TAMILNADU LUNCH MENU 2 - SOUTH INDIAN LUNCH MENU IDEAS

In my attempt in posting other state recipes, I have successfully tried & posted Andhra , kerala and punjabi , Kongu lunch recipes. It will be unfair if I don’t post my own state lunch recipes.. So here is a platter of Tamilnadu lunch recipes I made for my parents and bro. Everything came out really well & tasty. Like you all , we tamilians prepare varieties of recipes either for occasions or for guests. Serving in banana leaf is a must for us which is considered as a way of showing our respect and gratitude to our guests. But here I dint present them in banana leaf as I couldn’t get it .

Very soon i’ll post another set of Tamilnadu lunch recipes served in banana leaf with authentic serving order.In the above plate u can see ( Left to right) Rice , Dal , Avial , Morkuzhambu , Mullangi Sambar , Rasam , Vendakkai mangai kathrikai pachadi , Instant mango pickle along with papad , Urad dal vada , Rice vadam, Spiced buttermilk ( Neer mor) & water. I have posted all the above recipes except dal and Pachadi. So I have shared them in this post. Sorry I couldn’t post step by step pictures as I was hurry in making recipes on time.

Do check out my Tamilnadu lunch recipes post which I made some years ago if you are interested !

DAL FOR RICE / PARUPPU

INGREDIENTS
1 cup - 200ml

Toor dal OR moong dal – 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Water & salt – As needed
Cooking oil – Few drops

To temper

Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
Urad dal – 1 tsp
Hing – 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - few

Ghee – to add while serving

METHOD

Pressure cook dal adding turmeric powder & required water and a drop of oil in low flame for 1-2 whistles.
Now open the cooker & mash the dal nicely with a ladle.Temper all the ingredients given under”to temper” and add to the dal. Mix well , add salt and serve with hot rice adding a tsp of ghee.. It tastes great with a papad , pachadi and potato poriyal.

VENDAKKAI MANGAI KATHRIKAI PACHADI / OKRA RAW MANGO BRINJAL PACHADI

This is my mom’s recipe.This pachadi will surely make its appearance in our home during mango season.It’s a sweet pachadi variety . So we add less salt..Our guests love this pachadi a lot..It tastes great with paruppu sadam /Dal rice.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup - 200ml

Cooked toor dal – 1/4 cup
Ladies finger / okra - 10 nos
Brinjal – 5 nos (small)
Raw mango – 1 no (Small, cut into cubes)
Grated Jaggery - 1/8 – 1/4 cup
Hing – 1/4 tsp
Salt & water - as needed

To grind

Grated coconut - 1/4 cup
Green chilli - 2-3 nos
Small onion - 4 nos
Jeera / cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp

To temper

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - few

METHOD

Pressure cook toor dal, mash & set aside.
Cut okra into tiny pieces , peel the mango skin and cut into small slices . Cut brinjal into very small pieces and keep immersed in water to avoid discoloration.
Grind all the ingredients given under”to grind” and make a smooth paste.
In a kadai , heat oil and saute the okra pieces for few minutes.
Pressure cook mango , brinjal and okra pieces together adding required water & salt.
After the steam is released add the cooked & mashed toor dal , ground coconut paste and hing. Mix well and allow it to boil for few minutes. Finally add the grated jaggery. Give a boil and check for salt & sweetness. Add more jaggery if u want more sweet.
Finally temper all the ingredients given under “to temper” and add to the pachadi. Tastes best with dal rice and rasam rice.