RAG Demo

Tag: Medium spice

  • Pesarattu

    Pesarattu is the breakfast dosa of Andhra Pradesh, especially the Godavari districts, made from pesalu, whole green gram. Because the batter needs no fermentation, it can be ground the night before or on the same morning. In Andhra tiffin centres it is often served as MLA pesarattu, with a spoon of upma folded inside, a combination said to have been popular in the canteen of the Hyderabad legislators' quarters.

    It is thin and crisp at the edges, with a pale green colour and an earthy, grassy flavour from the moong, spiked with ginger, chilli and cumin. Raw chopped onions pressed on top add sweetness and crunch. It is high in protein and filling, usually eaten with a sharp ginger chutney.

    At a glance

    RegionAndhra Pradesh
    CuisineAndhra
    DietVegan
    CourseBreakfast
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time40 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientswhole green moong / rice / ginger / green chillies / onion

    Ingredients

    For the batter

    • 1 cup whole green moong, soaked 6 hours or overnight
    • 2 tbsp raw rice, soaked with the moong
    • 1 inch ginger
    • 3 green chillies
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 3/4 tsp salt
    • about 3/4 cup water

    For topping and cooking

    • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • oil or ghee for cooking

    Method

    1. Drain the soaked moong and rice. Grind with ginger, green chillies, cumin and salt, adding water a little at a time, to a smooth batter slightly thinner than dosa batter.
    2. Mix the chopped onion, coriander and cumin in a small bowl for the topping.
    3. Heat a cast-iron tawa on medium-high heat until a sprinkle of water sizzles off. Wipe with an oiled cloth.
    4. Pour a ladle of batter in the centre and spread it quickly in circles into a thin dosa about 20 cm wide.
    5. Sprinkle a tablespoon of the onion topping and press it lightly into the batter. Drizzle 1 tsp oil or ghee around the edges.
    6. Cook on medium heat for 2-3 minutes until the base is golden and crisp and the edges lift.
    7. Flip and cook the onion side for 30-40 seconds, then flip back, fold and serve. For MLA pesarattu, place a spoon of hot upma in the centre before folding.

    Tips

    • A little rice in the batter helps the pesarattu crisp up.
    • Do not ferment the batter; pesarattu is best made fresh.
    • If it sticks, the tawa is not hot enough or needs re-seasoning.

    Serve with

    Allam pachadi (ginger chutney), coconut chutney and rava upma.

  • Vangi Bath

    Vangi bath, brinjal rice, is one of the classic chitranna-style mixed rices of Karnataka, served in Bengaluru and Mysuru homes and in Udupi restaurants. It uses small purple or green brinjals cooked with a special masala of roasted chana dal, urad dal, coriander, red chillies, cinnamon, cloves and dry coconut, and then mixed with cooked rice.

    Each grain is coated in a reddish-brown masala, with soft brinjal pieces throughout. The flavour is warm and slightly tangy, with sweetness from jaggery and crunch from peanuts or cashews. It is popular as a lunchbox meal and as a light weekend lunch with raita. It also packs well for picnics and train journeys because it tastes good at room temperature.

    At a glance

    RegionKarnataka
    CuisineKannada
    DietVegan
    CourseRice
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time45 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsrice / brinjal / tamarind / dry coconut / peanuts

    Ingredients

    For the vangi bath powder

    • 1 tbsp chana dal
    • 1 tbsp urad dal
    • 2 tbsp coriander seeds
    • 6 Byadgi chillies
    • 1 inch cinnamon
    • 3 cloves
    • 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
    • 2 tbsp dry coconut (kopra), grated

    For the bath

    • 3 cups cooked rice, cooled
    • 250 g small brinjals, cut into thin strips
    • 3 tbsp oil
    • 1 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1 tsp chana dal
    • 1 tsp urad dal
    • 2 tbsp peanuts
    • 1 sprig curry leaves
    • 1/4 tsp asafoetida
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1 tbsp thick tamarind paste
    • 1 tsp grated jaggery
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

    Method

    1. Dry roast the chana dal, urad dal, coriander, chillies, cinnamon, cloves and fenugreek on low heat for 4-5 minutes until golden and fragrant. Add the coconut and roast 1 minute more. Cool and grind to a fine powder.
    2. Keep the cut brinjals in salted water until needed so they do not discolour, then drain.
    3. Heat oil in a wide kadai. Fry the peanuts until crunchy, then add mustard seeds. When they splutter add chana dal and urad dal and fry until golden. Add curry leaves, asafoetida and turmeric.
    4. Add the brinjals and salt and toss. Cover and cook on medium-low heat for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the brinjals are soft but not mushy.
    5. Add the tamarind paste and jaggery and cook for 2 minutes until the raw smell goes.
    6. Add 2.5 tbsp of the vangi bath powder and stir for 1 minute until the brinjals are coated.
    7. Add the rice and gently fold everything together on low heat for 2 minutes until evenly mixed. Taste and add more powder or salt if needed.
    8. Garnish with coriander and serve warm.

    Tips

    • Use small, tender brinjals with few seeds.
    • Cooked rice should be cool and separate, or the bath turns mushy.
    • A tablespoon of ghee mixed in at the end adds a lovely richness.

    Serve with

    Onion-cucumber raita and papad or potato chips.

  • Maddur Vada

    Maddur vada takes its name from the town of Maddur on the old Bengaluru-Mysuru highway and railway line. According to local lore, a vendor at the railway station improvised it in the early 1900s, and the vadas sold at Maddur Tiffanys and on the platforms became famous with travellers. Unlike the soft urad dal vada, it is made from rice flour, semolina and maida.

    It is flat, crunchy and golden, almost like a thick biscuit, packed with sweet onions, curry leaves, green chillies and ginger. The onions are mixed with hot oil before the water goes in, which keeps the vada crisp. It is a tea-time snack that stays crunchy for hours and travels well.

    At a glance

    RegionKarnataka
    CuisineKannada
    DietVegan
    CourseSnack
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time40 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeNo
    Key ingredientsrice flour / semolina / maida / onion / curry leaves

    Ingredients

    • 1/2 cup rice flour
    • 1/4 cup fine rava (semolina)
    • 1/4 cup maida
    • 2 medium onions, finely sliced
    • 2 green chillies, finely chopped
    • 1 inch ginger, finely chopped
    • 1 sprig curry leaves, chopped
    • 3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
    • 1/4 tsp asafoetida
    • 3/4 tsp salt
    • 2 tbsp hot oil
    • about 1/4 cup water
    • oil for deep frying

    Method

    1. In a bowl, mix the onions, chillies, ginger, curry leaves, coriander, asafoetida and salt. Squeeze with your hands for a minute so the onions soften slightly.
    2. Add the rice flour, rava and maida and mix.
    3. Pour 2 tbsp very hot oil over the mixture and rub it in with a spoon, then your fingers. This is what makes the vadas crisp.
    4. Sprinkle water a little at a time and knead to a firm, non-sticky dough. The onions add moisture, so you need very little water.
    5. Heat oil for deep frying on medium heat. A small piece of dough should rise steadily, not instantly.
    6. Take a lemon-sized ball, place it on a greased plastic sheet or banana leaf, and pat it into a flat disc about 8 cm across and 5 mm thick.
    7. Slide the vadas into the oil one by one and fry on medium heat for 3-4 minutes per side until deep golden and crisp, turning once.
    8. Drain on a rack and serve hot or at room temperature.

    Tips

    • Fry on medium heat; on high heat they brown before they crisp through.
    • Keep the dough firm; a soft dough makes oily vadas.
    • Stored airtight, they stay crisp for a day.

    Serve with

    Coconut chutney and filter coffee or masala tea.

  • Akki Rotti

    Akki rotti, akki meaning rice in Kannada, is a breakfast flatbread from Karnataka made from rice flour mixed with vegetables and herbs. It is patted out by hand directly on a cold, greased tawa or on a banana leaf rather than rolled, which gives it its uneven, rustic look. In Malnad homes it is a staple, often made with dill (sabsige soppu) or grated cucumber.

    A good akki rotti is crisp and golden at the edges and soft inside, with green flecks of dill, chilli and coriander. It is savoury, mildly spicy and fragrant. Being made from rice flour it is naturally gluten free. It is eaten hot with chutney, a spoon of butter or a pickle.

    At a glance

    RegionKarnataka
    CuisineKannada
    DietVegan
    CourseBreakfast
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time30 minutes
    Total time45 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsrice flour / onion / dill leaves / coconut / green chillies

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups rice flour
    • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
    • 1/2 cup dill leaves, finely chopped
    • 1/4 cup grated coconut
    • 1 small carrot, grated (optional)
    • 2-3 green chillies, finely chopped
    • 1 inch ginger, grated
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
    • 1 tsp salt
    • about 1 cup warm water
    • oil for cooking

    Method

    1. Mix the rice flour, onion, dill, coconut, carrot, chillies, ginger, cumin, coriander and salt in a large bowl.
    2. Add warm water a little at a time and knead to a soft, slightly sticky dough that holds together. Rest for 10 minutes.
    3. Grease a cold, thick tawa with 1 tsp oil. Take a lemon-sized ball of dough and place it on the tawa.
    4. Wet your fingers and pat the dough out into a thin, even circle about 15 cm across, wetting your fingers often so it does not stick. Make 3-4 small holes in it with a finger.
    5. Pour a few drops of oil in each hole and around the edges. Place the tawa on medium heat, cover and cook for 3-4 minutes until the base is golden and crisp.
    6. Flip and cook for 1-2 minutes more until spotted golden. Remove.
    7. Cool the tawa under running water before shaping the next rotti, or use two tawas in rotation. Alternatively pat the rottis on a greased banana leaf or butter paper and transfer them to a hot tawa.

    Tips

    • The tawa must be cool when patting out the dough; a hot tawa makes it impossible to spread.
    • Warm water helps the rice flour bind.
    • Make the dough just before cooking; onions release water and make it soggy if it sits too long.

    Serve with

    Coconut chutney, ennegai, or white butter with chutney pudi.

  • Bisi Bele Bath

    Bisi bele bath means hot lentil rice in Kannada, and it is said to have been refined in the kitchens of the Mysore palace. It is a one-pot meal of rice and toor dal cooked soft, mixed with vegetables, tamarind and a special spice powder, and served piping hot with a generous spoon of ghee. In Bengaluru it is a standard dish at darshinis, weddings and temple feasts.

    The texture is porridge-like and loose, never dry, and it thickens as it cools. The masala, with roasted chana and urad dal, coriander, red chillies, cinnamon, cloves, marathi mogu and dry coconut, gives it a complex, warm, tangy flavour. The ideal plate comes with crunchy khara boondi or potato chips on the side.

    At a glance

    RegionKarnataka
    CuisineKannada
    DietVegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time25 minutes
    Cook time40 minutes
    Total time65 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsrice / toor dal / tamarind / mixed vegetables / ghee

    Ingredients

    For the bisi bele bath powder

    • 2 tbsp coriander seeds
    • 1 tbsp chana dal
    • 1 tbsp urad dal
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
    • 8 Byadgi chillies
    • 1 inch cinnamon
    • 4 cloves
    • 1 marathi mogu
    • 2 tbsp dry coconut (kopra), grated
    • 1 tsp poppy seeds

    For the bath

    • 3/4 cup sona masoori rice
    • 1/2 cup toor dal
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
    • 5 cups water
    • 2 cups mixed vegetables: carrot, beans, peas, potato, chow chow, drumstick
    • small lemon-sized tamarind, soaked in 1 cup water
    • 1 tbsp grated jaggery
    • 1.5 tsp salt

    For the tempering

    • 3 tbsp ghee
    • 1 tsp mustard seeds
    • 15 cashews
    • 1 sprig curry leaves
    • 1/4 tsp asafoetida
    • 10 shallots or small onions, peeled (optional)

    Method

    1. Dry roast the coriander, dals, cumin, fenugreek, chillies, cinnamon, cloves and marathi mogu on low heat for 5-6 minutes until fragrant and the dals turn golden. Add coconut and poppy seeds in the last minute. Cool and grind to a fine powder.
    2. Wash the rice and dal together and pressure cook with turmeric and 4 cups water for 4-5 whistles until very soft. Mash lightly.
    3. Cook the vegetables in a large pot with 1 cup water and a little salt for 8-10 minutes until tender.
    4. Add the tamarind extract, jaggery and salt to the vegetables and boil for 5 minutes until the raw tamarind smell is gone.
    5. Mix 4 tbsp of the spice powder with a little water to a paste and stir it in. Simmer for 3 minutes.
    6. Add the mashed rice and dal and mix well. Add hot water to get a loose, porridge-like consistency; it will thicken as it stands. Simmer on low heat for 5 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking.
    7. For the tempering, heat ghee, splutter mustard seeds, fry cashews until golden, then add curry leaves, asafoetida and shallots and fry until the shallots soften. Pour over the bath and mix.
    8. Serve hot with an extra spoon of ghee on top.

    Tips

    • Always keep bisi bele bath looser than you think it should be; it sets firm within minutes.
    • The leftover powder keeps for a month in an airtight jar.
    • Byadgi chillies give colour without too much heat; use fewer Guntur chillies if substituting.

    Serve with

    Khara boondi, potato chips or papad, with raita or curd on the side.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Tomato Rasam

    Rasam sits at the centre of a Tamil meal, served after sambar and before curd rice. Tomato rasam is the everyday version made in most Tamil homes several times a week, and every family has its own balance of tamarind, tomato and pepper. It needs no rasam powder; freshly crushed pepper, cumin and garlic do the work.

    The texture should be thin and clear, almost like a broth, with the solids settled at the bottom. It tastes sour, peppery and warm, with the fragrance of coriander and curry leaves. Many people drink it from a tumbler when they have a cold, and it is often the first food given to someone recovering from fever.

    At a glance

    RegionTamil Nadu
    CuisineTamil
    DietVegetarian
    CourseSoup
    Prep time10 minutes
    Cook time20 minutes
    Total time30 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientstomato / tamarind / black pepper / cumin / garlic

    Ingredients

    For the rasam

    • 3 ripe tomatoes
    • small lemon-sized ball of tamarind, soaked in 1 cup warm water
    • 1 tsp black peppercorns
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 5 garlic cloves, unpeeled
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1/4 tsp asafoetida
    • 1 tsp salt, or to taste
    • 2.5 cups water
    • 1 sprig curry leaves
    • 3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves with stems

    For the tadka

    • 1 tbsp ghee
    • 1 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1 dry red chilli, broken
    • 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
    • a few curry leaves

    Method

    1. Squeeze the soaked tamarind well and strain to get about 1 cup of thin tamarind water. Discard the pulp.
    2. Coarsely crush the peppercorns and cumin in a mortar, then add the garlic and pound a few times until bruised but not pasty.
    3. Chop one tomato finely. Crush the other two by hand straight into a pot, skins and all.
    4. Add the tamarind water, chopped tomato, turmeric, salt, asafoetida and curry leaves to the pot. Boil on medium heat for 8-10 minutes until the raw tamarind smell is gone and the tomatoes are soft.
    5. Add the crushed pepper-cumin-garlic and 2.5 cups water. Bring it up slowly on medium-low heat.
    6. Watch closely: when a layer of froth rises to the top and the rasam is just about to boil, switch off the heat. Do not let it boil hard, or it turns flat and bitter.
    7. Heat ghee in a small pan, splutter mustard seeds, then add red chilli, cumin and curry leaves for a few seconds. Pour over the rasam.
    8. Add the coriander, cover with a lid and leave for 5 minutes for the aroma to infuse before serving.

    Tips

    • The froth stage is the most important cue in rasam making; boiling past it dulls the flavour.
    • If your tomatoes are very sour, reduce the tamarind by half.
    • A teaspoon of cooked toor dal water added with the plain water gives a slightly fuller body without making it a dal.

    Serve with

    Hot rice with ghee and a potato or raw banana fry, or simply in a tumbler as a soup.