This is a special side dish made on Pongal. For this only the following vegetables are used and these vegetables are a must. Ingredients: White pumpin - 100 gms Sweet Potato - 100 gms Yellow pumpkin - 100 gms Raw plantain - 1 no. Drumstick - 1 no. Avarai - 100 gms. Green Chilly - 2 nos Tamarind paste - 2 spoons Grated coconut - 1/2 cup Bengal gram - 2 tbs Coriander seeds - 4 tbsp Urad dal - 1 tbsp Red chillies - 8 to 12 nos Pea nut - 2 tbsp sesame seeds - 1 tbsp Curry Leaves - a few Fenu greek seeds - 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds - 1 tsp Gingely Oil - 2 tbsp Turmeric powder - 1 pinch Asafodeita - 1 pinch Salt to taste Method: Dry roast the sesame seeds separately till they splutter. When cool grind it separately and keep aside. Heat 1 tbsp of oil and fry the grated coconut separately. Heat another tbsp of oil and fry coriander seeds, bengal gram, peanut and 6 red chillies adding one by one. When they turn golden brown in colour remove and let it cool. Grind it along with the fried coconut. Cut all the vegetables into small cubes. Heat 2 cups of water in a shallow vessel. Add salt, turmeric powder, tamarind paste. Let it come to a boil and when the raw smell of the tamarind goes add the cut vegetables cover and reduce the flame. Let the vegetables get cooked soft. Add the ground paste and a cup of water. Mix thoroughly and bring it to a boil. Ensure that it doesnot settle at the bottom. Remove from flame. Temper mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, green chillies, remaining red chillies. Cut curry leaves and spread it on the thalatam. Pour the tempering on top of the curry leaves. Mix well and serve it with Ven Pongal on Pongal day. If this thalatham is left, the next day heat 2 to 3 tbsp of gingely oil and fry it well. Add the left over rasam, or kuzhambu or vathakuzhambu or koottu that is made on the next day. In olden days and also in villages, the kuzhambu is kept in a kalchatti and the flame keeps burning. It is had for 3 to 4 days. This is called as Ericha Kuzhambu and it tastes heavenly. This can be made as a sambar too by adding cooked thuvar dal. But if Thuvar Dal is added this need to be finished on the same day. |
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