Pulingari - This is a Special Dish of Trivandrum. For SBS photos, please go to Pulingari This is very different from the pulingari recipes, I see on the net! This is a recipe from Trivandrum. All Nattu (nadan) vegetables like, brinjal, white pumpkin, ladies’ finger, drumstick, cheppankizangu, brinjal,avarakkai can be used. Now a days, potatoes are also included. It has the consistency of sambar, but there is no dhal & mainly coconut is used ! Tamarind paste - 2 tsp Salt, haldi, curry leaves To temper in 1 tsp coconut oil: Mustard seeds - ½ tsp Curry leaves - few To fry in ½ tsp oil: Red chilliies - 4,5 Methi seeds - ½ tsp Grind this with 3/4 cup fresh coconut. Boil 1 cup mixed vegetables, cut as for sambar, in tamarind water with salt & haldi. When vegetables are cooked, add paste, simmer & remove. Temper as given. Variations: Add 1 tsp urad dhal when frying red chillies & methi seeds. Add 1 tsp rice while grinding. This kuzambu does not have dhaniya & hence is distinctly different from sambar in flavour & taste. This is usually served with a roast vegetable curry (called mezukuvarati) & papadum. This is excellent with dosai. Varuthu araicha pulingari: Fry in 1 tsp oil: Gram dhal - 1 tsp Urad dhal - 1 tsp Tur dhal - 2 tsp Dhaniya - 2 tsp Methi seeds - ¼ tsp Rice - ½ tsp Red chillies - 7,8 Separately fry in ½ tsp oil till flavour comes: Coconut - 2 tbsp Curry leaves - few View attachment 26459 Grind all the above & proceed as before. View attachment 26460 Ellu Curry: Roast in ½ tsp oil: Red chillies - 7,8 Urad dhal - 2 tsp Seasame seeds - 1 tbsp Grind the above with ½ cup coconut & proceed as above.
Amazing Dear Mrs Chitra, This is truly amazing- a full set of pulingaris and that too from my naadu! Pulingari is my favourite and I shall now make it in all the different varities outlined by you. We have a quaint name for the varatharacha pulingari- we call it dabba pulingari. i wonder how the name came by. Opening the ASK CHITVISH section is like opening a treasure chest- there is always something more, something new. best regards Vidya
Thankyou, Vidya ! Dear Vidya, Thankyou for the message. The next I am planning is "eruvuli" ! (irupuli ?). The feedbacks you are all giving me is beyond my expectations - hence I am forging ahead ! Still I am very much aware that " katrathu kaimannalavu, kallaathathu ulagalavu ". Regards, Chithra.
Sodhi - Coming all the way from SriLanka ! This is a perfect side dish for Aappam & Idiappam, in particular. Onion - 2 – slice thin & long Tomato - 4 - chopped Medium Coconut milk - 1 ½ cups Cornflour - 1 tbsp Salt Curry Leaves - few To temper: Coconut oil - 1 tbsp ( you can substitute any other oil of your choice) Mustard seeds - ½ tsp Methi seeds - ½ tsp Green Chillies - 4-5 slit In coconut oil, temper mustard, fenugreek & green chillies . Add the onion and fry till transparent. Add 1 tbsp cornflour, fry well and add the tomatoes. When the tomatoes form a nice mass and are well cooked, add coconut milk as desired to the required consistency. Stir well to get a smooth consistency. Add curry leaves & serve hot.
Karunaikizangu Masiyal - a Main dish as well as side dish. The vegetable mentioned here is usually known as "pidi Karunai" - dark brown colour & slightly longer than a potato.Some refer to Chenaikizangu ( Elephant yam) also as karunaikizangu. The photo is given below. Do not use karunaikizangu when it is fresh – it is best to allow it to stand for 4,5 days & then cook it. With tamarind: Karunaikizangu - 3 medium size Cooked tur dhal - ½ cup Salt, haldi Dry roast & powder: Red chillies - 3-4 Rice - 1 tsp Gram dhal (or tur dhal) - 2 tsp Udad dhal - 2 tsp Hing - ½ tsp To temper in 1 tsp oil: Mustard seeds - ½ tsp Curry leaves - few Boil the vegetable in jacket, directly in the pressure pan, in water for 2 whistles. Cool, open, peel & crumble. In the pressure pan, add mashed vegetable, freshly made powder, tamarind paste , 1 cup water, salt, haldi & cooked dhal. Make it up to desired consistency & pressurecook for 1 whistle. Cool, open & temper. Variation: Instead of cooked tur dhal, cooked moong dhal can be used. If preferred, dhal can be omitted completely. With lime juice & little tamarind: Karunaikizangu - 3 medium size Cooked tur dhal - ½ cup (optional) Tamarind paste - 1 tsp or less Green chillies - 2, chopped Ginger - 2 “, chopped Lime juice - 2 tsp Salt, haldi Coriander leaves - few, chopped To temper in 2 tsp oil: Mustard seeds - ½ tsp Udad dhal - 1 tsp Red chilli - 1 Hing - ½ tsp Curry leaves - few Boil the vegetable in jacket, directly in the pressure pan, in water for 2 whistles Cool, open, peel & crumble. Mix this with thin tamarind water, salt & haldi. In a kadai add oil, temper, add chopped green chillies & ginger, then add the crumbled mixture with salt & haldi. If you are using dhal, add now. Boil & simmer for a few mts. Remove, cool &add lime juice. It is customary to add little jaggery to this. Add coriander leaves.
Dear Chithra Madam I always thought Karunai kizhangu was Yam(Sennai Kizhangu).But when you mentioned 3 numbers,I got a bit confused.Is Karunai kizhangu another name for Colacassia(seppan kizhangu) Then for sennai kizhangu is there another name like Karna kizhangu which is the name my MIL always uses for sennai kizhangu. Just a bit too confused....
Hello Sunitha ! Dear Sunitha, I have made a correction regarding the name, which please see. This is available in South India as karunaikizangu, more specific name is " pidi karunai" - it is 3 - 3 1/2 " long & dark brown. Good that you asked since I am planning to post Chenai dishes also ! Regards, Chithra.
Milaku Kuzambu-Paruppu Thogayal - An Inseparable Pair ! This is yet another favourite combination in Tamil Nadu. Milagukuzambu: Tamarind - 4 tsp Salt To roast in 1 tsp oil: Red chillies - 3, 4 ( or to taste) Pepper - 1 tsp Urad dhal - 1 tsp Gram dhal - 1 tsp Jeera - ½ tsp Hing - ½ tsp Cuury leaves - few To temper: Gingelly oil - 2 tbsp Mustard seeds - 1 tsp Urad dhal - 1 tsp Grind the roasted ingredients with tamarind paste & salt to a fine paste. In a vessel, heat gingelly oil, temper the given ingredients & add the paste with 2 cups of water. When it starts boiling, simmer the stove to allow the mixture to boil on a low heat. When it reduces to nearly half the volume, remove. Keeps well for 2, 3 days. Paruppu thogayal: This is generally not made hot, but bland to go with the spicy kuzambu. Red chilli - 1 Tur dhal - ½ cup Salt Oil - 1 tsp Grated coconut - 3 tbsp Heat oil, fry red chilli & tur dhal till the dal becomes light brown. Remove, cool, add salt & coconut & grind to a paste. Variation: Some use a combination of 2 tbsp tur dhal, 1 tbsp moong dhal and 1/2 tbsp gram dhal.
Garlic Kuzambu - Specially for Garlic Lovers ! Garlic vathakuzambu: Small onions, chopped - 1/2 cup Garlic - ½ cup chopped ( more is optional ) Tamarind paste - 1 ½ tbsp Salt Fry in 1 tsp oil & grind fine: Pepper - 2 tsp Jeera - 1 tsp Dhaniya - 2 tsp Red chillies - 2 Coconut - 2 tbsp Hing - ½ tsp To temper in 2 tbsp oil: Mustard seeds - 1 tsp Methi seeds - ½ tsp Curry leaves Heat 2 tbsp oil, temper as given, add onions, fry well, then add garlic. When a good aroma comes, add tamarind paste with 1 cup of water. Add salt & paste. Add more water, if necessary. When everything boils together & the desired consistency has come, remove. This can be done directly in the pressurepan by 1 whistle method also. Garlic Milaku Kuzambu: Garlic - 3 big whole pods ( separate into pieces & peel) Small onions - 1/3 cup 9 peel) Pepper - 2 tsp Tamarind paste - 1 tbsp Salt, haldi Jaggery - lemon size 9 optional) Grind together: Small onions - 10 Big tomatoes - 3 To temper: Oil - 2 tbsp Mustard seeds - 1 tsp Methi seeds - ½ tsp Hing - ½ tsp Curry leaves - few Fry pepper in ¼ tsp ghee & powder. Heat oil, add tempering ingredients. Now add small onions & then, garlic & fry very well. When done, add ground paste & fry till the raw smell goes. Add tamarind paste, pepper powder, salt, haldi & jaggery. Cook & simmer to desired consistency.
Karuveppilai Kuzambu - full of Mother Nature's goodness. Curry leaves - 1 cup (fresh) Pepper - 1 tsp Jeera - ¾ tsp Red chillies - 5,6 (or to taste) Hing - 1 tsp Tamarind paste - 1 tbsp (can be a little more, by preference) Oil - 2 tbsp To temper: Mustard seeds - 1 tsp Urad dhal - 1 tsp (optional) In 1 tsp oil, fry red chillies, pepper, jeera & hing. Grind with raw curry leaves & tamarind paste adding water. Heat the remainig oil in a kadai & temper mustard seeds & urad dhal. Add the paste, salt & 1 cup or more of water. When it begins to boil, simmer to thicken on a low fire. Remove when the desired consistency is reached. This is said to be specially good for nursing mothers. In that case, spice level may be suitably adjusted. Preserves well for 2,3 days, outside the fridge.