Light in preparation and low on spices, South Indian cuisine is one of the healthiest in the summers. Add to that the cooling agents like curd, yogurt, tamarind, coconut and mango that are an integral part of most South Indian foods, and you can easily beat the heat. Chef Sanjeev Kapoor, who recently wrote the book Dakshin
Delights, picks out five recipes from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala that will cool you this summer.
Soppina Palya (Karnataka)
Ingredients
Chavli leaves, chopped- 4 bunches, oil-1 tbsp, mustard seeds - 1 tsp, garlic -8 to10 cloves, dried red chillies, broken - 4, curry leaves-15 to 20, salt - to taste, roasted peanuts, coarsely powdered - 2 tbsp
Method
Heat the oil in a pan.Add the mustard seeds, garlic cloves, red chillies and curry leaves and saute till fragrant.
Add the chavli leaves and stir.Cover and cook on medium heat till nearly done.
Add the salt and cook till all the water evaporates.Set aside to cool slightly.
Garnish with the peanut powder and serve.
Thengai sadham (Tamil Nadu)
Ingredients
Coconut, scraped - 1 cup, rice, soaked- 1 1/2 cup, pure ghee-1 tbsp, cashewnuts- 6 to 8, oil-4 tbsp, mustard seeds-1/2 tsp, split skinless black gram-1 tsp, dried red chillies, broken in two- 2, curry leaves- 10-12, onion, finely chopped-1 medium, green chillies, chopped- 2, ginger, finely chopped-1 inch piece, salt to taste, fresh coriander leaves, chopped-2 tbsp, coconut oil (optional)- 1 tsp
Method
Boil water, cook rice, drain excess water, and spread out rice plate to cool.
Heat ghee and stir-fry the cashewnuts till light brown and keep aside.
Heat oil, add mustard seeds. Add the split black grams, red chillies and curry leaves and saute. Add the onion, green chillies and ginger and saute until onion is translucent. Add the coconut and cook on medium heat for two minutes. Add the cooked rice, salt and coriander leaves and toss well to mix and heat it through.
Sprinkle coconut oil, mix, serve hot.
Keerai chutney (Tamil Nadu)
Ingredients
Spinach roughly chopped- 1medium bunch (250g), Oil - 1tsp, split skinless black gram (dhuli urad dal) - 1tbsp, split Bengal gram (chana dal)- 1tbsp, dried red chillies - 4, asafoetida- 1/4tsp, onion, tomato and green chilli, chopped - 1 medium each, Coconut, scraped - 4tbsp, tamarind pulp - 1tsp, salt to taste
Method
Heat oil, add the split black gram and Bengal gram and roast.
Add the red chillies, asaofetida, onion, tomato and green chilli. Saute.
Add the spinach, coconut, tamarind pulp and salt. Mix well.
Remove from heat and cool. Grind to a fine paste and serve
Ambe sasam (Karnataka)
Ingredients
Ripe mangoes - 3 medium, green grapes - 1/4 cup,
coconut, scraped- 3/4 cup, dried red chillies, seeded, roasted - two, mustard seeds- 1/4 tsp, tamarind pulp - 1 tsp, grated jaggery - 2tbsp, salt - to taste
Method
Peel mangoes, remove the seed and cut into one-inch cubes.
Grind together the coconut, red chillies, mustard seeds, tamarind pulp with one-fourth cup of water into a coarse paste.Add jaggery and blend once again.
Place mango cubes and grapes in a bowl. Add the salt and the ground masala.
Mix well and serve cold.
Rasakalan (Kerala)
Ingredients
Ash gourd, 1/2 inch cubes - 200 g, Yogurt, whisked - 2 cups, coconut oil - 4tsp, fenugreek seeds (methi dana)- 1tsp, dried red chillies - 2-3, coconut, scraped - 1 cup, green chillies - 2-3, Rice - 1tsp, jaggery, grated - 2tbsp, salt to taste, turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp, mustard seeds -1tsp, dried red chilly, halved - 1, curry leaves - 10-12
Method
Heat two tsps of oil in a pan.Add the fenugreek seeds and red chillies and saute till fragrant. Grind with the coconut, green chillies and rice to a smooth paste with two to three tablespoons of water.
Add this paste to yogurt along with jaggery and salt and whisk till well blended and set aside.
Boil one cup of water in a deep pan, add the ash gourd and turmeric powder. Lower the heat and cook for five minutes or until the ash gourd is cooked.Drain and set aside.
For tempering, heat the remaining oil in a deep pan, add the mustard seeds.When they begin to splutter, add the red chilli and curry leaves.
Add the yogurt mixture and the boiled ash gourd pieces and cook over low heat, stirring continuously to prevent curdling, till it just comes to a boil.
Serve hot with rice.
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