Sunday Samayal, Siesta and Simple Pleasures

" What is more satisfying than a Sunday brunch followed by a Siesta? " One of those rhetoric questions, that is, as always self explanatory. As my husband echoed the sentiments of my grandfather , I was transported back to the time when Sunday brunches were elaborately prepared and enjoyed with equal fanfare. I resolved to make many more such occasions a family affair. I preached to myself, embrace the small changes and swim with the tide.. you will be successful. Yes , Yes I can be philosophical at times too....

This Sunday had to be day for the honors and I wanted to go all out Tambram way..

"Amma, what's for lunch today? Can we have pasta?" my son had a twinkle in eye with this question.
" Potato kara kari and Murungakkai ( drumstick) sambar and tomato rasam .. Yum ! ... " was my refrain.

My son is sometimes a worldly wise 7 year old.( takes after his dad in gauging his answers :) ) He closed his eyes in absolute pleasure of the simple menu.. "
I love it ! I love it! " he exclaimed in all his innocence and sweetly asked " Can we have Vadam also?" .
I laughed out loud on hearing it....Why, you little sneak, I thought as I said "OK ..Done ! "
If you ever had the pleasure of savoring a typical Tambram sambar, you will know what I am talking about. It 's like what they say in the commercials Mmm.. Mmm.. good................

Simple food on the plate, A dash of heaven on the side....
To all the unsuspecting souls of the world, once you taste this you are going to be reeled in hook..line... sinker.....

Recipes for the Uninitiated:

Sambar:
Drumstick : Fresh is the best , but make do with what you have. 10 -15 cut pieces
Toor dal - 1 small cup dry, that has been pressure cooked - laws of nature has almost quadrupled it in size . Some what like the fairer sex :) .....................
Tamarind extract - cheat with 1 spoon of tam. pulp (commercial )with about 3-4 cups of water or go the honest route....

For the wet ground paste.... Pay attention ! this is what sets this apart from the regular fare...
Chana dal - 2 tbsp
Dhania - 1 tbsp
Methi seeds - 1 tsp
Red chillies - 4-6
Roast all of this 1 spoon oil
Grind this with 1/4 cup fresh grated coconut to form a thick chutney consistency.

The Assembly step :)
1. Boil the vegetables with salt in the tamarind water.
2. Once cooked add the ground paste and boil for 5 min ( this is to let all the good stuff sink in the veggies...)
3. Add the cooked dal ( mashed well )
4. Boil well, add tadka with hing, mustard seeds and curry leaves....

Make a simple Tomato rasam and potato fry and you are ready to taste ambrosia... of course don't forget the vadam....
Heap a plate with steaming cooked rice and a dollop of ghee. Add sambar and ...........taste of heaven at fraction of the cost......

Now about the siesta, I began " You know, I think I enjoyed the food a bit too much." Pat came my hubby's reply. "Maybe we should go out for a walk in the park." I smiled, as we set out on the walk to burn off the vadams.

Transalation :
samayal : cooking
vadam : dried fritter of rice , sago etc. that are deep fried
tambram : my word for typical tamil iyer cooking