Chettinad Malli Thokku/Coriander Pickled Chutney

Malli Thokku/Coriander pickled chutney is my mother’s special Recipe, very popular in Chettinad.  It’s an all time favorite for all of us.  It goes very well with Idli, Dosa, Uthappam and Curd Rice.  It’s best suited for travel, either taken with Idli or Curd Rice. (Rice with Yoghurt)

Malli thokku stays fresh in room temperature for about 2 to 3 days, after which you have to refrigerate.  For that, you have to cook the ground chutney in low heat for 15 to 20 minutes in low heat, until all the water content evaporates.

Ingredients:

Malli Thazhai/Fresh Coriander leaves – 2 to 3 large bunches

Chinna Vengayam/Small Onion/Shallots – 25 to 30

Vellapoondu/Garlic Cloves – 15 to 20

Green Chilli – 15 to 20

Puli/Tamarind Pulp – lemon sized ball/1 tbsp.

Salt – to taste.

Tempering Ingredients:

Kadugu/Mustard Seeds – ½ tsp.

Perungayam/Asafetida – 1/2 tsp.

Oil – 2 t0 3 tbsp.

Ground paste!

All the water content evaporated..

  

Method:

Rinse the Coriander leaves/Malli thazhai thoroughly and chop roughly.  Peel small and onion and garlic.  In a pan/Kadai pour 2 tsp. oil; add Kadugu/Mustard seeds and Perungayam/Asafetida roast well.  Add small Onion and garlic cloves, sauté for few minutes until golden brown. Toss the green chillies and coriander leaves/malli thazhai.  Add salt and cook for few more minutes.  Allow it to cool, before you grind it to a fine paste.

In a pan/Kadai, add 2 to 3 tbsp. of oil and gently transfer the ground paste, cook in high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, keep stirring. Then reduce the flame and cook in low heat for 15 to 20 minutes. 

Delicious Malli Thokku/Coriander Pickled Chutney is ready.

With Idlis!

Vanjira Meen Milagu Varuval/Seer Fish Pepper Fry

 

 

This is a common variety of fish, most of the people like.  It has fewer bones, so suitable for feeding children.  It involves shallow frying which consumes much lesser oil compared to deep fry.  I prefer to use non-stick pan/tawa,

Ingredients:

Vanjira Meen/Seer Fish – ½ kg.

Lime – 3 to 4

 

 

 

Masala ingredients:

Milagu thool/Ground Black Pepper Powder – 2 tsp.

Seeraga thool/Cumin Powder – 2 tsp.

Red Chilly Powder – 1 tsp.

Turmeric Powder – 1 tsp.

Poondu/Garlic cloves – 6

Chinna Vengayam/Small Onions – 4 to 5

Thayir/Natural Yoghurt/Curd – 2 tsp.

Salt – to taste

Curry leaves – few

 

 

 

 

 

can cut into small pieces as you cook.. (optional)

 

 

 

 

Method:

Rinse thinly sliced Vanjira meen /Seer fish, rub some turmeric powder and pour juice of 1 or 2 limes.  Set aside for 10 to 15 minutes.  Wash thoroughly and it is ready to coat masala.

In the meantime, in a blender grind the small onions and garlic with little water if needed.

Combine all the masala ingredients including salt; coat this masala over the fish and set aside to marinade. Adding Thayir/Yoghurt will give a nice tangy flavor.  Toss some curry leaves and mix well. Let the fish rest at least for 15 to 30 minutes.  Ideally you can leave the marinade for an hour or two, so that the masala gets absorbed by the fish.

Now it ready to fry.  Add 1 to 2 tsp. of cooking oil, gently transfer the fish in a non-stick tawa/pan and fry for few minutes, turn over and cook for another few minutes. Cooking in low-medium heat will ensure that it’s cooked well.

Do not over-cook the fish; otherwise it will turn hard and rubbery.

Sprinkle few drops of lime juice over the fish and serve hot.

 

Idli Dosai Podi/Poondu Karuveppilai Podi/Spice Chutney Powder with Garlic and Curry leaves

Poondu Karuveppilai Podi/Spice Chutney Powder

 

This is my Mother’s special recipe; it’s very popular among her friends and relatives.

My Mother-in-law also does similar podi, but ingredients slightly differ, I combined the best of both and came out with this particular recipe, which has become our family’s favorite now.

 

Ulundu/Black gram/Urad dhal!

 

Curry leaves!

 

Vara Milagai/Dry red Chilly!

 

Ingredients:

Ulundu/Black gram/Urad dhal – 1 Cup

Vellai Ellu/White Sesame seeds – ½ Cup

Vara Milagai/Dry red Chilly– 1 and ½ Cups (if you want it less spicy, make it 1 Cup)

Garlic Cloves – 20 to 25

Curry leaves – ½ Cup

Perungayam/Asafetida - 1 tsp.

Salt – to taste

Gingelly Oil – 1 tbsp.

 

Roasted well!

 

Golden brown..

 

 

Ready to grind..

 

 

 

 

 

Method:

Dry roast Ulundu/Black gram and Vellai ellu/Sesame seeds, separately until golden brown, it will emanate a wonderful flavor as it get roasted.

Pour 1 teaspoon of oil in a pan and sauté the garlic cloves until golden brown.  Now, pour another teaspoon of oil and sauté the dry red chillies for few seconds, until it turns warm, not more than that, unless it will burn.

Dry roast the curry leaves until it becomes crispy.

Dry roast Perungayam/Asafetida and salt. Let all the ingredients cool for at least 20 to 30 minutes.

Now grind all the ingredients together in a mixer/blender.  Avoid grinding too much; the texture should be slightly coarse.

Spread it in a large plate and pour the gingelly oil and mix well.  Let it rest for a while, before you store it in an air-tight container.

Poondu/Karuveppilai Podi/ Spice Chutney Powder with Garlic and Curry leaves is a perfect combination for Idli/Dosa. Always serve with Gingelly Oil or Melted Ghee!

 

 

With Gingelly Oil and Soft Idlis!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brown Rice Delight – Indian Style

 

Fulfilling Meal!

Brown rice, as you all know, is rich in nutrients, esp. as it contains Vitamin D and Magnesium it’s good for bones. (Magnesium is said to build the density of bones.)  It’s also rich in dietary fibre.  As a whole grain it prevents weight gain, it gives a fullness too soon, which helps us refrain from over-eating.

 

 

How to cook Brown Rice?

I tried few types of brown rice, including Brown Basmathi rice, before settling down to 

Organic, 'Harvest Hom Mali Rice’.  It’s perfect in every way.

I found brown basmathi very chunky and less palatable.

Ingredients and Method:

Brown Rice – 1 Cup

Water – 2 Cups

Salt – ½ tsp.

 

Wash and soak brown rice for half-an hour, soaking helps lessen the cooking time, since brown rice take longer time to cook. Almost double or even triple the time we cook normal rice. (There have been times, when I cook without soaking, it takes little longer, but whenever possible I soak for 30 minutes)

Use double the amount of water to rice, if 1 cup of rice, 2 cups of water, you can use the soaking water to cook, need not drain. If we use more water than this ratio, it will turn out to be something like under-cooked porridge. 

In a pressure cooker, cook for at least 15 to 20 minutes in medium-low heat. Once the pressure is released, you can check for the done-ness and if needed cook again.

 

Accompaniments:

As far as I have tried, more than the usual Sambhar, rasam and curd/yoghurt, brown rice goes well with ‘Puzhi Kuzhambu’ or tamarind based thick gravies. Even the egg gravy/Muttai kuzhambu makes perfect combination. Other suggested curries are Kathirikkai/Brinjal Kuzhambu, Karunaikizhangu/Yam Kuzhambu, Vellapoodu-vengayam/Garlic-Onion Kuzhambu, to name a few.

  

 

Karunaikizhangu/Yam gravy!

Parangikkai/Pumpkin Puzhi Kuahambu!

Muttai/Egg Kuzhambu!

Kathirikkai/Brinjal Kuzhambu!

 

 

You can click the following link, for some of the above mentioned recipes:

 http://singaporechettinadrecipes.blogspot.sg/search/label/Gravy%20Varieties%20for%20Lunch%2FRice

 

Once a while, for a change I cook Brown rice, my elder one started liking it, my younger ones are slowly accommodating.  We need not force the kids; they will acquire the taste in course of time.