My Dhakshin Thali aka My South Indian Thali

MY DHAKSHIN THALI

AKA.. MY SOUTH INDIAN THALI.

I love cooking regional Indian food at home, especially South Indian and Bengali dishes. While Indonesian food is more commonly cooked in our kitchen, I always make sure to have my share of Indian food. This thali, prepared a few days ago, was true soul food for me—simple, comforting, and not overly spicy. Sometimes the most basic foods can be the most satisfying.

Avial

Ingredients

300g mixed vegetables (carrots, beans, cucumber, potatoes), cut into batons

• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 green chillies.. Slit.
• 1 sprig curry leaves, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp coconut oil (divided)

Coconut Paste

• ½ cup grated coconut
• 1-2 green chillies
• 5 shallots
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• 5 curry leaves..
• 2-3 tbsp water

Instructions

1. In a bowl, mix the cut vegetables with red chilli powder, turmeric, salt, and 1 tbsp coconut oil.
2. Heat 1 tbsp coconut oil in a pan. Add ½ tsp mustard seeds, finely chopped curry leaves, and 2 slit green chillies.
3. Add ½ cup hot water and the seasoned vegetables. Boil until the vegetables are just tender.
4. Grind the coconut paste ingredients together into a smooth paste. Add this to the vegetables and mix well.
5. Stir in ¼ cup beaten curd and cook for a few more minutes.
6. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes. Serve hot.

Parippu (Dal)

Ingredients

• ½ cup moong dal, soaked for 1 hour
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ⅓ cup thick coconut milk

Tempering

• 2 tbsp ghee
• 1 finely chopped onion
• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• ¼ tsp hing (asafoetida)
• 1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
• 2 dry Kashmiri red chillies, broken into halves
• 1 sprig curry leaves, finely chopped
• 1 finely chopped tomato

Instructions

1. Boil the soaked dal with turmeric powder until soft.
2. Add the coconut milk and simmer on a low flame.
3. Heat ghee in a pan, add the chopped onion, and sauté until pale golden.
4. Add mustard seeds, hing, garlic, dry chillies, and curry leaves. Sauté well.
5. Add the chopped tomato and cook until softened.
6. Pour the tempering into the dal and mix well. Reserve a little for garnish.
7. Serve hot, garnished with the reserved tempering.

Adai Roti (Rice Flour Chapati)

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp oil
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp finely chopped dill
• 1 cup rice flour

Instructions

1. Bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Add oil, salt, and chopped dill.
2. Add the rice flour immediately, mix well, and cover the pan. Turn off the heat.
3. After 10 minutes, transfer the dough to a plate and knead until smooth.
4. Divide the dough into small balls, then roll them out into rotis.
5. Cook the rotis on a hot tawa, then transfer them to a hot case to keep them soft.
6. I do not add any oil while cooking the roti on the tawa… Not required.
7. These rotis are almost oil-free and guilt-free—perfect for a light meal!

SEVAIYAAN PAYASAM

Ingredients

• 2 tsp ghee
• ¼ cup sevaiyaan (vermicelli)
• 250 ml milk
• ¼ tsp cardamom powder
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ cup water
• ½ tbsp ghee (for sautéing nuts)

Nuts of your choice (cashews, almonds, etc.)

Instructions

1. Heat 2 tsp ghee in a pan, add the sevaiyaan, and roast until golden brown.
2. Pour in the milk and cook on medium heat until the sevaiyaan is soft. Stir in the cardamom powder.
3. In a separate pan, caramelize the sugar until it turns golden brown.
4. Add ¼ cup water to the caramelized sugar and cook until the caramel dissolves completely.
5. Pour the caramel syrup into the sevaiyaan milk mixture and simmer for 5 minutes.
6. In another pan, sauté the nuts of your choice in ½ tbsp ghee until golden, then add them to the payasam.
7. Serve warm or chilled, according to your preference.

This thali is the perfect blend of simple, wholesome ingredients that come together for a comforting and satisfying meal.