Traditional recipes that reminds Tamil Nadu's heritage

PALLIPALAYAM NATTU KOZHI VARUVAL

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 kg country chicken (nattu kozhi), cleaned and cut

300 gm shallots (sambar onions), peeled

20 dry red chillies

50 gm garlic, crushed

30 gm ginger

5 gm turmeric powder

25 gm curry leaves

100 gm fresh coconut, thinly sliced

100 ml sesame oil

25 gm salt

FOR THE MARINADE:

3 gm turmeric powder

10 gm crushed black pepper

30 gm ginger-garlic paste

10 g salt

HOW TO MAKE:

Marinate the country chicken with the ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, crushed black pepper and salt. Set aside for 30 minutes

Heat sesame oil in a heavy-bottomed kadai. Add the dry red chillies and curry leaves, and sauté until aromatic

Add the crushed garlic and shallots, and sauté until the shallots turn light golden

Add the marinated chicken and turmeric powder. Cook on high heat for 8-10 minutes

Pour in 500 ml water, cover and cook on a low flame for 35-45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is tender

Once the water has reduced, adjust the salt if required and add the crushed black pepper

Add the coconut slices and continue roasting over medium heat

Stir frequently until the moisture evaporates, the chicken is dry, well coated in the masala and lightly caramelised

Garnish with fresh curry leaves and serve hot

SERVING SUGGESTION:

Serve hot with steamed rice and rasam

PIRANDAI THUVAYAL (VELD GRAPE STEM CHUTNEY)

INGREDIENTS:

250 gram pirandai (veld grape stem), cleaned and chopped

50 ml sesame oil

30 g tamarind

30 g urad dal

30 g chana dal

10 dry red chillies

100 g grated coconut

2g asafoetida

15 g salt For the tempering

15 ml sesame oil

5g mustard seeds

10 g curry leaves

HOW TO MAKE:

HOW TO MAKE Yield: 10 portions

Apply a little sesame oil to your hands before handling the pirandai to prevent skin irritation

Remove the edges and fibres, wash thoroughly and chop into small pieces

Heat sesame oil in a pan and sauté the pirandai for 8–10 minutes until the raw smell disappears

In the same pan, roast the urad dal, chana dal, dry red chillies and asafoetida until golden

Add the tamarind and grated coconut, and sauté for another minute

Allow the mixture to cool completely

Grind the roasted ingredients along with the sautéed pirandai and salt, adding very little water, to a coarse thuvayal consistency

For the tempering, heat sesame oil, splutter the mustard seeds, add the curry leaves, and pour over the thuvayal. Mix well

SERVING SUGGESTION:

Serve with hot steamed rice drizzled with sesame oil or ghee, or as an accompaniment to idli and dosa.

NAVADHANYAM MIX

INGREDIENTS:

50 g foxtail millet (thinai)

50 g kodo millet (varagu)

50 g little millet (samai)

50 g barnyard millet (kuthiraivali)

50 g finger millet (ragi)

50 g green gram (pachai payaru)

50 g chickpeas (kondakadalai)

50 g cowpea (karamani)

50 g horse gram (kollu)

Other ingredients:

500 g jaggery

1.5 litres thin coconut milk

500 ml thick coconut milk

5g cardamom powder

3g dry ginger (sukku) powder

30 ml ghee

50 g cashew nuts

30 g raisins

2 litres water

HOW TO MAKE:

Wash all the grains and legumes separately and soak them for 6–8 hours

Drain and cook the navadhanyam mix in water until the grains and legumes are soft

Dissolve the jaggery in a little warm water and strain to remove impurities

Add the jaggery syrup to the cooked grains and simmer for 10 minutes

Pour in the thin coconut milk and cook over a low flame for 10–15 minutes

Stir in the cardamom powder and dry ginger powder

Reduce the heat and add the thick coconut milk. Mix well without allowing the payasam to boil

Heat the ghee in a pan and fry the cashew nuts and raisins until golden

Add them to the payasam and stir gently

Let the payasam rest for 10 minutes before serving