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Tamil New Year is a time to enjoy traditional Tamilian delicacies. Savour everything from murukkus to idlis and sambhar to vadais!

Murukku

A savoury snack. Ingredients 5 cups rice (soak for 2 hours and rinse)1 cup channa dal Salt to taste 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 tablespoon butter (melt)WaterGhee for frying Method Pound rice and sieve. Pound channa dal and sieve the powder. Mix rice and dal together, add salt and cummin seeds. Add butter to the flour mixture with enough water to make a thick paste. Squeeze this through a murukku vessel in circles, into boiling ghee and deep fry till golden brown. Remove each one as it is done. Drain and cool. This should serve about 6 persons.

Vadai

A deep fried savoury snack. Ingredients 2 cups juvari flour2 cups urad dal4 tablespoons methi seeds4 cups wheat flour11/2 tablespoons til oil 1/4 teaspoon baking powderCurds from 2 cups milk1 teaspoon ground ginger8 red chillies A pinch of asafoetida 1 teaspoon turmericSalt to tasteTil oil for frying Method Warm juvari flour, urad dal and methi seeds in the oven and grind coarsely. Mix with the wheat flour, til oil, baking powder, salt, drained curds and a little warm water. Keep overnight. The next morning add ginger, red chillies, asafoetida and turmeric. Make small thick flat round shapes and deep fry in hot oil. Garnish with coriander. Serve along with spicy chutneys.

Thair Vadai

Vadais in yogurt. Ingredients 1/2 kilo Urad dal (soak for 5 hours)12 green chillies2 pieces of fresh ginger2 teaspoons salt2 cups til oil 4 cups beaten curd(yogurt)6 green chillies (chop)11/2 piece of fresh ginger (chop)1/2 bunch coriander leaves (chop)2 teaspoons cumin seeds(roast & grind coarsely) Method

When dal is quite soft, grind to a smooth paste. Stir gently with a spoon. Mix in chilli paste and salt. Make into rounds, flatten like potato patties. Fry in deep hot oil till dark brown. Fill a pan with cold water; dissolve 1tablespoon salt in it. Drop the vadas boiling hot from the pan into the salt water. They will puff out and become soft. Stir the curd in a glass bowl. Mix the ginger, green chillies and half the coriander leaves into the curd. Place the vadas in the curd and soak for 15 minutes. Sprinkle jeera, coriander leaves and chilli powder over the curd and serve. Garnish with coriander and grated carrot. Serve cold.

Lime Rice

Plain rice gets a `fancy` touch. Ingredients 1cup rice1 bunch coriander leaves1 teaspoon skinned and cleaned chick peas6 green chillies (optional) Pinch of turmeric powder (for colour)2 tablespoons oiljuice of two limes1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds Curry leaves1 teaspoon salt Method The best rice to use for this dish is the long grained variety such as basmati. Wash and soak the rice, and then cook it such that the grains of rice are unbroken. Heat the oil in a deep drying pan or karai till it smokes. Add the mustard seed, split chick peas and chillies. Fry till the chick peas turn golden. Add the lime juice, turmeric and salt. Bring the mixture to the boil and then pour over the cooled cooked rice. Toss the rice so that it is completely mixed with the lime mixture. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves or fried cashew nuts.

Cabbage Curry

The coconut shavings in this dish add a special touch. Ingredients 1 small cabbage, finely shredded1/2 fresh or desiccated coconut, grated1 teaspoon urad dalWhole green chillies, slit and deseeded2 teaspoons oil Method Steam the cabbage or lightly boil it with salt to that it remains crisp. Drain. Heat the oil in a pan (in India, the customary utensil for dishes such as these is a karai or a round bottomed wok) and put in the mustard seeds, dal and chillies. When the mustard seeds begin to splutter and the dal turns a light golden brown, add the grated coconut. Stir briefly and add cabbage. Toss well so that the coconut mixture is evenly distributed. A crunchy cabbage dish. Garnish with some fried curry leaves.

6. Appam

A perfect accompaniment for fiery curries. Ingredients Soak separately in water for 12 hours:3 cups rice (raw)1/4cup urad dal Other Ingredients 1 cup rice (boil)Salt to taste 1/2 coconut (grate) 4 teaspoons sugarSalt to taste 1 teaspoon baking powder Method Drain the soaked rice and dal. Grind together. Mix coconut with the boiled rice. Now, combine all four ingredients and make a thin batter. Add salt and leave overnight. Before cooking, add sugar and baking powder. Stir well. Take a small round bottomed frying pan. Heat on a very hot flame. Brush with a little oil. Pour a tablespoonful of the appam mixture in the pan. Swirl, cover and cook. The final product should have a thick centre and thin, crisp edges. If you like, you could break an egg in the middle of each appam while cooking and serve immediately. Serve with thick coconut milk and sugar, or with hot curry.

Avial

A hearty vegetable stew. Ingredients Grind for masala2 teaspoons jeera1/2 coconut (grate)3 green chillies

Other Ingredients

100 grams sweet potato100 grams white pumpkin 8 French beans100 grams snake gourd1 carrot2 teaspoons coconut or til oil1 cup curd1 teaspoon salt Method Cut all the vegetables into 1" pieces and boil in very little water with salt till tender.