Sun dried cut mango pickle or Ennai mangai.

 This is the simplest form of pickle and can be made at any time. 

Making the sun dried mango.:

• When there is mango season, get dozens of mangoes and cut them in to small pieces.
•  Mix it with salt. You may have to use more salt than usual and can be removed while making the pickle.( For 6 mangoes 1/2 cup of rock salt ) The mangoes which have more fiber or not suitable to eat raw/ripe/ mango pickle/ very sour can be used for this pickle.
• Leave it for three days. But mix thoroughly everyday.
• Dry it in the sun till it becomes very hard. No moisture should be there. You can keep it for extra time.
• Store it in a glass container.

Making the pickle:

Ingredients:

• Sun dried mango pieces - 1 cup
• Water - 1 cup
• Methi seeds -1tsp.
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Hinge - 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp (optional)
• Chili powder - 2 tsps.
• Gingelly or sesame oil - 2 tsps.

Method:

 

1. Take water in a vessel equal to the quantity of the mango pieces you are going to make. Say for 1 cup of mango, 1 cup of water.
2. Boil the water well and add the mango pieces.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Soak the mangoes for 7 to 8 hours. You can soak overnight.
4. Check the mangoes after half an hour. If there is some water with the mangoes then it is fine to make the pickle. If the water is very less add some more boiled water.
5. Heat the oil add mustard seeds.
6. After mustard seeds splutter, add Methi seeds and roast it till it turns brown.
7. Add hinge, chili powder and turmeric powder.
8. Take the soaked mangoes alone leaving the water behind and add to the oil.
9. Now slowly add the water and leave a small portion of the water if you think the salt in the mangoes are more. Otherwise you can add the entire pieces with the water and stir well.
10. Switch off the stove once it starts boiling.
11. If the water is excess, leave it for few more seconds to boil.
12. Store it in a glass or plastic container.

Mysore Rasam

 Mysore rasam is South Indian dish. A very tasty dish that goes well with rice. Any vegetable (fried/cooked) can be the side dish.

Ingredients: (serves 4)

Tamarind - small lemon size

Toor dal - 1 tbsp.

Asafetida - a pinch

Tomato - 2

Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp. (chopped)

Salt as required

Turmeric powder - two pinches

For grinding:

Grated coconut - 1tbap

Chana dal - 2 tbsp.

Dania - 2 tbsp.

Black pepper - 1tsp

Jeera - 1tsp

Red chili - 2

Asafetida - a pinch

Cooking oil - 1 tbsp.

For seasoning:

Ghee - tsp

Mustard - 1 tsp 

Jeera - 1/2 tsp

Asafetida - a pinch

Curry leaves - few

Method:

1. Soak tamarind in boiling water for 5 mins. Extract the juice. Keep aside. (1 cup)
2. Pressure cook Toor dal with asafetida and a pinch of turmeric powder. Keep aside.
3. Chop the tomatoes. 
4. Boil the tamarind water, half of the chopped coriander, asafetida leaves and tomatoes with salt and turmeric powder.
5. Heat the pan and add the cooking oil and heat it.
6. To the oil add all the ingredients mentioned for grinding except coconut.
7. Add raw grated coconut and the roasted ingredients and grind it to a coarse paste. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
8. Add the paste to the tamarind water and mix well. 
9. Smash the cooked dal well and add a cup of water. Add this to the tamarind water, mix it and bring it boil.
10. Heat the ghee and add mustard seeds, jeera, asafetida. Once the mustard seeds start splutter switch off the stove and add curry leaves then add to the rasam. Add the rest of the chopped coriander leaves.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    

Thiru Karthigai pori urundai

 Karthigai pori urundai is a healthy snack which has no oil. It can be made for the festival or any other time. There are three types of pori: Arisi pori, Nel pori and Aval pori. All can be used to make the urundai, But for Thiru Karthigai, we use Nel pori and Aval pori.

Ingredients: (10 to 15 numbers)

Aval pori - 4cups

Jaggery (pagu vellam is preferable) - 1cup

Cardamom powder - 1tsp. 

Dry ginger powder - 1tsp.

Coconut ( cut into small bits like the teeth of the comb) - 1/4 cup

coconut oil - 2tbsp.

water -1/4 cup

Method:

1. Heat the pan and dry roast the coconut bits thoroughly till it turns brown. Keep aside. Grease a big plate with coconut oil and keep aside.
2. Heat the water and add the jaggery. Stir well till it dissolves. Filter for the small stones and impurities.
3. Add cardamom powder, dry ginger powder and roasted coconut bits to the jaggery syrup and heat it in the pan till we get the pagu. Check the Note below to make pagu.
4. Switch off the stove. Add the pori to the pagu and mix well. Allow it to cool a bit. Do not cool too much. With out some optimum heat you can not roll them into balls.
5. Grease your hand with coconut oil and start make the balls. Do not press too much in the beginning. Slowly throw in the air and make them into balls by catching it in different positions. 
6. Make the balls completely and spread them on a big greased plate. Slowly rotate the plate so that the balls keep moving and get harder.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
7. Now take each ball and press tightly so that no air is trapped in between. If air is trapped the balls will slowly loose the shape when left aside.
   
   
   

Note : Making jaggery pagu:

To get the pagu, keep checking by dripping down the jaggery syrup from the ladle we use for stirring. First the thread will be discontinuous when we stop pouring. When it comes a like continuous thread, heat for one more minute and add to a cup containing very little water. when you take the jaggery from the water and try to roll it, it will come easily into a small ball. When you throw it on plate or vessel you will hear the noise as if we have thrown a stone. This is the correct texture for the pagu.