The second course in this menu is rice and yoghurt; this is accompanied by Mulagootal or a pickle of your choice or, Kothamalli Pod.

Boondhi Thayir Pachadi - gram flour crispies in yoghurt

• ½cup / 100 g      Kara Boondhi
• 2 cups                Yoghurt, beaten
• ¼ teaspoon       Salt

For seasoning

• ¼ teaspoon            Mustard Sseeds / Kadugu/Rai
• 3 tablespoons        Oil

• Heat oil and pop the mustard.
• Add the mustard and salt to the yoghurt.
• Garnish ‘boondhi’ generously on the yoghurt just before serving.

Paharkai Urappu Kari - bitter gourd spicy stir-fry

Bitter gourd can be made very tasty when it is spiced up with condiments, tamarind and molasses.

• 250 g/2½ cups       Bitter Gourd/Paharkai/Karela
• ½ teaspoon            Sambhar Powder
• ½ teaspoon            Tamarind Puree
• ½ teaspoon            Asafoetida/Perungaayam/Hing Powder
• ¼ teaspoon            Turmeric Powder/Manjal Podi/Haldi
• 2 tablespoons        Curry Leaves/Karipatha, shredded
• ¼ teaspoon            Sugar, or Brown Sugar/Jaggery/Gur
• ½ teaspoon            Salt
• 1 cup                        Water

For seasoning

• ¼ teaspoon            Mustard Sseeds/Kadugu/Rai
• 3 tablespoons        Oil

• Trim both sides, de-seed and chop the vegetable into small cubes. In a deep pan heat 1 cup of salted water. Add the vegetable in the boiling water, stir and close lid for 2 minutes.
• Open and stir until parboiled. Keep aside.
• Heat oil in a non-stick pan/skillet and pop the mustard seeds. Drain away the water and add the vegetable stirring in the turmeric powder, hing powder, sugar, sambhar powder and the tamarind puree.
• Add curry leaves and stir over a medium fire for 2 minutes until the vegetable turns crispy. Serve as a side dish.

Mulagootal - vegetables and dhal mélange

This is an interesting variation of the authentic mulagootal that has only spinach.

• 1 cup                       Red Gram/Thuvaram Paruppu/Thuvar Dhal
• ½ kilo/500 g           Ashgourd/Pooshinikkai/Petha
• 100 g/l medium    Raw Banana
• 50 g/1 large           Carrot
• 1 large                    Drumstick/Saregova/Murungakkai
• ¼ teaspoon          Turmeric Powder/Manjal Podi/Haldi
• A few                      Curry Leaves/Karuveppalai/Kari Patha, torn coarsely
• ½ teaspoon           Salt

For the paste:

• 1 tablespoon        Cumin/Jeeragam/Jeera
• 1                              Oil
• ½cup                      Coconut, grated/frozen
• ½ teaspoon           Oil

Fry the chilly in oil for 7 seconds until it turns crispy and bright red. Blend all together into a coarse paste and keep aside.

For the seasoning:

• ¼ teaspoon          Mustard Seeds/Kadugu/Rai
• ½ teaspoon          Black Gram/Ulutham Paruppu/Urad Dhal
• 1 teaspoon           Oil

• Cook the thuvar dhal in 2½ cups of water to a very soft consistency. Or, pressure cook for a whistle lowering the flame for 5 minutes. Remove weight and open lid when the hissing ceases and use.
• Peel the carrots, cube and remove the skin of the ashgourd and banana and cube. Chop the drumstick into 3" pieces.
• Boil a cup of water and salt in a deep pan. Add the vegetables and turmeric powder.
• Cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until done. Ensure not to overcook the vegetable. Set aside.
• Heat the oil and pop the mustard and brown the dhal. Add the vegetables, cooked dhal, curry leaves, salt and simmer over a medium flame for 3-4 minutes or until the curry thickens.