Read The Best Of Samaithu Paar Online
Authors: S Meenakshi Ammal
The Best Of Samaithu Paar (12 page)
WEET
C
HEEDAI
Wash and soak the rice for 3-4 hours. Dry the rice and powder in a mill or mixie/food processor. Sift the flour through a coarse sieve. Roast the sieved flour in a hot iron or earthen pan. When the flour can be drawn into a line (holding a small pinch of flour between the thumb and forefinger, draw a line with it on the counter), remove from fire. Sift once more, and ensure all the lumps are broken.
Add ¼ cup water to the jaggery. Place on fire and prepare a thin syrup. When the syrup begins to smell appetising, drop a little into a cup of water and check consistency. The jaggery syrup should be soft enough to be rolled, but firm enough to float on the water. When the syrup is ready, remove from fire. Add the roasted and sieved flour. Mix well, turning well with a ladle.
Cut coconut into very fine bits. Dry roast black gram dhal and powder it to make a very smooth powder. Add the coconut, dhal powder, cardamom powder and gingelly seeds to the rice flour in the jaggery syrup. Knead into a smooth firm dough. Pinch and roll into small marble-sized balls and spread the ‘cheedai’ on a cloth. Do not smooth the surface of the balls too much.
Heat vanaspati, oil or ghee in a frying pan. Gently lower ten or twelve balls at a time into the oil and fry till a dark red colour, turning very gently. Drain and serve.
Ingredients
Rice
2 cups
Jaggery
2 cups
Coconut
½ (Medium)
Black gram dhal
¼ cup
Green cardamom powder
½ tbsp
White gingelly seeds
¼ cup
Vanaspati, ghee or coconut oil
1½ -2 cups
Note:
If excess jaggery is used or if the syrup is over-boiled, the ‘cheedai’ will break up into bits. If the jaggery is in excess, add 4 tsp pounded rice flour and knead.
The rice flour may be mixed with the jaggery syrup a day earlier. On the next day, crumble the rice flour-jaggery mix nicely, add black gram dhal flour, gingelly seeds and coconut bits and knead into a firm dough with enough hot water. If the rice flour-jaggery mix has hardened and does not leave the vessel, sprinkle a little hot water, heat slightly and pound it. Knead with the other ingredients and use.
The coconut may be added with the jaggery when making the syrup.
LANTAIN
S
TEM
S
ALAD
(VAAZHAI THANDU KOSUMALLI)
Remove the fibre from the plantain stem. Wash the plantain well. Cut into four lengthwise pieces and then into thin slices, or into fine bits. Soak the pieces in a mixture of water and buttermilk with 1 tsp salt and the turmeric powder. Mix well and let it stand for half an hour. Squeeze out the water and keep in a bowl.
Cut the lime in halves. Dip both halves in the remaining salt. Squeeze the lime with the salt into the vegetable. Pinch the curry leaves and add to the cut vegetables. Flavour with the asafoetida water. Heat the oil in a pan. Fry the mustard and slit green chillies. When the mustard splutters, add to the salad to season it.
Ingredients
Plantain stem
½ kg
Water
¾ cup
Buttermilk
¾ cup
Salt
1½ tsp
Turmeric powder
¼-½ tsp
Lime
1 (Medium)
Asafoetida water
½-1 tsp
Curry leaves
(Broken) 2 tbsp
Oil
2 tsp
Mustard seeds
½ tsp
Green chillies
2
To serve
4 persons
UCUMBER
S
ALAD
(VELLARIKKAI KOSUMALLI)
Scrape the skin off the cucumbers if they are of the big variety. Small, tender cucumbers can be used with the skin. Slice the cucumber. Extract lime juice. Coarsely powder the pepper, cumin and salt. Mix with the cucumber slices. Heat the oil and add the mustard. When it splutters, remove from fire and add to the cucumber slices. Add lime juice and mix well.
Ingredients
Cucumber
1 (Large) or 2 (Small)
Lime
1 (Medium)
Black peppercorns
½ tsp
Cumin seeds
¾ tsp
Salt
1 tsp
Oil
2 tsp
Mustard seeds
½ tsp
To serve
4 persons
ENGAL
G
RAM
D
HAL
S
ALAD
(KADALAI PARUPPU KOSUMALLI)
Soak the dhal for a few minutes in water. Drain and wash the dhal thoroughly. Cook the dhal in 1 cup water. Do not overcook the dhal. The dhal can also be cooked in a pressure cooker. Extract lime juice.
Heat oil in a frying pan. Add the mustard and slit green chillies. Add cooked dhal, salt, asafoetida water, curry leaves and grated coconut. Stir for a few minutes. Remove from fire and mix the lime juice before serving.
Ingredients
Bengal gram dhal
1 cup
Lime
1 (Medium)
Oil
2-3 tsp
Mustard seeds
¾ tsp
Green chillies
2-3
Salt
1 tsp
Asafoetida water
½-1 tsp
Curry leaves
(Broken) 2 tbsp
Coconut
(Grated) ¼ cup
To serve
4 persons
ANGO
P
ACHADI
(MAANGA PACHADI)
Do not peel the mango. Cut it into big bits. If the skin is too thick, scrape it lightly.
Heat the water. Add mango bits, salt and turmeric powder and cook. When the mango is cooked, add the jaggery. Let it mix well. Mix rice flour in water and add. Boil for a few minutes (till everything mixes well). Remove from fire. Heat oil. Fry mustard and green chillies and season the ‘pachadi’.
Ingredients
Mango
1 (Medium)
Water
¾ cup
Salt
½ tsp
Turmeric powder
¼ tsp
Jaggery
100 gms
Rice flour
2 tsp
Oil
2 tsp
Mustard seeds
1 tsp
Green chillies
2
To serve
4 persons
Note:
The mango should neither be too tender nor too ripe. It must be both sweet and sour.
Green chillies may be cooked with the mango instead of being used as seasoning.
If green chillies are not available, fry two dry red chillies with the mustard and season.
Ripe or half-matured mangoes may also be used. Remember to adjust the quantity of jaggery suitably.
ACKFRUIT
P
ACHADI
(PALAPPAZHAM PACHADI)
Remove the fibres from the sections. Cut the sections into small bits. Heat the water. Add salt and turmeric powder to the water and cook the cut fruit in it. When the jackfruit is cooked, add the jaggery. (You may reduce or increase the amount of jaggery depending on how sweet the jackfruit being used is.) Mix well. Mix rice flour in water and add. Boil for a few minutes (till everything mixes well). Remove from fire. Heat oil. Fry mustard and green chillies and season the ‘pachadi’.
Ingredients
Jackfruit
(Sections) 1 cup
Water
¾ cups
Salt
½ tsp
Turmeric powder
A pinch
Jaggery
100 gms
Rice flour
2 tsp
Oil
2 tsp
Mustard seeds
1 tsp
Green chillies
2
To serve
4 persons
Note:
Fully matured or partially matured jackfruit may be used. If the fruit is of very good variety, the pith (the portion remaining after taking the fruit sections and discarding the thorny skin) can also be used.
ENDER
M
ANGO
P
ACHADI
(MAVADU PACHADI)
Wash the mangoes in water and soak in hot water (the water should be just enough to cover the mangoes) till soft. Drain water. Grind the mangoes with one green chilli. Mix the ground mangoes with curd and salt. Heat oil in a frying pan. Fry the mustard and remaining green chillies. Season the curd. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.
Ingredients
Tender mangoes
7-8
Green chillies
4
Fresh curd
1 cup
Salt
½ tsp
Oil
1 tbsp
Mustard seeds
2 tsp
Coriander leaves
(Chopped) 3 tbsp
To serve
4 persons
Note:
Sometimes, tender mango pickle turns too soft. These mangoes can be used to prepare the ‘pachadi’ as well. Remember to wash the mangoes and reduce the quantity of salt and chillies as the pickle itself contains both.
ADY’S
F
INGER
P
ACHADI
(VENDAKKAI PACHADI)
Use tender vegetables to make this dish. Cut the lady’s fingers into thin round slices. Heat 5 tsp of oil and fry the cut lady’s finger. Mix salt in the curd. Heat remaining oil and fry mustard and green chillies. Add the seasoning and fried vegetable to the curd just before serving. Mix well and serve.
The vegetable may also be cut into small bits and fried in 2 to 3 tsp oil with the cut green chillies and ¼ tsp salt and added to the curd on cooling. Season with mustard.
Ingredients
Lady’s finger
100 gms
Oil
6-7 tsp
Salt
¼ tsp
Curd
1 cup
Mustard seeds
1 tsp
Green chillies
2
To serve
4 persons