Thengai Kanji

Thengai Kanji is delicious dish which has medicinal values. Very helpful to recover from cold and fever, stomach and mouth ulcer. It has medicinal values as it has ingredients like Fenugreek seeds, Garlic and Coconut milk. It's easy to swallow and as its not spicy, so kids love to have this dish, easy to intake while having mouth ulcer. My daughter love this dish and my mom prepare this dish for breakfast on Sunday after head bath to reduce body heat. Side dish can be Pickle/Milagai Vathal/Paruppu Thogaiyal.

Ingredients:

Raw rice/Sona Masoori rice - 1 cup
Garlic pod - full with all cloves

Fenugreek seeds - 5 Tea spoons
Coconut milk - Extracted

Salt - required

Method:

1. Soak the Rice with Fenugreek seeds for half an hour.

2. Boil 8 to 10 cups of water in a vessel for 1 cup of Rice.  Peel off the Garlic and add it as whole Garlic cloves to the boiling water with Fenugreek seeds, Rice once it's drained.

                                                    

3. Rice has to be cooked, reduce the flame till you get consistency to be well smashed.

4. Add required Salt and Coconut milk, usually I buy a can of Coconut milk, while extracting it add first and second extract of Coconut milk which will be more thicker.

5. Once u added Coconut milk texture become pure white and switch off the flame, don't cook it further, once Coconut milk is added, as it will change the flavor.

Tips:

1. Rice has to be cooked properly like Curd rice, Pongal consistency and Coconut milk should be thicker to get better taste.

Kosamalli

Kosamalli is authentic side dish in Chettinadu, suits very well with Hot Idli, Dosai, Idiyappam. This dish is made with cooked Eggplants. For better taste choose Eggplants with seeds. With this dish, I bet you, people have excess numbers on main course.

Enjoy your breakfast and dinner with this awesome Side dish...:-)

Ingredients:

Eggplant - 5 to 6 no. big in size

Tomato - 1 no

Onion - 1 no
Potato - 1 no

Green chilly - 3 to 4 no

Salt - required
Tamarind - Small Amla size

Coriander leaves - few

To Temper:

Oil - 5 Table spoons

Mustard - 1 Tea spoons

Urad dal - 2 Tea spoons
Red chili - 1 broken

Curry leaves - few

Method:

1. Cut the Eggplants, Potatoes into half, soak it in water, so that color will not change to dark. Pressure cook for two whistles on Eggplants and Potatoes, drain the excess water, allow it to cool to room temperature, don't change the temperature drastically by dropping them in cold water, this will spoil the taste and lose the nutrients of veggies. Chop the veggies required for this dish. Don't chop it finely, you can have straight cuts of Onions and Tomatoes, Slit the Green Chili's. so that it tastes good, they usually say, "Sendhapula irrukkum"

2. Soak the Tamarind in water, quick tip, if want to get soaked immediate, you can soak it in hot water for better results.

3. Peel the cooked Eggplants and Potatoes. Just smash it by mixing Tamarind extract, do filter tamarind extract before adding it.

4. Heat the Pan, add Oil, add one by one in the "To Temper" list. Saute the Green Chilly, Onion, Tomato one by one by adding Salt.
5. Add the Tamarind/smashed Eggplants&Potatoes extract to it, add required Water & Salt, allow it to cook by closing the lid of the pan for 10 minutes.

6. Add a bit of  Idli/Dosa batter to give better consistency, but its totally optional, this step can be skipped if you are adding potatoes smashed that it helps to give consistency.
7. Once Kosamalli gets its proper consistency, switch off the flame, add chopped Coriander leaves and serve it to the dish.

Tips:

1. Add water depends on the main course, if its for Idiyappam, Dosa, consistency can be thicker than for Idli.
2. Use seeded Eggplants for better taste....Usually I buy bigger ones.

3. Don't change the temperature drastically by dropping cooked eggplants, potatoes in cold water, to peel them, this will spoil the taste and lose the nutrients of veggies.

Enjoy your breakfast and dinner with this awesome Side dish...:-)

Uppu Kozhukattai

Uppu Kozhukattai is a traditional and healthy snack in Chettinadu, authentic name is "Aati Kindi Kuzhakattai". My Mother-in-law says that they usually prepare this kozhukattai while watching Sunday cinema in Doordharshan, serve to neighbors as well who come and watch movie in their house. It's a good idea to prepare this Kozhukattai while grinding Idli batter, if you add one more cup Idli Rice extra, u can use that to make Uppu Kozhukattai for evening snack. Kids will love it and healthy too as it is steamed item. Its too good for older generation too and easy for digestion.

Ingredients:

Idli Rice  - 1 cup
Salt - required

To Temper:

Cooking oil - 2 Table spoons

Mustard - 1 Tea spoon
Urad dhal - 1 Tea spoon
Red chilly - 1 no
Curry leaves - few
Shredded coconut - 1/4 cup

Method:

1. Grind a cup of Idli rice in Grinder or you can take some quantity of flour which u have finished grinding already for Idli batter (Rice alone) as I said before, in Idli batter consistency and add Salt to it.
2. Heat a Non-stick pan, add one by one in the "to temper" list. Before adding Coconut add the batter, mix it well, batter should get thick consistency, add the shredded Coconut, switch off the flame.

3. Make medium size kozhukattai's in round shape and steam it in Idli vessel for 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Check the Kozhukattai with fork that it is cooked properly.
5. Serve hot, enjoy the healthy Kozhukattai's.

Tips:

1. It's a good idea to prepare this Kozhukattai while grinding Idli batter, if you add one more cup Idli Rice extra, u can use that to make Uppu Kozhukattai for evening snack.

Karuveppilai Kuzhambu

Karuvepilai Kuzhambu suits for Rice, Idli, Dosa, Chapathi, Puri. With Rice Vathal this kuzhambu will be a feast for lunch. This can be redefined as Marundhu Kuzhambu as it as healthy ingredients like Curry leaves, Gingelly oil, Garlic, Peppercorns, Cumin seeds, Onion Shallots, Turmeric powder, Fenugreek seeds all has medical values.

About Karuvepilai:

   Its really good for hair growth and for eyes, five items very good for health, 1. Mint, 2. Curry leaves,  3. Cumin seeds, 4. Coriander leaves 5. Fenugreek seeds. Among this curry leaves is the queen and mandatory to take it, just remembered my mom says to chew curry leaves along with the food instead of wasting it. In US, curry leaves is highly demanded product, whenever I get a lot, I don't waste it, rather I make a chutney or kuzhambu. Like Tulasi plant, if we have Karuvepilai plant at home, it's a authentic plant, it's really good....

Ingredients:

Onion Shallots - 7 to 8 no's

Tomato (small) - 1 no

Garlic pods - 10 no's
Salt - required

Turmeric Powder - 2 Tea spoon
Tamarind - An Amla size

To Grind:

Curry leaves - 2 cup
Peppercorns  - 1 Table spoon

Cumin seeds - 2 Tea spoons

Red Chilli - 3 no's
Grated Coconut - 2 Table spoon

To Temper:

Gingelly/Sesame Oil - 5 Table spoons

Fennel seeds - 1 Tea spoon
Fenugreek seeds - 1 Tea spoon
Cumin seeds - 1 Tea Spoon

Curry leaves - few

Method:

1. Soak the tamarind with less water till the tamarind got soaked. Tamarind extract should be thick. Chop the veggies required for this dish. Add Garlic bit more, as it gives nice flavor, Grind the items which is given in "To Grind" list.

Tip: Onions and Garlic as to be chopped as lengthier ones, so it will be crunchy while tasting it.
2. Place a pan and add oil, Gingelly oil tastes good for Pulli Kuzhambu, once oil is hot, add the ingredients mentioned in "To Temper" list, one by one. Fennel and Fenugreek seeds if u dry roast, powder, try by adding it while temper, it gives nice aroma.

3. Then add garlic. Once garlic turns golden brown, add onion.

4. Once onion turns to translucent color, add tomatoes with required salt and turmeric powder, close the lid to get cooked.

5. Tomatoes will be smashed, add grounded paste, just saute it nicely, once the raw smell is gone, squeeze the tamarind, extract the juice add it with required water, have a taste check for salt and spicy and close the lid.

6. Once the kuzhambu gets its consistency, oil will get ooze out. Switch off the fire.

Tips:

1. Kara Kuzhambu should not be cooked in high flame after adding tamarind, keep it in medium fire and Tamarind extract has to be thick. Rather in our native they say "Kuzhambu Kaduthu Poidum"

Pasi parrupu Kotchu

This Kotchu suits for Idli, Dosa and Idiyappam.

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time:  25 minutes
No. of servings: 4

Ingredients:

Yellow split gram (Moong dhal) - 1/4 cup
Onion Shallots - 5 to 6 numbers while the size is medium

Tomato - 2 no's in medium size

Green Chilly - 4 no's
Salt - required

Turmeric Powder - 2 Tea spoon
Coriander leaves - few
Potatoes, Eggplant - Each 3 to 4 no's.

To Temper:

Oil - 5 Table spoons

Mustard - 1 Tea spoon
Urad dhal - 1 Tea spoon
Red chilly - 1 no.
Asafoetida - 2 Tea spoons

Curry leaves - few

Method:

1. Take a pressure cooker and dry roast the dhal for few minutes without burning it, you have to stir it continuously, you will get nice aroma, once the dhal slightly changes its color, add 3 cups of water with turmeric and a Tea spoon of Oil, close the lid and pressure cook for 3 to 4 whistles.

Chop the required veggies in the list and soak the chopped Egg plant and Potatoes as it color changes.

3. Add Onion, Tomato, Green chilly to the Cooker, once the pressure is completely released. Drain the water from Eggplant and Potato add the same to the Cooker. Add a cup of water, close the lid and pressure cook for 1 whistle.

4.  Open the lid, once pressure is released, add required water, allow it to boil for few minutes, Add required salt too.

9. Place a pan and add ingredients mentioned in "To Temper" list, one by one. Garnish with Coriander leaves finally.

Urundai Kuzhambu

This Kuzhambu suits for Rice, Idli, Dosa, Chapathi, Puri. With Rice Vathal this kuzhambu will be a feast for lunch.

Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time:  15 minutes
No. of servings: 4

Ingredients:

Onion - 1 1/2 no. big in size

Tomato - 3 no's

Garlic pods - 5 no's
Salt - required

Sambar Powder - 1 Table spoon
Kashmiri Chili Powder - 1 Tea spoon
Turmeric Powder - 2 Tea spoon
Fennel seeds Powder -  1 Tea spoon
Tamarind - An Amla size
Coriander leaves - few

To Grind:

Coconut Grated  - 5 Table spoons

Cumin seeds - 2 Tea spoons

Tour Dhal & Chana Dhal combo- 1/4 cup each

To Temper:

Oil - 5 Table spoons

Fennel seeds - 1 Tea spoon
Fenugreek seeds - 1 Tea spoon
Cumin seeds - 1 Tea Spoon

Curry leaves - few

Method:

1. Soak the Dhal for an hour, Coarsely grind it, Add finely chopped half onion, Kashmiri chili powder, turmeric powder, salt, fennel seeds powder, curry leaves and coriander leaves. Mix it gently, make it as balls, steam the Urundai's in a steamer for 10 to 15 minutes, once the Urundai's get cooked, keep it aside. Chop the veggies required for this dish.

Tip: Onions and Garlic as to be chopped as lengthier ones, so it will be crunchy while tasting it.2. Place a pan and add oil, once oil is hot, add the ingredients mentioned in "To Temper" list, one by one. 

3. Then add garlic. Once garlic turns golden brown, add onion.

4. Once onion turns to translucent color, add tomatoes with required salt and turmeric powder, close the lid to get cooked.

5. Tomatoes will be smashed, add Sambar powder & red chilly powder, squeeze the tamarind, extract the juice add it with required water, close the lid.

6. While waiting the kuzhambu gets boiled, Grind the Coconut and Cumin seeds, so that fine paste is ready.

7. Once kuzhambu in the pan boiled, add the Urundai's one by one gently and reduce the flame bit.
Let us wait for the Kuzhambu consistency and let the Urundai's  taste get settled in the Kuzhambu.
8. Now its time to add the paste, once it start boiling it again, switch off the stove, don't leave it for longer duration. This will change the taste of coconut paste.
9. Garnish with Coriander leaves.

This Kuzhambu will be so good after few hours, once the Urundai's taste gets settled in Kuzhambu.

Tips:

1. You can grind tomatoes as a puree instead of chopped ones to get different taste.
2. Fennel seeds and Fenugreek seeds in the "To Temper" list can be added as powder once its finely roasted, gives a better flavor.

Kavuni Arisi

Kavuni Arisi is a traditional sweet in Chettinadu. Usually this will be the sweet in weddings for the breakfast. And will be served in special occasions like Son-in-law visits his Mother-in-law house. Rice used in this sweet is healthier to have it that too for breakfast. I usually prepare this sweet on my family members birthday by soaking the rice at over night. Always will be in my packing list from Devakottai to Florida.
Let’s check this sweet’s history. Our Patta Aiya's had trade to Rangoon - former capital city of Burma, Malaysia. They brought back a lot of things like black rice. It must have found its way into Chettiar households through these routes.

Now let’s look on health benefits of this rice, reduces blood Cholestral level, good fiber content helps for digestion, Can be added as a part with Idli rice while making Idli/Dosa batter with same method. Tried many times, Idli tastes good and soft, color attracts kids as Idli looks new.

Let me give you the recipe of making this sweet KAVUNI ARISI.  

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
No. of servings: 4

Ingredients:

Kavuni Arisi  - 1 cup
Water - 5 cups

Sugar - 1/2 cup

Shredded Coconut - 1/4 cup
Cardamom powder - 1 Tea spoons
Ghee - 3 Table spoons

Method:

1. Take a cup of Kavuni rice, Will get special rice in Chettinadu, we do get pure quality in Singapore and Malaysia. Soak this rice overnight for 10 hours.
2. Pressure cook this rice by adding water 1:5 ratio.
3. Leave around 5 whistles as this rice is bit tough. Pressure has to be released naturally. Now rice will be soft and mushy.

4. If rice is not cooked and u feel there is an excess water, u can cook some more time by smashing the rice by laddle.
5. Add Sugar, Shredded coconut, Cardamom powder, Ghee in the same cooker pan and mix well, u can feel good aroma while mixing it.Then serve it to the dish.

Tips:

1. Rice has to be soaked not less than 10 hours and cooked for 5 whistles, else this rice will not be cooked properly.