absorbed.

Step 5: Finish Pumpkin Poriyal

Once the pumpkin is well cooked and the water has evaporated, switch off the flame. Add 1 tablespoon of fresh grated coconut on top. Mix well. The pumpkin poriyal is now ready.

Step 6: Start Kara Kuzhambu (Okra Tamarind Curry)

Soak a lemon-sized piece of tamarind in water. Heat 3 tablespoons of sesame oil (til oil) in a stone pot or heavy-bottomed pan. Add mustard seeds and methi (fenugreek) seeds. Once they splutter, add peeled garlic cloves and a handful of peeled small onions. Fry them until they are lightly golden.

Step 7: Add Okra and Spices to Kara Kuzhambu

Add chopped lady's finger (okra) to the pot. Fry until the okra is slightly cooked and loses its sliminess. Add a few curry leaves, a pinch of turmeric powder, 2 teaspoons of homemade sambar powder, a little bit of hing (asafoetida), and 1/2 teaspoon of Kashmiri chilli powder. Mix all the vegetables and masalas well.

Step 8: Simmer Kara Kuzhambu

Add salt to taste. Pour in the tamarind extract (approximately 2 cups of water used for extraction). Let it all boil together over a medium flame until the curry thickens to the desired consistency and the oil separates on top. Switch off the flame once done.

Step 9: Prepare Pudina Raita (Mint Yogurt)

Take about 1/2 cup of homemade curd/yogurt in a bowl and whisk it well until smooth. Grind a few mint leaves with a little water to make a paste. Add the mint paste to the beaten curd. Add a pinch of pink salt and a pinch of roasted jeera powder. Mix everything well together.

Step 10: Temper Pudina Raita

Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a small tempering pan. Add mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add 1 small finely chopped green chilli. Pour this tempering on top of the mint raita. The flavorful mint raita is now ready.

Step 11: Prepare Dal for Serving

Once the pressure from the cooker has released, remove the dal. Mash the dal a little bit with a whisk or spoon until it reaches a creamy consistency. Add salt to taste and mix well.

Step 12: Serve the South Indian Veg Lunch

Serve the steaming hot rice with a dollop of ghee on top. Accompany it with the plain dal, vendakkai kara kuzhambu, parangikai poriyal, and pudina raita. Enjoy your complete and quick South Indian vegetarian lunch!

• Always arrange dal in the lower container of the pressure cooker for better cooking.

• For Kara Kuzhambu, it's a good idea to use sesame oil (til oil) for authentic flavor.

• If you like, you can add a little bit of jaggery to the pumpkin poriyal for a hint of sweetness.

• If adding tomato to Kara Kuzhambu, reduce the tamarind quantity accordingly.

• Add jaggery to pumpkin poriyal for a sweeter taste.

• Add a ripe tomato to Kara Kuzhambu while frying onions and okra, adjusting tamarind quantity.