Search Chitra's Food Book

September 14, 2009

Tamilnadu Lunch Menu 1- South Indian Lunch Menu Ideas

Print Friendly and PDF

                         Tamilnadu-lunch-menu-recipes
Last week my in-laws were here .We spent 5 beautiful days together.I prepared these dishes for lunch.Generally we have thogayals for lunch.So i prepared Ridge Gourd thogayal , Gooseberry – curd pachadi , Puli keerai ,Broad Beans sambar , Carrot – beans poriyal,Urad dal Vada , Papad & milk kheer .I am sending this post to my SIL's  "Show wat u cook for Guests" event.

Tamilnadu-lunch-menu-before-serving


PULI KEERAI

Let me start from Puli keerai.Hope u can find out from the dishes.I normally prepare keerai kadaiyal.For a change , i tried puli keerai by asking my mom.It was very tasty when had with plain rice & ghee.So here comes the ingredients & method of preparation.

Ingredients
  • Arai Keerai / Mulai keerai –2 cups (chopped)
  • Tamarind – a small gooseberry size
  • Red chilly – 2-3 nos
  • Salt & water – As needed.
To season
  • Ghee – 2 tsp
  • Mustard seeds – 1/ 2 tsp
  • Urad dal – 1/2 tsp
Method:
  • Remove & Wash the leaves and cook it along with tamarind & red chilly.
  • Let it cool & then grind with salt to make a smooth paste.
  • Do the seasoning.Serve with plain rice & ghee !!

RIDGE GOURD THOGAYAL

Ingredients
  • Ridge gourd – 1 no (medium size)
  • Tamarind – Medium gooseberry size
  • Red chilly – 5 nos
  • Urad dal – 1 tbsp
  • Hing – 2 pinches
  • Salt & water – As needed.
  • Oil – As needed
Method :
  • Heat a kadai with a tsp of oil and roast urad dal , red chilly & hing.Set aside.
  • Soak tamarind in little warm water and keep aside.
  • Peel the skin of ridge gourd using a peeler and cut into small pieces.
  • Heat the kadai with a tbsp of oil and saute the ridge gourd pieces till its completely cooked.May take 10 mins in medium flame.
  • Let it cool . Finally grind everything to make a smooth paste.
  • Serve with plain rice and sesame oil.
CARROT– BEANS PORIYAL
Ingredients
  • Carrot – 2 nos
  • Beans – 10 nos
  • Moong dal – 2 tsp
  • Sambar powder – 1 tsp
  • Grated coconut – 2 tbsp
  • Salt & water – as needed.
To season :
  • Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
  • Urad dal – 1/2 tsp
  • Jeera – 1/4 tsp
  • Curry leaves – A sprig
 Method
  • Wash & cut carrot , beans into small pieces.
  • In a vessel take the veggies along with moong dal , Sambar powder & Salt.
  • Add the required amount of water and cook it.Take care the moong dal should not become mushy.It should be just blossomed.
  • Once its cooked well , remove & cool.Drain the excess water if any ( I usually add that water to sambar )
  • Heat a kadai with a tsp of oil and do the seasoning.Finally add the cooked veggies and toss well.
  • Add the grated coconut and mix well. Saute for 5 mins & remove.
  • Serve as an accompaniment for Sambhar / Rasam & Curd rice.

BROAD BEANS SAMBAR / AVARAKKAI SAMBAR

Ingredients
  • Broad Beans / Avarakkai – 10 nos (cut into two)
  • Toor Dal – 1/3 cup
  • Tamarind – Big gooseberry size
  • Home made Sambar Powder –  2 tsp (Refer at the end of this post)
  • Sambar onions / Shallots – 10 nos
  • Green chilly – 3 nos (slit cut)
  • Tomato – 1 no ( finely cut)
  • Curry leaves – a sprig
  • Hing /asafetida – 3- 4 pinches
  • Salt & water – As needed.
To Season:
  • Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
  • Fenugreek Seeds – 1/4 tsp
  • Curry leaves – a  few.
  • Red chilly - 1 no
  • Coriander leaves – To garnish
Method:
  • In a Pressure cooker take toor dal with a pinch of turmeric powder and a drop of oil .Add the cut broad beans pieces to it with required water..Cook for 1 –2 whistle till the dal turns mushy.Mash it with a ladle.Set aside.
  • Soak Tamarind in warm water for 15 mins and extract the juice from it.
  • Peel the sambar onions and Slit cut the green chilly into two.
  • Heat a kadai with oil and splutter the mustard seeds &  fenugreek seeds & pinched red chilli.Then add the sambar onions, Green chillies & curry leaves and tomato pieces.Saute well.
  • Then add the tamarind extract , Sambar powder , a pinch of turmeric powder , 3 pinches of hing & few curry leaves.
  • Cover & let it boil till the onions get cooked.Nice aroma arises.
  • Finally add the cooked toor dal along with broad beans and let it boil for another 5 mins.
  • Remove & Garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve hot with plain rice & ghee !!
URAD DAL VADA

U can refer here for the recipe & preparation.I added a tsp of toor dal & a tsp of raw rice while soaking a cup of urad dal. Remaining the same as given there.

MILK KHEER

U can find the actual recipe in this blog .I just added 2 pinches of cardamom powder.Else the same procedure.It was very tasty & rich. Thanks a lot Jeyashri .Smile

milk kheer


SAMBAR POWDER RECIPE
  • Coriander seeds – 1/4 kg
  • Red chilly – 1/4 kg
  • Fenugreek seeds – 50 gms
  • Toor dal – 50 gms
  • Channa dal – 50 gms
  • Pepper corns – 50 gms
  • Jeera – 2 tbsp
  • Turmeric powder – 50 gms
Bye for now Wave


Related Posts


52 comments :

Padma said...

Nice spread of dishes Chitra... everything looks yummm

Ash said...

Hey Chitra,

The entire pic looks very delectable. But me personally like the milk kheer better.

Because just recently I had prepared for my hubby, & we enjoyed it cold like rabdi. Yum..................
And I felt "J", hearing about the wonderful time u spent with in laws, as it has been quite some time since I have been to Ranchi. May be this year.... I hope.... Please pray that it be possible....

Love,
Ash............
(http://asha-oceanichope.blogspot.com/)

priya said...

Superb recipes.......just wanna grab tht plate...yummy n delicious!!

Finla said...

Your guest are really lucky to have such a delicous meal.Looks so so good.

Sailaja Damodaran said...

Yummy!!! include me in ur feast

Malar Gandhi said...

Nice presentation dear...it makes me hungry.

Sunanda said...

looks yummmmmy dear.... could you pass me the plate?? feeling very hungry :-)

Priya Suresh said...

Delicious Spread chitra...

Saraswathy Balakrishnan said...

MY MY Chit very delicious spread of food esp the vadai...looking so tempting which made to soak some ural dhal to make for the evening snack..

Tulip said...

Very nice spread... :) Thanks for the Sambhar powder recipe...a friend gave me a bottle of home made powder, maybe next time I can make following your recipe :)

Mythreyi Dilip said...

Excellent spread Chitra!

chow and chatter said...

yummy and food portion control lol

lata raja said...

Nice spread Chitra,love your puli keerai and thogaiyal particularly.

Krishnaveni said...

@ Chitra,
All the recipes look awesome! :) Looks very yummy!

Home Cooked Oriya Food said...

nice spread... love it...

Jeyashris Kitchen said...

nice spread chitra. Like the way u make the beans carrot poriyal.new for me. will try next time.
And glad to know the milk kheer turned out well.Thank u so much.

Priya Narasimhan said...

awesome spread of dishes..very authentic south indian menu..sure your in laws would have loved it..

Rekha shoban said...

nice spread and yummy recipes!

Raks said...

Sure amma appa and sen would have enjoyed the meal :) Looks fabulous and picture iss very nice :) Thanks for the entry:)

Chitra said...

Thanks a lot dearies for ur lovely comments..:)

Uma said...

ooh, what a spread! All the dishes look soooo delicious.

Anonymous said...

love the decadent feast.

Urmi said...

You have presented very beautifully. All dishes looks yummy and delicious.

Unknown said...

lovely spread..wonderful meal..

Sanghi said...

Delicious meal..! I'm coming ot your home for lunch... jus kidding:)

lubnakarim06 said...

Wow...extremely drool worthy platter....as u said wish we were close by.....Hmm really missing dear...

GEETHA ACHAL said...

சித்ரா, பார்க்கும் பொழுது இப்ப வாய் ஊருகின்றதே...

எனக்கும் ஒரு தட்டு வைத்து எல்லாம் சாப்படும் எடுத்து வையுங்க...இதோ வந்துகிட்டே இருக்கேன்..


சூப்பராக இருக்கு...

Myvegfare said...

wow, chitra what a delectable spread, vads look so lovely, mmm.., everything looks so delicious...

Gita Jaishankar said...

Thats a lovely platter Chitra...everything looks so delicious :)

Shri said...

Absolutely beatiful spread of dishes..Love the simplicity of the dishes!

Varsha Vipins said...

Gorgeous pic Chithra..:)..what an enticing platter..inlaws must have been really impressed..;)

Cynthia said...

Look how many things you made!

Valarmathi Sanjeev said...

All recipes looks yummy, lovely spread.

Jyoti V said...

Every dish looks yumm..nice presentation.

kitchen queen said...

You have a nice blog with nice dishes. you can visit my blog view my recipes and give ur comments.

Unknown said...

Simply super...All the recipes look awesome and delicious...:) love your pulikeerai especially. Do visit my blog when u find time...

Nazarina A said...

You are so full of energy...making all these delicacies! You go girl!

Cham said...

That is a feast!

my kitchen said...

Thanks for visiting my blog,Happy to hear u also from Bangalore.Nice display & Delicious recipes.

Sandhya Hariharan said...

Hi Chithra,

Thanks for dropping by my blog. Wow.. wat a feast !!
Good to know you are from Blore.. We are based in Blore as such .. but in London for sometime :)

Will visit often.....
happy Blogging!!

Rekha shoban said...

hi chitra, u have some doubt na...u have fry the semiya till light brown without oil

Soma Pradhan said...

Very Nice blog with some real authentic recipes. Will surely try out some of them. Thanks for visitingmy blog

ST said...

Looks delectable and yummy spread:)wish I could have been ur neighbour...

Raje said...

First time here. This looks a super meal and a wonderful click. You have a nice blog! Visit mine when you have a chance- http://raje-s.blogspot.com/.

Anonymous said...

I just came back from a India trip and had lots of home made food. This pic makes me want to go back again..aweosme!

Recipeswap said...

What a nice platter.Glad u had a good time.

Unknown said...

very inviting spread every thing looks so delicious

Jyoti said...

Such a delicious spread!

Swapna Raghu Sanand said...

What a delicious spread! You've made lots of yummy food!

Sree vidya said...

Yummy spread of recipes.
The medhu vada in particular attracts me a lot.
Nice colorful & crunchy vadai

chakhlere said...

That's a inviting platter!! Loved it!

petitesiya said...

awesome recipes! loved the layout and presentation! I sure need to learn a lot from you!