Usili is prepared with vegetables like Pudalangai, kothavarangai and Vazhaippu.This preparation gives us a change from the Kottu, Curry or Poriyal which we make frequently.
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| Kothavarangai Usili |
Ingredients :
Kothavarangai 250 gms.
Channa Dhal 1/2 cup
Toor Dhal 1/4 to 1/2 cup.
Red chillies 2 to 3
Salt, Turmeric Powder
For Seasoning :
Oil 2 tbsp. Mustard, Split Urad dhal, Curry leaves.
Method :
1. Soak the Dhals for 30 mins. and coarsely grind in the mixer with the red chillies, adding
a tbsp. of water if necessary.The proportion of the Dhals can be altered slightly to our
taste and availability.
2. Cook the sliced Kothavarangai with water till they become soft.I always pressure cook
in a small cooker for 2 whistles and release the pressure carefully after 1 minute.It
is fast and perfect.I use only less water but extreme care has to be taken to check if
the vent is clear, place the weight and watch for the whistle as only little water is used.
The gasket must be fitting. If not, the water leaks and the vegetable gets burnt.
3. Heat oil, season with the given ingredients and add the ground Dhal.Add turmeric
powder and little salt. Stir on constantly on a medium flame till they get cooked and
get scattered.It may take 5 mins.
4. Then add the cooked Kothavarangai,discarding the water, if any,salt and saute on low
fire for 3 mins.Salt can also be added while cooking the vegetable, if exact quantity
of water is used. Grated coconut can also be added. The tasty Usili is ready.
Adai, has been tried and tasted by me with the various combinations of the ingredients.Finally I found the following combination, even with the minimum ingredients, the Adai is very tasty.I feel it is not absolutely necessary to add so many Dhals.It all depends on individual taste and preference.I always prefer Vadai Paruppu ( Pattani Paruppu or Peanut Dhal )Anyhow, let me document the recipe, atleast for my children.
With the basic ingredients,different varieties of Adai are prepared by me.
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| Adai |
Ingredients :
Idli rice 1 cup.
Pattani Paruppu 1/2 cup.
Urad Dhal 1 to 2 tbsp.
Fenugreek 1 tsp.
Red chillies 3 to 4
Ginger 1 small piece.
Salt, Curry Leaves, Hing
Finely sliced onion 1/4 cup
Method :
1. Soak the rice, Dhals and Fenugreek for 4 hrs.
2. Grind with the chillies, ginger and salt. Let this not be very coarse.Only if the batter
is little fine, thin roast like Adais can be prepared.Grated coconut can be added.
3. Let the batter rest atleast for 1 hour.I always allow it to rest for 2 hrs. Then only the
Adai will be soft and crisp.Most of the people prepare Adai, immediately after grinding,
as they feel the batter may become sour.
4. Add Curry leaves,onion and Hing. Some season with Mustard.
5. Heat the Tawa, spread the batter into a thin round, add oil. After one side is roasted,
turn to the other side and remove from the tawa.
Note :
1. Small quantities can be ground in the mixer. As for Adai, grinding in the mixer or the
grinder gives the same taste.
2. The more Urad Dhal we add, the more soft the Adai is. My mother always soaks
and grinds the Urad Dhal separately. Then she adds rice and the other ingredients and
grinds them.Some add 2 tbsp. of raw rice also with the Idli Rice to get crisp Adais.
3. Kadalai Paruppu can be used instead of Vadai Paruppu.Toor Dhal and Pasi Paruppu,
1 tbsp. each can also be added with the Vadai Paruppu.I feel that, for an urgent
preparation of Adai, the ingredients can be altered according to the availability.
This Coconut Curd Chutney is very common in our families for Idli, Dosai , Uppuma, Appam, Idiappam etc.The curd should be perfect and not sour.
This is highly recommended for the children and also for the adults, especially during summer.
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| Coconut Curd Chutney |
Ingredients :
Grated coconut 1 cup.
Green chillies 3 or 4
Finely sliced small onions 2 tbsp.
Curd 3 tbsp.
For seasoning :
Salt, Oil, Mustard, Split Urad Dhal, Curry Leaves
Method :
1. Heat oil, add the seasoning ingredients and then the onions.Saute till they turn brown,
with an aroma.If small onions are out of stock, big onions can be used but small onions
are the real taste makers. Let them cool. If added hot, the curd may become watery.
2. Grind the coconut, salt and chillies in a mixer, somewhat coarsely.Transfer to a bowl
and add the sauteed onions and curd.. Mix well.The coconut curd chutney is ready. Those who want to reduce the intake of coconut, can use 3/4 cup of grated coconut
and 1 tbsp. of Pottukadalai ( Roasted gram )
This version of the Mangai Pachadi, I came to know from my beloved Chinna Mamiyar( My spouse's Chithi ) who is a multifaceted personality with an interest in all fields, above all, a good individual.No wonder, she is close to me.
This Pachadi can be prepared very fast as no grinding is required.Still the taste will be good.The children enjoy this as there are no spices.It is also nutritious as Jaggery has iron.
Ingredients :
Mangai ( medium size ) 1
Rice Flour 1 tbsp.
Powdered jaggery 2 tbsp.
Salt 1/2 tsp.
Method :
1. Peal of the outer covering of the Mangai, cut into thin, flat slices and pressure cooker
with less water for 2 or 3 whistles. If the mangai has a very sour taste, cook with more
water and discard the water after cooking. That neutralises the taste .Orelse the
Pachadi may be sour.The discarded water may be added with the Sambar.
2. Mash the cooked Mango, add the rice flour made into a paste in half cup of water.
Add the salt and the Jaggery.If water is not enough, add water to get the Pachadi
consistency.Take care that there are no lumps in the mixture of water and rice flour.
3. Mix well together and let the gravy boil on low flame for 3 to 4 mins. Stir in between to
avoid lumps.If the pachadi is to be consumed within 4 hours, half cup of milk can be
added before boiling.This makes the taste very rich. The sweet Pachadi is ready.
Mangai Sweet Pachadi is a unique and very tasty Pachadi of our Saiva Pillai community.A few cannot relish the combined taste, being spicy and sweet.One such friend of me used to call this as " Asattu thithippu ". Yet let me share the recipe with you.
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| Raw Mango Pachadi |
To serve : 2
Ingredients :
Medium size Mangai 1
Oil, Mustard,
Powdered Jaggery 2 tbsp.
To grind in the mixer :
Grated coconut 3 tbsp.
Zeera 1 tsp.
Small onions 4
Green chillies 2
Method :
1. Peel off the covering of the raw mango and cut into thin slices.Cook in a pressure
cooker for 1 or 2 whistles and drain off the water, if the mango is very sour.Mash well.
2. Grind the ingredients coarsely, add to the cooked mango. Add half tsp. of salt and 2
tbsp. of powdered jaggery, Add some water, if necessary to get the desired
consistency.If the pachadi is to be consumed within 3 or 4 hours without keeping in the
fridge, 3 to 4 tbsp. of milk can be added instead of water, after cooking.The milk
enhances the taste.
3. Mix well and let it boil on medium flame for 3 to 4 mins.Seasoning with Musatard is
optional.The sweet and spicy Mangai Pachadi is ready.
Murungaikeerai may be common, so also the Poriyal.If cooked following a few tips, it is easy and also very healthy.For 1 cup of Poriyal, atleast 3 cups of Keerai has to be used, as it is very much reduced after cooking.This Keerai, as known to everyone is a great source of iron.
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| Murungaikeerai Poriyal |
Ingredients:
Cleaned Murungaikeerai 6 cups
Toor Dhal / Pasiparuppu 3 tbsp.
Onion 1
Garlic pods 6
Red chillies 2
Grated coconut 2 tbsp.
Salt, Oil, Mutard.
Method:
1. Cook the cleaned Keerai and the Toor Dhal in a pressure cooker with just half cup of
water for 1 or 2 whistles.Release the pressure carefully after a minute and take care
that the Dhal is not over cooked.Earlier I cooked only in a container without the cooker.
I was afraid that if we cook the Keerai in a pressure cooker, it may change colour and
also lose the taste.Just one day I tried in a pressure cooker. It was perfect.Now I always
cook in a pressure cooker.
2. Heat 1 tbsp. of oil in a Kadai, add Mustard, broken red chillies and then the crushed
Garlic pods and the sliced onion.Saute well.
3. Then add the Keerai, salt and mix well. Let it get fried on a low fire, absorbing the
extra water.A good aroma will come out.Then add the grated coconut, mix well
and continue to stir on a low fire for 2 to 3 mins.The tasty and nutritious Murungai
keerai Poriyal is ready.
Modern Vathakuzhambu,the gravy christened by me, is nothing but old wine in the new bottle, a slight variation to our convenience. In our traditional Vathakuzhambu, no tomatoes and coconuts are added. Our Traditional Vathakuzhamb of Tirunelveli is a unique gravy for rice made mainly of tamarind, oil,salt and Kuzhambu powder with dry Sundakkai, Manathakali etc. Even without a refrigerator, it could be preserved for 3 or 4 days but this modern Kuzhambu can be preserved only in the refrigerator.
Fresh Sundaikkai or dry Sundaikkai or Manathakkali Vathal is the best choice.If not available,any vegetable can be used.
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| Modern Vathakuzhambu |
Ingredients:
Green sundaikkai or dry Sundavathal or Manathakkalivathal 1/4 cup.
Small onion 12 ( for slicing )
Garlic 10 pods.
Salt, Oil, Mustard, Split urad dhal, Curry Leaves.
For grinding:
Tamarind 1 lemon size
Kuzhambu or Sambar Powder 3 tsp.
Curry Leaves, Turmeric Powder
Small onion 8
Tomatoes 2
Coconut, grated 2 tbsp.
Salt.
Method:
1. Heat 1 tbsp. of oil, add the small onions, sliced lengthwise and the Garlic pods.
Saute well and then add the Sundaikkai or vathal or vegetable and little salt.
2. Stir in between,add little water and let it boil on medium flame till the vegetable or
the Vathal is half cooked.
3. Reduce the flame.Soak the tamarind in warm water and grind it with the other
ingredients, if the tamarind is free from impurities.If not, add only the water,
extracted from the tamarind. Grind the ingredients in a mixer, not very fine or
very coarse.
4. Add the ground paste to the gravy, mix well and let it boil on medium flame for
5 to 6 mins.
5. Heat 1 tbsp. of oil, add Mustard, Split urad dhal and curry leaves, Add to the gravy.
The hot and tasty Modern Vathakuzhambu is ready.
Note :
1. Salt and spices can be changed to our taste.Grinding all the ingredients and adding
makes the cooking fast and easy, with no compromise in the taste.
2. Any one of the vegetables like Brinjal,Bittergourd, Lady's Finger, Drumsticks can be
used. Even black or white Channa or Thattapayaru or Rajma Beans can be soaked,
cooked and added.
3. If small onions are not available, big onions can be used.
