This Vengaya Chutney with little Tamarind is a unique Chutney of the Tirunelveli region. This goes very well with all Dosai Varieties, especially Kurunai Dosai.
Vengaya Chutney is very popular in Coimbatore. But Tamarind is not added.
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| Small Onion Chutney |
Ingredients :
Small onions 1 cup
Red Chillies 4
Tamarind a small piece
For Seasoning :
Salt, Oil, Mustard, Curry Leaves, Hing
Method:
1. Heat 2 tsp. of oil,roast the Chilly and Keep aside.Heat the same Kadai and sauté the onions till they turn golden brown. Soak the Tamarind in warm water.
2. After they cool, grind all the ingredients with little water, not very fine and very coarse.
3. Season with Mustard and Curry Leaves. The tasty Vengaya Chutney is ready.
This Paruppu Podi is the version of my mother in law.This is very ideal with lots of protein and advised to be used from kids to adults.
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| Paruppu Podi |
Ingredients :
Toor Dhal 1/2 cup
Channa Dhal / Kadali Paruppu 1/2 cup
Pasi Paruppu / Moong Dhal 1/2 cup
Pottu Kadalai / Roasted Channa Dhal 1/2 cup
Red Chillies 4
Salt
Method :
1. Roast all the ingredients one by one in a Kadai till an aroma comes. Pottu
Kadalai is to roasted only for a few seconds.
2. Powder together in a mixer with salt to the desired consistency. Garlic can also be added.
Note :
I always use less chillies as the powder can be used for all ages. More Chillies can also be added. Black Pepper can also be used instead of Chillies.Along with the chillies , little Pepper can be added for flavour.
This recipe, I came to know from a demonstration in a local TV channel. It is very simple and sure to be enjoyed by the kids. It is the best alternative for the regular Noodles, made from Maida, which is not so advisable. The vegetables make the dish very nutritious with the fibre content. This can be easily prepared with the left over 3 or 4 Chappathis.With the vegetables added, it can be a good evening tiffin for four.
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| Chappathi Noodles |
Ingredients :
Chappathis 4
Onion 2
Carrot, Beans Capsicum, Cabbage ( sliced )Peas 1 -2 cups.
Spring Onion ( if available ) 1
Garlic 5 pods
Green Chillies ( finely chopped ) 2
Tomato Sauce 1 tsp.
Soya Sauce 1 tbsp
Salt, Oil.
Method :
1. Roll the Chappathis and cut them into long and thin shreds.
2. Heat 2 tbsp. of oil, sauté the onions, add the finely chopped Garlic,Chillies
and the vegetables. Add salt. Saute well. The vegetables are supposed to be
crunchy. So saute your family's taste, half or full cooked.
3.Add the shredded Chappathis, Tomato and Soya sauce. Mix well. Coriander
leaves can be added. Those who like it to be exactly Chinese, can add
Ajinomoto and Vinegar. Instead of finely chopped green chillies, Black or
White pepper powder can be added. The tasty vegetable noodles are ready.
This Chutney Powder, made out of Pottu Kadalai ( Roasted Channa Dhal ) is very handy, when we are short of time.This can also be used as a thickening agent. It can be mixed with little water, made into a paste and added to any gravy which is watery.It tastes better than Rice Flour as a thickening agent.It is also easier and quicker than Kadalai Mavu or Arisi Mavu which used for thickening take a few minutes to get cooked.
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| Chutney Powder |
Ingredients :
Pottu Kadalai 1 cup
Red Chillies 2 - 4
Garlic Pods ( optional ) 4
Salt.
Method :
1. All the ingredients must be crisp and dry. Keep them in the sunlight for
2 hours.Or else slightly dry roast them in a Kadai. Let them cool.
2. Finely powder all the dry ingredients with the salt in a mixer.Store in an
airtight container.This can be kept in the shelf and used. If garlic is not
added, it can be used for many months. With Garlic, it is better to be used
within two months. The multi purpose Powder is ready for use.
Milagu Kuzhambu is a gravy for rice. My mother in law is an expert in making this Kuzhambu. Milagu meaning Pepper is good for health.It is highly recommended for women after child birth.
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| Milagu Kuzhambu |
Ingredients :
To roast :
Pepper 1 tbsp.
Coriander Seeds 2 tbsp.
Zeeragam 1 tsp.
Raw Rice 1 tsp.
Kadalai Paruppu 1 tsp.
Other Ingredients :
Avaraikkai / Drumstick / Garlic / Brinjal
Tamarind 1 small lemon size.
Small Onions 20
Curry Leaves
Grated Coconut 2 tbsp.
Mustard, Oil, Salt, Turmeric Powder.
Method :
1. Heat 1 tsp. of oil and roast the 5 ingredients till an aroma comes out. Rice and Kadalai Paruppu are just thickening agents. They can be deleted, if not preferred. After they cool, finely powder them. Then add 10 small onions, 4 pods of garlic and 2 springs of Curry Leaves. Grind them with minimum water.
2. Soak the tamarind in warm water and take 3 cups of Tamarind water. If the Tamarind is very good without dust, it can be ground in the mixer with the onion.
3. Heat 2 tsp. of oil, sauté the base vegetable with 10 small onions for 3 minutes. Add water, little salt and cook the vegetable till it becomes soft, absorbing the water.
4. Then add the Tamarind water mixed with Masala, Onion, Curry leaves paste. Add salt, Turmeric powder. Mix well and let it boil on a medium flame till it reduces to half. Then add the coconut, finely blended in the mixer. Simmer on low fire till the gravy becomes thick.
5. Heat 2 tbsp. of oil, add Mustard and curry leaves. Add to the gravy.The hot and tasty Milagu Kuzhambu is ready
Maize Rava Uppuma is prepared by me only in recent days as per the wish of my spouse, being carried away by the various cookery demonstrations using Makka Cholam, Kambu, Samai etc. Siru Dhaniangal seem to be the hype in the latest recipes. All old wine in the new bottle.
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| Maize Rava Uppuma |
Ingredients:
Maize Rava 1 cup
Onion 1
Red Chilly 1
Finely chopped Potato, Carrot, Beans, Peas 1 cup
Grated Coconut ( optional ) 1/2 cup
Channa Dhal 1 tbsp.
Oil 2 tbsp.
For seasoning :
Mustard, Split Urad Dhal, Curry Leaves.
Method :
1. Heat oil, add the ingredients for seasoning. Add broken red chilly and then the chopped onion. I prefer using red chillies when Beans is used because green chillies cannot be identified in the Uppuma from the Beans. Unknowingly we may bite them. If both Beans and Green Chillies are used, just slit the Green Chillies and use. They can be easily discarded.
2. After the onion turns golden brown, add the chopped vegetables with little salt. Saute on medium flame. Little water can be added for the vegetables to get cooked.
3. When the vegetables are cooked, add 3 cups of water, After the water boils, add the Rava slowly. Add salt. Keep on stirring on medium flame to avoid lumps.
4. Once all the water is absorbed and the Rava is cooked, add coconut and switch off. The hot and tasty Maize Uppuma is ready.
Vengaya ( Onion ) Vadagam made of small onions, Urad Dhal and red chillies is a dry product to be deep fried in the oil. It is very popular, special and unique of the Tirunelveli region.It seems to be made in Tanjore and some other places also but with slight variations.Some people call it Thazhippu ( seasoning )
Vadagam.
This Chutney, made of Vengaya Vadagam seems to be the " invention" of my law's family.
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| Vadaga Chutney |
Ingredients :
Vengaya Vadagam 6
Tamarind a small piece
Red Chillies 2 or 3
Grated coconut ( optional ) 1 tbsp.
Salt, Hing , Oil
Method :
1. Heat 1 tsp. of oil and sauté the chillies. Keep aside.
2. Heat the same Kadai, add 1 tbsp. of oil and fry the Vadagams till the Mustard
cracks. In the end add Hing and the coconut. Switch off. Let them cool.
3. Grind all the ingredients, not very coarse and not very fine with minimum
water. Seasoning with Mustard and Curry leaves is optional.
