21. Pitlai

Pitlai  is a kuzhambu vaiety. Any fried vegetable is a good combination. We can make pitlai with pakarkai/bitter gourd, brinjal or jack fruit seed.

Ingredients:
Toor dal - 3/4 cup
Channa dal - 1/4 cup.
Tamarind - 1 lemon size
Turmeric powder - a pinch
salt - 1tbs
Hinge - a pinch
vegetable - 1cup
Black channa or ground nut - 1tbs

For grinding:
Coriander seeds - 1tbs
Channa dal - 1tbs
Hinge - a pinch
Red chilli - 5
Grated coconut - 1/4 cup
Oil - 1tbs  for frying the above

Seasoning:
Oil - 1tbs
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Hinge - a pinch
Red chilli - 1
Curry leaves - few

Method:

1. Pressure cook Toor dal and channa dal together.
2. Extract tamarind paste.
3. Cook chopped vegetables and channa in tamarind water with salt, turmeric powder and hinge.
4. Roast the items given under grinding till the dal turns brown. Grind along with coconut.
5. Mix cooked and smashed dal with the ground paste and add to the tamarind paste.
6. Allow it boil for a few seconds.
7. Season and serve hot.

Note: Chop pakarkai in round shape. If you use brinjal chop into small cubes. If you use jack fruit seed, cook it in pressure cooker in a separate vessel along with dal and remove the white skin. cut them into small cubes.

20. Killi thirumari parupu kuzhambu

This is a modified form of parupu kuzhambu, Vegetables like brinjal and okra(both or any one) or drumstick can be used.

Ingredients: 
Toor dal - 1 cup
Chopped vegetable - 1 cup
Tamarind - 1 lemon size
salt - 1tbs
Hinge - a pinch
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Curry leaves

For grinding:
Channa dal - 1tbs
Daniya - 1tbs
Hinge - a pinch
Fresh curry leaves - few

For seasoning:
Oil - 1tbs
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli - 7 ( broken)
Methi/vendhayam - 1tsp
Hinge - a pinch
Curry leaves

Method:

1. Dry fry the items given under grinding and make it a coarse powder. Leave it aside.
2. Pressure cook the dal.
3. Extract 3 cups tamarind juice and cook the chopped vegetable in it adding turmeric powder, hinge, curry leaves and salt.
4. Smash the cooked dal and mix the ground powder.
5. Season the items and add the mixture and tamarind juice with cooked vegetables. Allow it boil.

19. Vendhaya kuzhambu

Vendhaya kuzhambu is a simple gravy and a good combination with keerai masiyal and brinjal or other fried vegetables,

Ingredients: 
Chopped brinjal and okra/lady's finger - 1/2cup
Tamarind - a lemon size
Salt - 1tbs
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Fresh curry leaves - few
Hinge - a pinch
Rice flour - 1 tbs

For seasoning:
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Toor dal - 1tsp
Channa dal -1tsp
Methi/ vendhayam - 1tbs
Hinge - a pinch
Gingely oil - 1tbs
Red chilli - 8

Method:

1. Extract 3cups of tamarind syrup and leave aside.
2. Heat the oil in a kadai add mustard. After it splutters add broken pieces of red chilli, toor dal, channa dal, methi and hinge.
3. Fry till the dal turns dark brown and add half of the curry leaves and the chopped vegetables.
4. Saute fora while and add turmeric powder followed by tamarind paste , salt, hinge and rest of the curry leaves.
5. Allow it to boil till the vegetables get cooked.
6. Add rice flour paste to get a thick consistency.