Arai Puli Kuzhambu ( Mildly sour gravy )

Arai Puli Kuzhambu is a Tanjore speciality which usually does not contain less tamarind but instead a very sweet and tangy and spicy gravy which goes well with dal rice ( paruppu saadam ) or plain rice. The vegetables which may be used in this gravy are elephant yam, bitter gourd or brinjal along with brown channa or peanuts. In this recipe I have used brinjal and peanuts.

Ingredients :

2 cups brinjal chopped into cubes
1 cup peanut/ brown channa/ or both
4 cups of tamarind extract ( thick + thin )
2 tsp. home made sambhar powder
Salt to taste
2 tsp. jaggery
1 tsp. rice flour

For seasoning in oil :

1 tbsp. oil
1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. urad dal
1/2 tsp. jeera
2 - 3 dry red chillies
2 tbsp. grated fresh / frozen coconut
1 tsp. asafoetida
few sprigs of curry leaves

Method :

1. Heat oil in a kadai add the peanut or brown channa and saute till they sputter. ( the channa gives out bursting sounds which indicates that it is getting fried) Remove and keep aside.

2. In the same oil, splutter mustard seeds, then urad dal till pink and jeera, red chillies, asafoetida, grated coconut and curry leaves and saute till it gives a nice aroma.

3. Next add the brinjal, fried peanuts/channa and sambhar powder and saute for few seconds. Add the tamarind extract, salt, jaggery and mix well and allow to boil and let the brinjals cook.

4. Once the brinjal is cooked, mix rice flour with a tbsp. of water and add the water to the gravy and bring to a single boil. Garnish with few more curry leaves and serve with plain rice or rice and plain dhal.

P. S. : The rice flour is to thicken the gravy. If you feel that the gravy is of your desired consistency then one may omit the rice flour.


Krishnaarpanam

Maangai Pachidi

Maangai ( Mango ) pachidi is a must on the menu list on the Tamil New Year's Day. As with the spring coming in with lots of mangoes on the trees, this pachidi makes its way to the menu along with "Vepampoo" ( neem flowers ) depicting that the New Year brings in all flavors of life and face it.
In my house the tradition is to add fried neem flowers to this sweet & sour pachidi which adds a slight bitter taste also. I cook the mangoes the microwave which is quick.


Ingredients :

1 medium size raw firm mango ( the mango must be sour & slightly sweet )
1/2 cup grated jaggery
2 - 3 green chillies
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
a pinch of asafoetida
Salt to taste
1 tsp. fresh or dried neem flowers
1 tsp. oil
1/2 tsp. mustard seeds


Method :

1. Cut the mango along with the peel ( if the peel is too thick and bitter, then discard it ) into small slices.

2. In a microwave safe glass bowl put the sliced mango along with salt, turmeric, green chillies and 1/2 cup water and cook covered on high for 4 minutes. ( check to see if the mangoes are cooked, if not cook for another minute or two )

3. Add jaggery and cook uncovered for 2 minutes on high stirring in between every one minute.

4. Heat oil and fry the neem flowers till dark brown and add to the mango. In the remainging oil splutter mustards seeds and asfoetida and add to the pachidi and mix.

This pachidi has all the types of taste i.e. sourness from the mango, sweet from the jaggery, heat from the chillies and bitterness from the neem flowers. Usually fresh neem flowers are added to the pachidi,but as it may taste too bitter, they are fried in oil and then added.

Krishnaarpanam

Tamizh Puthaandu Vazhthukkal

(Clock wise from left : Bonda, Vazhaikkai podimas, Maangai pisaral, Maangai pachidi, Thengai pachidi, Arisi-paruppu payasam & Maha Neivedyam)

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL. MAY THIS YEAR BE FILLED WITH ALL TYPES OF TASTE AND MAY GOD BLESS EVERYONE THE STRENGTH TO FACE EVERYTHING IN LIFE.

Krishnaarpanam

Katori Chaat

I had this chaat long back when I was in college at my neighbour's place. This neighbour/friend of mine was a Marwari from Mathura and her parents used to own a halwai shop. She was very well versed with all types of sweets and chaats & namkeens ( savouries ). I used to love visiting her almost everyday for I got to learn so many things from her.
Katori Chaat as the name implies, is a chat served in edible katoris ( bowls ) which is made from maida and deep fried. I came across this chaat in Tarla Dalal's site and the katoris were baked which were less time consuming and less on calories too. I did some modifications to the recipe and here is the Katori Chaat which can be made a few days in advance and only the assembly to be done on the tea table !!!

For the katoris :

1 cup maida

2 tbsp. butter

1/2 tsp. ajwain

salt to taste

water to knead the dough

Take maida, butter, ajwain and salt and mix with your fingertips properly until the butter is dispersed into the flour properly. Add little cold water at a time and knead into a soft pliable dough. Keep covered for 10 minutes.

Roll out the dough into a big chapati and cut out circles from a katori or a cookie cutter. Prick with fork at intervals over the circles. Place the circles over an inverted muffin mould and press gently over them so that the dought takes the shape of the bowl. Arrange all the circles over the moulds and bake in a pre heated oven at 400 degrees Farenheit for about 8 - 10 mins.


rolled out circles over muffin moulds


Cool these katori shaped biscuits and store in an airtight container.
The alternate or the original method of making the katoris is to deep fry them. Take the same dough and roll out into small circles and press the chapati over a steel katori or a small bowl so that they cover the back of the bowl. Leave the steel bowl into the hot oil and let it fry till golden brown. The fried dough will come out of the katori once it is fried. Remove and let cool completely before storing.


baked katoris

For the filling :

1 cup Boiled kabuli channa or boiled sprouted moong

1 boiled potatoes cut into cubes

1 tsp. channa masala
1/2 tsp. hing / asafoetida
1/2 tsp. amchur powder

Heat about a tsp. or more of oil, add jeera, hing and channa masala and amchur powder to the oil and add the kabuli channa / sprouted moong and potatoes and saute for a while till the masala coats it. Allow to cool.

To Serve :

Tamrind chutney

Green chutney

Onion chopped finely

Coriander leaves chopped finely

chaat masala

Nylon sev

To assemble the katori, put little mixture of channa and potato into the katori, put tamrind chutney, green chutney, chat masala, chopped onion, coriander leaves and at last sprinkle some nylon sev generously and serve immediately.


Ready to assemble katori chaat

I made tamarind chutney with tamarind paste which I found very easy to make and according to me no difference in the taste between the chutneys made with tamarind pulp and tamarind paste. Here is the method for tamarind chutney with paste :

Tamarind Chutney :

10 - 15 dates
1/4 cup black raisins
2 tsp. tamrind paste
a pinch of salt
1/2 tsp. red chilli powder ( optional )
a pinch of hing

Add 1 1/2 cups of water to the dates and raisins and boil for about 8 - 10 mins. Cool and puree in a blender along with the other ingredients. You can adjust the taste by adding more tamrind paste if you want it tangy . I personally felt that the sweetness of the dates and raisins were enough for the chutney, but if you feel that you want more sweet then add sugar or jaggery and mix well.

Green chutney :

1 onion
1 bunch coriander leaves
4 green chillies ( add or minus according to heat preferred )
1/2 tsp. jeera
salt to taste
1 tsp. of lemon juice ( to retain the green colour )

Blend all the ingredients for green chutney into a smooth paste adding little water according to the consistency you prefer.

Krishnaarpanam