10 Tanjore Curries

Due to Tanjore becoming the heartland of Tamil Brahmins, almost all its famous recipes are Brahmin recipes, with an almost total absence of Non vegetarian recipes.

Kadappa is a unique curry made by adding dal to a Tamil kuruma. It is an excellent example showing how core building blocks ( milk, dal) can be combined together. Same is the case with Irupuli Kulambu (yogurt & tamarind) , Arai puli kulambu & thlaagam ( Tamarind & coconut) , all of which combine two building blocks of Tamil cuisine.

Anything mixed with yogurt would taste delicious avers Indian cuisine. Marathis figured out that Urad dal powder mixed into yogurt would make a great Raita or Urad dal Dangar ( Dangar : Marathi for powder). It is now a part of traditional Tamil Brahmin cuisine as the Dangar pachadi.

Vazhakkai podi – neither a podi nor a poriyal demonstrates how recipes defy categorization and how innovative people can get. You can use thousands of Podis in this recipe, with hundreds of starchy roots / veggies, yielding infinite recipe combinations.

Cooking curries with milk is not usually done in Tamil cuisine and so Pal kootu is probably an adaptation of the Marathi doodh pitla. Race Kulambu can be thought of as a mixed dal sambar where lentils are roast and ground, instead of being boiled and mashed.

Gothsu was probably adapted from the Marathi / Kannada Gojju. Poricha kootu was probably an adaptation of the Marathi sappak pitla as is the unusual Dangar Pachadi. Whenever you encounter a recipe name which has no meaning in the local language, it is likely that it is an import. Sambar, Idli, Gothsu, Usili, Dangar, Kadappa, Pitlai , panagam etc have no meaning in Tamil. It is likely that they have been adapted from other cuisines. Gothsu is probably a corrupt form of Kannada gojju, pitlai is almost certainly derived from Marathi pitla, Idli is from Kedli ( as the food historian Achaya notes), Panagam from Marathi panha, - but the etymology of most other dishes has been lost.

Deep fried & spiced tuvar dal / chana dal paste becomes Vada. Steamed and crumbled, it becomes the Usili. In fact you can use leftover / store bought masal vadas, in this recipe in place of the steamed lentil paste and not many would spot the difference !

While researching for this book, I was engrossed in the bloody Muslim occupation of Madurai and Tanjore. Tamilnadu had been fortunate in escaping the massacares, temple razings and looting which plagued North India between 1000 and 1200 AD. Its luck ran out in 1311 when it experienced the brief but brutal Sultan occupation. . One of the sultans, Ghiyas-ud-Din Muhammad Damghani seems to have been especially brutal.

Ibn Batuta, the great Islamic traveller records: “…the Hindu prisoners were divided into four sections and taken to each of the four gates. There, on the stakes they had carried, the prisoners were impaled. Afterwards their wives were killed and tied by their hair to these poles. Children were massacred on the bosoms of their mothers. Then, the camp was raised, and they started cutting down the trees of another forest (for more impaling stakes). This is shameful conduct such as I have not known any other sovereign guilty of. It is for this that God hastened the death of Ghiyath-eddin”.

And “I was another time with the Sultan when a Hindu was brought into his presence. I rose hurriedly (to leave). He understood my reason, smiled, and ordered the hands and feet of the idolater to be cut off. On my return I found the unfortunate swimming in his blood”.

Madhura Vijayam, a 14th century Sanskrit poem by poetess Gangadevi also records the brutality..

“ I very much lament for what has happened to the groves in Madhura. The coconut trees have all been cut and in their place are to be seen rows of iron spikes with human skulls dangling at the points.

"In the highways which were once charming with the sounds of anklets of beautiful women, are now heard ear-piercing noises of Brahmins being dragged, bound in iron fetters.

The waters of Tambraparni which were once white with sandal paste rubbed away from the breasts of charming girls are now flowing red with the blood of cows slaughtered by the miscreants.”

It is ironic that after such suffering, just 300 years later, the Madurai Nayaks would again appeal to a Sultan to send in his army to settle their succession dispute! The lessons of history are indeed short! Tamilnadu was fortunate that the Maratha rule, which resulted, was much more benevolent!

Tamilnadu Curry Families

One Page Cookbooks Tamilnadu Curry Families – A Primer All recipes copyrighted. No reproduction / commercial use without permission. Siramki@Gmail.com
1.: Thayir Pachadi (Raw Yogurt curry) Basic Recipe : Carrot Thayir Pachadi Take half a handful of grated carrot. Mix in two pinches of salt and a cup of yogurt. (Consistency : Thickish) Can mix in any chopped/ grated, salad vegetable (Tomato, onions, cucumber, radish, beetroot,..), Stir fried veggies ( Bell pepper, okra, ridge gourd ) or chopped and boiled vegetables ( Potato, Banana stem etc.,) No Cook Recipe.	Tamil curries - Building blocks : Tamarind, Tuvar dal, Coconut & Yogurt Key Starches: Rice & Millets ( Kambu, Ragi, Saamai) Typical breakfast:: Idli, Vada, Poori, Pongal, Dosa, Upma served with sambar / chutney Lunch : Rice with a variety of curries listed to the left. Key Flavourings: Mustard, Curry leaves, Asafetida, Turmeric, Chili powder, Coriander powder, Cumin. Universal flavouring /Garnish Heat half a spoon of oil. Add two pinches of mustard, a pinch of curry leaves and asafetida. This is the universal flavouring cum garnish for all south Indian curries Making Sambar powder : Take a handful of dry red chilies, dhania, three pinches of cumin, two pinches of fenugreek. Roast and grind together with a pinch of asafetida and turmeric powder. Instant Sambar powder : Mix half a handful each of chili powder, dhania powder, 2pinches each of asafetida and turmeric powders. Curry Bases: Tamarind, yogurt, Spinach, Coconut, lentils Preferred fats : Sesame oil, Ghee, Protein Source: Lentils (Tuvar dal, Mung dal, Channa Dal, ), Fish and seafood), Chicken, Mutton & Eggs. Beef & Pork are uncommon. Common Vegetables: Eggplant, , French beans, Cauliflower, Radish, Potato, Squash, Ridge gourd, Spinach, raw banana, yam, onion, tomato. , Gourds ( snake, bottle, bitter, ash), Souring agents :, Tamarind, Green mangoes, Yogurt, Tomatoes .Desserts : Sweets from cooked down milk (Payasam,), Sweets from milk solids (Thirittipal, Palgova), Sugar syrup based sweets (Jalebi, Laddoo ), Mysorepak Shopping List: 500 ml : yogurt 250 gms : carrot, ,cabbage, ridge gourd, ash gourd, radish, Porikadalai ( roasted chickpeas),coconut, Tuvar dal. 100 gms : Salt, Garlic, Tamarind paste 50 gms : Mustard, Asafetida, Dry red chilies, Asafetida, Cumin seeds, Coriander powder, Chili powder, Vatral, Jaggery, Pepper,
2.: Podi (Powdered spicy lentils) Basic Recipe : Pori Kadalai Podi In a mixie, Take half a handful of roasted, husked and split chickpeas. (Pottu Kadalai). Add two dry red chilies & two pinches of salt. Grind to a powder. (Consistency: Powdery). Can use any roasted lentil ( Tuvar dal, mung dal, chana dal, horse gram, peanuts etc). No Cook Recipe.
3.: Thogayal (Blended sour curry) Basic Recipe : Thenga Thogayal Take a handful of grated coconut. Add a dry red chili, and two pinches of salt. Optionally, add a bit of tamarind or a garlic clove. Blend to a coarse paste.(Consistency : Thick ). Can blend a variety of raw salad vegetables ( carrot, onion radish..), roasted lentils or stir fried vegetables along with coconut. No Cook Recipe.
4.: Poriyal (Dry curry) Basic Recipe : Cabbage Poriyal Heat a spoon of oil. Add two pinches of mustard, urad dal and two red chilies. Add two handfuls of chopped cabbage, two pinches of salt and half a handful of grated coconut. Stir and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. Can use a variety of stir fried / boiled vegetables / lentils ( Potato, okra, eggplant,beans etc) ( Microwaving vegetables for 2-3 minutes before cooking poriyal really shortens cooking time)
5.: Kulambu (Sour Stew) Basic Recipe : Vatral Kulambu Heat two spoons of oil. Add half a handful of sun dried vegetables. Add a cup of tamarind water. Add two pinches each of rice flour, jaggery. salt, and kulambu powder. Bring to a boil & simmer for five minutes. (Consistency: Soupy ). Can use a variety of stir fried vegetables ( Garlic, okra, bell peppers, shallots, eggplant ..) or boiled veggies ( squash, sweet potato, other tubers , Drumstick )
6.: Masiyal (Boiled & Mashed curry) Basic Recipe : Chenai Masiyal: Take a handful of skinned, chopped and boiled yam. Mix in the juice of half a lemon, two pinches each of salt, chili powder and a pinch of turmeric. Mash coarsely. Can use a variety of boiled vegetables / lentils ( Eggplant, Tuvar dal / Mung dal etc)
7.: Kootu (Coconut – Lentil stew) Basic Recipe : Peerkangai Kootu Take half a handful of coconut, a green chili and a couple of pinches of cumin. Add two spoons of water and blend to a smooth paste. Mix in a cup (200 ml) of water, add half a handful of chopped ridge gourd and simmer for five minutes. (Consistency: Thickish) (Can use a variety of boiled vegetables – carrot, spinach, gourds), and boiled lentils.
8.:. Rasam (Thin curry) Basic Recipe : Milagu Rasam Mix half a spoon of tamarind paste in a cup of water. Mix in three pinches of sambar powder / rasam powder two pinches of salt and three pinches of coarsely crushed black pepper. Bring to a boil and take off the flame. Can mix in stir fried garlic, tomato, stir fried baby eggplant, fried sun dried neem flower etc. A variety of stock (lentil stock, vegetable stock, meat stock) can be used in place of water.
9.: More Kulambu (Buttermilk Stew) Basic Recipe : Pooshini More Kulambu Take half a handful of coconut, two pinches of cumin, a garlic clove and a green chili. Blend to a paste with a two pinches of salt. Mix in a cup (200 ml) of buttermilk. Add a handful of chopped and boiled ash gourd and simmer on low heat for five minutes. (Consistency: Soupy). Can use a variety of boiled vegetables (Carrot, colocasia, beans) or stir fried veggies (Okra / eggplant).
10.: Sambar (Tamarind - Lentil Stew ) Basic Recipe : Mullangi Sambar Mix half a spoon of tamarind paste in a cup of water. Add a handful of boiled tuvar dal. Add two pinches of salt and three pinches of sambar powder. Add a handful of sliced and boiled radish. Bring to a boil and simmer for five minutes. (Consistency : Soupy ). ( Can use a variety of boiled vegetables – Carrot, ash gourd, colocasia or stir fried veggies ( eggplant, okra )

Chettinad Curries - A Primer

One Page Cookbooks Chettinad Curries All recipes copyrighted. No reproduction / commercial use without permission. Siramki@Gmail.com
1.: Mandi Heat a spoon of oil. Add a pinch of mustard, half a handful of chopped onions, 2 garlic cloves, a chopped green chili and a handful of sliced okra. Stir & cook for a minute. Add half a spoon of tamarind paste and two pinches of salt. Add half a cup of water in which rice grains were washed. Simmer for 10 minutes.	Chettinad Cuisine - You don’t usually see a tiny region giving birth to a whole new cuisine. Chettinadu (The land of Chettiars) has this distinction of creating one of the most aromatic cuisines of India. In direct contrast to Brahmin cuisine, Chettinad cuisine uses meat and exotic spices extensively. Contrary to popular belief, Chettinad cuisine is neither spicy nor oily. It is however, bursting with flavour. Chettinad is a small region in southern Tamilnadu consisting of Karaikudi and 74 other villages. It is not a geographic entity and so does not have a clear cut boundary. This is the homeland of the Nattukottai Chettiars (Nagarathar). Being one of the driest areas of Tamilnadu, it is not conducive to agriculture. Unable to farm, its people instead became successful traders, bankers and businessmen, going as far as south-east Asia to trade. Their enormous success and legendary wealth are reflected in their palatial houses and the expensive spices used in their cuisine. The Curry base: Chettinadu curries are built from the same four basic building blocks as all south Indian curries – lentils, yogurt, tamarind and coconut. What makes them unique are the flavouring and certain cooking techniques used. The Chettinad cuisine shows the influence of far eastern ingredients and cooking In spite of their great wealth, Chettiars frown upon wastage of any sort. In their curry, the Mandi, even the water used to wash rice grains (Arisi Mandi) is not wasted. Polished rice always has a thin coating of flour on it. The water used to wash rice grains dissolves this flour. When added to the curry, this water not only adds nutrients, but also acts as a thickener. When the regular tamarind stew (Pulikulambu) is flavoured with fennel, it becomes a uniquely chettinad curry. (Similarly, the regular more kulambu uses a blended mixture of coconut, cumin and chilies. Add fennel and some ginger- garlic paste and this spiced up more kulambu becomes a Chettinad Morekulambu. Chettinadu Kara Kulambu is just a regular kulambu on steroids. Here onions, tomatoes and garlic are stir fried, mashed and mixed with tamarind paste to cook up a rich, thick kulambu. Perattal ( stirred up) is another unique curry where boiled vegetables are stirred and cooked with freshly ground masala paste. (See Pasi Payaru Perattal). The simple Paruppu is spiced up with garlic, onions and chilies, becoming the Paruppu masiyal. Similarly the humble rasam is flavoured by fennel, ginger and garlic morphing into the Chettinad rasam. Even Keerai Masiyal, the quintessential Brahmin curry is jazzed up with garlic to morph into a more flavourful avatar. Flavouring: Chettinadu cuisine shows the south east Asian influence in its use of spices like marathi mokku (dried flower pods), anasipoo (star anise) and kalpasi (dried bark). Other spices like fennel, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf, ginger and garlic are commonly used in everyday cooking. A quick and dirty method of converting a normal Tamil curry into a Chettinad curry is by adding some fried fennel, ginger and garlic. Goodies : Chettinadu cuisine uses all the traditional vegetables, spinach and pulses of Tamilnadu cuisine. It also uses a variety of sun dried vegetables/ meats reflecting the aridity of the region. Some curries pair well with certain vegetables and these combinations are frequently cooked. Thayir pachadis frequently use carrot, cucumber, gooseberry, boiled snake gourd & ash gourd. Mandi is usually cooked with spinach, chilies, okra, mochai, or sun dried vegetables. Keerai Masiyals usually use mulai keerai, arai keerai, manathakkali keerai, ponnanganni keerai or siru keerai. Kootus are made with eggplant, chow-chow or banana stem. Puli kulambu uses okra, bitter gourd, eggplant or bottle gourd. More kulambu usually has eggplant, okra, ash gourd, drumstick, okra or colocasia. .Universal garnish : Heat a spoon of oil. Add two pinches of mustard, a pinch of asafetida and curry leaves. Add to all these curries as a garnish just before serving. Shopping List : 50 gms :Mustard, Fennel, Ginger- Garlic paste, Garlic, Coriander seeds, Cumin, Dry red chili, Pepper, Asafetida, Cilantro, Chana dal 100 gms: Onions, Tomato, Shallots, Green chili, Tamarind paste. 200 gms : Okra, Ash gourd, Coconut, Mung dal, Tuvar dal, Fish Yogurt, Spinach.
2.: Chettinad Pulikulambu (Tamarind stew) Heat a spoon of oil. Add a pinch of mustard, fennel, half a handful of chopped onion, tomato and two garlic cloves. Cook for 2 minutes. Add a handful of chopped bottle gourd flesh. Add a cup of water, a pinch of pepper, a spoons of tamarind paste, a pinch of jaggery, two pinches each of salt and sambar powder. Simmer for 10 minutes.
3.: Chettinad Morekulambu ( Yogurt stew) Take half a handful of chopped coconut, a green chili, half a spoon of ginger garlic paste, two pinches each of coriander seeds, cumin, fennel and salt . Blend to a paste. Mix in half a cup of water, a pinch of turmeric, half a handful of chopped shallots and a handful of chopped and boiled ash gourd. Simmer for 10 minutes. Mix in half a cup of yogurt. Simmer for 2 minutes and serve.
4.: Chettinad Karakulambu (Spicy Sour Stew) Heat a spoon of oil. Add half a handful each of grated coconut, chopped shallots, tomatoes, 2 garlic cloves and 2 pinches of fennel. Cook for 2 mins and blend to a paste with half a spoon of tamarind paste, two pinches each of salt and sambar powder. Mix in half a cup of water. Bring to a boil. Add half a handful of a boiled vegetable and simmer for 5 minutes.
5.: Perattal (Stir fried vegetables) Take a cup of boiled vegetables. Mix in a pinch of fennel powder, pepper powder, chili powder, two pinches of salt, half a spoon of ginger garlic paste and half a handful of grated coconut. Stir and cook for a minute.
6.: Paruppu Masiyal (Mashed lentil curry) Heat a spoon of oil. Add 2 chopped garlic cloves, half a handful of of chopped shallots, a chopped green chili, a handful of boiled tuvar dal, a pinch of turmeric and 2 pinches of salt. Stir and cook for a minute.
7.:. Keerai Masiyal ( Mashed Spinach curry) Take a cup of chopped and boiled spinach. Mash with half a handful of boiled mung dal. Heat a spoon of oil. Add half a handful of chopped small onions, 2 cloves of crushed garlic, half a spoon of salt, a torn dry red chili and two pinches of cumin. Stir and cook for a minute. Mix in spinach and simmer for 5 minutes.
8.:. Chettinad Rasam (Thin lentil stew) Take a cup of water, Mix in half a handful of boiled and mashed tuvar dal, a spoon of tamarind paste, half a spoon of ginger garlic paste, two pinches of salt, a pinch each of fennel powder, black pepper and two pinches of sambar powder. Add four crushed garlic cloves. Simmer for 10 min. Filter out solids. Mix in two pinches of chopped cilantro.
9.: Chettinadu Meen Kulambu (Fish stew) Heat a spoon of sesame oil. Add two pinches of fennel, a pinch of fenugreek seeds, 2 curry leaves, half a handful each of chopped shallots, tomato and a chopped garlic clove. Stir and cook for 3 minutes. Mix in a cup and a half (300 ml) of water, a spoon of tamarind paste, three pinches of salt, chili powder & coriander powder. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 mins. Add a handful of chopped fish and simmer for 5 min. ( Fish can be marinated in a paste of lemon juice, chili & turmeric powders for an hour before being added to the stew)
10.: Kola Urundai Kulambu (Lentil ball sour stew) Soak half a handful of each of tuvar dal, chana dal, two dry red chilies and three pinches of fennel in a cup of water for 30 min. Drain and blend to a coarse paste. Mix in half a handful of chopped shallots, a pinch each of asafetida, cilantro and two pinches of salt. Form into small marble sized balls and steam for 3 minutes (or microwave for 30 seconds). In the gravy above, add these lentil balls to the stew in place of fish and simmer for 10 minutes.