Dosa with sambhar and tomato chutney

My favourite dish ever is dosa.Mostly south indians can have dosa with any side dish.My mom used to make dosa with chicken curry.That used to be our sunday night dinner.Just thinking about it,I feel I'm in heaven.My mom used to make sambhar very often.I used to hate it.Every time she made,my brother and I always used to put on long faces.So,when I finally married a north indian,I thought good riddance to sambhar.Little did I know that I would miss it so much.I guess we take a lot of our daily dishes for granted.Only when we don't have access to it do we realise how much we need it.I guess its the same with people also.Anyway, my hubby loves this but he is only open to eating dosa with sambhar.He wont even give the other side dishes a chance.So,I dedicate this recipe to my mom from whom I inherited this passion for cooking and to my MIL who is my kitchen guru and who is desperate to taste this dish.Don't worry Mummy-ji,only 3 more months to go.


Dosa
Ingredients

Rice- 2 cups,
Whole white urad dal- 1/2 cup,
Aval or flat rice flakes- 1/2 cup,
Methi or fenugreek seeds- 1 tsp,
Salt- as reqd,
Oil- as reqd.

Method

Wash the rice well and soak it with sufficient water.Wash the urad dal,aval&methi seeds together and soak.The rice and the dal should be soaked seperately atleast for 6-7hrs.I normally soak it first thing in the morning and grind it just before going to bed.Now,grind the dal mixture till it feels soft and buttery to touch.Add adequate water.Now grind the rice also till it becomes soft.Then,mix the dal and the rice mixture together till the blend together as one mixture.Leave it outside overnight.Put it in the fridge in the morning after,mixing it again well with your hand.Just before making the dosa,add sufficient salt.Always use a seperate tawa for dosa preferably a non-stick one.Make sure the tawa is hot.Now,using a big ladle with a hole,spoon in a small amount of batter and rotate the batter to form one big circle.Pour a spoon of oil over the middle and the sides of the dosa.Wait for a minute or so till it gets cooked on one side and flip it over.After,the other side is cooked,remove from flame.Serve hot with sambhar and chutney.


Sambhar

Ingredients

Vegetables chopped- 1-2 cups,
Toor or arahar dal- 3/4 cup,
Onion- 1 chopped,
Tomatoes- 3 roughly chopped,
Curry leaves - few sprigs,
G.chillies- 1-2 whole,
Mustard seeds- 1 tsp,
Coriander leaves- 2-3tblsps,
Turmeric powder- 1 tsp,
Chilli powder- 1 tsp,
Sambhar powder- 2 tblsps(Aachi sambhar powder),
Tamarind- a small lime size,
Salt- as reqd,
Oil- as reqd.

Method

Wash and soak the dal for 10-15 mins.Put the dal,vegetables,turmeric powder,little salt,tomatoes in a pressure cooker and cook for 3 whistles.In a pan, add oil and splatter mustard seeds.Fry onions and curry leaves and chillies.Put all the dry powders and fry for a few mins taking care not to burn it.Now,add the dal mixture and mix well.Check salt and add more if reqd.Soak tamarind in lukewarm water for a little while.Now,squeeze the tamarind and discard the pulp.Add the tamarind to the boiling sambhar and mix well.The tamarind and salt ratio is very important as that brings out the true taste of the sambhar.Simmer it for 10-15 mins and garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with idli,dosa or rice.Its a good side dish for venn pongal and vadai too.



Tomato chutney

Ingredients

Tomatoes- 3-4,
Onion- 1 finely chopped,
Chilli powder- 1 tsp,
Salt- as reqd,
Mustard seeds- 1 tsp,
Oil- as reqd.

Method

Wash the tomatoes and make a small "X" shaped insicion at the back.Place the tomatoes in boiling water for 10-11 mins.Once the cool down a little,peel the skin off and blend them to a smooth paste.In a kadai,take oil and splatter mustard seeds.Fry onions and add the tomato mixture and put salt and chilli powder.Simmer it till it thickens.

Serve hot as side dish.