Growing up, I remember my mom always cooked food by combinations - if it was keerai masiyal (mashed spinach), it has to be eaten with vetha kozhambu (Note: Sambar without lentils is usually called kozhambu) . If you had paruppu usili (crumbled cooked lentils), then mor kozhambu is a must. How can you have paruppu thogaiyal without jeera rasam? Another such match made in my mom’s kitchen is pongal with gotsu.

Gotsu, a tangy vegetable dish is the perfect accompaniment for the savory pongal. As pongal is made with lentils, gotsu is a lighter slightly watery dish made without lentils.

3 tbsp tamarind paste
2 tsp coriander seeds
2 red chillies
2 tsp red gram (channa) dhal
1 tsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
Handful of whole channa dhal
1 medium size onion diced
1 medium size potato diced

Powder coriander seeds, red chillies and red gram dhal after dry-roasting them.

In a skillet, add oil, splutter mustard seeds and then saute onion, followed by potato. Add tamarind paste and the ground powder, followed by a cup of water and let it simmer for about 15 minutes.

This is my entry to Jihva for love - the dish that I learnt from my mom, who sowed the seeds for very many interests in my life including cooking.