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Sambara Pulli
Tiffin
Sambar - lentil-based vegetable stew, puli - tamarind
Roasted red chillies, dal and coriander seeds ground into powder, for flavouring sambar.
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AMMAMMA'S NOTES.
Urad Dal
4 tbsp
Toor Dal
1 cup
Channa Dal
1 cup
Corriander Seeds
1/2 cup
Red Chilli
20
Tamarind
1/4th cup
Jaggery
4 spoons
Asafetida
2 spoons
Oil
1/4th cup
Salt
to taste
01
Fry all the ingredients separately one by one in a pan.
02
Lastly fry slightly tamarind also. (make sure the tamarind is cut into smaller pieces)
03
In a mixer grind all to a powder, except the tamarind. Add salt as well at this stage. Lastly add cut tamarind also and grind.
04
In a pan heat oil and add asafoetida, jaggery powder and the whole powder and stir for 1 minute and remove from stove. Mix all very well.
Thengai Podi
Roasted coconut and dal powder with spices — eaten with rice, dosa or idli.
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Molagai Podi
Molagai - chilli, podi - coarse spice powder
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AMMAMMA ALWAYS MADE SURE THE RIGHT PODI WAS AVAILABLE FOR THE DOSA, ACCORDING TO THIS MENTAL TABLE WE BOTH HAD. IF BY CHANCE A PODI WASN'T READY THE DAY BEFORE WE'D PLANNED TO MAKE DOSA, SHE'D MAKE SURE IT WAS BY THE TIME I CAME BACK FROM SCHOOL. AMMAMMA KNEW I COULD NOT STAND THE THOUGHT OF DAL CHAWAL, EVERYTIME I LEFT HOME I LEFT WITH 3-4 BOXES OF PODI TO HAVE WITH RICE. THE STORE BOUGHT ONES I HAVE NOW ARE NOTHING IN COMPARISON.
YAMINI VENKATESAN
WHAT'S FOR LUNCH, 2026