Advertisement
Popularity: Puli Kootu is also referred as ‘Thiruvadhirai Kootu / Thiruvadhirai Puli Kootu / Ezhu curry kootu (meaning : kootu prepared with 7 vegetables)’ by the Iyers. Iyengars refer this as Pulippu Kootu / Puli Kootu.
Generally this kootu is served as a combo with Kali for Neivedhyam on the day of Thiruvadhirai by all the Iyer Families. This should be prepared with odd number of vegetables. Say 5, 7 etc and one should use native vegetables to prepare this (called as ‘Naatu Karigai’).
Ingredients:
- Vegetables: You can use any of the below mentioned vegetables in combination (either 5 or 7, etc) : All vegetables mix can be 500 gms.
a. Pooshanikkai (White Pumpkin)
b. Avaraikkai
c. Vazhakkai (Plantain)
d. Pacha Mochai Payaru (Green Mochai)
e. Kathirikkai (Brinjal)
f. Yam
g. Potato
- Salt
- Tamarind: Size of a small lemon
- Cooked Toor Dal: 1 big ladle
- Red Chillies: 6
- Coriander Seeds: 2 tsp
- Gram Dal: 2 tsp
- Coconut (Grated) : 1 small cup / 50 gms
- Curry Leaves
- Mustard: 1 tsp
- Oil: 3 tsps
- Asafoedita: A Pinch
- Turmeric Powder: A pinch
- Jaggery: 1 tsp
- Water
Preparation Procedure:
- In a Kadai, add all the vegetables, a pinch of turmeric powder and boil them with water and Salt.
- Extract all juice from tamarind by squeezing tamarind in warm water (say 200 ml)
- When the vegetables in the kadai are half cooked, add tamarind water to the kadai.
- In a separate Kadai, add 2 tsp of oil and roast the red chillies, gram dal and coriander seeds to light golden brown colour.
- Grind the above roasted mix with grated coconut and few pinch of asafoedita and 2 or 3 curry leaves in the form of a paste by adding little quantity of water.
- When the vegetables are 3/4th cooked, add the above paste to the kadai and keep boiling.
- Finally add the cooked toor dal after mashing the dal well and then add jaggery and keep stirring.
- Add few curry leaves and then season the kootu with mustard and asafoedita.
Note: You can choose to increase or decrease the water quantity during cooking depending on whether you want thicker or watery gravy.