Lunch Box Series : LBS#16

Published: Nov 16, 2007 · Modified: Sep 23, 2020 by Srivalli · 18 Comments

I am running out of ideas for my lunch box and it always seems to be only dal or Rice varieties. Long back, I used to pack rotis and sabjis too. But it got stopped since we decided to have rotis for dinner. Since anyway its going to be some sabji and roti, hubby dear can't manage another dose of this for lunch too. Now this puts me in great difficulty on what to think of. Of course, there is a fixed menu for Wednesday and Saturday, which happens to be rice varieties like Veg briyani or Puloa and Pulihora or Lemon rice. It can't get any more simpler ok.

Now its been ages since I have prepared Tomato rice, not sure why but somehow not able to get around preparing it. I like hot straight from stove types of tomato bath, and if it gets packed, the wetness gets settled and it becomes something else when I reheat. And hubby dear can't reheat at office. So this puts this dish off the menu completely. Now coming back to the question of having variety in the lunch, don't think I am going to talk about Tomato Rice, though for all the talk on that. Today its again going to regular sambar and poriyal. How boring! But I am planning to address that and come out with a different combi for lunch just to ensure to make it little more interesting to look forward to. Now lets get on to business.

Today's Lunch Box had

Vendaka Sambar ~ Lady's finger Sambar
Plain Rice
Beans Carrot Fry
Curd Rice.
Lady's Finger/ Okra/ Bendakaya Sambar

Preparation Time : 15 mins
Cooking Time : 15 mins

Ingredients Needed

Toor Dal - 1 cup
Lady's Finger/ Okra/ Bendakaya - 150 gms
Sambar Onions - 100 gms
Sambar Powder - 1 tsp
Tomatoes - 2 medium
Tamarind pulp - small lime size
Coriander Leaves - few chopped
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt to Taste
Turmeric a pinch

For Seasoning

Mustard Seeds + Urud Dal + Fenugreek - 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves - few
Garlic - 4 pods

Method to Prepare:

Clean Toor Dal and pressure cook it with 2 drops of Oil and turmeric. This makes it cook fast. Keep it for 1 whistle. Remove and let it cool down.

Clean and wipe the Okra well. Then chop Okra into 4" long pieces. Heat a tawa or Kadai, fry it on hot tawa till its semi cooked.

Soak tamarind and extract pulp from it.

Soak Shallot (Sambar onions) for 5 mins, this way the skin comes out easily. Chop Onions and tomatoes.

Heat oil in a pan, add the seasoning ingredients. Then add chopped onions. Sauté till they are cooked, add tomatoes, Sambar powder. Cook till the tomatoes are soft. Add the semi cooked okra at this stage.

Then add the cooked toor dal, tamarind pulp. The dal should be well cooked. We usually mash with pappu guthi, which a long wooden stick like ladle.

Cook on high flame for 5 mins, then simmer for 10 mins till its cooked well. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Beans Carrot Fry

Ingredients Needed:

Beans & Carrot - 500 gms
Yellow Moong Dal - Handful
Green Chillies - 2 chopped
Turmeric powder a pinch
Mustard seeds + Urud Dal - 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves few
Salt to taste
Oil - 1 tbsp

Method to prepare:

Wash and trim the beans. Scrap the carrot skin and chop to fine pieces.

Par boil this in 1 cup of water along with Yellow moong dal.

Heat oil in kadai. Add seasonings items. Once they splutter, add curry leaves and green chillies. Fry well.

Then add the par boiled vegetables along with dal. Add turmeric pw and salt to taste. Mix well. Simmer it for 5 mins.

Hope you enjoyed!

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