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Four Easy Recipes of Chettinadu Cuisine

Kandharappam (Sweet Rice Cakes)

Appams are a staple in Chettiyar cuisine. Kandharappam is a delectable sweet offering guaranteed to tantalize the taste buds.

 

Ingredients

  1. Raw rice – 1 cup
  2. Boiled rice – 1 cup
  3. Urad dhal – ½ cup
  4. Fenugreek seeds – ½ tsp
  5. Jaggery – 2 ½ cups
  6. Coconut scrapings – 2 tbsp
  7. Oil – required amount
  8. Ghee – 2 tbsp

Method

  1. Wash and soak the raw rice, the boiled rice, the urad dhal and fenugreek together for 1 hour.
  2. Grind the mixture into a fine paste.
  3. Put the mixture in the saucepan and add the coconut scrapings, the jaggery and ¼ cup of water.
  4. Allow it to boil for 2 minutes until the jaggery dissolves.
  5. Strain the syrup directly onto the rice batter and mix well.
  6. Heat oil in a pan. When the oil is fairly hot, reduce the flame/heat and add a scoop of batter.
  7. Cook for 2 minutes, then turn it over and cook the other side for 2 minutes.
  8. Remove it from the pan and drain excess oil.
  9. Serve hot or cold according to preference.

Serves: 10 to 12 people

Vazhapoo Kuzhambu (Banana Flower Sambar)

This signature Chettinadu dish is simple to make and great to taste. The adaptable gravy absorbs any variety of vegetables you may want to mix in it but it tastes best when made with banana flowers.

 

Ingredients

  1. Banana flower – handful
  2. Bengal gram flour – ½ cup
  3. Rice flour – 1 tbsp
  4. Chilli powder – 2 ½ tsp
  5. Soda bicarbonate – 1 pinch
  6. Salt – to taste
  7. Oil – for frying
  8. Onion – 2
  9. Garlic – 2
  10. Tomato – 3
  11. Tamarind – 1 small ball
  12. Coriander powder – 1 tsp
  13. Cashew – 10
  14. Coconut – 1 tbsp
  15. Mustard – ½ tsp
  16. Aniseed – ¼ tbsp.
  17. Cumin Seeds – ¼ tbsp.
  18. Fenugreek – ¼ tsp
  19. Curry leaves – few
  20. Coriander – few

Method

  1. Clean, wash and steam the banana flower.
  2. Mix the Bengal gram flour, rice flour, soda bicarbonate, ½ tbsp of chilli powder and salt.
  3. Add water to the mix to make it into a thick batter.
  4. Heat oil in a small pan, dip the steamed banana flower into the batter and then deep fry in the oil. Drain excess oil and keep the fritters aside.
  5. Chop the onions, garlic and the tomatoes.
  6. Extract the pulp of the tamarind by using 2 ½ glasses of water.
  7. Heat 3 tbsp of oil in the pan and add mustard, aniseed, cumin seeds and fenugreek.
  8. Fry the onions and garlic then add the tomatoes and the salt.
  9. Fry the mix till it is cooked properly.
  10. Add 2 tsp of chilli powder and coriander powder and fry till the raw smell disappears.
  11. Pour the tamarind water in and let it boil for 10 minutes.
  12. Grind the coconut and the cashew together and add to the gravy. Allow it to boil for three minutes.
  13. Add the banana flower fritters to the gravy before serving and after switching off the stove.

Tip: always fry the garlic and the onions together.

 

Baby Corn and Mushroom Pirattal (Corn and Mushroom Curry)

This is a sleek variation of the Vegetable Pirattal in which mixed vegetables are tossed with freshly ground spices. The taste is enhanced when the vegetables are traded for baby corn and mushroom.

 

Ingredients

  1. Mushroom – 1 pack
  2. Baby Corn – 1 pack
  3. Onion – 2
  4. Tomato – 3
  5. Salt – to taste
  6. Curry Leaves – few

For the Masala – all must be ground together

  1. Coconut Scrapings – 2 tbsp
  2. Ginger – 1 piece
  3. Garlic – 5 flacks
  4. Chilli Powder – 2 tsp
  5. Fennel Seeds–1 tsp
  6. Cumin Seeds – ½ tsp
  7. Cinnamon, Clove, Cardamom – 1 each
  8. Oil – 4 tbsp

Method

  1. Remove the skin from the baby corn and cut into 1 inch pieces.
  2. Cut the mushroom into quarters.
  3. Chop the onions and tomatoes.
  4. Heal the oil in a pan and fry the onions.
  5. Add tomatoes and masala. Fry the mix until the raw smell leaves.
  6. Add the corn and salt, fry for 10 minutes.
  7. Finally, add the mushroom and the curry leaves. Fry for 10 minutes.
  8. Serve hot.

Vellai Paniyaram

Chettinadu cooking is incomplete without this traditional dish. Although it looks simple to make, making the perfect vellai paniyaram is an art to be mastered with practice.

 

Ingredients

  1. Raw Rice – 3 cups
  2. Urad Dhal – ½ cups
  3. Salt – to taste
  4. Oil – to fry
  5. Sugar – 1 tsp
  6. Milk – 1 tsp

Method

  1. Soak the rice and urad dhal for 1 hour.
  2. Wash and grind into a fine paste.
  3. Add salt, sugar, milk and enough water to get the consistency of dosa dough.
  4. Heat oil in a shallow pan.
  5. Add a scoop of batter into the oil, toss it and fry until it is cooked.
  6. Remove, and serve while hot.