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Thursday, March 1, 2012

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Sothi Kulambu is the famous regional curry from our district, Tirunelveli, Tamilnadu. It's a coconut milk based curry made from moong dal and vegetables. 

Sothi Kuzhambu is served especially during maruveedu function which takes place a day after marriage. That's the first time son in law visits the bride house, so the bride's family gives him a feast with sothi sapadu(a meal with sothi kuzhambu). And many families in our city still follow this tradition. 
To me, Amma makes the best sothi kuzhambu and we all in our family love it . It tastes best with steamed rice or with dosa,idiyappam or appam. But usually we make this curry as part of a lunch meal rather than for breakfast.

Steamed rice with potato fry and inji pachadi(ginger pickle) is the classic combination and it's my all time favorite also.  As this curry is very mild & has a lot of coconut milk in it, inji pachadi makes an excellent side dish and also helps to aid digestion also. 


If you haven't tried this kuzhambu so far, give it a try though it involves a lot of work, the result would be amazing for sure. 


Sothi | Tirunelveli Sothi

Preparation Time : 20 mins | Cooking Time : 25 mins | Serves : 4-5 
Recipe Category: Curry | Recipe Cuisine: Indian
Sothi,Sodhi,Tirunelveli Sothi,Coconut Milk Curry,Sothi Kulambu Sothi Kulambu is the famous regional curry from our district, Tirunelveli, Tamilnadu.It's a coconut milk based curry made from moong dal and vegetables.
Moong Dal - 1/4 cup heaped
Potato - 1
Beans - 7 nos
Carrot -1
Peas - 1 or 2 tbsp
Cauliflower - 1/2 cup florets
Drumstick - 5 (1 inch pieces)
Peal Onion - 5
Tomato - 1
Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seed - 1 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Asafoetida powder- 1/4 tsp
Lemon Juice - 1 tbsp
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Garlic - 5+ 2 pods
Green chili - 4
Curry leaves - few 
Coriander leaves - few
Salt - to taste

Procedure
Cut the potato,carrot into small pieces & beans into 1/2 inch pieces.In a pressure cooker wash & add moong dal ,potatoes,carrots & beans along with asafoetida powder and enough water.
Cook it for 3 whistles. Now will start the grinding work, add the green chili in mixie jar and grind into coarse paste.
In the same jar, add the peeled & roughly chopped ginger and garlic(5) and grind into smooth paste and set aside. Next add the coconut and grind into coarse mixture.
Then add 1/2 cup of water and grind into smooth paste. 
Transfer the coconut paste into strainer and extract the coconut milk. That's the first coconut milk.
In the same jar, add the extracted coconut again with 3/4 cup of water and grind into smooth paste.Extract through the strainer and discard the coconut residue. This is second coconut milk.
Peal & cut the shallots into half or quart depends on the size, slit the drumstick & cut the tomato and the remaining garlic into small pieces. Heat the kadai with oil, add mustard & cumin seed, let them splutter.
Add the onions & curry leaves, saute till the onions becomes translucent.Add the cauliflower & drumstick and saute in the oil for 1 min, then add the ginger garlic paste and chili paste. Saute till the raw smell leaves.
Then add the tomatoes, give a quick mix & then add the second coconut milk. Let it boil and allow the veggies to cook. In the mean time, open the pressure cooker and mix it with laddle gentle.
Once the veggies are cooked, add the dal & salt.
As i have precooked peas, so adding now(if not having cooked peas, pressure cook it with dal) and let it boil for 3-4 mins. Keep the flame in low and add the first coconut milk & mix well. Let it in flame for 3 mins & switch off the flame.
Finally add the coriander leaves and lemon juice & mix well.
Delicious Sothi Kulambu is ready. Serve it with potato fry and inji pachadi for best taste . 
Notes:
  • Don't boil the curry vigorously after adding the first coconut milk.
  • If you have ginger garlic paste, use 1 tbsp of it.
  • Adjust the chilies according to your taste.
  • Cumin seed gives great flavor to the sothi.
  • Generally we don't add turmeric powder, but if you wish add 1/4 tsp for extra color.
  • No need to add all the veggies, even with potato, carrot alone, you can make this.
  • Inji Pachadi & Potato varuval is the best combo for this kulambu.


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