Thalatha Kozhambu or Thalagam

A combination of odd number of vegetables (excluding onions, garlic and okra) used in the preparation of kozhambu is what is known as thalatha kozhambu or Thalagam. It is served with the kali ( a sweet roasted and powdered rice mixed with jaggery) for a south Indian festival called Arudhra Dharshan. It is a festival that falls between December 15-January 15 in the Tamil month of Margazhi  on a full moon and is celebrated on Shiva's birth star of Thiruvadhirai. On this day Lord Shiva takes the form of Nataraja and performs his cosmic dance which is the source of all energy in the universe. I loved this combination of sweet with tangy kozhambu and looked forward to it every year as a child. Here is the recipe for the thalatha kozhambu that I prepared this morning.

Gadgets:

Cutting Board

Measuring Cups 

Knife

Spatula

Bowls

Blender

Heavy Bottom Stock Pot

Seasoning Wok 

Ingredients:

Vegetables - ( 2 potatoes pealed, 2 Raw Banana, 1/2 egg plant, 2 Carrots, 1 cup white pumpkin, 1 cup yellow pumpkin, Edema beans - 1/2 cup, peas - 1/2 cup, Beans - 1 bunch cut into 2 inch pieces ( 9 different kinds of veggies)

Tamarind - lemon size ball

Water - 5 cups or more to cover the veggies

Salt

Sambar Powder - 1 tbsp

Coriander Seeds - 3 tbsp

Channa Dhal - 1 tbsp

Red Dry Chillies - 2

Coconut - 1 tbsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Curry Leaves - a few

Asafoetida - 1 peas size ball or 1/2 tsp powder

Preparation:

1. Wash and cut all veggies into small chunks and soak the tamarind in 2 cups of water.

2. Heat the oil in stock pot. Add asafoetida and curry leaves. Then add the veggies, salt and mix well and allow to cook for a few minutes.

3. Add the sambar powder and mix well for 2 minutes. Then add the tamarind water and the rest of the water enough to cover all the veggies. Cover the pot and allow to cook for 10 minutes until all the veggies are cooked. 

4. While the veggies are cooking, heat the seasoning with 1/2 tsp of oil. Add the channa dhal, dry chillies, coriander seeds and roast until the channa dhal turns golden brown. Add coconut and mix well. Transfer into a blender and blend into a fine powder.

5. Once the veggies are cooked ( test to see if the potatoes are done) then add this mixture to the veggies and allow to simmer for a few minutes and serve with the kali.

Cranberry Thogayal / Cranberry Chuntney : For A Umami Effect

Just made this cranberry thogayal and I had to blog about it. Until yesterday, I would have just not cared to buy that big a bag of cranberries from Costco. It was because of a phone call from my sister that I did so. Thishya, our relative had called my sister late at night the previous day and talked about the cranberry thogayal that she has been making so often. She asked my sister to tell me about it and suggested for me to try it. Since cranberries are in season I thought I must get a bag and give it a try before fresh ones are out of season. This chutney/thogayal is a little different from others.The cranberries are not cooked and the fresh ones are made into a chutney. I must mention that it has a strong sour and umami (thuvarpu) taste with south Indian flavor which is so tasty with curd rice, paratha, bread, dosai and rice. If you are pregnant you might really enjoy it.

Gadgets:

Blender

Seasoning Wok

Spatula

Measuring Cups & Spoons

Ingredients:

Cranberries - 2 cups

Oil - 2 tbsp

Asafoetida ( solid )- 1/4 of a marble size

Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp

Channa Dhal - 3 tbsp

Udad Dhal - 3 tbsp

Red Dry Chillies - 6

Jaggery / Sugar - 1 tsp ( adjust the quantity according to taste)

Salt

Preparation:

 1. Wash the cranberries well and add to blender.

2. Heat the seasoning wok with oil. Add the asafoetida and fry in oil and wait till it puffs up and gets roasted. 

3. Add mustard seeds and when it pops, add chillies, udad and channa dhal and roast until golden brown.

4. Add this to the cranberries in the blender along with the required amount of salt and jaggery/sugar.

5. Blend into a smooth paste and use to spread on bread, paratha, dosai or curd rice.

Quinoa Crepes / Quinoa Dosai In 5 Minutes

Quinoa is gaining a lot of popularity in the blogging world. Costco sells the organic quinoa in packets and local grocery stores carry red quinoa and quinoa flakes. I love the texture of them all and use them often. Quinoa flakes is super easy to work with and I made dosai with them to go with my coconut chutney. Seriously, just adding a bunch of things into the blender and your dosai/ crepe batter is ready. You can make dosai or uthapam with them and you would never know it has quinoa in it. Tastes almost like rava dosai and I liked it a lot. Addition of rava or cream of wheat might get it a lot more crunchy. I hope all of you enjoy this dosai as much as I did. I just found out that Priya (Yallapantula) Mitharwal is hosting the CWF: Quinoa event and today is the last day. So here is my entry to this event.

Gadgets:

Blender
Measuring Cups and Spoons
Seasoning Wok
Spatula
Ladle
Iron pan
Cutting Board
Knife

Ingredients:

Quinoa Flakes - 1 cup
Rice flour - 1 cup
Water - 2 1/2 cups ( I used warm water)
Salt
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 2 tsp
Ginger - 1 inch
Green Chillies - 1 sliced
Curry Leaves - a few

Cilntro - 1/4 cup ( as much as you like)

Oil - 2 tsp plus extra for making the dosai/crepes
 Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp

Preparation:

1. Measure the quinoa flakes, rice flour, salt, asafoetida, ginger into a bowl.

2. Add them into a blender with warm water and blend well.

3. Add cilantro, green chillies and curry leaves and mix well.( Sometimes I do add onions )

4. Heat the tava/ griddle to medium high add some water and then oil before making crepes or dosai's.

5. Serve with coconut chutney.








If you like quinoa and are looking for other recipes check out these:

Thair Quinoa / Quinoa in Yogurt

Quinoa Salad Made Indian Style

Quinoa Flakes Porridge With Dry Fruits & Nuts

Coconut Chutney / Thenga Chutney

After coming to the U.S the one thing that I missed  most when eating south Indian food, especially dosai or idli's was the coconut chutney. Initially, I used to think that it was because of the oil content in the fresh coconuts here that left an oily taste. Later, I found that when I used the frozen grated coconut it did not alter the taste that much. I always felt all my chutneys smelt of the Indian grocery store and the culprit was the roasted channa dhal or pottu kadai. I almost stopped making the coconut chutney at home until Mrs. Viswanathan suggested an alternative method. Instead of adding the roasted channa dhal, she suggested that I roast the required amount of channa dhal and add it to the coconut to make the chutney. I must say that it helped me recreate the Indian coconut chutney that I wanted to have here and I have been enjoying them for years now. Next time you are in the mood to have dosai with good coconut chutney maybe you can give this recipe a try.

Gadgets:

Seasoning wok

Blender

Measuring cups and spoons

Bowls

Spatula

Ingredients:

Grated Coconut - 1 1/2 cups

Channa Dhal - 3 tbsp

Ginger - 1 inch (fresh)

Curry Leaves - a few

Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp

Green Chillies - 1 ( add more for extra spice)

Dry Chillies - 1

Salt

Hot Water - 1/2 cup

Oil - 2 tsp

Preparation:

1. In a seasoning wok add 1 tsp oil and roast the channa dhal to golden brown.

2. Place the roasted channa dhal in a bowl and add 1/2 cup hot water and allow to soak for 10-15 minutes.

3. Once the dhal is soaked well and has become soft add the coconut, dhal, green chillies, ginger and salt into the blender and blend using hot water into a thick paste.

4. Heat the seasoning wok again with 1 tsp oil. Add asafoetida, mustard seeds, allow for the mustard seeds to pop. Add curry leaves and red chillies and mix it into the coconut chutney. Serve with dosai, idli, sevai or pongal.

Amma's Home Made Cough Syrup

Along with the winter holidays comes over eating, unhealthy eating, change in the weather which leads up to flu like symptoms. Personally, common cold is fine but if it becomes worse and develops into a cough then it gets really uncomfortable. I have posted here a recipe to prevent catching a cold, but this one that I am posting is when you are into it full swing and have a cough along with congestion. My mother made this for us (almost reminds me of the ad for gripe water) and now I make it for my nieces nephews and my daughter. I am currently having it myself because all the swift changes in weather has affected me too. Please do give it a try if you need to get some relief from cough. After reading this post most of you might wonder as to where you can find some of these Indian ingredients. You can find them in Asian or Indian stores.

Gadgets:

Sauce pan

Measuring Spoon and Cups

Strainer
Blender

Ingredients:

Betle Leaves - 2

Tulasi/ Holy Basil - 10 leaves ( thanks to my back door neighbour who grows them in huge bushes and for sharing some with me this afternoon)

Omavalli leaves/ Spanish thyme/ Mexican Thyme or mint/ Hung Chanh - 7 leaves or Omam/Ajwan Seeds - 1 tsp

Water - 1  cups

Honey - 2 tbsp ( can add more for additional sweetness)

Preparation:

1. Wash the leaves well. Boil the water and add the ingredients and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.

2. Grind the leaves and seeds into a fine paste.

3. Strain and have 1 tbsp three times a day with the required amount of honey.