Tirunelveli Sodhi Kuzhambu

Tirunelveli Sodhi Kuzhambu(Coconut Milk Vegetable Stew)

In Tirunelveli and the down south districts of Tamil Nadu Sodhi is a vegetable Stew which is so popular. . The recipe is very simple to make and is filled with the goodness of vegetables. Not only it is colorful, it’s quite tasty, Mixed veggies are cooked in cooconut milk .greenchili-ginger paste along with thin coconut milk and then enriched with cooked moong dal along with thick coconut milk make this recipe quite flavorful.It goes well with Idiyappam&Rice.

Ingredients:

  Carrots, beans, potatoes – cut into rectangular pieces – 1 cup

  Green peas – 1/4 cup

  Cauliflower – cut into small florets – 1/2 cup

  Turmeric powder -1/4 tsp

  Salt as needed

  Garlic - 2 cloves

  Onion -1 medium size

  Thin coconut milk -1 cup

  Thick coconut milk – 1 cup

Moongdal-2 tbsp (Cooked)

Green chilli-1

Ginger -small piece 

  For grinding raw:

   Grated Coconut -1/3 cup or 4 tbsp

   Fried gram /Pottukadalai -1 tbsp

   Green chilli -3

   For the seasoning

   Oil -1 tsp

   Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

   Curry leaves - a sprig

Method:

1.Wash and cook the moong dal in a pressure cooker, mash and keep aside.

2.Chop onion and garlic and keep it aside.Cut all the other vegetables into medium sized pieces.

3.Extract thin and thick coconut milk and keep it ready. Make a paste with water,Coconut,fried gram  ginger and green chillies. Set aside.

4.In a pan add oil and add int the slit green chilies. Add the sliced onions. Saute till the onion turns pink. Be careful not to burnt it and the colour should not change.

5.Add all the chopped vegetables and saute for 2 minutes. Then add turmeric powder,salt and Add the thin coconut milk. Let the vegetables cook  in the thin coconut milk until the vegetables become tender.

6.Then Add cooked moong dal to this and add little water to get a kulambu consistency.

7.At this stage add the coconut  chilli paste, t and the 2nd extract of coconut milk. Reduce the heat and let the sodhi simmer for some time until all the vegetables are nicely cooked.

8.Finally add the thick 3rd extract of the coconut milk and the lemon juice. Switch off the gas.

9.Heat oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters, add curry leaves and pour it over the sodhi.

Serve with appam or idiyappam. It goes well with rice too!

Gobi Masala

Gobi Masala is a very popular North Indian dish. Gobi Masala cooked in  spices gravy makes this dish exotic.This yummy & delicious dish goes well with roti, chapati, naan, jeerarice, peas pulao and many flavored rice dishes.

Ingredients :

 Cauliflower-1 medium sized (cut into bite sized florets)

 Onion -2 medium size

 Ripe Tomatoes - 3 medium size

 Frozen Peas/ Vatana – 1small bowl

 Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tsp

 Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

 Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

 Jeera powdder-1 tsp

Garam masala - 1 tsp

 Cashew nuts -handful

 Kasuri methi - 1 tsp

 For the seasoning

 Oil -2 tbsp oil

 Butter - 1 tbsp

Bayleaf-1

Cloves - 2

Cinnamon - 1 inch piece

   For Garnishing

   Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp finely chopped

Method:

1.Cut cauliflower into bite size pieces. Wash it well and put them in hot salted water and Boil for few mins. Drain the water completely & keep the florets aside.

2. Soak cashew nuts in boiling water for 10-15 minutes. Drain the water and keep it aside.

3. Chop onion and tomatoes finely and grind chopped tomatoes and cashew nuts to a smooth paste.  Keep aside.

4. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a pan or kadai.  When the oil is hot enough, add the cauliflower florets and lightly fry them.  Transfer them to a plate and keep aside.

5. In the same kadai  heat 2 tablespoons of oil  and add bay leaf ,cinnamon and cloves till  spices sizzles.

6. Now add the chopped onions, and saute till they turn golden brown.  Add ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw smell of ginger garlic goes off completely.

7. Then add the powdered masala, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder,jeera powder, garam masala, salt and stir in a medium flame until the raw smell of masala goes off completely. 

8.Now add the prepared tomato cashew paste and kasuri methi andCook on a low flame till the oil separates on the sides of the pan.Then Add water and bring it to a boil.

9.Finely add the fried cauliflower florets and cook for a few more minutes till everything gets blended or until the gravy is thick enough. Now gobi masala is ready.

10. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with roti, naan,Rice.