Vatha Kulambu is a very famous brahmin side dish. This is a chettinadu special vatha kulambu. This is normally prepared with vathal ( sun dried vegetables ). Applam can be replaced with dry broad beans / dry ladies finger etc. Thick tamarind sauce with sun dried vegetables cooked in sesame oil tastes heavenly with steamed white rice.
Turmeric / Manjal
Dhal Sambar / Murungakkai Sambar ( Paruppu Kulambu )
Will there be a week without dhal sambar at my house ? should be the question. I love the version of drumstick / Murungagkkai sambar. This is a common gravy served in any parties at my place. A traditional kongunadu paruppu samber.
Pepper Chettinad Chicken
Chettinad cuisine is one of the famous south Indian cuisines. It’s famous for it’s spiciness and the aroma. Pepper Chetinad chicken is a very famous spicy recipe in restaurants.
Bottle Gourd Fry / Sorakkai Poriyal
A simple version of kongunadu bottle gourd fry which matches well with white rice. I remember plucking fresh vegetable from our form and cooked. Those tasted really good.
Tamarind Rice / Iyengar Kovil Puliyodharai / Puli Sadam
I’ve always loved the puliyodharai served in temples and always wanted to make it at home to have it when ever I feel like. This is the closest I could getto that temple one.
The key is the masala powder and roasted peanut added to the recipe. At my home they never used to add the podi but I like it with the podi. it gives the nice aroma.
Tamarind Rice / Iyengar Kovil Puliyodharai / Puli Sadam
Author:
Ingredients
- Tamarind – big lemon size
- Rice – 4 cup
- Sesame oil – 4 tsp
- Mustard seed – 1/4 tsp
- Channa dhal – 1 tsp
- Asafoetida – 1 pinch
- Red chili – 7 nos
- Curry leaves – 1 strand
- Peanut – 1/2 cup
- Turmeric Powder – 1 tsp
- To fry and grid :
- Red Chili – 5 nos
- Channa dhal – 2 tsp
- Coriander seed – 2 tsp
- Fenugreek seed – 1/4 tsp
- Sesame seed – 1 tbsp
Instructions
PREP:
- Extract tamarind juice to not more than 1- 1.5 cups.
- Fry the items given in to fry in a pan with little oil until golden brown and the sesame seed starts crackling. Grind this to fine powder.
COOKING:
- Heat oil – 4 tbsp in a pan, when it’s hot, add mustard, channa dhal, asafoetida, red chili, peanut, curry leaves and fry this for a minute.
- Remove the fried peanut at this stage if you like it crunchy which is the way I do it. But it’s optional step.
- Add tamarind juice extract, turmeric and salt. Allow this to cook till oil separates in medium flame and stir often, it going to take around 20-30 mins.
- Add ground powder – 2 tsp and mix well. Keep it on the stove for about 5 minutes in low flame.
- Add the rice and mix gently. Taste for salt and add if required.
- Add the remaining ground powder if any now and allow the rice mix to stay for 30 min before serving.
TIPS:
- Use the whole batch of ground powder if needed for enhanced taste.
- Peanut enhances the taste
- Cashew nuts can also be added to enhance the taste.
- You can grind the podi in bulk and save it in refrigerator for future usage upto 2 months.
(*) Serve with Pappads, Applam, Vadam.
Tandoori Chicken
I should say this as a best Tandoori Chicken south Indian recipe. I have been trying out lot of recipes for Tandoori Chicken, this turned out to be the best I have ever tasted.
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The initial marination and the second step marinations makes it very juicy and tasty to the core. Cooking it in the broiler pan in oven gave the best result.
Kadai Bhindi / Kadai Ladies Finger
Ladies finger cooked in the aroma of coriander seeds. I loved this recipe from Vahrehvah. I prepared this in N’s b’day party for a small crowd and it was a super hit. N likes anything prepared in Ladies Finger. He liked this and often bugs me to prepare this.
