Thiruvathirai thalagam recipe | Thalagam kuzhambu

Ingredients

• 3 cups Mixed vegetables (See note 1)
• 1 tbsp Tamarind (packed)
• 1 tsp Jaggery
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric (Optional)
• Salt
• 1 tbsp Black sesame seeds (or white sesame seeds)
• 1 tbsp Raw rice (Sona masuri)
• 2 tsp Coconut oil
• 1 tbsp Toor dal (Split pigeon peas)
• 1/2 cup Grated coconut
• 6 Red chilli (Dry red chillies)
• 2 sprigs Curry leaves
• 1 tbsp Coconut oil (virgin)
• 1/2 tsp Mustard

Instructions

1. 1

   I used 1/4 cup dried mochai, so soaked it overnight.

2. 2

   Pressure cooked for 3 whistles in medium flame with salt and 1/2 cup water in a small pressure cooker.

3. 3

   You can use fresh mochai too to make kuzhambu thalagam. Either way pressure cook it prior using in the recipe.

4. 4

   --- Extract tamarind juice ---

5. 5

   Firstly, gather all ingredients needed. Then soak tamarind in 1/2 cup hot water to begin with.

6. 6

   --- Spice paste ---

7. 7

   After that, let's prepare the spice paste. Firstly dry roast sesame seeds until it pops and remove in a plate.

8. 8

   Then roast rice until it turns milky white, set aside.

9. 9

   After that, add 2 tsp of oil in the pan, add toor dal, red chillies and roast until dal turns golden in color.

10. 10

    Then add curry leaves and give it a roast.

11. 11

    After that, add 2 tsp of oil in the pan, add toor dal, red chillies and roast until dal turns golden in color.

12. 12

    Add curry leaves and give it a roast. Finally add coconut and roast until just dry, no need to wait until golden.

13. 13

    Remove in a plate for cooling.

14. 14

    --- Thalagam kuzhambu ---

15. 15

    Take a small pressure cooker, add hard vegetables which takes longer to cook in bottom. Drumstick, yam etc. Then top it off with all other vegetables gradually.

16. 16

    After that, extract tamarind juice and add to it (1 cup total).

17. 17

    Close the lid and pressure cook for just 2 whistles in high flame.

18. 18

    Once done, I transferred to another vessel as my cooker was too small.

19. 19

    Close the lid and pressure cook for just 2 whistles in high flame.

20. 20

    Once done, I transferred to another vessel as my cooker was too small.

21. 21

    Do not stir, just add turmeric, 1 more cup water, salt and jaggery.

22. 22

    Grind the spices we roasted with 1/4 cup (or as needed) water.

23. 23

    Pour it to the cooked vegetables and add 1 & 1/4 cup more water washing off the mixie. Gently give it a mix.

24. 24

    Once it boils mix each minute (3-4 minutes) and switch off the stove.

25. 25

    Heat a small pan with coconut oil and splutter mustard.

26. 26

    Finally add it to the thalagam and it's ready!