Mothers delicacies

Lunch time should be a memorable meal, after all you do need a good break while at work or even home. But then again, not all of us have the luxury of cooking scrumptious meals, and as such we always resort to easier options which save us time but aren't always healthy. The truth is that there are various lip-smacking recipes that you can dish out in a matter of a few minutes. Yes, you have heard us right. And if you love South Indian food, the endless dishes that you can whip up in a matter of few seconds is sure to take you by surprise. Those who are familiar with South Indian food will know that the various regional dishes come packed with flavor. Even a simple plate of sambar and rice can make you feel happy and satisfied to the core. Rice of course is an important ingredient and as such one gets to see many rice-based creations such as tamarind rice, tomato rice, puliyogare, curd rice, bisi bele bhaat, among others that make for great lunch options. Moreover, they are super easy to dish out at home so cooking them is a breeze. If you love veggies then you can cook them the South Indian way using ingredients like mustard seeds, curry leaves, grated coconut, tamarind, etc. Drumstick, brinjal, beans, cabbage and sprouts commonly feature in the South Indian lunch menu. tamarind rice

Ingredients:2 cups rice ½ cup thick tamarind pulp ¼ tsp turmeric powder ½ tsp asafoetida powder ½ cup roasted peanuts, skinned (optional) ½ cup sesame oil 2 tsp salt For The Seasoning - ¼ tsp mustard seeds ½ tsp Bengal gram/chana dal 5 dried red chillies, halved 15 curry leaves Method: 1. Cook the rice in 5 cups of water; each grain of the cooked rice should be separate. Then set aside to cool. 2. Heat a tablespoon of oil, add the mustard to pop. Add the Bengal gram, stir for 10 seconds until it turns golden. 3. Add the chillies and fry till it turns a bright red. Add the peanuts and sauté for 20 seconds. 4. Add tamarind pulp, a cup of water, turmeric powder, asafetida powder and salt. Cover and simmer over a medium flame for 5-7 minutes. 5. Open the lid and cook until it becomes a thick sauce. Add the remaining oil and take it off the stove. This is called 'puli kaachal'. Once the mixture (pulikaachal) is ready, mix rice when required. pulikaachal stays good for a month if cooked well.finally, puliyodharai / puliyogare taste great when prepared with gingelly oil – nalla ennai.