Saaru, Palya.. a simple filling meal.

A simple meal after a long journey is something i would die for. after a Long flight... and having the privilege of hearing,..sorry we don't have a veg meal left.. i was dying to have a most simple filling meal , Hot rice, ,saaru ( lentil soup )and one sabzi... Palya as it is known very simple , just slightly steamed of cooked vegetables with some salt and garnished freshly grated coconut.
Nothing can match the hot rice, ghee, tomato Saaru and Palya combination for me.
Simple to make and nutritious as well.It is a well balance meal, with carbohydrates, fibre, proteins and fats all in it. Here is the recipe for the most simple palya (sabzi) and Saaru..
Tomato Saaru:

Tomato Saaru:
Ingredients:
Tuvar Dal - 1 cup,
tomatoes 2 - 3 (medium),
Saarina pudi / Rasam powder - 2 tablespoons,
salt to taste,
tamarind juice - one small bowl
and turmeric - ¼ tea spoon
For seasoning:
Ghee - 2 teaspoons,
mustard seeds ½ teaspoon,
hing/asafoetida- ¼ teaspoon,
curry leaves few springs
and chopped coriander leaves for garnishing
Method:
Pressure cook Tuvar dal .cook tomatoes in water.squeeze the tomato pulp and separate out the skin.To this tomato puree, add turmeric, salt, rasam power tamarind paste and cook till aroma is all over the house!!!.Add the cooked tuvar dal and boil for another five minutes with some more water.
In a small kadai heat the ghee .(pure ghee is always a tasty option. Oil can be used but then the aroma is definitely better with ghee., so is the taste). Add the mustard seeds, curry leaves, hing and season the cooked saaru. Add chopped coriander leaves and serve hot. It can be served as appetizer as well. Tastes as good to sip as it is to eat with hot rice.

chapparada avrekayi palya (Broadbeans Palya/sabzi)

Ingredients
Broad beans/Chapparada Avrekayi: 1/4 kilogram

Green chillies - 1 or 2

Freshly grated coconut:1/4 cup

oil - two tea spoons

Mustard seeds - a spoon

Jeera/Cumin seeds - a spoon

turmeric power - a pinch

salt to taste

method:
Wash and chop the broad beans.. In a deep bottomed vessels or kadai.. heat the oil. Add mustard seeds when it splutters add jeera , turmeric, and slit the green chilly.Add the cut broad beans and saute a little. Add half a cup of water and salt. Let it cook till the beans cook thoroughly.. and water is drained completely. Garnish with freshly grated coconut.simple isn't it?

Enjoy this these two simple dishes with plain hot rice...a wholesome meal.

Ciao....