Huli/Koimbu Grinded Speciality (Varat Arachi Porachu Koimbu)

Huli/Koimbu Grinded Speciality (Varat Arachi Porachu Koimbu)
Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup thoor dhal ( or use avarae kalu, skinless avarae kalu, peas kalu, val dhal, whole green thoor, lima beans etc)
• 1 1/2 tsp of rasam powder(sarina pudi, malagapudi)
• 1/2 tsp of tamarind paste
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1 cup cut/diced vegetables(fresh beans, squash, eggplant and potatoes, spinach etc)
• 1 large tomato (optional)
• 3 or 4 whole green chilies or 1 big diced green pepper (optional)

Masala ingredients:

• 2 tbs of coriander seeds(kotambari beeja)
• 2 tbs of chana dhal
• 1/2 tsp of methi seeds(menthya)
• 2 tbs of urad dhal
• 5 red chilies
• 2 tsp of mustard seeds
• 1/2 tbs of cumin seeds (sheera)
• 4 or 5 whole black peppers
• 1/4 cup of grated coconut

(Roast the coriander, chana dhal, methi seeds, urad dhal, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, peppersand chilies with a drop of oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the coconut and turn off the heat. Continue to twirl the contents of the pan for a couple of minutes. When cool, blend everything smooth with 1/2 cup of water.)
Garnishing ingredients:

• 1 tsp of mustard seeds
• 1 tbs of oil or ghee
• pinch of hingh(optional)
• pinch of hingh (optional)
• few curry leaves(optional)

Method: Cook thoor dhal in a pot with about 3 cups of water on medium heat. To reduce the cooking foam from spilling over, place a spatula in the pot. When the dhal is 1/2 cooked add the vegetables, tomato and the chilies. Cook till all the vegetables and dhal are cooked well. The dhal is usually mushed and vegetable should be soft and wilted. Add the blended masala, salt, rasam powder and tamarind to the pot and let it boil for a minute . Turn off the heat. Garnish:To garnish, heat the oil or ghee in a small spatula(or a pan), splatter mustard seeds, add hingh and turmeric. Pour the contents to the pot. Add curry leaves for flavouring.
Cooking Tips: You can pressure cook the vegetables and the thoor dhal together. Instead of tamarind paste, you can soak real tamarind( small lemon sized) in 1/2 a cup of water for a few minutes. Squeeze the tamarind juice out and use it in the preparation above. Throw the squeezed rind out. The Huli/Koimbu should be pretty thick and not too liquidy. You can substitute enough green chilies for red chilies (makes what we call Hasimenasinakai Porachu Koimbu) for a different twist in taste.
Serving Tips: Serve on hot rice with a tsp of ghee. Can be eaten with roti's, dosaes etc.