Royal recipe from Pudukkottai

Pushpanjali is traditionally a palm full of fragrant flowers or a dish cooked with gratitude and love, offering at the feet of a revered deity. This age-old tradition was the custom amongst all kingdoms who ruled in south India. Food, was first offered to the palace deity and then to the revered persons, before others ate. 

Pushpanjali the dish too was prepared with similarly, with love, and served to a diner treated with the same respect as a deity. Puspanjali is a traditional dish made with raw banana, mashed into round bondas or Urandaikoftas and cooked in a simmering spicy curry, supposedly a favourite of Raja Thondaiman. During his period the whole of India come under the umbrella of the Mughals.   Pudukkottai was left undisturbed by the Nawab, except for the influence on food. Pushpanjali was influenced by the Muslim invaders, from whom certain spices like cinnamon, star anise and cloves, saw the entry into local food.

Serves: 5-6

Raw banana: 500 gms (boiled, peeled and mashed) 

Green coriander: 2 1/2 cups 

Green chillies: 6 (chopped) 

Mint: 1 sprig (finely chopped) 

Curry leaves: 1 sprig 

Turmeric powder: 1 tsp 

Salt: to taste

Gram flour/ lentil flour (kadlamavu): 25 gms 

Roasted cumin powder: 1/2 tsp 

Oil: 2 cups (for frying)

Cinnamon: 1

Cloves: 2 Star 

anise: 1 

Fennel: 1 tsp 

Cumin: 1 tsp 

Black pepper: 1 tsp 

Big cardamom: 2 

Small cardamom: 2 

Marathi mogu: 2 

Bay leaves: 2 

Coriander seeds: 1/4 cup 

Red chillies: 2

Banana flower: 1 medium sized (boiled, cut fine, water all squeezed out) Fresh coconut: 1/2 cup (grated) 

Ground nuts: 1/4 cup 

Cashew nuts: 1/4 cup  

Unsalted butter: 1 tbsp 

Roasted powdered cumin: 1 tsp 

Roasted coriander powder: 1 tsp 

Coconut milk: 1 cup 

Hung yogurt: 1 cup (whisked) 

Green peas: 21/2 cups (shelled, boiled and mashed) 

Jaggery: 1/4 cup 

Lemon juice: 1 tbsp 

Vegetable oil: 2 tbsp 

Salt: to taste

For the Urandai/koftas, mix all the ingredients together and divide into balls of equal portions. Flatten each ball and place some of the banana filling in it.  

Heat the oil in a deep kadai. When oil is hot, reduce flame and fry the urandai/ koftas till golden brown. 

Drain the excess oil on paper towels. Keep aside. For the gravy, pan roast the coconut, groundnuts, mint, green coriander, red chillies and cashew nuts and grind to smooth paste.  

In a fresh pan melt the butter and add cumin seeds, curry leaves and salt. Dissolve the coriander powder in 2 spoons of water and add to the mix. Stir fry for 2 minutes. 

Add yogurt. Stir and blend. Now add the mashed green peas, coconut and nuts paste, and cook for 3 or 4 minutes. Add 1 cup of water or coconut milk and bring to a boil. 

Add the grated jaggery and stir well for 4 minutes. Gently add the urandai/koftas one by one. Simmer on slow fire for 4 min. Switch off and add the lemon juice. Garnish with coriander leaves or curry leaves and serve.