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Forgotten Kadappa kadi found mention in Chola era poetry
As the train entered the Kumbakonam Station, we enjoyed the strong aroma of filter coffee and watched the hustle and bustle of the temple city.
By
migrator
migrator
Chennai
Besides temples, this place has inherited the legacy of great cuisine, from the days of ancient kingdoms like the Chola Dynasty.
Excited to try out the famous cuisine of Kumbakonam, we quickly got into the taxi and checked into a beautiful resort. Walking through the colourful path leading to the small eateries, which are family run, one could almost visualise sipping the coffee and eating those soft idlies. Kumbakonam filter coffee and Iyer sapad are famous worldwide and people come here just to experience it.
One of the culturally rich towns in TN, this ancient city was the religious and culinary centre from the days of the Chola kingdom. Raja Raja Cholan was a food connoisseur — cooks of every kind were encouraged to try their hand in the vast palace kitchen. New dishes created were rewarded with bags of gold coins and thus new exciting dishes were born. Descriptions of food and drink are mostly found in Puram poems. In the past, the locals lived in five different landscapes and their food habits were very much influenced by their environment and the kingdom which ruled them.
The Chola kingdom that stretched till Maldives and Indonesia influenced the food and cooking style. It is said that in a Sangam Puram poem, which was part of the rich cultural heritage of the Chola kingdom, a famous chef called Kadappa’s name appears. He created wonders with his new creations and hence one of the dishes was named after him.
The original recipe is not known, but it must have been far different from what developed after several invasions and foreign traders’ influence especially the Portuguese, Persian and Arabs.
Ingredients like potatoes, cinnamon, clove, star anise, red chillies and fennel seeds were added later. The original dish, which was offered at the main palace, consisted of only millet, coconut, green gram pulse, pepper, salt and locally available spices. Slowly, pepper got replaced by green and red chillies. Millet disappeared from the dish and potatoes were added to provide the texture and starch. The lentils changed with time and the yellow moong dal (pasi paruppu) replaced the green one. Before, it was eaten as a main dish as it contained the ingredients of khichidi. But later, it became a famous side dish served with idlies and much later for pooris too.
Our first target at Kumbakonam was Mani’s Café, a small homely eatery, where we had the softest idlies with Kumbakonam kadappa. I was totally happy with the dish and wanted to share the recipe with all those who love traditional food.
Kumbakonam Kaddapa Kadi
Prep time—20 mins
Cook time—30 mins
Total time—50 mins
Serves — 4 persons
Calories per serve—318 calories for a small bowl
IngredientsÂ
Moong dal/paasi paruppu 1/4 cup
Potato 2
Tomato 1
Onion 2
Small onions 1/4 cupÂ
peeled and cutÂ
Green Chilies 4
Ginger cut fine 1 tbsp
Garlic 5 cloves
Fresh coriander 1 bunch cut fine
Coconut, grated 1/2 cupÂ
Fennel seeds [sombu] 1 tspÂ
Jeera 1 tsp
Coconut milk 1 cup Â
Red chilli powder 1 tspÂ
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Cinnamon 1 piece
Star anise 1
Cardamom powder 1/2 spoon
Bay leaf 2
Curry leaves 1 sprig
Salt as needed
Lemon juice 1/2 of the lemon
Coconut oil 1 tbsp
Ground nut oil 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Method
- Boil half a cup of split yellow moong dal with 1.5 cups of water in a pressure cooker and keep aside.
- Boil the potatoes in salt water till they are tender. Peel the potatoes, chop them into small pieces and keep aside
- Grind into a smooth paste: cinnamon, coconut, fennel seeds, cumin, green chillies, half the ginger, garlic, some small onions and a clove. Add ½ cup coconut milk and grind further. Keep aside
- Chop tomatoes and onions finely, keep aside
- Heat coconut oil in a pan and add cumin, mustard seeds, curry leaves, star anise, a clove and the peeled cardamom and sauté for two minutes
- Now, add chopped onions, salt and ginger (rest of it) and sauté till onion changes colour
- Add coriander powder, red chilli powder and sauté
- Add leftover small onions and sauté for a few minutes
- Add in the tomatoes . Sauté till the tomatoes are soft and blended with the onions
- Add in the ground masala, leftover coconut milk, potatoes and the dal. Add in 1/2 cup of water. Cover the vessel and simmer on a low flame for 8-10 minutes
- Stir once in a while so the gravy does not stick to the bottom. The gravy will be ready when the potatoes disintegrate into small pieces
- Add in couple of sprigs of curry leaves.Â
- Add one spoon of groundnut oil
- Switch off the flame and serve hot with pooris, paranthas, idlies or dosas
Kitchen Tip
Always grate one coconut and keep it in your freezer and then squeeze the milk out. Homemade and fresh coconut milk makes any dish taste much better than using off-the-shelf coconut milk
— Chef Ramaa Shanker is the author of Festive Offerings to the Gods
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