Tamilnadu Delicacies

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Tamilnadu Delicacies Tamilnadu Delicacies

Topic started by Mrs.Mano (@ 195.229.241.234) on Sat Nov 23 03:55:19 .
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

Dear hubbers,
I am from Thanjavur in Tamilnadu eventhough I am residing in the middle East for the past 27 years. Thanjavur is famous for its filter coffee as Mayiladuthurai is famous for its masal vadai,Kumbakonam is known for its 'kothsu',chetti Nadu[Which consists of Karaikudi,pudhukkottai,sivakangai] is famous for its paniyarams,appams,chicken specials etc,thirunelveli is famous for its 'sothi kuzambu'and Madurai is famous for its briyanis.I really wish to bring out the specials of tamilnadu in this thread so that each and every hubber could be benefitied from it.I also wish to share the recipes from my collection with all of you. All the hubbers from various districts could share their precious recipes here.Here I really miss Mrs.Soma who shared her valuable recipes from rare vegetables. First I am starting with the 'tiffen varieties'.

AAPPAM[with boiled rice]
Ingredients needed:
Boiled rice-1/2 kilo
black gram-one handful,
fenugreek seeds-1sp
thich fresh curd-1/2 cup
one day old cooked rice-1 handful
enough salt to taste
Method:
soak the rice and the black gram with the f.seeds seperately for 8 to 12 hours.
Grind the black gram first and when the batter is soft enough add the cooked rice and the curd and grind it very smoothly.
Then grind the boiled rice seperately to a fine consistency.
Mix both batter very well and let it ferment for the whole night.
In the morning you can make fresh aappams.In the Thanjavur side the accompaniment will be vellappaagu and thick coconut milk.At the serving time we can pour first vellappaagu over the hot aappam and then pour coconut milk occording to our taste.Some people enjoy the aappams with mutton stew or vegetable thengaipaal korma.

Responses:

Old responses
From: Mrs.Mano (@ 213.42.2.8) on: Sun Nov 16 09:17:00 EST 2003

I am posting here some more kuzhambu varieties.:
MILAGU KUZHAMBU-III:
Soak a big lime-sized tamarind in water for 1 hour and then extract its thick juice. In a sp of gingelly oil, fry 2sp peppercorns, 1sp cumin seeds, 1/2sp fenugreek seeds and 5 red chillies to a golden brown color and then grind them with 5 garlic flakes, 1tbsp chopped coriander leaves, 1 spring curry leaves and 1sp chopped ginger to a fine paste. Heat a kadai and pour 4 or 5 tbsp gingelly il. When the oil becomes hot, add 1sp mustard seeds and when they splutter add ˝ cup of small onions and ˝ cup of tomatoes which are finely chopped. Cook them until they are well mashed and the oil comes on the surface. Now pour the tamarind extract with the ground masala, 1sp turmeric powder and enough salt. Let the kuzhambu simmer on a medium fire until it thickens.
VATHTHAL KUZHAMBU-III:
Soak a big lime-sized tamarind in water for 1 hour and then extract its thick juice. Heat a kadai and pour 4tbsp gingelly oil. When the oil becomes hot, add 1sp mustard seeds. When they splutter, add1sp black gram, 4 red chillies, and 1 spring curry leaves and fry well. Then add 1 cup of small onions and 4 slit green chillies. Fry for a few minutes and when the onions become soft, add a handful of mixed vathals like sundaikkai, avaraikkai, manaththakkaali, katharikkai etc. and fry for a few seconds. Pour the tamarind extract and add 2tsp chillipowder, 1sp turmeric powder, 4sp coriander powder and enough salt. Mix well. Let the kuzhambu simmer for sometime until it thickens fairly. Add Ľ cup of cooked thuar dal and 1tbsp chopped coriander leaves to the kuzhambu and mix well. Put off the fire.
From: Uma (@ 203.116.61.131) on: Mon Nov 17 02:21:49 EST 2003

Dear Mrs Mano,

Hi, want to know the recipe for the "Red Chutney" that they usually make in hotels for "Masala Dosai" to put in the middle.
pls let me know about the ingredients.
tks in adv.
uma
From: Sai (@ 206.67.208.252) on: Mon Nov 17 13:18:21 EST 2003

Thanks, Thanks and Thanks a lot Mrs. Mano... I will try this this week end and will let you know. I am going to try wheat gulgandh this thursday... Wish me luck... If I am successful in the vellaiappam venture... the first thing I will do is let my Mom know... She is also trying to make this for so many years without any luck (she is a fantastic cook).

Thanks once again,
Sai
From: Sai (@ 206.67.208.252) on: Mon Nov 17 13:29:21 EST 2003

Mrs. Mano,

Should I ferment the batter for Vellai appam or can I make the Vellai appams immediately I grind the batter?

Thanks,
Sai
From: Devi (@ cs17022-189.jam.rr.com) on: Mon Nov 17 14:59:15 EST 2003

Dear Mrs.Mano,
I want to know the recipe for NEER URUNDAI.I tasted it a few times but i am not getting the exact method.My mother used to make with cream of rice(arisi noi) some people make with rice flour.Give me the recipe for the one tastes good.
Thanks
Devi
From: Mrs.Mano (@ 213.42.2.8) on: Mon Nov 17 22:45:37 EST 2003

Dear Uma!
Here is the recipe for the red chutney which is used in Mysore masala dosa.
RED CHUTNEY:
Fry 3tbsp Bengal gram, 2tbsps black gram, 6 dry chillies in oil to LIGHT BROWN COLOUR. Grind them with a small gooseberry-sized tamarind, 5 peppercorns, 2tbsps shredded coconut, and 2tbsps chopped coriander leaves. Mix butter to the chutney in 8tbsps:50gms ratio.
From: Mrs.Mano (@ 213.42.2.8) on: Mon Nov 17 22:52:47 EST 2003

Hello Sai!
You can fry immediately the vellai appam after grindng the rice and the dal. Anyhow, it is better to keep the batter covered for half an hour before frying the vellaiappams. One thing I forgot to add-divide the batter into two portions. In one portion, add the soda bi carbonate, in another do not add this. Find out which one gives satisfaction to you.
From: uma (@ 203.116.61.131) on: Mon Nov 17 23:05:45 EST 2003

thanks a lot mrs mano for the recipe. i'll try out and let you know.
From: LT (@ dhcp-0-2-e3-5-ca-b1.cpe.townisp.com) on: Tue Nov 18 00:28:32 EST 2003

Hello Mrs.Mano,

Thanks for the chikki recipe. It was so easy to prepare. The result was good but not like the ones we get in store. I have a few doubts regarding the preparation of chikki. Firstly, my chikki did not harden all the through. I could cut it into pieces but it was not brittle. Secondly it tasted little sugary(I reduced the amount of sugar in the recipe in the ratio of 2:1). I also added almonds, cashew, raisins and dates(all that my son likes). Is this why it didn't harden ? Lastly, while making the caramel, sugar crystals started forming on the sides of the vessel, how do I avoid that?

Thanks.

P.S : We make Vellai Paniyaram in the ratio of 8:1 or in other words , just as much as(of Urad) the top of shaved cup of rice would hold. And I've never added baking soda to the batter (What does it do?) To improve the flavour , my mom adds one or two tablespoons of dalda to the oil. Adding a few spoons of milk improves the shape of the paniyaram
From: LT (@ dhcp-0-2-e3-5-ca-b1.cpe.townisp.com) on: Tue Nov 18 00:30:41 EST 2003

Could you please post a recipe for Vathal KUzhambu like the one prepared in SAravana Bhavan. This is really thick and very tasty. Thanks in advance.
From: Mrs.Mano (@ 213.42.2.8) on: Tue Nov 18 13:45:47 EST 2003

Hello LT!
As you have reduced the amount of sugar in the chikki preparation, there is not enough sugar to hold the chikki.tightly. For mixed nuts, you have to prepare it with nuts and sugar in the ratio of 1:1. When you begin to caramelize the sugar, you should be careful to prepare it in medium fire so that there will be no foaming at the sides of the pan. The sugar should not boil. Then the color will change and the taste will also change.
Regarding vellai appam- there are three or more varieties in preparing it. Some people add a little milk. Some people make it with raw rice and black gram in the ratio of 3: ˝ . It is a news to me that you are making the vellai appams in the ratio of 8:1. I want to know if they will be oily after they have been fried?
Secondly, I have never tasted the vathal kuzhambu which is being served in 'Saravana Bhavan'.
From: Mrs.Mano (@ 213.42.2.8) on: Tue Nov 18 13:56:02 EST 2003

Dear Devi!
Here is the recipe of NEER URUNDAI:
Soak 3 cups of raw rice with 1tbsp of thuar dal, and 1tbsp of Bengal gam in water for 2 hours and then grind them like dosa batter with enough salt. In a kadai, pour 3tbsp of gingelly oil and heat it. When the oil becomes hot, add 1sp mustard seeds and when they splutter, add 1sp split black gram, 5 red chillies, 2 spring curry leaves and 1sp of asafetida powder. Fry them for a few seconds. Then pour the batter and cook it until it leaves the sides of the pan and becomes a soft dough. The fire should be low. Then make small balls out of them and steam them in a steamer for 10 minutes.
From: LT (@ dhcp-0-2-e3-5-ca-b1.cpe.townisp.com) on: Wed Nov 19 01:07:51 EST 2003

Mrs.Mano,

Thanks for the reply. I guess I went wrong in the caramel part. And about the Vellai Paniyaram, it's usually very soft and as all deep fried dishes go, it's slightly oily. Sometimes they make it with red rice, and call it Sigaparisi Paniyaram...(I want to go home just to taste all this stuff)
From: Sai (@ 206.67.208.252) on: Thu Nov 20 16:46:27 EST 2003

Dear Mrs. Mano,

I made your Sambhar Sadham recipe and it came out excellent. The only thing I changed is I increased the number of red chillies as my husband likes his food HOT. (He is from Guntur, Andhra :o). He loved it.

Thanks for a wonderful recipe...

Will be making Wheat Gulkunch today... Will let you know tomorrow...

Thanks,
Sai
From: Sai (@ 206.67.208.252) on: Thu Nov 20 17:29:02 EST 2003

Dear LT,

In your vellai paniyaram recipe do you need to ferment it before making the paniyarams? As you are using very little ulundu and don't use soda, what is the softening agent? Will just grinding the rice gives that soft 'Panju' texture?

Thanks for sharing your knowledge,
Sai

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