7 Curries Kootu

7  Curry  Kootu

7 curry Kootu is generally prepared on the festival, Thiruvathirai / Arudra Darshan, as a side dish for Kali.   This is typically like Arachuvita Sambar but will be thicker like Kootu with loads of veggies and Dal.  

Red gram split / Tur dal  :  2 cup

Turmeric powder :  1/2 tsp

 Mix Veg :   2 cup ( Any 7 type of veggies )

Arachu vitta Sambar Powder :  2 tbsp

Sambar Powder :  4 tsp

Salt to taste

Tamarind Paste :  2 tsp

Jaggery powder :  1/2 tsp

Hing :  1/4 tsp

Curry leaves :  6

Tempering :

Mustard seeds : ½ tsp

Red chilly : 2

One spring of Curry leaves for Garnishing

          Keep Tur dal with adequate water  + Turmeric powder in a vessel / cooker separator.

  Chop vegetables into big cubes. Mix it with all the other ingredients together + 2 glass of water in another vessel / cooker separator …

 Cook both for 3 whistles in a pressure cooker.

After opening , mash cooked dal and mix with the cooked veggies and give a nice boil  .  Consistency of 7 curry Kootu should be thick like kootu and not like Sambar.  Adjust water accordingly.  If it is watery , can mix a tsp of rice flour and give a nice boil, which acts as a thickening agent.

Temper with Mustard, red chilly.  

Garnish with Fresh curry leaves.  

 

Very tasty 7 Curry Kootu is ready to serve with Kali.

Note: 

·       For mix veg , we can use any 7 types of veggies like Potato, Ash gourd, Pumpkin, Brinjal, Carrot, Beans , Yam, Broad Beans, Peas , sweet potato, Snake gourd etc.

·       Though it is said as 7 curries Kootu, we can also include more than 7 types of veggies.

·       As we are preparing on auspicious day, it’s better to avoid, drumstick, onion in this dish.   But we can add Brinjal, as brinjal is a favorite veg of Lord Shiva.

·       Instead of preparing with sambar ingredients, we can prepare like Kootu.  Cook Green gram split ( Moong dal )… Cook vegetables with salt…  Grind cumin seeds, green chilly with coconut to a paste…  Add this paste with cooked Dal + veggies and give a boil. This will tastes exactly like Kootu.  Add tempering and garnishing.

THIRUVATHIRAI / ARUDRA DARSHAN

THIRUVATHIRAI  /  ARUDRA  DARSHAN

Thiruvathirai / Arudra Darshan is observed on the full moon night, in the Tamil month of Margazhi (December – January) and this is also the longest night in a year. The festival is mainly observed in the Tamil speaking world.  The most important Arudra Darshan festival takes place at the Chidambaram Shiva Temple in Tamil Nadu.

This is of special significance in Shiva temples when thousands of devotees worship Nataraja early in the morning on the full moon day of the month of Dhanurmasam / Margazhi.   This is called Arudra Darshan. 

Lord Shiva will be in the form of Nataraja in his cosmic dance form.

The cosmic dance is called Ananda Thandavam or Dance of Bliss. 

The grace of this dance , of Lord Shiva represents five activities – Creation, Protection, Destruction, Embodiment and Release. In essence, it represents the continuous cycle of creation and destruction.  Arudra Darshan celebrates this ecstatic dance of Lord Shiva.

Ananda Thandavam Posture symbolizes:

The demon under his feet represents Lord as destroyer of Ignorance/Ego

The Fire in His hand signifies Destroyer of Evil Forces

The raised hands – Abhaya Hastha – Savior of life

The radiance behind Lord reveals the perpetual motion of the Universe

The drum beats represents the origin of ‘Om’ Pranava Manthra (Origin of Sounds)

The left, right and the eye on forehead represents Lord Sun, Lord Moon and Wisdom/Knowledge/Fire respectively.

The ear rings on both the ears of Lord represent the union of man and woman – The inseparable form of Lord as Shiva Shakthi.  The right ear and left ear embellished with Makara Kundalam and Stri Kundalam denotes the indivisible form of Lord.

The crescent shaped Lord Chandra on his matted hair locks symbolizes the perfect benevolence and splendor.

The matted hair locks and Goddess Ganga signifies the absolute Energy and perpetuity of life in this Universe. 

          Thiruvathirai is holy day and devotees’ worship Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi, submitting them to seek their blessings. Observing Thiruvathirai Vratham would bring long life to the husband and thereby prosperity and good life to the family.  But Vratham is optional and not compulsory.

We celebrate this festival by offering Kali  and 7 curry Kootu to Lord Nataraja. 

Married Women will change new Saradu, yellow sacred thread which holds Thirumangalyam / Mangal Suthra.  In some families, Women and girls, also tie Nombu Saradu around the neck.  

RECIPES OF THIRUVATHIRAI  :  

KALI   

7 Curry Kootu

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Thiruvadhirai Kali

THIRUVATHIRAI  KALI

Raw rice  – 1 cup

Red gram  / Tur Dal  – 2  tbsp

Cardamom   –  4 ( powder it )

Water  – 2 + ½ cup

Cashew nuts   – 10 

Ghee  – 2 tbsp.

Grated Coconut  – 1/2 cup

Grated jaggery   – 1 + ¼ cup

Soak dal for half an hour. Grate Coconut.

Dry roast the rice in the hot pan till it puffs up slightly.

Grind the rice in the mixie , coarsely to get Rawa like consistency.

In water heat jaggery and when it dissolves completely , filter it to remove impurities.

Add jaggery syrup + ground rice powder + coconut  + Tur  dal and cook for 5 whistles in a cooker using inner vessel.

Fry cashews in ghee, till it becomes golden in colour and remove from flame. And cardamom powder when the ghee is still hot and mix nicely with cooked Kali.

Yummy Kali is ready to serve.
 

Serve Hot Kali with 7 Curry Kootu.

·       We can also cook Kali in Vengala panai ( Bronze Pot ) like open pot cooking . Colour of the Kali depends on the colour of Jaggery used.  

 

Sun dried veggies / Vartal Kuzhambu

 

 

Vartral Kuzhambu

 

Kuzhambu Powder : 2 tbsp

Tamarind paste : 4 tsp

Jaggery : ¼ tsp

Rice flour : ¼ tsp

Turmeric powder : ¼ tsp

Salt to taste

Curry leaves

Sesame oil : 1 tbsp

Mustard : ½ tsp

Red chilly : 2 ( broken )

Fenugreek seeds : ¼ tsp

Red gram / Tur dal : 1 tsp

Hing Powder : ¼ tsp

Water : 1 + ½ cup

Vartral / sun dried veggie : 2 tsp

 

          In small pressure cooker, pour oil temper with mustard seeds .  When it starts popping add red chilly, red gram , dried veggies , hing powder , fenugreek seeds and fry till red gram turns into golden brown in colour. 

Add all the other ingredients and cook for a whistle.

Vatral Kuzhambu is ready to serve with Hot rice + Sesame oil and Curry / Kootu.

You can also use inner vessel and in that case , cook for 3 whistle. 

You can cook in separate vessel , while cooking rice too, easy way to cook more than one dish at a time.

·       Sun Dried Veggies :  Sundaikai , Manithakkali , Kothavarangai etc.

 

Manithakkai Vartal Kuzhambu

 

 

·       Instead of sun dried veggies , you can also fresh veggies like Pachai sundaikai ( slit ), Brinjal ( add while tempering and saute for a minute ),  Pumpkin, Broad beans , Onion ( saute and use ) , fenugreek leaves ( saute for a minute ) , Drumstick etc.

 

Fresh Sundaikai Vartal Kuzhambu

 

 

·       You can also cook this in open method … add adequate water and cook for 15 mts in medium flame .  Vatral Kuzhambu should be thick in consistency.



Drumstick, Brinjal Vartal kuzhamu




 
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Spongy Kuzhipaniyaram

Spongy Kuzhipaniyaram / Oothappam

 

Idly rice : 2 cup

Raw rice : 1 cup

Black gram / Urad dal : 1 cup

Red gram / Tur dal : 1 tsbp

Fenugreek seeds : 1 tbsp

Salt : 3 tsp

Cooked rice : ¼ cup

Sesame oil for shallow frying.

          Soak idly rice + raw rice + black gram + red gram + fenugreek for 6 hours together.   Grind in the wet grinder for half an hour adding water gradually.   Now add cooked rice ( not hot rice ) and continue grinding for half an hour more till the batter is smooth . Can use ice cold water for better result.  Let the batter is in pouring consistency.

Add Salt and mix nicely using hands for better fermentation.

Let the batter ferment overnight or for 10 hours.

Batter should be in Dosa batter consistency , if not , add little water to get that consistency.

 

Heat Kuzhipaniyaram pan ( preferably non-stick )…

Add few drops of oil.

Pour kuzhipaniyaram batter to fill 3/4^th of each hole .

Close with the lid and cook in medium heat.

When the bottom side got cooked pour few more drops of oil in each hole and  flip using wooden spoon ( provided with paniyaram pan kit ) and close with the lid again .  The second side will take very less time to cook.

Remove from the pan and Very Spongy Kuzhipaniyaram is ready to serve .

 

 

Serve hot or cold….  Doesn’t matter…. It stays soft one whole day.  Just keep it in closed container.

Serve with Sambar  / Chutney.

It’s Very ideal for lunch box or for journey.

Using the same batter , we can prepare , super soft dosa / oothappam.

It stays soft throughout the day.

After fermentation , store the batter in the fridge if you have any left over.

·       We can add finely grated / chopped veggies like carrot, cabbage, capsicum, onion , beetroot etc. in this batter.  Add to the batter only in the portion of immediate consumption.  Keep rest of the batter , stored in fridge.

 

·       Can add finely chopped coriander leaves / mint leaves  or curry leaves .  Add it only in the portion of batter you are going to use immediately.

 

·       Can add tempering .   Temper with mustard , channa dal , hing and mix with the kuzhipaniyaram batter . Add tempering only in the portion you are going to use now.  

·       Can add finely grated coconut in the portion of batter , which you are going to use now.

·       Instead of sesame oil , can use ghee for frying.

 

 

 

3 flour ladoo

 

3 flour ladoo

 

Pressed rice / Aval / Poha : 1/3 cup

Fried dal / Pottu kadalai / Dalia : 1/3 cup

Green gram / Pasi paruppu / Moong dal : 1/3 cup

Jaggery Powder : 1 cup

Cardamom powder : ¼ tsp

Cashews : 4

Ghee : ¾ cup

 

Dry roast fried dal , green gram and pressed rice separately .  Roast them till nice aroma comes and Grind them nicely and mix together with jaggery powder.  Keep it ready.

Finely chop cashews .

Heat Ghee , hot and fry cashews.

Immediately pour over the flour + jaggery and mix nicely .

Shape them into balls.

 

 

Very very healthy and tasty ladoos are ready to serve.

We can have this ladoo regularly .

·       Use organic jaggery as we are adding directly in the recipe .

·       Colour of the ladoo depends on the colour of the jaggery.

 

 

 

Gooseberry / Amla / Nellikkai Thokku

 

 

Gooseberry / Amla  / Nellikkai Thokku

 

Generally Gooseberry Pickle needs time for soaking and then it will be ready to consume.  But this variation of Gooseberry thokku is instant version.  It is ready to consume immediately.

 

Gooseberry : 250 grams

Red chilly powder : 7 tsp

Green chilly : 2 or 3

Hing powder : ¼ tsp

Fenugreek powder : ¼ tsp

Salt to taste

Turmeric powder : ¼ tsp

Sesame oil : 4 tbsp

Mustard : ¼ tsp

          Cook Gooseberry adding ¼ cup of water in a small cooker , directly, for a whistle.

After Opening mash them very well, after removing seeds.

If you want a very smooth texture, you can grind in mixie but mashing gives nice texture..

Finly chop green chilly.

In oil , first temper mustard and when it starts popping , add green chilly and saute for a minute.

Add mashed gooseberry and all the other ingredients.

Cook in a low flame , stirring frequently , till  oil oozes out.

 

 

Very tasty and easy to prepare gooseberry thokku is ready to serve with Curd Rice.

·       Dry fry fenugreek and grind it nicely to get Fenugreek powder.