Thalagam

Thiruvadharai always comes in the month of Margazhi with hot flavorful Kali(Sweet rice pudding) and Thalagam a.k.a 7 kari kootu. The name thalagam is mostly associated with the people of Tirunelveli as they have a different method of preparing this 7 kari kootu. I love my mom's way of preparing it and she said that she got the recipe from my aunt(My dad and his family hails from Tirunelveli).In my house we prepare this thalagam frequently and not just on thiruvadharai as all of us love  it.It goes well with hot plain rice and papad or appalam.

Preparation time:30 mins

serves:4

Ingredients:

Mixed large diced vegetables(Yellow pumpkin,white pumpkin,elephant yam(senai),seppankizhangu,Mochai payaru or fresh field beans,carrot,vazhaikai and beans)-350 gms

tamarind-1 small lemon size

fresh grated coconut-1/4 cup

coconut oil-1 tbsp

curry leaves-few

Turmeric powder-1 tsp

hing or asafoetida-1 tsp

salt-as required

To be roasted and grind to a fine paste:

Channa dhal-2 tbsp

Dry red chillies-8 or 9(Depending on your spice level)

Raw rice- 2 tsp

Coriander seeds-1 tsp

Sesame seeds(white)-2 tbsp

curry leaves-few

Grated Coconut-1 cup

Procedure :

1.Take all the ingredients given for roasting and grinding except coconut and sesame seeds ,and roast them till they are golden brown and nice aroma arises.Keep them aside to cool.

2.Roast the grated coconut in low flame for 5 mins and keep it along with the other roasted ingredients above.

3.Now keep the flame high and allow the wok to heat up.Then add the sesame seeds to it and keep stirring it.The sesame seeds will splutter rendering a nice aroma.Do not allow them to burn.Once the spluttering stops,remove them and keep it with the other ingredients that are already roasted to cool down.

4.Now grind all the roasted ingredients to a fine paste by adding a little water.

5.Soak the tamarind in water and extract its juice.Boil the tamrind extract till the raw smell goes off.

6.Boil all the vegetables mentioned above with required salt,hing and turmeric powder and add the tamarind extract to it and simmer it on low flame.

7.Now add the ground paste and the fresh grated coconut to the vegetable mixture.

8.After heating the thalagam on low flame for 5 minutes.switch off the flame and add coconut oil and curry leaves as garnish .

9.The thalagam is ready to be served.Serve hot with plain rice and appalam(papad).