Onion Gosthu / Vengaya Gosthu

This is a delicious side dish for Upma, Pongal, Idly and Dosa. I often prepare this at home and all my family members love this.

Ingredients :

1. Onion - 1 Cup

2. Tamarind Juice (Thin) - 1 Cup

3. Jaggery - 1/2 tsp

4. Oil - 1/2 tbs

5. Salt - Needed Qty

For Spice Powder :

1. Pepper - 1/2 tsp

2. Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp

3. Channa Dhal - 1 tsp

4. Urad Dhal - 1/2 tsp

5. Red Chilly - 2 or Adjust to your taste

Dry roast all the above ingredients and grind to a coarse powder.

To Temper :

1. Mustard - 1 tsp

2. Curry Leaves - A Few

3. Oil - 1 tsp

Heat oil. Splutter mustard. Add curry leaves. Switch off the stove. Keep aside.

Procedure :

1. Take oil in a pan. Add onion and saute till it turns transparent.

2. Add tamarind water, salt and jaggery. Allow the contents to boil well.

3. Add the spice powder. Mix once and keep in medium flame for about 5 minutes.

4. Pour the seasoning over the cooked contents.

5. Serve hot with pongal / upma.

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Kumbakonam Gosthu / Vegetable Gosthu

This is a traditional recipe famous in Kumbakonam and Tanjore. In almost all the weddings that happen in and around Kumbakonam and Tanjore, this specific gosthu is served as a side dish for Idly. The addition of coriander and cumin gives a wonderful flavour to this dish.  I learnt this from my Mom. The best combo is Rava Idly and Kumbakonam Gosthu. 

Ingredients :

1. Moong Dhal - 3/4 Cup (Cooked & Mashed)

2. Onion - 1/4 Cup (Finely Chopped)

3. Mixed vegetables (Carrot, Beans, Potato) - 1/2 Cup (Finely Chopped)

4. Tomato - 1 (Finely Chopped)

5. Coriander Leaves - 2 tsp (Finely Chopped)

6. Tamarind Juice - 2 tsp

7. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp

8. Oil - 3/4 tbs

For spice powder,

1. Channa Dhal - 1.5

2. Coriander Seeds - 1.5

3. Red Chilly - 3 or adjust to your taste

4. Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp

5. Pepper - 1/2 tsp

Dry roast all the above ingredients and coarsely powder. Keep aside.

For seasoning,

1. Mustard - 1 

2. Urad Dhal - 1 tsp

3. Curry Leaf - A Few

4. Asafoetida - A Pinch

5. Oil - 1.5 tsp

Heat oil. Splutter mustard. Add urad dhal and fry till it turns golden brown. Add asafoetida and curry leaves. Switch off the stove. Keep aside.

Procedure :

1. Take oil in a pan. Add onion. Saute till it turns transparent.

2. Add beans, carrot, potato and tomato. Saute for few minutes.

3. Add turmeric powder. Mix well.

4. Add salt, water and tamarind juice. Allow vegetables to cook on medium flame.

5. Once the vegetables are cooked, add dhal and spice powder. Allow the contents to boil well.

6. When the contents starts to thicken, add seasoning and mix well.

7. Garnish with coriander leaves.

8. Serve hot with dosa and idly.

Who tried this recipe?
1. Priya Satheesh

Coconut Milk Vegetable Stew

"Idiyappam and Coconut Milk Vegetable Stew" is my favourite food right from my childhood. This is an authentic dish which my Mom used to make. For the preparation of Idiyappam, go here .

Ingredients :

1. Mixed cut Vegetable - 1/2 Cup

2. Coconut Milk - 1.5 Cups (unsweetened)

3. Onion - 1/4 Cup (Chopped)

4. Green Chilly - 3 or adjust to you taste

5. Bay Leaf - 1

6. Cinnamon stick - 1

7. Saunf - 1/2 tsp

8. Garam Masala - 1 tsp (Optional)

9. Oil - 1/2 tbs

10. Lemon Juice - 1 tsp

11. Salt - Needed qty

Procedure :

1. Take oil in a pan. Add bay leaf, cinnamon and saunf.Fry for a minute.

2. Now, add the onion and green chillies. Fry well. Then add the other cut vegetables.

3. Simmer the stove.

4. Add garam masala to the vegetables. Saute for few minutes.(Optional)

5. Take 1/2 Cup of coconut milk. Add 1 Cup of water.

6. Add this to the vegetables. Add salt and allow the contents to cook.

7. After 5 minutes, dilute another 1/2 cup of coconut milk with 1/2 cup of water and add it to the contents in the pan.

8. Allow it to boil well till the vegetables get completely cooked.

9. Switch off the stove. Take out the pan from the stove and then add remaining 1/2 cup of coconut milk and lemon juice.

10. Mix well.

11. Serve hot with Idiyappam.

Note : Try to use fresh coconut milk as far as possible.

Serves : 2

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Ragi Idiyappam & Coconut Milk

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Kathirikai Gosthu ( Chidambaram Gosthu)

This Gosthu is famously called as "Chidambaram Gosthu". This goes good with idly and pongal. My mom always uses pearl onion(Chinna Vengayam) in this gosthu. As I don't get it here in my place, I have used large onion.

Ingredients:

1.Brinjal - 2 Cups(Very finely cut)

2.Onion - 1 Cup(Very finely chopped)

3.Green Chilly - 4 (Cut in to pieces)

4.Tamarind juice - 1/4 Cup

5.Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

6.Curry leaf - Small qty

7.Gingelly oil - 2 tbs

8.Water - 1 Cup

9.Salt - Needed qty

Ingredients Needed for Masala:( We call it Gosthu podi)

1.Asafoetida - Small qty

2.Channa dhal - 1 tsp

3.Cumin - 1 tsp

4.Coriander seeds - 4 tsp

5.Red Chilly - 4 (More or less depending on your taste)

6.Fenugreek - 1/4 tsp

7.Urid dhal - 1 tsp

8.Oil

Procedure:

1.Add 1tsp oil in a pan and roast the ingredients for the gosthu podi. When cooled, grind to a fine powder and keep aside.(You can grind in large quantity and can store it for future use too)

2.In a pan, add oil and pop mustard. Add onion and green chillies and fry till onion turns golden brown.

3.Now add the finely cut brinjal and fry for sometime.

4.Add tamarind juice and water (See that it just covers the contents in the pan. Don't add to much water)

5.Add turmeric powder and salt. Allow the contents to cook.

6.Once the contents are cooked, add the masala powder. Mix well and lower the flame.

7.Keep it as such for about 15-20 minutes.

8.When the contents get thickened, add curry leaf.

9.Serve hot with Idly/Pongal.

This participates in "Vegetable Marathon - Egg Plant" event.