Ezhlukari kootu ( ஏழுகறி கூட்டு)

Ezhlukari kootu ( ஏழுகறி கூட்டு)

Ingredients

Broad beans (அவரைக்காய் )  -  7 or 8
Raw Banana ( வாழைக்காய் )  -  1 (Medium size)

Pumpkin  ( பூசணிக்காய் )  -  a small piece

Sweet Potato ( சக்கரைவள்ளிக்கிழங்கு) -  1/2 or 1 depending on the size

Brinjal  ( கத்திரிக்காய்)  -  3 

Fresh Field beans  ( மொச்சைக்காய்)  -  1 small cup
Chow Chow (Chayote) ( சௌ சௌ)  -  1/2 from a medium size

Boiled Toor Dhal  -  1/2 cup
Tamarind  -  a small lemon size
Turmeric powder  -  1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

To grind:
Dry red chilies  -  2
Coriander seeds  - 2 tsp
Shredded Coconut  -  2 tbsp

Seasoning:
Mustard seeds  -  1 tsp
Asafoetida  -  a pinch
Curry leaves  -  a twig
Coconut oil  -  1 tbsp

Steps:

Wash and cut all the vegetables except sweet potato.

Pressure cook sweet potato, field beans and toor dhal.

Heat a teaspoon of oil, fry red chilies and coriander seeds and finally coconut. Cool and grind to a paste.

In a pot, add half cup of water, add chow chow  to cook first.

After 2 min, add broad beans followed by brinjal and raw banana and finally pumpkin.

When the vegetables are half cooked, add tamarind extract, turmeric powder and salt.

Add the ground paste and sweet potato pieces and let it boil well.

Add boiled dhal and mix well.

After a minute, remove from fire.

In a pan heat coconut oil and do the seasoning. Pour to the curry.

Ezhlukari kootu is ready to be served.

My Notes:

This dish is prepared specially for the thiruvathirai kali. But can be eaten with plain rice also.

7 types of vegetables are used and hence the name 'Ezhlukari'.

Elephant yam is used, but today I couldn't get one from the tamil grocery shop. Zulu potato or Coleus which is சிறுகிழங்கு in tamil can also be used. Instead of potato, I have included sweet potato.

The combination of vegetables can be of personal choice. 

Thiruvathirai Kali & Ezhlu kari kootu ( திருவாதிரை களி & ஏழுகறி கூட்டு)

Thiruvathirai Kali & Ezhlu kari kootu 

( திருவாதிரை களி & ஏழுகறி கூட்டு)

Thiruvathirai Kali

Ingredients:

Raw rice  -  1/2 cup

Jaggery      - less than 1/2 cup

Shredded Coconut  -  1/4 cup

Cardomom powder  -  1/4 tsp                      

Cashew nuts  - 5 (halved)

Clarified butter/ Ghee  - 4 tsp

Steps:

Dry roast the raw rice  until fragrant. Coarse grind the rice to get grains similar to semolina texture.

Pound the jaggery, add 2 cups of water and bring it to boil.

Strain to remove the impurities. Add the rice and grated coconut to the jaggery water.

Pressure cook the mixture, placing it in a vessel with a lid  to cover it.

When the pressure is released, take out the cooked Kali, mix well. 

Heat the ghee, fry the cashew nuts and add to it.

Add powdered cardamom. Mix well.

Serve hot with Ezhlukari kootu 

My Notes:

Thiruvathirai is a star  and in the tamil month of margazhli 'Arudra Darisanam' is celebrated by Shaivites on that day. It is the celebration of cosmic dance by Lord Shiva, which is represented by Nataraja form, on this full moon day. 

It is very significant in my family as my mother' birth star is thiruvathirai and my Father' name is Natarajan. What a special edition pair. ;)

Mom used to give for abhisegham and Margazhli upayam at temple on this day. 

Though both are physically not with us, blessing from heaven, we follow her tradition. 

Very nostalgic for me as I prepare thiruvathirai kali and the curry - ezhlukari kootu. Shall post that recipe separately.

For the kali, moong dhal can also be added. For 1 cup of rice, 2 tsp of moong dhal is dry roasted and coarse grinded with the rice. 

Less jaggery is added as the kali is eaten with the spicy curry. 

Cooking rice in jaggery gives a unique flavour. For sweet pongal, whole rice is cooked and then jaggery is added. Here there is a small variation.

Today at the temple, after arudra darisanam, the very same kali and ezhlukari kootu was served in the morning.

                               

Almond Pista Roll ( பாதாம் பிஸ்தா ரோல் )

Almond Pista Roll ( பாதாம் பிஸ்தா ரோல் )

Ingriedients:

Raw Almonds  ( பாதாம் பருப்பு )  : 2 1/2 cups

Raw unsalted Pistachios ( பிஸ்தா பருப்பு )  :  1 cup

Powdered sugar  ( பொடித்த சக்கரை )  :  3 cups

Clarified butter/ Ghee  ( நெய்  ) : 4 tsp

Green food color ( பச்சை கலர்) ( optional )  : 4 drops

  Steps:

Soak the almonds and pista separately for minimum one hour. 

Peel the skin of the nuts.

In a dry mixie jar, add sugar and grind to get a fine powder.

Add badam and grind to a fine paste. Use very less water, may be 1 or 2 tsp. Grind until you get a buttery consistency.

Repeat  with the pistachios.

Soaked almonds and pistas are peeled and ground to a fine paste.

                                                                                                                    

Take 2 heavy bottom sauce pans or any utensil suiting the purpose. Both the almonds and the pistas are to be cooked simultaneously. 

 Add 2 cups of powdered sugar in one and the other cup of sugar in the second pan. Let it melt and form a syrup. When a single string consistency of sugar syrup is formed, add the almond paste to the first and the pista paste to the second.

 Cook in a low flame, stirring continuously. 

  In between add a tsp of ghee so that the mixture doesn't stick to the pan. As the mixture is cooked, it leaves the sides and rolls into a ball. When felt between fingers, it should not stick to the fingers.That is the time it has to be removed from fire.
Transfer to a bowl and let it cool down. While still warm, knead it like you would do a dough.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 





Roll the pista dough into thin rod shaped strips. A bigger portion of almond mixture is rolled out into a flat base like a chapathi. place the pista, roll the almond to cover it. Cut into rolls of desired length.
Repeat the steps with the remaining dough.

My Notes:

My younger sister tried this recipe after watching in a cookery show, more than a decade ago. It was a hit and she prepares this quite often. I got the recipe from her and tried my hand at it. In the last few years trying out and taking note to remove the flaws each time. There are different methods in various cookbooks but this worked for me.

While grinding, adding less water will give a better consistency for faster cooking while adding to the sugar syrup. Or else will take a longer time to cook. Milk can also be used instead of water. 

Though I have mentioned the food color in the ingredient list, I refrain from using it. Natural pista color is fine but then its personal choice. You can go ahead as there are natural / organic food colours  available in the market now a days.

I have used sugar for moderate sweetness. Can increase the amount of sugar as desired.

A long process but the sight of our very own rolls done and loved ones relishing on them wipes away the tiresome and makes you happy.

 My younger son, who has a sweet tooth, enjoys this sweet treat.

My niece, sister in law' daughter, likes almond based sweets like the almond pista roll and kaju katli very much and is a pleasure to prepare this for her.

Puliyotharai / Tamarind Rice

 Tamarind Rice / Puliyotharai ( புளியோதரை )

                                      
                 

Ingredients:
Tamarind  - 2 lemon size
Peanuts     - a handful
Turmeric powder  -  1 tsp
Salt to taste
For Seasoning:
Mustard seeds  :  2 tsp
Split Urad dhal  :  2 tsp
Channa dhal  : 4 tsp
Dry red chilies  : 5 to 6 (halved)
Curry leaves  :  2 twigs
Asafoetida  :  1 tsp
Sesame ( Gingelly) oil  - 1/2 cup


To Mix with:
Cooked rice  -  2 cups ( as required)

For the spice powder:
Dry red chilies  : 4
Coriander seeds  :  4 tsp
Black pepper  : 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds  :  1 tsp

                 

Dry roast the ingredients separately. Let it cool, grind to a fine powder.

Dry roast the peanuts in medium flame. Let it cool, remove the skin.

Soak tamarind in warm water for minimum 15 min. Using less water each time, extract the juice. May be 3 or 4 times. Keep the dilute one, extracted at the end, separately for sambar or other use.

Heat oil in a heavy bottom pot. Add the seasoning. Pour the thick tamarind juice followed by turmeric powder and salt.
As it boils and reduce to half, add the ground spice powder. Continue boiling in medium flame until the mixture becomes thick and oil begins to separate from the boiling mixture.
Add the roasted peanuts and switch off the flame.

Allow the cooked rice to cool. Add 2 tsp sesame oil. Add 2 tbsp or desired amount of the cooked tamarind mixture. Mix well.

Notes:

Puliyotharai, as the tamarind rice is called in Tamil, is the hot favourite among the mixed rice varieties like coconut rice, lemon rice, etc..
A salivating dish, especially when it is in the lunch box of the person next to you ;))
Puliyotharai is synonymous to temple prasadam especially at Perumal Kovils.
In earlier days and even now in some families, when a trip is planned one can expect this dish for a meal during the journey.Because of the tamarind and the method of preparation, it can stay fresh longer. A daytime train or bus journey is never complete without puliyotharai.
There are 6 to 7 variations of this recipe. I have given the version  prepared generation after generation by the women in our family.
In our home town, I remember the elders use coconut pieces and raw small onions (சின்ன வெங்காயம்) as an accomplishment. I have  got into the habit and surprised that my elder son also likes it. Tamarind is considered to be a 'heaty' food and I guess to balance that,onions are consumed.

There is a popular song, sung by the character Gadothgajan in the Tamil movie Maya Bazaar about this - Puliyotharayum sorum veguporuthama samabrum / புளியோதரையும் சோறும் வெகு பொருத்தமா சாம்பாரும்.. meaning sambar is the appropriate accomplishment for Puliyotharai. Some people prefer sambar.
Mostly vathal / vadagam is served (homemade rice crackers). Chips comes handy in today' busy world.
Whenever the woman in the family has to go outstation and leave the kitchen to the gents of the household, tamarind mixture / புளிகாய்ச்சல் is prepared beforehand and given  for  their convenience. My home is no exception. My younger son' favourite with loads of peanuts in it. Recently I made before leaving for a short trip to India.

This mixture can be mixed not only with cooked rice but also with Idiyappam / string hoppers.
Shall post the steps to make Idiyappam using rice flour later.

Meantime enjoy the yummy Puliyotharai with a side dish of our choice.  :)