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Tag: Gluten-free

  • Unniyappam

    Unniyappam, literally small appam, is a sweet fritter made in Kerala homes and temples for Vishu, Karthika Deepam and Krishna Jayanthi. It is also a common offering at temples like Kottarakkara, where it is the main prasadam. The batter is made from rice, jaggery and ripe banana and fried in a special pan with round cavities.

    A good unniyappam has a thin, crisp, dark brown shell and a soft, spongy, almost custardy centre. Flavours of jaggery, banana and cardamom come through, and fried coconut bits add little bursts of crunch. They keep for two or three days, which made them a traditional travelling snack. In many homes the first batch is offered at the pooja room before anyone eats.

    At a glance

    RegionKerala
    CuisineKerala
    DietVegetarian
    CourseSnack
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time30 minutes
    Total time50 minutes
    Serves6
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsrice / jaggery / banana / coconut / ghee

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup raw rice, soaked 4 hours
    • 3/4 cup grated jaggery
    • 1/3 cup water for melting jaggery
    • 2 small ripe bananas (palayamkodan or poovan), or 1 robusta
    • 2 tbsp wheat flour or rava (optional, for softness)
    • 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
    • pinch of salt
    • 1/4 tsp baking soda
    • 3 tbsp thin coconut bits (thenga kothu)
    • 1 tsp black sesame seeds
    • ghee and coconut oil for frying, about 1 cup

    Method

    1. Melt the jaggery with 1/3 cup water on low heat until dissolved. Strain to remove impurities and cool.
    2. Drain the rice and grind with the bananas and jaggery syrup to a thick, slightly coarse batter, like idli batter. Add water only if absolutely necessary.
    3. Transfer to a bowl, stir in the wheat flour, cardamom and salt, and rest for 2-4 hours. The batter will become slightly airy.
    4. Fry the coconut bits in 1 tsp ghee until golden and add them to the batter with the sesame seeds. Stir in the baking soda just before frying.
    5. Heat the appam pan on medium heat and fill each cavity half full with ghee or a mix of ghee and coconut oil.
    6. When the fat is hot, pour batter into each cavity until three-quarters full. Fry on medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes until the base is deep brown.
    7. Turn each unniyappam with a skewer and fry the other side for 2 minutes until evenly brown.
    8. Lift out, drain on a rack, and repeat. Serve warm or at room temperature.

    Tips

    • The batter should be thick; a thin batter absorbs too much fat.
    • Overripe bananas give the softest and sweetest unniyappam.
    • Keep the heat moderate so the centres cook through before the shells darken too much.

    Serve with

    Black tea or coffee in the evening; also offered as temple prasadam.

  • Puttu and Kadala Curry

    Puttu and kadala curry is the breakfast most Malayalis grew up with. Puttu is coarse rice flour, moistened and layered with grated coconut in a cylindrical steamer called a puttu kutti, then steamed until it holds its shape. It is pushed out as a log and broken up at the table. Kadala curry, made with small black chickpeas, is its most popular companion.

    The puttu is soft, crumbly and lightly salted, with sweetness from the coconut. The curry is earthy and robust, thickened with coconut roasted until dark brown, which gives it its colour and nutty depth. People mash the puttu with the curry by hand, sometimes adding a ripe banana or pappadam on the side.

    At a glance

    RegionKerala
    CuisineKerala
    DietVegan
    CourseBreakfast
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time45 minutes
    Total time65 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsrice flour / coconut / black chickpeas / shallots

    Ingredients

    For the puttu

    • 2 cups roasted puttu podi (coarse rice flour)
    • 3/4 tsp salt
    • about 3/4 cup water
    • 1 cup freshly grated coconut

    For the kadala curry

    • 1 cup kala chana (black chickpeas), soaked overnight
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1 cup grated coconut
    • 1 tbsp coriander powder
    • 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1/2 tsp garam masala
    • 2 tbsp coconut oil
    • 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
    • 8 shallots, sliced
    • 1 inch ginger, chopped
    • 2 green chillies, slit
    • 2 sprigs curry leaves
    • 1 small tomato, chopped

    Method

    1. Pressure cook the soaked chickpeas with salt and 2.5 cups water for 6-7 whistles on medium heat, until soft. Keep the cooking water.
    2. In a dry pan, roast the grated coconut on medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring constantly, until deep brown and fragrant. Add coriander powder, chilli powder and turmeric, roast 30 seconds more, cool and grind to a fine paste with a little water.
    3. Heat coconut oil, splutter mustard seeds, then add shallots, ginger, green chillies and one sprig of curry leaves. Saute for 5 minutes until golden. Add tomato and cook until soft.
    4. Add the chickpeas with their water and the coconut paste. Simmer for 10-12 minutes on low heat until the gravy thickens. Mash a few chickpeas against the pan to thicken it more. Stir in garam masala and the remaining curry leaves.
    5. For the puttu, mix the rice flour and salt. Sprinkle water a little at a time, rubbing with your fingers, until the flour is evenly moist and holds together when pressed but breaks apart easily. It should feel like wet sand, not dough.
    6. Fill the puttu kutti: a layer of 2 tbsp coconut at the bottom, then rice flour up to about a third, then coconut, repeating until full, ending with coconut. Do not press down.
    7. Steam on high heat over boiling water for 6-8 minutes, until steam comes out steadily from the top holes. Push the puttu out onto a plate with the rod.
    8. Serve hot with the kadala curry.

    Tips

    • If you lack a puttu kutti, steam the moistened flour in idli moulds or a pressure cooker vessel with a coconut-shell attachment.
    • Rubbing the flour with water is the whole technique; too wet and puttu turns heavy, too dry and it falls apart.
    • Roast the coconut evenly and patiently; it is what makes the curry dark and nutty.

    Serve with

    Pappadam and a ripe small banana (poovan pazham), or a cup of hot tea.

  • Meen Moilee

    Meen moilee, also spelt molee or molly, is a gentle coconut milk fish curry from central Kerala, with roots in the Syrian Christian and Portuguese-influenced kitchens of Kochi. Unlike the fiery red fish curries of the coast made with kudampuli, moilee uses no chilli powder at all. Its colour comes from turmeric and its heat from green chillies.

    The gravy is pale yellow, creamy and fragrant with ginger, garlic and curry leaves, with a light tang from tomato or vinegar. Firm fish such as seer (neymeen), pomfret or pearl spot holds up best. It is a favourite for guests who cannot handle much spice, and it pairs beautifully with appam or rice.

    At a glance

    RegionKerala
    CuisineKerala
    DietNon-vegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time45 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsseer fish / coconut milk / ginger / green chillies / tomato

    Ingredients

    For the fish

    • 500 g seer fish (or pomfret), cut into thick slices
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1/2 tsp crushed black pepper
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1 tsp lemon juice
    • 2 tbsp coconut oil for shallow frying

    For the gravy

    • 2 tbsp coconut oil
    • 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
    • 1 large onion, thinly sliced
    • 1.5 inch ginger, julienned
    • 5 garlic cloves, sliced
    • 4 green chillies, slit
    • 2 sprigs curry leaves
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1 cup thin coconut milk
    • 1 medium tomato, sliced into rounds
    • 3/4 cup thick coconut milk
    • salt to taste
    • 1 tsp vinegar (optional)

    Method

    1. Rub the fish with turmeric, pepper, salt and lemon juice and marinate for 15 minutes.
    2. Shallow fry the fish in 2 tbsp coconut oil on medium heat for about 1 minute per side, just until lightly sealed. It should not be fully cooked or browned. Set aside.
    3. In a wide pan, heat 2 tbsp coconut oil. Add mustard seeds and fenugreek and let them splutter.
    4. Add onion, ginger, garlic, green chillies and a sprig of curry leaves. Saute on medium heat for 5-6 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent but not coloured.
    5. Add turmeric and stir for a few seconds, then pour in the thin coconut milk and salt. Simmer for 4-5 minutes.
    6. Slide the fish pieces into the gravy in a single layer and arrange the tomato slices on top. Simmer on low heat for 5-6 minutes, gently swirling the pan rather than stirring so the fish does not break.
    7. Add the thick coconut milk and vinegar and heat on the lowest setting for 2 minutes until hot, without letting it boil.
    8. Top with the remaining curry leaves and a drizzle of raw coconut oil, cover and rest for 10 minutes before serving.

    Tips

    • Swirl the pan instead of stirring once the fish is in.
    • Never boil after adding thick coconut milk; it will curdle.
    • Prawns work equally well; add them raw at step 6 and cook for 4 minutes.

    Serve with

    Appam, idiyappam or steamed matta rice.

  • Avial

    Avial is one of the essential dishes of the Onam sadya and appears on almost every Kerala feast. A popular story credits Bhima, the Pandava, with inventing it while working as a cook in disguise, throwing together whatever vegetables were at hand. Regional versions differ: central Kerala uses curd for sourness, while some northern homes use raw mango or tamarind.

    The vegetables are cut into finger-length batons and cooked until just tender, then coated with a coarsely ground coconut paste. The dish is thick, not watery, mildly spiced, tangy and fragrant with raw coconut oil and curry leaves. It is eaten with rice as part of a spread, and with adai in Tamil Nadu.

    At a glance

    RegionKerala
    CuisineKerala
    DietVegetarian
    CourseSide dish
    Prep time25 minutes
    Cook time20 minutes
    Total time45 minutes
    Serves5
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsmixed vegetables / coconut / curd / coconut oil / curry leaves

    Ingredients

    For the vegetables

    • 4 cups mixed vegetables cut into 5 cm batons: raw banana, elephant foot yam, ash gourd, drumstick, carrot, French beans, snake gourd, cucumber
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1/2 cup water

    For the coconut paste

    • 1.25 cups grated coconut
    • 3-4 green chillies
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 2 shallots

    To finish

    • 1/2 cup thick curd, lightly sour, whisked
    • 2 sprigs curry leaves
    • 2 tbsp raw coconut oil

    Method

    1. Cut all vegetables into batons of similar length and thickness. Keep the raw banana in water to stop it darkening.
    2. Put the yam and raw banana, which take longest, in a wide pan with turmeric, salt and 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes.
    3. Add carrot, beans and drumstick and cook covered for 4 minutes. Then add ash gourd, snake gourd and cucumber and cook another 4-5 minutes, until all vegetables are tender but hold their shape.
    4. Meanwhile pulse the coconut, green chillies, cumin and shallots in a grinder with a splash of water to a coarse paste. It should not be smooth.
    5. Add the coconut paste to the vegetables and fold gently. Cook on low heat for 3-4 minutes, uncovered, until any remaining water dries up and the raw coconut smell goes.
    6. Switch off the heat and let it cool for a minute, then stir in the whisked curd gently.
    7. Crush the curry leaves in your hand, scatter them over and drizzle with raw coconut oil. Cover and leave for 10 minutes before serving.

    Tips

    • Stir gently with a flat spatula or by shaking the pan; avial vegetables should not be mashed.
    • Add curd off the heat so it does not split.
    • Unrefined virgin coconut oil, added raw at the end, gives avial its signature aroma.

    Serve with

    Rice with sambar and pappadam as part of a sadya, or with adai.

  • Cabbage Thoran

    Thoran is the everyday dry vegetable dish of Kerala, served at almost every lunch and always part of the sadya. Any vegetable can be made into a thoran, but cabbage is the most common because it is cheap and cooks fast. The defining feature is the coconut mix, which is crushed, not ground, so it stays fluffy and moist.

    The cabbage is shredded very fine and cooked until just tender, keeping a little bite. The result is light, slightly sweet, mildly hot from green chillies, with turmeric-tinted flecks of coconut throughout. A spoon of thoran on the side of rice and fish curry or sambar is a staple Malayali plate.

    At a glance

    RegionKerala
    CuisineKerala
    DietVegan
    CourseSide dish
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time10 minutes
    Total time25 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientscabbage / coconut / green chillies / shallots

    Ingredients

    For the coconut mix

    • 3/4 cup grated coconut
    • 2 green chillies
    • 2 garlic cloves
    • 3 shallots
    • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder

    For the thoran

    • 400 g cabbage (about half a medium head), finely shredded
    • 1.5 tbsp coconut oil
    • 1 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1 tsp urad dal
    • 2 dry red chillies, broken
    • 1 sprig curry leaves
    • 3/4 tsp salt

    Method

    1. Pulse the coconut, green chillies, garlic, shallots, cumin and turmeric in a grinder for 2-3 short bursts without water, or crush in a mortar, until coarse and fluffy.
    2. Toss the shredded cabbage with the coconut mix and salt by hand. Set aside for 5 minutes.
    3. Heat coconut oil in a wide kadai on medium heat. Add mustard seeds, and when they splutter add urad dal, red chillies and curry leaves. Fry until the dal is golden.
    4. Add the cabbage mixture and toss well to coat in the tempering.
    5. Make a well in the centre, cover and cook on low heat for 4-5 minutes. The cabbage will steam in its own moisture; no water is needed.
    6. Uncover and stir-fry on medium heat for 2-3 minutes until the cabbage is just tender and any moisture has evaporated. It should be dry and fluffy, not soggy. Serve warm.

    Tips

    • Shred the cabbage as fine as you can; thick pieces need water and lose their crunch.
    • Mixing the coconut in before cooking, as Kerala homes do, gives a more even flavour than adding it at the end.
    • The same method works for beans, beetroot or carrot.

    Serve with

    Kerala matta rice with sambar, moru curry or fish curry.

  • Malabar Chicken Biryani

    The biryani of the Malabar coast, especially from Thalassery and Kozhikode, is quite different from the biryanis of the north and of Hyderabad. It uses jeerakasala or kaima rice, a short, fragrant grain, and much less chilli. The influence of Arab traders and the Mappila Muslim community shows in its generous use of ghee, fennel and fried cashews and raisins.

    The chicken masala is cooked separately with plenty of onions, tomatoes, green chillies and ginger-garlic, and the rice is cooked in ghee and stock. The two are layered and sealed on dum. The result is aromatic and gently spiced, rich with ghee, with sweetness from fried onions. It is the dish of weddings and Eid in Malabar.

    At a glance

    RegionKerala
    CuisineMalabar
    DietNon-vegetarian
    CourseRice
    Prep time40 minutes
    Cook time75 minutes
    Total time115 minutes
    Serves5
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyHard
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientschicken / kaima rice / ghee / onion / curd

    Ingredients

    For the chicken masala

    • 1 kg chicken, biryani cut
    • 4 tbsp ghee or oil
    • 4 large onions, thinly sliced
    • 8 green chillies, crushed
    • 2 inch ginger and 12 garlic cloves, crushed to a paste
    • 2 tomatoes, chopped
    • 1/2 cup curd
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
    • 1.5 tsp garam masala
    • 1/2 cup chopped coriander and mint
    • 1 tbsp lemon juice
    • 1.5 tsp salt

    For the rice

    • 3 cups kaima / jeerakasala rice, washed and drained 20 minutes
    • 3 tbsp ghee
    • 1 inch cinnamon, 4 cloves, 4 cardamoms
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 1 small onion, sliced
    • 4.5 cups boiling water
    • 1.5 tsp salt
    • 1 tsp lemon juice

    For garnish

    • 3 tbsp ghee
    • 1 large onion, thinly sliced
    • 15 cashews
    • 2 tbsp raisins
    • 1/4 cup chopped coriander and mint
    • pinch of saffron in 2 tbsp milk (optional)

    Method

    1. For garnish, heat 3 tbsp ghee and fry the sliced onion on medium heat for 10-12 minutes until deep golden and crisp. Remove. Fry cashews and raisins in the same ghee, remove, and keep the ghee.
    2. For the masala, heat ghee in a heavy pan and fry the 4 onions on medium heat for 10 minutes until soft and light golden. Add the crushed green chillies and ginger-garlic and saute 3 minutes.
    3. Add tomatoes, turmeric, chilli powder and salt and cook until the tomatoes melt. Add the chicken and toss on high heat for 5 minutes.
    4. Stir in curd, garam masala and half the coriander and mint. Cover and cook on low heat for 20 minutes, without adding water, until the chicken is tender and the masala is thick. Add lemon juice.
    5. For the rice, heat 3 tbsp ghee in a large pot. Fry the whole spices, bay leaf and onion for 2 minutes. Add the drained rice and fry gently for 2-3 minutes until the grains turn opaque.
    6. Pour in the boiling water, salt and lemon juice. Cook covered on low heat for 10-12 minutes until the water is absorbed and the rice is just cooked with separate grains.
    7. To layer, spread half the rice over the chicken masala in its pot (or layer in a separate pot: masala, rice, garnish, rice). Sprinkle half the fried onions, cashews, raisins, herbs and a spoon of the reserved ghee. Top with the remaining rice and garnish, and drizzle saffron milk.
    8. Seal the lid with dough or foil, place the pot on a hot tawa and cook on the lowest heat for 20 minutes. Rest 10 minutes before opening and mix gently from the side while serving.

    Tips

    • Kaima rice is essential for the Malabar taste and texture; basmati makes a different dish.
    • The masala is cooked in the juices of chicken, curd and onions alone; adding water makes it soggy.
    • Fry the garnish onions thin and slow so they turn crisp, not bitter.

    Serve with

    Coconut and date chutney, raita with onion and cucumber, pappadam and lime pickle.

  • Mutton Chukka

    Chukka means dry, and mutton chukka or chukka varuval is a fixture of Madurai and Chettinad military hotels, the old non-vegetarian eateries of Tamil Nadu. Unlike a kuzhambu it has no gravy; the meat is cooked until tender and then roasted in a kadai with shallots and spices until everything clings to the pieces.

    The flavour leans on black pepper and fennel rather than chilli powder, with gingelly oil and curry leaves giving it its southern character. The mutton should be tender inside and slightly caramelised outside, dark brown and coated in a thick masala. It is usually served as a side with rice and rasam, or as a starter.

    At a glance

    RegionTamil Nadu
    CuisineTamil
    DietNon-vegetarian
    CourseSide dish
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time50 minutes
    Total time70 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelHot
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsmutton / shallots / black pepper / fennel / curry leaves

    Ingredients

    For pressure cooking

    • 500 g mutton (goat), small bone-in pieces
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
    • 1/2 cup water

    For the roast

    • 3 tbsp gingelly oil
    • 1 tsp fennel seeds
    • 1 inch cinnamon
    • 2 cloves
    • 2 sprigs curry leaves
    • 20 shallots, sliced
    • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
    • 2 green chillies, slit
    • 1 tsp red chilli powder
    • 1.5 tsp coriander powder
    • 1.5 tsp freshly crushed black pepper
    • 1/2 tsp fennel powder
    • salt to taste
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

    Method

    1. Pressure cook the mutton with turmeric, salt, ginger-garlic paste and 1/2 cup water for 5-6 whistles on medium heat, until tender. Let the pressure release naturally. Do not discard the stock.
    2. Heat gingelly oil in a heavy kadai on medium heat. Add fennel seeds, cinnamon and cloves and fry for a few seconds until fragrant.
    3. Add one sprig of curry leaves and the shallots and fry for 8-10 minutes until deep golden brown. This browning gives the chukka its colour.
    4. Add ginger-garlic paste and green chillies and fry for 2 minutes.
    5. Lower the heat and add chilli powder and coriander powder. Stir for 30 seconds, adding a splash of the mutton stock if the masala starts to stick.
    6. Add the cooked mutton with its stock. Cook on medium-high heat, stirring, for 10-12 minutes until the liquid evaporates.
    7. Add crushed pepper, fennel powder and the second sprig of curry leaves. Keep roasting on medium heat for another 5-8 minutes, scraping the pan, until the mutton turns dark brown, the masala coats each piece and oil separates.
    8. Check salt, finish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

    Tips

    • Use mutton from the shoulder or leg with some fat; very lean meat turns dry when roasted.
    • Crush the pepper fresh just before adding; pre-ground pepper lacks the punch this dish needs.
    • Patience in the final roasting stage is what separates chukka from a semi-dry curry.

    Serve with

    Rice with rasam or a light dal, or as a starter with sliced onions and lemon.

  • Onion Uttapam

    Uttapam, or oothappam in Tamil, is the thicker cousin of the dosa. In many homes it is made on the last day of a batch of batter, when it has turned sour and thick and will no longer spread thin. Onion uttapam is the classic version found on every darshini and tiffin centre menu across South India.

    It is about the thickness of a pancake, soft and spongy inside with a golden, crisp base and a topping of onions that turn sweet and slightly charred where they touch the pan. The slight sourness of well-fermented batter is part of the appeal. It is eaten for breakfast or dinner with sambar and chutney.

    At a glance

    RegionTamil Nadu
    CuisineTamil
    DietVegan
    CourseBreakfast
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time40 minutes
    Serves3
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsdosa batter / onion / green chillies / coriander

    Ingredients

    For the batter

    • 3 cups thick fermented dosa batter
    • salt to taste

    For the topping

    • 2 medium onions, finely chopped
    • 2 green chillies, finely chopped
    • 1 inch ginger, finely chopped
    • 3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
    • few curry leaves, chopped
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • oil or ghee for cooking

    Method

    1. Mix the onions, chillies, ginger, coriander, curry leaves and 1/4 tsp salt in a bowl. Keep aside.
    2. Check the batter: it should be thick and pourable, thicker than for plain dosa. Add salt if needed.
    3. Heat a cast-iron tawa on medium heat. Sprinkle a few drops of water; when they sizzle away immediately, wipe the tawa with an oiled onion half or cloth.
    4. Pour a ladle of batter in the centre and spread it gently in a circle about 15 cm wide and 1 cm thick. Do not spread thin.
    5. Immediately sprinkle 2-3 tbsp of the onion mix on top and press it lightly into the batter with the back of the ladle.
    6. Drizzle 1 tsp oil around the edges and over the top. Cover and cook on medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes until the top looks set and the base is golden brown.
    7. Flip carefully and cook the onion side for 2 minutes, pressing lightly, until the onions are browned in spots.
    8. Flip back, transfer to a plate and repeat. Lower the heat slightly between uttapams so the tawa does not overheat.

    Tips

    • Sour, 2-3 day old batter makes the softest and tastiest uttapam.
    • Covering while cooking helps the thick centre cook through without burning the base.
    • Grated carrot, chopped tomato or podi sprinkled on top are popular variations.

    Serve with

    Sambar, coconut chutney and tomato chutney, or a sprinkle of idli podi with gingelly oil.

  • Adai

    Adai is one of the oldest dosa-type dishes of Tamil Nadu, made from a mix of rice and lentils that is soaked and ground coarse, then cooked straight away without fermenting. Because it uses toor, chana, urad and moong dal, it is far more filling than a plain dosa, and many families make it for dinner when they want a one-dish meal.

    It has a slightly grainy, crisp exterior and a soft centre, with a savoury, spicy flavour from red chillies, ginger, asafoetida and curry leaves. Adai is traditionally eaten with avial, which is why the pairing adai-avial is famous, or with jaggery and butter, a combination many Tamil grandparents swear by.

    At a glance

    RegionTamil Nadu
    CuisineTamil
    DietVegan
    CourseBreakfast
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time30 minutes
    Total time50 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsrice / toor dal / chana dal / urad dal / moong dal

    Ingredients

    For the batter

    • 1 cup raw rice (or half idli rice)
    • 1/4 cup toor dal
    • 1/4 cup chana dal
    • 2 tbsp urad dal
    • 2 tbsp moong dal
    • 4-5 dry red chillies
    • 1 inch ginger
    • 1/4 tsp asafoetida
    • 1 tsp salt, or to taste
    • 1 sprig curry leaves, chopped
    • 1 small onion, finely chopped (optional)
    • 2 tbsp grated coconut (optional)

    For cooking

    • coconut oil or gingelly oil, about 1 tsp per adai

    Method

    1. Wash the rice and the dals together and soak in plenty of water for 3-4 hours. Soak the red chillies along with them.
    2. Drain, reserving a little soaking water. Grind the rice, dals, chillies and ginger with minimal water to a coarse batter, like fine rava. It should not be smooth.
    3. Transfer to a bowl and mix in salt, asafoetida, curry leaves, onion and coconut. The batter should be thick but pourable; add a few spoons of water if needed.
    4. Heat a cast-iron tawa on medium heat and grease it lightly.
    5. Pour a ladle of batter and spread it in a circle a little thicker than a regular dosa. Make a small hole in the centre with the ladle tip so heat reaches the middle.
    6. Drizzle 1 tsp oil around the edge and into the centre hole. Cook on medium heat for 3-4 minutes until the base is golden brown and crisp.
    7. Flip and cook for another 2 minutes, then serve immediately.

    Tips

    • A coarse grind is the key to good adai; a smooth batter makes it heavy and dense.
    • Cook on medium, not high heat, as the dals need time to cook through.
    • The batter can be used straight away or kept for a few hours; it does not need to ferment.

    Serve with

    Avial, coconut chutney, or jaggery with a dollop of white butter.

  • Puliyodarai

    Puliyodarai, also called puli sadam or tamarind rice, is the most famous prasadam of Vaishnava temples in Tamil Nadu, and Iyengar families have kept the recipe as a point of pride. The heart of it is pulikachal, a tamarind paste cooked slowly in gingelly oil until thick and dark. Made in bulk, the paste keeps for weeks and turns leftover rice into a meal in minutes.

    The flavour is sour, spicy and slightly sweet, with a nutty depth from roasted sesame and fenugreek. Good puliyodarai is glossy and well coated, each grain brown and separate. It tastes better a few hours after mixing, which is why it is the standard food for train journeys and pilgrimages.

    At a glance

    RegionTamil Nadu
    CuisineIyengar
    DietVegan
    CourseRice
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time35 minutes
    Total time50 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsrice / tamarind / sesame seeds / peanuts / gingelly oil

    Ingredients

    For the spice powder

    • 1 tbsp coriander seeds
    • 1 tsp chana dal
    • 1 tsp urad dal
    • 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
    • 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
    • 4 dry red chillies
    • 1 tbsp white sesame seeds

    For the pulikachal

    • large lemon-sized ball of tamarind (about 60 g), soaked in 1.5 cups hot water
    • 1/3 cup gingelly oil
    • 1 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1 tbsp chana dal
    • 1 tsp urad dal
    • 3 tbsp raw peanuts
    • 3 dry red chillies, broken
    • 2 sprigs curry leaves
    • 1/2 tsp asafoetida
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1.5 tsp salt
    • 1 tbsp grated jaggery

    For the rice

    • 4 cups cooked rice (from 1.25 cups raw), cooled
    • 1 tbsp gingelly oil

    Method

    1. Dry roast the coriander, chana dal, urad dal, fenugreek, pepper and red chillies on low heat for 4-5 minutes until golden and fragrant. Add sesame in the last minute and roast until it pops. Cool and grind to a fine powder.
    2. Extract about 1.5 cups of thick tamarind extract and strain.
    3. Heat the gingelly oil in a heavy kadai on medium heat. Fry the peanuts for 2 minutes until crunchy, then add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
    4. Add chana dal, urad dal and red chillies and fry until the dals are golden. Add curry leaves and asafoetida.
    5. Pour in the tamarind extract with turmeric and salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer on low-medium heat for 20-25 minutes, stirring now and then, until it reduces to a thick paste and oil separates at the edges.
    6. Stir in jaggery and 3 tbsp of the spice powder and cook for 2 more minutes. This is the pulikachal.
    7. Spread the cooled rice in a wide bowl, drizzle with 1 tbsp gingelly oil and add about 4-5 tbsp of pulikachal and 1 tbsp more spice powder.
    8. Mix gently with your fingers or a flat spoon until every grain is coated. Taste and adjust. Rest for at least an hour before serving.

    Tips

    • Leftover pulikachal keeps in a clean dry jar in the fridge for a month, provided it is covered with oil.
    • Cooking the rice slightly firm with a few drops of oil keeps the grains separate.
    • Do not hurry the reduction; undercooked pulikachal tastes raw and sharp.

    Serve with

    Appalam, vadam and a cup of curd or curd rice.