Neetu's Cooking Blog: south indian cuisine

Showing posts with label south indian cuisine. Show all posts

RAW TAMARIND THOKKU/ CHINTAKAYA THOKKU

Tamarind thokku is a mouthwatering preparation similar to the pickles. Thokku is also referred to as chutney or pachadi.

This is a very old recipe of thokku which comes from my nanima, who belonged to Andhra. Thokku rice has always lit up my mood, especially when mom fed me with her hands. I think that added to the taste and made it much tastier.

First the base for thokku is prepared with raw green tamarind, salt and turmeric powder. Then as per the requirement the thokku is removed in a bowl and tempered. This is grinded to a coarse paste. Water should not be added to it. The tempered thokku can be stored for one to two months in the refrigerator.

Thokku has a good shelf life, it can be stored for over a year. As a child I remember thokku pounding used to be a big affair involving all the females and kids of the house. Washing, cleaning and then pounding the tamarind with turmeric and salt.

Choose green, big, fuller and hard variety of green tamarind. Discard the flat ones and the ones which have started to ripen. Such tamarinds are available in the market around the month of October and November.

Use ceramic achaar barni or jar only to store the thokku. Wash the jar thoroughly. Then sundry it. Also remember to cool the jars to room temperature. Do not put the thokku in a warm jar.

I have used sea salt in this recipe. Table salt can also be used. The number of green chillies may seem too much. The pungency of green chillies balance the sourness of tamarind. The amount of green chillies can be adjusted according to their pungency.

Recipe for Raw tamarind thokku

Ingredients for Raw tamarind thokku

1 kg raw tamarind
2 tbsp turmeric powder
250 gms sea salt or table salt

For tempering

¼ cup oil
1 tbsp mustard seeds or rai
½ tsp fenugreek or methi seeds
¼ tsp asafetida or heeng
12 to 15 green chillies

How to make

Firstly wash and dry the tamarind in shade.

Separate the flat and small size tamarinds. Remove the dried stems.

Cut the tamarind into one inch pieces. Check the pieces from inside for any dark patches, discard it.

If the seeds are hard remove them.

Pound the tamarind in small batches. Gradually keep adding the salt and turmeric while pounding in batches.

Transfer the pounded thokku to a clean and dry jar. Keep in a cool dry place for a week.

For preparing the thokku, remove the required quantity in a bowl.

Heat oil. Roughly break the chillies in two or three pieces. Fry it in oil for a minute. Remove and keep aside.

In the same oil add methi seeds, rai and heeng. As the rai splutters remove from heat.

First grind the green chillies.

Then add the thokku and seasoning to it. Grind without adding water to get a coarse paste.

Serve it over steamed rice and a spoonful of ghee or oil.

RAW TAMARIND PACHADI/ CHUTNEY

Raw tamarinds are available in market in the months of October or November. During this time a number of delicacies are prepared with raw tamarind like tamarind pickle, tamarind thokku, tamarind dal and so on.

This recipe is simple and flavourful. It tastes wonderful with plain steamed rice and pappadums. It can also be enjoyed with yellow dal and chawal or with chapatti.

Recipe for Raw tamarind pachadi

Ingredients for Raw tamarind pachadi

1 cup raw tamarind (cut into 1 inch pieces and deseeded)
10 dry red chillies
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
10 cloves garlic
10 to 15 curry leaves
½ cup oil
Salt to taste

How to make

Heat oil in a kadai or skillet. Add mustard and fenugreek seeds.

As the mustard seeds begin to splutter, add curry leaves and red chillies.

Add in the garlic cloves. Saute for a minute. Remove from heat.

Transfer the above ingredients to a chutney jar (leave some oil in the kadai). Let it cool for some time.

In the same kadai, saute the raw tamarind pieces for 5 to 6 minutes on medium heat or until soft. Let it cool for some time.

Dry grind the ingredients in the chutney jar.

Now add the tamarind and salt. Grind it further to get a coarse textured chutney. Do not add water.

Transfer to an airtight container.

MURREL FISH CURRY/ CHAPALA PULUSU

Murrel fish or snake head fish is extensively used in southern and south-east Asian countries. In India it is popular in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra and Bengal. Murrel fish is called murrel in Marathi, koramenu in Telgu and shol in Bengali.

Murrel fish curry with ragi muddi is an awesome combination from the Andhra cuisine.

This tangy curry, simply tingles your taste buds. The preparation doesn’t take much time.

My Nanima, who belonged to Nellore used to prepare this curry in an earthen pot which added to the taste. She used til or sesame oil for this curry. I am a proud inherent of this recipe. Every vacation I get to relish this curry prepared by Maa. Lucky me!

Recipe for Murrel fish curry

Ingredients for Murrel fish curry

6 pieces murrel fish
1 cup or 2 medium sized onions (roughly chopped)
¼ cup fresh coconut (grated)
½ cup tamarind pulp
10 cloves garlic
1 medium sized tomato (roughly chopped)
1 ½ tsp red chilli powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp mustard seeds10 curry leaves
¼ cup oil

How to make

Toss the fish pieces in ¼ tsp turmeric powder and some salty. Keep aside for 10 minutes. Wash the fish pieces to get rid of the excess turmeric and salt.

Make a fine masala paste of onions, coconut and garlic.

Heat oil in a kadai or skillet. Add mustard seeds and curry leaves.

As mustard seeds begin to crackle, put in the tomatoes. Cook for 2 minutes or until tomato softens.

Now add in the masala paste along with chilli powder, turmeric powder and 2 cups of water.

Add in the tamarind pulp and salt at the same time.

Taste the curry for salt and spices. Adjust the taste and consistency of the curry at this stage only.

Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes or until oil floats on the surface.

Gently slip in the pieces in the curry. Give it a gentle stir. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes.

Serve with raggi muddi or plain steamed rice.

ALLAM BALLAM PACHADI/ ADRAK CHUTNEY

Andhra cuisine has a wide variety of pachadis or chutneys to offer. One such pachadi is the allam bellam pachadi. Allam means ginger or adhrak and bellam means jaggery.

On our trips to Shirdi, one thing we never missed to log was the Andhra meals. On one of such trips I had this chutney for the first time and got hooked on to it since then.

Allam bellam pachadi is a simple chutney made from ginger, tamarind and jaggery. This quick recipe will surely add some wonderful flavour to your lunch thali.

Recipe for Allam bellam pachadi

Ingredients for Allam bellam pachadi

50 gms ginger
25 gms or a lemon size ball of tamarind
30 gms jaggery
1 tsp chana dal or Bengal gram
1 tsp urad dal or husked black gram
5 dry red chillies
Salt to taste
2 tbsp oil

How to make

Soak tamarind in a cup of water . Keep aside.

Saute chana dal in mediun hot oil for a minute.

Add urad dal and saute till both the dals start changing their colour to golden.

Add the red chillies, immediately remove from heat as chillies tend to burn fast. Transfer these ingredients to a chutney jar, leaving some oil in the kadai.

Now saute the ginger pieces till they turn light pink in colour. This will take 5 to 7 minutes. Let it cool for some time.

First dry grind the ingredients in the jar.

Add ginger and grind again. Do not add water at this stage.

Add the soaked tamarind and jaggery. Give it a nice pulse. If required add little water.

Serve allam pachadi with dosa, idly, pessarittu or vada.

NAVANAKKI HOLIGE

Navanakki or foxtail millet is one of the oldest millets known. It is a staple in south India, especially Karnataka. Variety of dishes like payasam, upma, dosa are prepared with navanakki.

Navanakki holige is similar to puran poli from Maharashtra. It is a parantha made from whole wheat flour or all purpose flour, stuffed with navanakki and jaggery filling, rolled and baked on griddle (tava) or deep fried.

Traditionally this sweet is prepared on special occasions and festivals.