Lunch Menu 8 – South Indian Lunch Menu

This lunch menu is a simple South Indian Lunch Menu with healthy Keerai Kootu, Puzhi Kuzhambu, Dal, Homemade Curd & Carrot/Coconut Burfi. Yes as I am on Diwali Mode 😉 so kept the lunch menu simple and included the sweet here. With school holidays, cooking itself is a big task. Making extras like sweets and snacks is even more difficult. But still I have put my Diwali hat on and present u this simple menu. Diwali recipes coming next..

I happened to buy sivappu keerai or red amaranth leaves last week. So made this healthy spinach kootu. Chotu is a big fan of Puzhi Kuzhambu.

Now to the recipes..

[Preparation Time-60 mins : Cooking Time- 60 mins – Excluding Sweet]

South Indian Lunch Menu Recipe Links:

Keerai Kootu 

Puzhi Kuzhambu

Carrot/Coconut Burfi – Recipe coming next

Paruppu/Dal – My style of making it is pressure cooking it along with a pinch of asafoetida, turmeric powder, 1/8th tsp of jeera & fenugreek seeds. Pressure cook for 1 whistle and simmer for 7-8 mins. Mash & add salt.

Homemade Curd – Yes I have been making it since a long time now. It actually needs warm weather, but here as u all know it is mostly cold or atleast not warm enough to set curd. So how do I make it ? I use A2 milk, boil it and once it is luke warm add curd, mix well and keep it in the oven WITH JUST THE LIGHT ON FOR 6 HOURS. Tadaaaa! Thick homemade curd ready. No more quilty feeling 🙂 Shall post the recipe here when possible.

Quick Tips:

1. I have used sivappu thandu keerai. Separate the spinach leaves from the stem. The stem can be used to make this kootu. Make sure to remove the string like fibre from the stem. I did all of this the previous day and put in the fridge.
2. Wash it 2-3 times and chop it roughly & pressure cook it along with some moong dal.
3. Mean while dry roast the ingredients for the Puzhi Kuzhambu and grind it.
4. Get ready with shallots (if using) & garlic.
5. Get the kuzhambu mixture ready, saute the onion + garlic and let the kuzhambu get boiling in medium flame.
6. Grind coconut, green chilli & jeera for the kootu.
7. By this time the Keerai would have been cooked. Add the coconut mixture and let it boil.
8. Once the kuzhambu is ready temper both the kootu and kuzhambu.
9. Meanwhile if u keep rice & dal, all of it would be ready to eat!

Other suggestions: 

U can make Chow Chow Kootu or Keerai Poriyal.

Poondu Kulambu or Arachuvitta Vathakulambu will go well with the above combo veggies.

– By Sundari Nathan