Uncle's dad's favorite foods

 Today I talked to my uncle's dad, and asked him what his favorite foods were while growing up and also to share any stories from his childhood time. He told me cheerfully that his favorite foods were biryani, sambar, rasam, massala vada, and kudumulu.

Biryani was eaten once in a while. Sambar, rasam, and massala vada, kudumulu were eaten regularly and also for festivals.

There were guava trees behind his school, and then him and his friends would go and pluck the guavas off the trees and eat them. 

Kudumulu and payasam were made for every Ganesha Chathurthi.

Sambar: 

Here is a version that my mom makes. 

1. Soak some lentils for the dal that has to be added in the sambar.  After soaking for 15 minutes, rinse and cook lentils until soft.

2. Add approximately how much ever water you want in the pot, for sambar, using a ratio of 1 cup lentils to 4 cups water. 

3. After the water is boiled add the spices for sambar, turmeric powder, salt, sambar powder to the water. 

4. Add all the cut vegetables to the water, 

5. After the vegetables are cooked, add the dal to the sambar. 

6. Let it cook for at least 20 minutes. 

7. Add tadka with hing, and cilantro and then boil for 10 more minutes, and enjoy it with hot rice, dosa, or idli. 

Rasam: 

1. Take some water in a pot. 

2. After you took some water in the pot you want to let it boil for 10 minutes. 

3.Add salt, coriander powder, cumin powder, rasam powder and turmeric and boil for a minute.

4. Add tadka, coriander leaves, little bit jaggery and tamarind juice to the rasam. 

5. After you have added all the above let it boil for 10 minutes. 

6. Enjoy it with some hot rice.