கொங்கு நாட்டின் பாரம்பரிய உணவு
Kongu Nadu cuisine is predominantly South Indian with rice as its base and a collection of exotic recipes being created by the people residing in the Kongu region (stretching over districts of Coimbatore, Erode, Salem, Tirupur, Karur, Namakkal, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri bounded by west Kerala to north Karnataka). In this episode, we explore 2 exotic dishes: the Sandhavai and Opputtu
Interestingly, Sandhavai, a sweet or savoury dish is prepared when newly-weds are invited for breakfast or dinner in Kongu Vellalar Kavundar (KVK) homes. Freshly made rice noodles, Sandhavai is very much like ‘Idiyappam’ (string hoppers, ‘Puttu Mayam’) that we have locally in Singapore eaten with brown sugar and grated coconut. Sandhavai can be served plain or with cardamom flavoured coconut milk or seasoned and served with lemon flavour or tomato Sandhagai.
Opputtu is a golden yellow sweet pancake, a variant of Puran poli made with rice, chickpea, palm or cane jaggery, cardamom and ghee. It is a delicious delicacy of ‘Kalyana Virunthu’ in KVK weddings (part of the usually three-day wedding affair) that brightens up the occasion and is a favourite dish among young and old. It is considered a ‘de rigueur’ at pre-Kongu marriage and at ‘valakaapu’ (a ritual performed to celebrate the new ‘mom-to-be’) ceremonies. This dish is usually a ‘must have’ for festive occasions.
Come, let’s cruise with Rajini Asokan and Pakkiam Sandran and Mdm Kaliammal with Jayaletchmi Singam and Sarojah Periasamy to cook and taste Our Kongu Cuisine: Sandhavai and Opputu respectively.
வாருங்கள், செய்து பார்ப்போம்; சுவைத்துப் பார்ப்போம்.
Recipe for Sandhavai சந்தவை
Ingredients
4 cups of parboiled rice (idli rice) soaked for 8 hours to grind
Salt to taste
For the Sweet
2 -4 cups of coconut milk
2 cardamom pods powdered
4-5 tbsp of sugar
For the Savory (4 cups of Sandhavai)
1/2 cup chopped onions
4-5 green chilies chopped
4 tomatoes chopped
seasonings: cumin, mustard, curry leaves
1 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp of oil & salt to taste
Method
For the Sandhavai
grind soaked rice to a smooth pourable consistency
grease idli moulds, pour batter & steam cook for 10-12 minutes
while still hot stuff idlis into the press & press to get the Sandhavai
set some aside for the sweet & break apart the other half for the savory version
Savory Sandhavai
heat oil in a pan & add the seasonings
add onions & green chilies & saute till translucent
add turmeric powder, salt & tomatoes & saute for a minute
cover with a lid & let it cook for 8-10 minutes till tomatoes are soft
mix in Sandhavai & turn off heat
Sweet Sandhavai
in a saucepan add coconut milk, cardamom & sugar & heat the coconut milk through stirring
தேவையான பொருட்கள்:
இட்லி அரிசி 1 குவளை
தேங்காய்ப்பூ 4 மேசைக் கரண்டி
செய்முறை
இட்லி அரிசியை 8 மணி நேரம் ஊறவைத்த பின்பு தேங்காய்ப் பூவுடன் தோசை மாவு பதத்திற்கு அரைத்துக் கொள்ளவும்.
அரைத்த உடனேயே இட்லி போல ஆவியில் வேகவைத்துச் சந்தவை மனையில் இட்டுப் பிழிந்தால் ‘சந்தவை’ தயார்.
Press for Making Sandhavai
Served with Vegetarian or Non-Vegetarian Side Dishes
Recipe for ‘Opputtu’
ஒப்புட்டு
Ingredients
1-2 cups wheat flour
1-2 cups grated coconut
3/4 cup jaggery
1 tbsp ghee
ghee for greasing
9-11 tbsp நல்லெண்ணெய் (sesame oil)
1-2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp ஏலக்காய்த் தூள்
(cardamom powder)
Method
heat (below medium) the ghee in a pan & add the coconut & saute
add the jaggery & cardamom powder & continue to saute till the moisture is gone & the coconut flakes separate
cool & make small balls known as poornam
take a small ball of dough & roll out into circles of about 4″
place the poornam inside, stretch the flat sides little by little to cover the poornam completely
pinch the edges on top & roll it out again
give this ball a gentle press using your palm, turn this ball upside down & with your fingers, stretch it out to make the Opputtu
heat a ‘dosakkal’, brush oil & place a rolled out opputtu, add ghee along the edges & fry on both sides
cook well on both sides on low to medium flame
