Red Capsicum Chutney

Ingredients
Red capsicum - (400 gms) deseeded and chopped
Dry red chillies - 4
garlic - 2 pearls
mustard seeds - 1 tsp
cumin - 1/4 tsp
curry leaves - 1 brig
olive oil - 1 tbsp
tamarind - cherry fruit size
salt to taste
Tomato - 1 (optional)

Method:
Heat olive oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add the cumin and fry a few seconds. Add a couple of curry leaves.
Add dry red chillies and fry for a few seconds.
Take them out.
In the same oil fry the chopped red capsicum . Add chopped tomato also , if you want more quantity.
Add the tamarind to it , sprinkle some water and close it with a lid.
Cook the capsicum till it becomes tender.
Once all fried ingredients are cool, grind with garlic and salt to taste .
No need to temper this chutney at the end.

Serving suggestions:
Serve with hot fluffy idly or chapathi or dosa.
It can be used as a sandwich spreading too.

Butter milk stew

'More' is the tamil word for Buttermilk .So 'More kulambu' means a stew prepared with Buttermilk.Originally people prepare this stew with churned buttermilk. But I make it with thick yogurt and it tastes great.This kulambu is a must if you prepare a traditional TamilNadu style lunch. More-kulambu should be served over steamed rice , after serving sambar and vathak kulambu. I will narrate the order of serving various curries in a typical Tamil Nadu style soon.

Ingredients:
Thick curd (Desi Yogurt) - 1 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

white pumpkin / winter melon - 200 gms
(Or) any vegetable like brinjaal , fried Okra - 200 gms
(or) masal vadai - 7

Ginger - 2 inch
green chilli - 2
Bengal gram / channa dhal - 1 tbsp
rice - 1 tbsp
salt - to taste
oil - 1 tsp
mustard - 1/2 tsp
Dry red chilli - 2
curry leaves - 1 brig
water - 2 cups

Method:
soak channa dhal and rice for 30 minutes.
Grind ginger , green chillies , rice and channa dhal to a fine paste and keep aside.
Heat 2 cups of water in a cooking pan and add the white pumpkin pieces .Add turmeric and salt to it.
Close the lid and cook the white pumpkin.After the white pumpkin gets cooked , add the masala paste and stir continuously till the raw smell disappears.SWITCH OFF THE STOVE.
Beat the curd and add it to the boiling veggies.
Heat oil in a pan.
Crackle some mustard seeds and add chopped dry red chillies with curry leaves.Add this tempering to the above.Garnish with chopped cilantro.
Yummy Buttermilk curry is ready.

Serving Suggestions:
Serves 4 people. Serve over steamed rice.
Potato fry is a good side dish for More Kulambu.