Easy And Healthy South Indian Dinner Recipes That Are Both Nutritious And Delicious

Easy And Healthy South Indian Dinner Recipes That Are Both Nutritious And Delicious

### 1. **Millet Pongal**

   - **Description:**

                               A wholesome and comforting dish made with millets and moong dal, cooked together with spices. It’s a healthier alternative to the traditional rice-based pongal, perfect for a light dinner.

   - **Ingredients:**

     - 1/2 cup millets (like foxtail millet or little millet)

     - 1/4 cup moong dal

     - 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

     - 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, crushed

     - 1-inch piece ginger, grated

     - 10-12 curry leaves

     - 1 tablespoon ghee

     - Salt to taste

     - A pinch of asafoetida (hing)

   - **Instructions:**

     1. Dry roast the millet and moong dal separately until fragrant. Rinse them well.

     2. In a pressure cooker, add the millet, moong dal, crushed pepper, ginger, and salt. Add 3 cups of water and cook for 3-4 whistles.

     3. In a small pan, heat ghee, add cumin seeds, asafoetida, and curry leaves. Pour this tempering over the cooked pongal and mix well. Serve hot with coconut chutney or sambar.

### 2. **Vegetable Stew with Appam**

   - **Description:**

                            A light, coconut-based stew made with mixed vegetables like carrots, potatoes, and peas, served with soft and fluffy appams (rice pancakes). It’s a complete and nutritious meal.

   - **Ingredients for Stew:**

     - 1 cup mixed vegetables (carrots, potatoes, beans, peas)

     - 1 onion, sliced

     - 2 green chilies, slit

     - 1 cup coconut milk

     - 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

     - 1-inch cinnamon stick

     - 2-3 cloves

     - 10-12 curry leaves

     - 1 tablespoon coconut oil

     - Salt to taste

   - **Instructions:**

     1. In a pan, heat coconut oil, add cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves, and curry leaves. Sauté until fragrant.

     2. Add sliced onions and green chilies, sauté until the onions turn translucent.

    3. Add the blended vegetables and sauté for a couple of moments. Add enough water to cover the          vegetables and cook until tender.

     4. Stir in the coconut milk and salt, simmer for a few minutes without bringing it to a boil.

     5. Serve hot with appam.

### 3. **Tomato Pesarattu**

   - **Description:**

                           A healthy and protein-rich dosa made with green gram (moong dal) and flavored with tomatoes and spices. It’s a quick and nutritious dinner option.

   - **Ingredients:**

     - 1 cup whole green moong dal

     - 2 tomatoes, chopped

     - 1-inch piece ginger

     - 2 green chilies

     - 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

     - Salt to taste

     - Oil for cooking

   - **Instructions:**

     1. Soak the moong dal for 4-5 hours or overnight. Drain and grind it with tomatoes, ginger, green chilies, cumin seeds, and salt to form a smooth batter.

     2. Heat a non-stick pan or tawa, pour a ladleful of batter, and spread it in a circular motion to form a thin dosa.

     3. Drizzle a little oil around the edges and cook until golden brown and crisp. Flip and cook the other side for a minute.

     4. Serve hot with coconut chutney or ginger chutney.

### 4. **Kootu (Vegetable and Lentil Curry)**

   - **Description:**

                             A nutritious dish made with vegetables and lentils, simmered together with coconut and spices. It’s high in protein and fiber, making it a satisfying dinner option.

   - **Ingredients:**

     - 1 cup mixed vegetables (like pumpkin, carrots, beans)

     - 1/4 cup toor dal (split pigeon peas)

     - 1/4 cup moong dal (split yellow lentils)

     - 1/2 cup grated coconut

     - 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

     - 2 green chilies

     - 1 teaspoon mustard seeds

     - 10-12 curry leaves

     - 1 tablespoon coconut oil

     - Salt to taste

   - **Instructions:**

     1. Cook the toor dal and moong dal together until soft.

     2. Cook the vegetables with a little water until tender.

     3. Grind the grated coconut, cumin seeds, and green chilies to a smooth paste.

     4. Add the cooked dal, coconut paste, and salt to the vegetables. Simmer for a few minutes.

     5. In a small pan, heat coconut oil, add mustard seeds and curry leaves. Pour this tempering over the kootu and mix well. Serve hot with steamed rice or chapati.

### 5. **Spinach Adai (Keerai Adai)**

   - **Description:**

                                A nutritious and filling pancake made with a mix of lentils, rice, and spinach. It’s rich in protein, iron, and fiber, making it a healthy dinner choice.

   - **Ingredients:**

     - 1/2 cup rice

     - 1/4 cup toor dal

     - 1/4 cup chana dal

     - 1/4 cup urad dal

     - 2 cups spinach, finely chopped

     - 2-3 dried red chilies

     - 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

     - Salt to taste

     - Oil for cooking

   - **Instructions:**

     1. Soak the rice and lentils together for 4-5 hours or overnight.

     2. Drain and grind them with dried red chilies, cumin seeds, and salt to a coarse batter.

     3. Mix the chopped spinach into the batter.

     4. Heat a non-stick pan or tawa, pour a ladleful of batter, and spread it into a thick pancake.

     5. Drizzle a little oil around the edges and cook until golden brown. Flip and cook the other side.

     6. Serve hot with coconut chutney or sambar.

These South Indian dinner recipes are not only healthy and easy to prepare but also full of traditional flavors. They make for a satisfying and nutritious meal that can be enjoyed by the whole family.