The tradition of cooking in mud pots is followed for centuries in Southern Indian cuisine. It is widely believed that the dishes cooked in earthen ware have a distinct flavor to it. The controlled temperature and the very inhibit flavor that is imparted by these cook ware are the primary reasons for the unique flavors. This method of cooking is not only practiced in South Indian cuisine but also in the North Indian, African and Central Asian cuisines.
Some of the famous South Indian Mud pot delicacies are listed below
NETHOLI MAANGA CURRY: (White bait and raw mango curry)
NO OF PORTIONS-4
This fish curry is native to Kerala and popular in the Travancore regions. It is a tangy fish curry made by simmering the fresh white bait fish with raw mango and a ground spice mix.
INGREDIENTS
- Nethilli (white bait) 400 gm
- Coconut grated 70 gm
- Raw Mango cubes 35 gm
- Dry round chilly 3 no
- Shallots 150 gm
- Green chilly 4 no
- Curry leaves 5 gm
- Ginger 15 gm
- Turmeric powder 3 gm
- Salt To taste
METHOD
- Wash and clean the Nethilli fish and set aside. The yield after cleaning would be around 250gms.
- To the grated coconut, add the dry round chilly, 25 gm of shallots, 3 curry leaves and grind it to a coarse paste.
- Wash and clean the ginger and cut into julienne
- In a wide mouthed mud cooking pot, heat some coconut oil. Add the sliced shallots and sauté’ well. Combine the ginger juliennes, green chilli and cook well.
- Add the cut mango cubes and sauté further till the mango begins to mash.
- Add the ground spice mixture to the mud pot and mix well.
- Sprinkle salt and turmeric powder and cook well. Add water and simmer.
- Add the fish and curry leaves. Cook till the fish is completely done.
- Remove from the flame and serve hot with the hot steamed rice.
KAPPA VATTICHADHU: (Simmered tapioca curry)
NO OF PORTIONS – 4
This is the vegetarian version of the classical Meen Vattichadhu (fish vattichadhu) is prepared by simmering tapioca in a tamarind and chilly reduction.
Ingredients
- Tapioca 500gm
- Shallots 75gm
- Ginger 30gm
- Garlic 30gm
- Chilli powder 60gm
- Turmeric powder 15gm
- Salt To taste
- Coconut oil 40ml
- Kodampuli 4 no
- Mustard seeds 5gm
- Fenugreek seeds 3gm
- Curry leaves 5gm
METHOD
- Wash and peel the tapioca and boil it with some salt and turmeric.
- When the tapioca is completely cooked, strain it and set aside.
- Soak the kodampuli (Gamboog) in warm water.
- Heat an earthen pot over a slow flame, add the coconut oil and combine the sliced shallots.
- Add the ginger juliennes and chopped garlic and sauté further.
- Add the chilli powder and turmeric powder, pour some water and mix well. Cook till the oil separates and the mixture turns dark red.
- Now add the Kodampuli and some more water. Sprinkle salt and simmer the gravy.
- Now add the boiled tapioca and some curry leaves, let it cook till the gravy reduces to a thick reduction.
- In a separate pan heat some coconut oil and crackle mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds, combine some curry leaves to the tempering and top it up over the gravy.
- Serve hot with red rice.
NAATU KOZHI KOZHAMBU: (Country chicken simmered with rustic spices in a flavourful curry) NO OF PORTIONS-4
Ingredients
- Country chicken 500gm
- Shallot 150gm
- Tomato Chopped 80gm
- Green chilly 5gm
- Chilli powder 30gm
- Coriander powder 25gm
- Turmeric powder 5gm
- Ginger garlic paste 50gm
- Curry leaves 7gm
- Coriander leaves chopped 10gm
- Kalpasi` ( black stone flower) 5gm
- Black pepper 10gm
- Cinnamon stick 2gm
- Salt To taste
- Sun Flower oil 120ml
Method
- Wash and clean the country chicken, strain the chicken and marinate with turmeric powder.
- Dry roast kalpasi, black pepper and cinnamon and grind it to a smooth paste.
- Heat oil in a mud cooking pot, add the sliced shallots and cook till it turns slight brown.
- Now combine the ginger garlic paste and green chilli and cook till the mixture turns golden brown.
- Now add the chopped tomatoes and cook well.
- When the tomatoes are half cooked, add the ground spice mix. Add water and simmer till the raw flavor disappears.
- Now add the chilli powder, coriander powder and salt and cook further.
- Combine the country chicken and cook well.
- Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves and check seasoning.
- Serve hot with ponni rice.
NAATUKKAI ERAL KOZHAMBU: (Prawn cooked with country vegetables)
NO OF PORTIONS-4
INGREDIENTS
- Prawn(25-30 per kg) 1000gm
- Shallots 400gm
- Tomato 600gm
- Ginger garlic paste 80gm
- Green chilly 30gm
- Red chilly powder 60gm
- Coriander powder 50gm
- Turmeric powder 25gm
- Tamarind pulp 50ml
- Refined sunflower oil 150ml
- Salt To taste
- Mustard seeds 3gm
- Fenugreek seeds 2gm
- Curry leaves 10no
- Chopped coriander 5gm
- Drumsticks 2no
- Chow chow cut in cubes 30gm
- Broad beans 25gm
METHOD
- Wash and clean the prawns and set aside
- Make a puree of tomato and strain it. Keep it separate.
- Heat oil in a mud cooking vessel. Add sliced shallots and sauté.
- When the shallots begin to brown add the ginger garlic paste cook till the mixture is golden brown. Add the cut drumsticks and add some water.
- Add the sliced green chilli and combine the tomato puree.
- Add the chilli, coriander, turmeric powders and salt to the tomato mixture.
- Now add the tomato puree and mix well.
- Combine the cut vegetables like chow chow and broad beans and simmer.
- Add the cleaned prawns and add the curry leaves and chopped coriander.
- Heat little oil in a separate pan and crackle mustard seeds. Combine the fenugreek and curry leaves and add the tempering to the simmering prawn curry.
- Check seasoning and serve hot with steamed ponni rice.