Shakar Biranji

Recipe for Shakar Biranjai

Posted by Chef Swaminatha Sharma on 21/04/2020

One of the most authentic cuisine Tanore Marathas being served as dessert after the main course.  This is from the royal kitchen of the Maratha King's who used to have authentic dishes for their daily food.  Shakar Biranji is similar to Zarda Pulav, but this cuisine has Lentils aka Dal in preparation but without Saffrons and other spices added to it.  

Soak Raw rice 200 gms along with Channa Dal 15 gms and Moong Dal 15 gms for around 30 mints and add 500ml water and cook for 2 whistles.  Remove and keep aside.  In a kadai add 30ml ghee, add Cashews, raisins, Pistachios, etc and saute well, remove and keep aside.  Now again add 30 ml of Ghee, add the cooked rice, add 200gms of white sugar and keep cooking and see the cooked food is not soggy.  It takes min 20 to mins for the cooked rice is soft and dry.  Now in a separate pan, add 2 tsp ghee and add the chopped Dry coconut (Julienne cutting), saute well and add to the cooked rice.  Add the sauted dry fruites over it, sprinkle Elachi powder, mix well and serve as Dessert.  Your Shakar Biranji is ready.   

Serve with Joy  |  Serve with Pride.

Brinjal Dry Curry

Recipe for Brinjal Curry...

Get 2 nos of Big sized country brinjal.. Cut into 2 halves and remove the inner seeds.. You have outer shell and cut into large pieces.  Sprinkle salt, turmeric and aaharam red chilly powder, sprinkle few drops of water and mix well and keep aside for 15 mins.  In a tawa, add Oil, splutter mustard seeds, urud dal and channa dal.  Add curry leaves and add the mixed brinjal and simmer for 5 mins covering with a lid... Remove lid and mix well.  Add handful of grated coconut and saute in high flame.  Remove and serve hot with Curd Rice & Avial.  Goes yummy... 

Puthithulappam

Puthithulappam

A special medicinal value appam served during breakfast or dinner, made with Fresh Mint and Basil leaves. A traditional old dish almost forgotten from the interior villages of Karaikudi, Tirunelveli districts. Recipe will be updated in a day's time...

Recipe for Puthithulappam : Take 2 hand full of fresh mint leaves, 2 handful of Basil leaves. Add to mixer and grind to fine paste adding little water. Squeeze the liquid and mix in 1 glass of water and bring to boil, add required salt and 2 tsp of oil. Add this boiled liquid to Rice flour for making Idiyappam and cook in Cooker without whistle for 5 mins and serve hot.

Puli Maavu - புளி-மாவு

Recipe for Puli Maavu - புளி-மாவு

A signature dish from interior parts of Tanjore where its made for night tiffin or on Fasting days, which keeps our tummy full and keeps us energetic the whole day, due to the Tamarind + Rice combination. This Traditional Pulimaavu is given below.

Soak tamarind (lemon size), squeeze and add water to it. Add 1 tsp Turmeric powder and salt and mix well. In a bowl, add pure Raw Rice flour and add this tamarind mixture and make it to a rough dough. Keep aside for 30 mins. In a heavy bottom kadai, add Gingelly oil, splutter mustard seeds, urud dal, channa dal each 1 tsp, 1 red chilly, 1 arc of curry leaves and add the dough and make like upma. cook in medium flame. The bottom crust with gingelly oil tastes heaven. Your Puli-Maavu is ready. 

Serve with Joy Serve with Pride.

Poodu @ Garlic Kuzhambu

Poondu Kuzhambu - Garlic Kuzhambu

Posted by Chef Swaminatha Sharma on 18/08/2019

Soak 1 lemon sized tamarind for 30 mins in warm water, squeeze and keep aside.  To this add 1 tomato made to puree, 1 tsp of Aahraam's Red Chilly Powder, 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder, required qty of sea salt, 1/2w tsp of Aaharam's Asafoetida, mix well and keep ready. 

In a Kadai, add 75ml Gingelly oil, splutter mustard seeds, Fenugreek (Vendhayam), 1/2 tsp Urud dal and channa dal, 1 arc curry leaves, 1 green chilly, 2 red chillies, one by one.  Now add 20 to 25 pods of Garlic and saute well until Garlic turns its colour.  Now pour the Tamarind Mixture and bring to boil in medium flame for 5 to 7 mins.... Check the consistency of the Kuzhambu.  Once oil oozes out, remove and transfer to bowl.  Serve after 30 mins.

The taste of the Kuzhambu increases once its served after a day with plain steamed rice, served with Keerai Koottu or Fried Pappads.... 

Bittergaurd Kasakkal - பாகற்காய் கசக்கல்

Recipe for  - பாகற்காய் கசக்கல் Pagarkkai Kasakkal.

Recipe by Chef Swaminatha Sharma

This is a traditional dish from the Tanjore Belt, being served during dinner menu on the day of Marriage of our brahmin community.  This recipe has its own taste due to the crispyness and the besan flour coated on the bitter gaurd and goes yummy with any rice.  Especially, the taste lingers in the mouth when taken with Curd Rice along with Green Chilly Pachadi too... which is also served in dinner.  The traditional recipe is given below :

Peel the skin of Bitter guard... cut into small pieces of 1/4 inch size.  If possible.. mash with hand to pieces.. bring to boil in Tamarind water + Salt + Turmeric Powder... Drain water and keep ready.  In a wok, add Gingelly oil, splutter Mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida.  add the Bitter gaurd and saute well until water is fully drained.  Add Turmeric powder and chilly powder.  Once nearing crispyness, sprinkle besan flour over it and make it sure its crispy and dry.  Remove and drain excess oil.. Serve hot with Rice.  Your traditional Pagarkkai Kasakkal - பாகற்காய் கசக்கல் is ready. 

Green Chilli Pachadi

Green Chilli Pachadi....aka Milagaai Pachadi

Preparation time : 30 mins.  Serves 5 pax

Posted by : Chef Swaminatha Sharma on 01/08/2019

Slit 15 nos of Green chillies, remove the seeds and cut into 1 inch length wise.  Soak in water for 30 mins.  In a heavy bottom kadai, add large quantity of Gingelly Oil and once heated, drain the water & seeds from soaked chilly and drop in the oil.  See that oil does not splutter on you.  Saute well and once noise reduces, add 1 tsp turmeric powder, required sea salt and mix well.  Allow to cook in medium flame.  Once cooked, Pour tamarind juice over it and mix well.  Again cook in medium flame for 10 mins.  Now add a piece of sugar or according to your taste.  Remove and store in air tight jar.  This can be had for 15 or more days if properly refrigerated.  The taste lingers if it is taken with Curd Rice, Idly, Pongal and Dosa.  Give us your feedback please...

Pacha-Maa-Podi Upma - பச்சமாப்பொடி உப்புமா

Pacha-Maa-Podi Upma - பச்சமாப்பொடி உப்புமா

Yet an another traditional cuisine Pacha-Maa-Podi Upma - பச்சமாப்பொடி உப்புமா from our interior tamilnadu specially by our grannies, which is almost a forgotten one. Its another version of Mor-Koozh. The name itself denotes, its made of raw rice flour, but the aroma and taste lies with the Dahi Mirchi (Mor-Molagai) and Red chillies, added with Asafoetida, channa dal and curry leaves. The recipe is very simple and can be made in minutes time. 

Ingredients : Raw Rice Flour 1 cup, Thick / Sour Curd 1/2 cup, Salt to taste, Mo-Milagai 2nos, Red Chillies 2nos, Curry leaves 1 arc, Channa Dal 1 tsp, Mustard Seeds 1/2 tsp, Asafoetida 1/2 tsp, salt to taste and Oil 5 tsp.

Mix Rice flour with salt and sour curd into dough form and keep ready, In a Kadai, add 5 tsp of oil, splutter mustard seeds, challa dal, curry leaves, Asafoetida, Mor milagai and red chillies and add the rice dough and mix well. Keep on stirring in between so that the dough starts to crumbling and until you get the texture. Please note that the curst of the upma which form in the bottom of the kadai tastes so good. And see that its not burnt while cooking this upma.

This can be served either as Breafast / Evening snacks or for Dinner. Its very good in digestion and health factor too.

Ellu Thogayal - Sesame chutney

Ellu (Sesame) Thogayal 

Saute Ellu 4 tsp, urud dal 1 tsp, red chillies 4, Tamarind 1 nellikai size, garlic 2 pods, Oil 2 tsp, salt as required, one by one in kadai in oil and allow to cool.  Grind to thogayal consistency adding little water.  Serve with Ulunthu satham / Lemon rice / Coconut rice / Plain rice of your choice. 

Tirunelveli Ulunthu Satham - Urud Dhal Rice

Tirunelveli Ulunthu Satham.  

Here is the recipe  Soak 1 cup rice for about 20 mins and keep aside.  In a Cooker, add 2/12 cup water, add Jeera and Venthayam.  Once starts boiling, add 1/4 cup of Urud dal (with skin) and cook for 10 mins.  Now add Rice, required salt, grated coconut, curry leaves and sesame oil and pressure cook for 3 whistles and allow to cool.  Remove mix well and serve hot with Ellu chutney.

Coriander Chutney

Recipe for Coriander Chutney. 

Saute 3 cups of Coriander leaves and 4 leaves of Mint leaves in 2 tsp of oil and keep aside. In the same wok, add 2 tsp of oil and saute 1 tsp of Channa Dal and Urud Dal, 1 tsp of asafoetida, 2 red chillies, 1/2 tomato and rock salt until aroma arises. Switch off, and grind all in a mixer with little water and make it chutney. Temper Curry leaves, Mustard seeds and serve with your main dish. Yummy Coriander Chutney is ready.

Thavala Adai

Typical / Traditional brahmins Thavala-Adai Recipe

As per request posting recipe of Thavala-Adai. This recipe is very simple and most used in interior parts of Tanjore Delta from time immemorial, which simple and easy to make. Please note that the lingering taste of this Thavala Adai would be achieved only with Boiled rice and not with raw rice. 

Soak Puzhungal Arisi (Boiled Rice) and Kadalai Paruppu (Channa Dhal)  in the ratio 2:1 for 2 or 3 hours. After 3 hours, grind to a coarse paste as it should neither a batter of Idli / Dosa or Vadai.. it should be in between that. and keep aside. In a kadai add Gingelly oil or groundnut oil, splutter mustard seed, Red chillies according to your taste, urud dal, channa dal, asafoetida (hing) along with required salt and once finished.. .add grated coconut, just fry for a minute and add to the batter.. Mix well and in a deep bottom kadaai (Thavalai means Paanai or Kundaan, which means a curve bottomed) or in Vaanali, add oil and once heated, pour 2 karandi of the batter and cover with a lid and cook in medium flame.. once cooked, turn over and cook other side by adding oil again according to your requirement.

Once both sides are cooked, Special / Traditonal Thavala-Adai is ready to serve with a hot / spicy chutney of your choice.....

Raw Tamarind Chutney

Recipe for Puliyangai Thogayal. 
(As requested)

1 cup of Puliyangai (Remove skin and seeds), Urud dal, 1/4 cup, Channa dal 2 tsp, Red chillies 4 nos (Or more according to your spicy level, Grated coconut 2 tsp, Garlic 5 pods, salt and Oil as required.

In a kadai add oil, temper urud dal, channa dal, red chilly, garlic one by one. Add puliyangai and Coconut and saute well. Remove, add salt, allow to cool and grind in mixer as Thogayal adding little water. Temper with Mustard seed and curry leaves and serve with Plain rice.

Milagannam - மிளகாணம்

"மிளகாணம்" - என்கிற கறிவேப்பிலைக் குழம்பு நாக்குக்கு ருசியைக் கூட்டும். இரும்புச்சத்து கொண்டது. இதைச் சூடான சாதத்தில் போட்டுப் பிசைந்து சாப்பிட்டால் சுவையும், மணமும் அசத்தும். இதை நல்லெண்ணெய் சேர்த்துச் சாப்பிட்டால் வயிற்றுப்புண் ஆறும். ஜீரண சக்தி பெருகும். நோய் எதிர்ப்பு சக்தி உண்டாகும். பார்வைத்திறன் அதிகரிக்கும். பித்தம் குறையும். Milagannam - the traditional Kuzhambu is good for health which tastes good and cleanses stomach, increases metabolism and eye sight, reduces Piththa and cures stomach ulcers when taken with Gingelly Oil. Taste would awesome.

RECIPE FOR MILAGAANNAM @ CURRY LEAVES KUZHAMBU

In a kadai add gingelly oil, saute pepper, jeera and 2 handful of curry leaves.  Grind this in a mixer to fine paste.  In a kadai, add gingelly oil 3 tsp, add asafoetida, mustard seeds and allow to temper.  Now add 2 red chillies to it and 2 or 3 pieces of drumstick (optional) and add Tamarind paste and bring to boil to thick consistency.  Now add the grinded paste to it and bring to boil again.  Remove from flame and serve hot with plain / steamed Rice.

Ennai Kathirikkai - Brinjal Gravy

Ennai Katharikkai
No onion and No Garlic Recipe

Slit 10 nos of small size Brinjals and keep ready.  Soak tamarind and get thick juice around 3 tsp.  In a kadai, add oil, and saute Channa Dal, Urud Dal, Red Chilly, Asafoetida, Dhaniya, and grated coconut 3 tsp allow to cool and grind to paste and keep ready.  Also saute 2 tomatoes in kadai, allow to cool and make puree.  
In a kadai, add more Gingelly oil, add the tomato puree, add slitted brinjal and cook for 3 minutes.  Now add the grinded paste, add turmeric powder and salt and mix well.  Allow to cook again for 2 mins.  Now add the tamarind juice, curry leaves and check the consistency.  Once oil oozes out from the sides, switch off and serve hot with Steamed Ponni Rice.  
Serve with Pride | Serve with Joy.

Vella Surulappam

Video recipe on Vella Surulappam
A traditional Tanjore Cusine served in many houses made with Raw Rice, Milk, Jaggery and Coconut.  Please share this video to those who loves Tanjore / Traditional Cuisines.

Village Karakuzhambu - கிராமத்து காரக்குழம்பு.

Posted by Swaminatha Sharma

Posted on 27/01/2018

A Typical karakuzhambu among the interior villages around Trich, Karur, Vaathalai, area, is made of special method with Brinjal. Are you aware of this members ?.. The flavor is arrived with the mixing of right proportion of the home-made powders and then its brought to cooking with Brinjal..  Here goes the typical recipe of Village Kara-Kuzhambu. கிராமத்து காரக்குழம்பு.

Soak lemon size tamarind in Warm water for 20 mins, extract juice and filter it. To this add 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder, 1 tsp Red Chilly Powder and 1 tsp Coriander Powder, mix well and keep ready. In a Iron Satti (Vaanali), add 1/2 tsp of oil, temper mustard Seeds, Jeera, Curry leaves, Methi seeds, a pinch of Asafoetida and saute well. To this add Chopped Brinjal (2 inch size) and saute well. Add now 5 tsp of Gingelly oil and mix well. Once brinjal is cooked, add the Tamarind Juice and bring to boil in medium flame for about 10 to 20 mins. After 5 mins of boiling, add Kal-Uppu and mix well and cover with a lid until all are cooked. Remove the lid and mix well. You can see, oil starts oozing out on the top. Switch off flame and your Typical / Authentic Village style No-Onion / No-Garlic Village Kaara-Kuzhambu is ready.

Note : In villages, Cooked mochai seeds are added along with Brinjal. Some people add Kaaramani Payaru too. Some people make with Muthina Paagarkai + Mochai Kaarakuzhambu. It all depends on the vegetable available and the taste one requires to make this Village Karakuzhambu.

Village Karakuzhambu - கிராமத்து காரக்குழம்பு.
Posted by Swaminatha Sharma on 27/01/2018

A Typical karakuzhambu among the interior villages around Trich, Karur, Vaathalai, area, is made of special method with Brinjal. Are you aware of this members ?.. The flavor is arrived with the mixing of right proportion of the home-made powders and then its brought to cooking with Brinjal..  Here goes the typical recipe of Village Kara-Kuzhambu. கிராமத்து காரக்குழம்பு.

Soak lemon size tamarind in Warm water for 20 mins, extract juice and filter it. To this add 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder, 1 tsp Red Chilly Powder and 1 tsp Coriander Powder, mix well and keep ready. In a Iron Satti (Vaanali), add 1/2 tsp of oil, temper mustard Seeds, Jeera, Curry leaves, Methi seeds, a pinch of Asafoetida and saute well. To this add Chopped Brinjal (2 inch size) and saute well. Add now 5 tsp of Gingelly oil and mix well. Once brinjal is cooked, add the Tamarind Juice and bring to boil in medium flame for about 10 to 20 mins. After 5 mins of boiling, add Kal-Uppu and mix well and cover with a lid until all are cooked. Remove the lid and mix well. You can see, oil starts oozing out on the top. Switch off flame and your Typical / Authentic Village style No-Onion / No-Garlic Village Kaara-Kuzhambu is ready.


Note : In villages, Cooked mochai seeds are added along with Brinjal. Some people add Kaaramani Payaru too. Some people make with Muthina Paagarkai + Mochai Kaarakuzhambu. It all depends on the vegetable available and the taste one requires to make this Village Karakuzhambu.

Thirukarthigai Vadai - திருக்கார்த்திகை வடை

Anent to my post on Thirukarthigai Vadai - திருக்கார்த்திகை வடை 

As the name itself reveals, that this special vadai is made only on  Karthigai deepam and is famous between Vaathimals, in  Thiruvannamalai, North Arcot and Kanchipuram districts.  This Karthigai vadai is made of Urud Dal with Skin and hence it has its own  taste and aroma.  Since this Vadai takes more than normal time in prepration, the practise of making this Special Vadai has slowly come down and instead, people started making of Adai with some changes in the ingredients and method.  This change has been seen for the past 20 to 30 years only.. Previously, this Vadai was made in Banana leaves and served in banana leaves, very hot.  The chemical reaction when hot food is placed in banana leaves, makes a good change in our health system.  Once can see that this recipe does not contain Pepper or Jeera.  Only Ginger, Green chilly and Asafoetida is used and offered as Neivedhyam to God.  Today let us see how to make this Special / Authentic / Traditional Thirukarthigak Adai.  I got this recipe from a Maami from Tanjore who hails from TVmalai Dist and setted in Tanjore for more than 5 decades who is 80+ now.

Ingredients required : Whole Urud dhal 200 gms, Channa Dal 50 gms, and Paasi Paruppu 50 gms.  Ginger a big size.  Green chilly 5 to 7 nos or extra according to your spicy level.  (Normally 5 to 6 would be good enough for spicy level.  Else the taste of the ginger would be lowered, and one would find difficult to eat with much spicy level)  Curry leaves, Chopped corianders leaves, 2 tsp of Aaharam Asafoetida, Salt as required Oil for deep fry.

Preparation Method as given by Granny :  Soak Urud dal for 4 hours with skin.  Drain water, so that half the skin are removed and other half skins are retained.  Grind this after 8 hours with 3 green chillies, and 1/2 ginger asafoetida, salt without adding water to a coarse paste.  Keep ready.  Just 2 hours before grinding... Soak Channa dal and Paasi paruppu for 1 and half hours, drain water, spread on a white cloth and drain excess water.  Now add this dals to the grinded batter, add remaining chilly finely chopped, remaining ginger, again finly chopped, add salt if required, chopped curry leaves and chopped coriander leaves and mix well with hand only.  

In a wok, add Oil and bring to heat.  Take a ball size batter, make it into vadai shape in Banana leaf, make a hole in the middle and dip in the oil.  Let the flame be in medium.  Turn around in constant intervals so that Vadai's are cooked well.  If you want, you can poke the vadai with a skewer so that all the interiors are well cooked.  Normally it takes 15 to 20 mins for cooking in medium flame, so that the vadai turns very crispy outer and inner batter is well cooked.  Remove from flame and serve in Banana leaves only.

Your special / authentic / traditional Thiru-Karthigai Vadai is ready.

Serve with Joy / Serve with Pride.

தடியங்காய் - (White Pumpkin) Puli Curry

தடியங்காய் வைத்து புளி கறி

Thadiyangaai (White Pumpkin) Puli Curry

Recipe by Chef Swaminatha Sharma

Posted on 03/01/2018

Let us see today learn about this traditional Recipe almost in between the costal region from Tanjore to Ramnad. This is also very famous in Tirunelveli and border districts of Tamilnadu and Kerala, where Pumpkin and Parangikaai is mostly used. This recipe is based with shallots, and hence those who do not like, it can stay away. The main vegetable used is Brinjal / Drumstick alongwith White Pumpkin (Which has a big story behind this recipe in coloquial language) A traditional recipe, which goes very tasty with dry potato fry.

Ingredients : Pusanikkai / Brinjal / Drumstic - 1 Cup, Tamarind Water 100 ml, Grated Coconut 1 tablespoon, Red chillies as per spicy level, Shallots 50 gms(Finely chopped), Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp, Salt as required, Coconut oil 30ml, mustard seeds 1 tsp, curry leaves 1 arc.

Preparation Method : Boil the vegetables in water and keep aside. Grind to paste - Coconut, red chillies, shallots and turmeric powder and keep ready. In a kadai add coconut oil, temper mustard seeds and 2 tsp of finely chopped shallots, curry leaves. Add tamarind water, boiled veggies, grinded paste and salt as required. Once the froath starts coming out, switch off flame and seve hot with rice along with Dry Potato Curry.

Your traditional / Authentic / Typical Thadiyangai Puli Curry is ready.

Serve with Joy / Serve with pride.

Kunukku

Recipe : Traditional Kunukku.

Soak 100 gms each : Boiled rice, Thuvaramparuppu, Kadalai-Paruppu and Payatham-paruppu for 3 hours. Coarse grind with 4 nos Red Chilly, Aaharam Asafoetida and Kal-Uppu. In that add half chopped curry leaves and mix well. Heat oil and make round shaped Kunukku with hand. Deep fry always in medium flame, until cooked inside. Serve hot with Ginger Tea / Aaharam Filter Coffee.