PORICHA KOOTTU

KOOTTU-MANY OF US KNOW THE NAME OF THIS RECIPE.THIS ITEM FINDS PLACE IN ALL THE SOUTH INDIAN MENU ALONG WITH CURRY SAMBAR AND RASAM.IN MOST OF THE HOUSES IT IS HAD AS MAIN ITEM WITH KULUMBU.SINCE THEY USE DAL FOR KOOTTU THEY DONT MAKE KULUMBU WITH DAL AGAIN -BUT WILL GO FOR PLAIN KULUMBU WITHOUT DAL. IT IS BEST CHOSEN FOR THE NIGHT MENU IN MY HOUSE WITH THUVIAL WHICH HAS TAMARIND IN IT. THE USUAL COMBINATION IS IF ONE HAS SOUR TASTE THE OTHER SHOULD BE WITHOUT SOURNESS. SO THEY RIGHTLY NAMED 'PORICCHU' AND 'PULIPPU'.THAT IS WHY THIS KOOTTU IS CALLED PORICHA KOOTTU. IT TASTES GOOD ONLY WITH MOONG DHAL AND GIVES GOOD TASTE WHEN IT IS DONE AS 'ARAITHU VITTU'.THOUGH THE RECIPE IS SIMPLE TO MAKE WHEN SOME INSTRUCTIONS ARE FOLLOWED IT COMES OUT AUTHENTICALLY.THE VEGETABLES YOU CHOOSE TO DO THIS ENHANCES THE TASTE. IN ORDER OF PRIORITY WE CAN SAY --BRINJAL CLUSTER BEANS(KOTTUVARANGAI),AVARAIKAI,BEANS,SNAKE GOURD,CULIFLOWER AND CABBAGE.IF YOU CHOOSE TO PRESSURE COOK THE DHAL AND VEGETABLE THEN JUST ONE WHISTLE SHOULD BE ALLOWED. IT CAN BE DONE DIRECTLY IN A VESSEL.AND WHEN DONE SO THE DHAL WILL NOT COME STICKY.DEPENDING ON THE VEGETABLE YOU USE THE TIME TAKEN TO COOK IT ALSO DIFFERS.BEAN TYPE VEGETABLES CAN BE COOKED SEPERATELY TO AVOID DHAL BECOMING TOO SMOOTH WHEN COOKED TO GETHER.EVEN THE QUANTITY OF VEGETABLE REQUIRED TO COOK THIS RECIPE IS LESS. IF YOU REQUIRE HALF KG FOR CURRY YOU REQUIRE ONLY 1/4 KG FOR THIS. THAT IS THE REASON OUR ELDERS USED TOCHOOSE THIS TO MAKE IN NIGHT WITH THE VEGETABLE WHICH IS LEFT AFTER USING IT FOR MAKING CURRY.I REMEMBER THE ITEMS PREPARED IN THE MORNING WERE NEVER CARRIED FORWARD FOR USE IN THE NIGHT. THEY PREPARE THIS FRESH FOR THE NIGTH MENU WITH PULI-VECCHA THUVAIL. RASAM PREPARED IN THE MORNING WILL DEFINETLY BE ENOUGH FOR NIGHT TOO.THIS KOOTTU GOES VERY WELL WITH ROTI/CHAPATHI TOO.
PORICHU-KOOTTU
MOONG DHAL 1CUP
VEGETABLE(BRINJAL/BEANS/CAULIFLOWER) 250GMS
HALDI 1/4 TSP
SALT
LG
JEERA 1/2 TSP
CURRY LEAVES
FRY AND POWDER :
UDITH DHAL 2 TSP
RED CHILLIES 2
PEPPER CORNS 1/2 TSP
GRATED COCONUT OR DRY COCONUT POWDER 3TSP
FOR TEMPERING
MUSTARD 1 TSP
UDITH DAL 1TSP
LG
RED CHILLIES 1
CUT VEGETABLES OF YOUR CHOICE, CLEAN DHAL. IN A VESSEL COOK DHAL WITH
ENOUGH WATER. ADD HALDI. WHEN DAL IS HALF DONE ADD VEGETABLES.
ADD SALT CURRY LEAVES AND LITTLE LG.FRY UDITH DHAL, RED CHILLIES,
PEPPER AND IN THE END ADD COCONUT AND PUT OFF STOVE. GRIND TO SMOOTH
PASTE ADDING JEERA. ADD THIS TO COOKED DHAL AND VEGETABLE AND BRING
TO BOIL. HEAT OIL ADD MUSTARD, UDITH DHAL,RED CHILLIES AND REMOVE.
THE MEASURE OF RED CHILLIES AND PEPPER CAN BE ADJUSTED AS PER TASTE.
THE PEPPER AROMA AND TASTE WILL BE PROMINENT IN THIS RECIPE.
WE USE SOLID FORM OF LG IN PLACE OF POWDER. POWDER WILL BE USED FOR
TEMPERING ALONE. THERE IS A BEST WAY TO USE THE KATTI LG - BREAK THE
BIG PEICE INTO SMALL PEICES. USE A SMALL COMTAINER WITH LID TO PUT ONE PEICE
AT A TIME. ADD 2 TSP OF WATER N SOAK BEFORE YOU START COOKING. CAN USE FEW DROPS AT A TIME FOR EACH ITEM.CAN ADD 2 TSP WATER AGAIN FOR NEXT
USE TILL THE PEICE DISOLVES FULLY.
THE INGREDIENTS USED TO FRY AND POWDER CAN BE MADE IN MORE PROPORTIONS
AND STORED. THE SAME POWDER CAN BE USED FOR IYENGAR VATHAKULUMBU.
AND ALSO FOR PORICHA KOOTTU WHEN DONE AGAIN.