Simple Satisfying South Indian Meal, Complete Meal Ideas

Cooked in 2 tsps of oil for 3. Looks elaborate, but just takes half hour prepping to cooking and laying the table. Ladies Finger/Bhindi Fry, Bok Choy Dal and Rasam.  I know Bok Choy and dal, what a combination, but try it out and see for yourself how tasty it is.The mandatory curd is not in the picture, but it was very much part of the meal. Looks elaborate but really simple to make.

I try and soak the dals and rice for at least 2 hours before cooking. In addition to reducing cooking time, saving fuel, it also has health benefits.

Recipe for the Thali

3 medium servings or 2 healthy servings

Ingredients for the Okra/Bhindi saute.

• 300 grams ladies finger, diced into 1 inch pieces. Cutting this way reduces the cooking time. If you get some quigly worms in your bhindi, be glad that the farmer has used a little less pesticide. If you can lay your hands on completely organic stuff, please do so, but be careful when cutting the veggies, peering in to see for the creatures.

• 1 tsp oil
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp  mustard seeds and cumin.
• 1 tsp of urad dal

Directions

• Heat a pan or kadai with oil, add the sesonings. 
• When the urad dal starts turning brown, add the okra pieces
• Mix and cover for 10 mins and cook on low heat.
• After 10 mins add the salt and turmeric, stir and cook for another 10 minutes on low heat. If the heat is increased, the bhindi will burn or you will need more oil. 
• The urad dal turns crispy and adds a nice bite to the vegetable.

Ingredients for the Bok Choy Dal and Rasam

• 1/2 cup of tur dal or pigeon peas
• 1 head of Boy Choy or any greens, washed cleaned and diced
• 2 whole green chillies
• Small lime sized tamarind soaked in water for 10 mins

• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• Salt to taste

Directions

• If soaking the dal, wash it clean and soak in double the water (anytime between 10 mins to 2 hours). I usually soak in the pressure cooker directly so that there is no need to transfer between vessels. We use a small 2 litre cooker, specifically for dal.
• Add the turmeric into the dal and cook on medium for 1 whistle if you like some bite or two if you want your dal to turn mushy. Remember we will be cooking again after adding the greens.
• Once the pressure subsides, slowly drain the water on the dal into the rasam bowl. You can also add some mashed dal. This becomes the base of our rasam.
• Into the drained dal, add the greens, whole green chillies, half of the squeezed tamarind water, and cook again on medium for 1 whistle. 
• For the rasam, add the remaining tamarind water, rasam powder ( I will shortly post the recipe for the same), few curry leaves and a few corriander leaves. I ran out of both, so do not have them here in the picture. Cover and boil the rasam for 5-7 minutes. 
• For the seasoning of both, take 1 tsp oil in a small pan, heat it and add 1/4 tsp each of mustard seeds and cumin, 1 pinch of asafoetida. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add half into the rasam and the other half into the dal.

There you go, all the three dishes will be done while the rice gets cooked. Entire meal is ready with 2 tsp of oil and half hour. Serve with pickle and curd to make it a complete five course meal. Looks elaborate, but quite simple to make.