AmmA's

R E C I P E S
A compilation of
Dharmam's most beloved recipes
 AmmA's
R E C I P E S
A compilation of
Dharmam's most beloved recipes

To our guru Swami Shantanand Saraswathi

our gratitude for having been
instrumental in teaching us to
serve, love, and give.
PREFACE
It is with deep affection and a sense of achievement that I write the preface
though I personally feel most unqualified to write this. Born as the youngest in
the family, I somehow had the least opportunities to learn and cook Amma’s
recipes. Cooking has never been one of my favourite hobbies.

So thanks to Covid - 19 and being at home for an extended period of time , I

was left with not much choice but to enter the kitchen to cook meals. What
started off as a sense of duty turned slowly into enjoyment and a sense of joy
when the food was appreciated.

Of course learning from Amma herself is the hardest as she is a tough task
master. However, I am thankful for this time I have had with her which became
a bonding time. It is never too late to start. I am glad to be learning these
precious recipes that can be passed down to the next generation.

It was during one of these cooking sessions that the idea to document all her
recipes came into my mind. I shared it with my sisters who immediately got
down to work. Amma , thank you for teaching me. I know I am not the best
student, but I am glad for this opportunity to learn these first hand from you
ma.

Lakshmi Krishnan
August 2020
AMMA’S RECIPES PASSED
DOWN OUR WAY
CONTENTS
KOOTANS :
Keerai molagootal 1
Cabbage molagootal 2
Vegetable molagootal 3
Nendhrapazham Mor Kuzhambu 4
Maambazha Mor Kuzhambu 5
Maangai kootaan 6
Avial 7
Pulangari 8
Vendakka Puli Pachadi 9
Pavakkai pitlai 10
Brinjal rasavangi 11
Poricha kuzhambu 12
Theeyal 13
SIDE DISHES
Olan without Coconut Milk 15
Olan with Coconut Milk 16
Keerai Masiyal 17
Bitter Gourd Fry 18
Pumpkin Coconut Curry 19
Mezhukkuvarratti 20
Vazhakkai / Potato Podimas 21
Chenai Masiyal 22
Kootu 23
Ladies Finger Fry 24
Istu 25
Vegetable Kurma 26
Baked Beans Curry 27
Paal Curry 28
OTHER SAVOURY ITEMS
Peerkangaai Thohaiyal 30
Coconut Thohaiyal 31
Inji Aruchakalaki 32
Thayir Pachadi 33
Ginger, Carrot and Lemon Salad 34
Pineapple, Carrot, Fresh Red Chilli Salad 35
Morappam 36
Verum Arishi Adai 37
Black Ulunthu Adai 38
Carrot,Spring Onion Chapathi 39
Ellu Sadham 40
SWEETS
Mysore Pak 42
Neiyappam 43
Pal Payasam 44
Nei Payasam 45
Thiruvatharai Kali 46
Kavathu Kizhangu 47
Boli / Obbattu 48
Paal Boli 49
Moong Dhal Payasam 50
Elai Adai 51
HANDWRITTEN RECIPES
FEW WORDS ON PATTI/AMMA'S COOKING
FEEDBACK ON INDIVIDUAL SPECIALITIES
GLOSSARY OF ITEMS
KOOTANS
KEERAI MOLAGOOTAL
INGREDIENTS: METHOD :
Kadugu keerai or Bayam Cook paasi paruppu
Coconut grated Fry ulutham paruppu and one milagai
Paasi paruppu vathal, Add fresh coconut, jeera and grind
Milagai vathal altogether
(Dry chilli) Cook keerai in a little water with
Ulutham paruppu chunnambu
Chunnambu Add this cooked keerai to the earlier
Manjal podi ground ingredients and grind
Jeera Add the ground items to the cooked
paruppu
Add salt and bring to a boil
THALIPPU
Kadugu and Ulutham Paruppu
1
CABBAGE MOLAGOOTAL

INGREDIENTS: METHOD :
Cabbage Cook the paasi paruppu
Paasi Paruppu Cut cabbage and add to it when paruppu is
Grated Coconut cooked
Milagai vathal (Dry chilli) Grind coconut, dry chilli, rice, jeera, pepper
Jeera together
2 Pepper When cabbage is cooked, add salt and
A few grains of rice ground paste. Leave to boil
Add curry leaves

THALIPPU
Kadugu and Ulutham Paruppu

2
VEGETABLE MOLAGOOTAL

INGREDIENTS : METHOD :
Vegetables - Any vegetables of Add vegetables and paruppu with turmeric and
your choice like chow chow, salt in pressure cooker and cook
white pumpkin, carrot, potato, Grind coconut, dry chillies and Jeera nicely.
green peas, banana stem (or Mix all and cook together nicely.
any combination of these) Add more salt accordingly.
Thuvaram paruppu / Paasi
paruppu- slightly more than a THALIPPU
handful Kadugu, Ulutham paruppu, Dry chilli & Curry leaves
Coconut - about a handful
Dry red chillies - 1-2
Jeera - a little

3
NENDHRAPAZHA
MORKUZHAMBU
METHOD :
INGREDIENTS:
Grind coconut , curd, green chilli and
Ripe Nendhran pazham 3-4 whilst grinding the last time add ½
Curd 1 cup nendhran pazham
Ground coconut- 1 cup Cut remaining nendran pazham into
Green chilli 2-3 small pieces
Menthayam In water, add cut nendhran pazham,
Curry leaves manjal podi and pepper podi
Kadugu When nendhran pazham is soft, add
the ground items and salt
Add curry leaves
THALIPPU
Kadugu, Menthayam and Dry chilli
(if necessary)
4
 MAAMBAZHA
MORKUZHAMBU

INGREDIENTS: METHOD :
Ripe Mangoes 2 Grind coconut , curd, green chilli and
Curd 1 cup whilst grinding the last time add some
Ground coconut- 1 cup of the mangoes
Green chilli 2-3 Cut mangos (with skin) into medium
Menthayam sized pieces
Curry leaves In water, add cut mangoes, manjal
Kadugu podi and pepper podi
When mango is soft, add the ground
items and salt
Add curry leaves
THALIPPU
Kadugu, Menthayam and Dry chilli
(if necessary) 5
 MAANGAAI
KOOTAAN

INGREDIENTS: METHOD :
Potato/White Pumpkin/ Fry menthayam, dry chilly with very
Yellow Cucumber/Raw Banana/ little oil. When golden brown, remove
Ripe Mango- Not Too Ripe and blend with coconut, broken rice
Menthayam ¼ Tsp with very little water.
Milagai Vathal (Dry Chilli) Cut vegetable into cubes and boil in
Ground Coconut very little water and turmeric. Add salt
Broken Rice ¼ Tsp when vegetables are cooked
Turmeric Powder Once the vegetables are cooked add
Curd ground items and let it boil nicely. Add
Curry leaves a little curd.
THALIPPU
Kadugu, Menthayam and Dry chilli
(if necessary) 6
AVIAL
INGREDIENTS:
METHOD :
Ground coconut - I handful
Green chilli- 3 to 4 Grind coconut , Green chilli and Curd till
Curd (If using raw mango as a vegetable, nice
use less curd and add water if necessary)
Boil vegetables in water
Vegetables
Chenai (Yam) If using chenai-add in first and add a
Carrot little sugar (which helps to cook chenai)
Beans- long beans and/or French beans
Add carrot, potato, beans
Vazhakkai (Raw Banana)
Cucumber Add manjal podi
Elavan (White pumpkin) Add vazhakkai, cucumber, elavan,
Pudalangai (Snakegourd)
pudalangai
Raw Mango
Matthan (Yellow pumpkin) Lastly add raw mango and matthan
Potato Add salt to taste
Curry leaves
Add curry leaves
Turmeric powder
Coconut oil Add fresh coconut oil
7
PULANGARI

INGREDIENTS:
Onions METHOD :
Milagai vathal (Dry chilli) Cook paruppu
Vegetables ; pumpkin, white Grind chilli and raw onions
pumpkin, ladies finger Boil puli with ground items
Puli Add vegetables and cook with turmeric
Paasi paruppu/ Thuvaramparuppu Wait for raw onion smell to go and then
Turmeric add cooked paruppu and salt
Coriander leaves Add coriander leaves
THALIPPU
Kadugu, Menthayam and Onions

8
 VENDAKKA
PULI PACHADI

INGREDIENTS:
Vendakkai
METHOD :
Puli
Fry kadugu, menthayam, green and dry
Milagai vathal (Dry chilli) chilli, curry leaves and then add
Green chilli vendakkai
Kadugu Add salt when vegetables are cooked
Add puli water and let it cook until raw
Menthayam smell goes
Add a little rice flour mixed with water to
it to thicken it.
Add brown sugar also.

9
 PAVAKKAI
PITLAI METHOD :
Cook the thuvaram paruppu and Peanuts and keep
INGREDIENTS: aside
Cut the bitter gourd in round pieces.
Thuvaram Parruppu - 60 gms Fry in little ghee the kadalai paruppu, ulutham paruppu,
Kadalai paruppu - 1 tsp dry chilli, until light brown
Ulutham Paruppu - 1 tsp Before taking it out from the fire, add the coconut and
Milagai vathal perungayam. Cool, then grind and keep
(Dry chilli) - 4 to 5 In the Kadai add a little ghee and fry the cut bitter gourd
Perungayam - a little
until it turns slightly brown.
Coconut - 3 tblsp
“Karai Puli” and add to the bitter gourd add salt and
Peanuts - 2 tblsp (optional)
turmeric powder and let it boil nicely.
Bitter gourd - 4 to 5
Once the raw smell goes, add the ground masala and let
Puli - little more than
it boil and then add the paruppu.
lime size
(If using, peanut add that and let everything boil nicely)
Curry leaves
Kadugu and Ulutham paruppu Add curry leaves
for thalippu THALIPPU
Ghee Kadugu and Ulutham paruppu. 10
 BRINJAL
RASAVANGI METHOD :
INGREDIENTS: Fry coriander seeds, menthayam, ulutham
Coriander seed - 1 tblsp paruppu, kadalai paruppu, dry chilli, pepper,
Menthayam - ¼ tsp coconut and menthayam in nallennai, cool and
Ulutham paruppu - 1 tsp then grind.
Kadalai paruppu - 1 tsp Boil the paruppu and keep
Milagai vathal Cut brinjal into big cubes and fry in
(Dry chilli) - 4 or 5 Nallennai
Pepper - 5 or 6 pepper
Karai puli and let it boil. Once the raw smell
Coconut - 2 Tblsp
Perungayam - little
goes add brinjal , salt and turmeric and let it
Brinjal - 3 medium size boil.
Curry leaves Add ground items to the boiling brinjal. Once
Turmeric boiled add thuvaram paruppu to it.
Nallennai Add curry leaves
Puli - A little more than
a lime size THALIPPU
Thuvaram Paruppu - 60 gm Kadugu, Perungayam in Nallennai
11
 PORICHA
KUZHAMBU METHOD :
Cook tatta payaru
INGREDIENTS:
Cook puli
Tatta payaru
Ulutham paruppu
Vazhakai / Keerai thandu
Coconut grated Add sambar podi and pepper podi
Puli to cooked puli water
Sambar podi Add vegetables to this
Pepper podi Add salt when cooked
Add tatta payaru
Add curry leaves

THALIPPU
Kadugu, Ulutham paruppu and grated coconut.
(Fry Coconut until slightly brown)
12
 THEEYAL

INGREDIENTS : METHOD :
TO FRY TILL GOLDEN BROWN & Brown kadalai, boil and keep separately
GROUND TO A PASTE - (if using )
Coriander seeds, Onions, If we are using elephant yam(chenai), in a little
Dry Red Chillies, Curry leaves, water add a little sugar and cook it.
Coconut Otherwise all other vegetable cook as per
normal
VEGETABLES – Drumsticks and When vegetable is ¾ cooked, add tamarind
small onions or Elephant Yam water. When vegetables are nicely cooked add,
(Chenai) or Small onions and salt and turmeric powder and the grounded
Brown Kadalai paste. Let it boil nicely.
Finally add the cooked brown kadalai.
TAMARIND – Lime size or
slightly bigger THALIPPU
Kadugu, Dry Chilli & Curry leaves
13
SIDE DISHES
 OLAN
WITHOUT COCONUT MILK

INGREDIENTS : METHOD :
Pachai mathan (inside yellow) Cook thattapayaru till soft
Elavan (white pumpkin) In a little water add mathan, elavan and long
Long beans beans
Thattapayaru (red) When cooked add salt
Green chilli Add slit green chilli (optional)
Before removing from fire, add little coconut oil

15
 OLAN
WITH COCONUT MILK

INGREDIENTS :
Pachai mathan (inside yellow)
Elavan (white pumpkin) METHOD :
Long beans Cook thattapayaru till soft
Thattapayaru (red) In a little water add mathan, elavan and long
Green chilli beans
Coconut milk When cooked add salt
Add slit green chilli (optional)
Add fresh coconut milk to the vegetables
Before boiling, remove from fire.
Add little coconut oil
16
 KEERAI
MASIYAL

INGREDIENTS : METHOD :
Bayam keerai/Thandu keerai Wash keerai nicely several times
Kadugu Boil with very little water till cooked (add
Dry chilli little white chunnaambu) while boiling
Manjal podi Let it cool
Grind till smooth
To the ground keerai, add manjal podi and
put to boil
Add salt accordingly and mix

THALIPPU
Kadugu and Dry Chilli
17
 BITTER METHOD :
GOURD FRY Grind raw onions and dry chilli
Wash and cut bitter gourd into thin round circles
INGREDIENTS : Add salt and keep for half an hour
Squeeze the bitter gourd and remove all excess
Bitter gourd water (to remove bitterness)
Onion Deep fry the bitter gourd and remove from fire
Potato when light brown
Tomato Fry the onions in a little oil, add chopped
Dry chilli potatoes and wait till they are cooked (add salt)
Add chopped tomato
Remove all from fire
In little oil, fry ground items
Once the raw smell is not there, add all the fried
items
Add salt if necessary 18
 PUMPKIN
COCONUT CURRY

INGREDIENTS :
METHOD :
Pumpkin
Grated Coconut Grind coconut and green chilli
Green Chilli Put kadugu, ulutham paruppu and curry
Kadugu leaves in oil
Ulutham paruppu Once brown add cut pumpkin
Curry leaves Splash some water and allow to cook
Add ground items and salt
Mix well and serve

19
MEZHUKKUVARRATTI

METHOD :
INGREDIENTS :
Cut raw banana and carrot into medium size
Raw Banana dice and long beans into about ¾ inch.
Long Beans Let the above boil for a few mins and drain.
Carrot
In a wok, put a little oil and splutter mustard
Ulutham paruppu
Mustard Seeds seeds, ulutham paruppu and curry leaves
Curry Leaves Add boiled vegetables and stir fry it. Keep
adding little oil at a time
Let the bottom of the wok turn brown and the
vegetables become crispy.
Add salt as needed
Mix well and serve
20
 VAZHAKKAI /
POTATO PODIMAS
METHOD :
INGREDIENTS :
Dice vegetables into tiny pieces.
Vazhakkai (Raw banana Plantain) /
In a wok, add a little oil and add
Potato - 2-3
ulutham paruppu, mustard seeds,
Onion, Finely chopped - 1
jeera and curry leaves.
Ginger, Finely chopped - 3 tsp
Add chopped onions, ginger and
Green Chillies, Finely chopped - 3-4
Turmeric - ¼ tsp green chillies
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp Add diced vegetables and stir for a
Ulutham paruppu - 1/2 tsp few minutes
Curry Leaves - as per taste Add turmeric powder and salt to taste
Jeera - 1 tsp and stir a little longer
Mix well and serve
21
CHENAI MASIYAL
(ELEPHANT YAM)

METHOD :
INGREDIENTS : Cut chenai into big pieces and cook well.
Chenai (Elephant Yam) Add turmeric, salt and green chillies
Green Chillies Once cooked well, smash it.
Coconut Add coconut & curry leaves and let it cook well
Juice from Lemon Add lime juice accordingly before eating.
Curry leaves
THALIPPU :
Kadugu, Ulutham paruppu and Dry chilli

NOTE:
Curry should not be too watery or too thick
22
 KOOTU
METHOD :
INGREDIENTS : Grind coconut, small dry chilli and little rice
Kadalai Paruppu flour and keep aside.
Elavan cut to pieces Cook kadalai paruppu in water.
Carrot cut to pieces Add vegetables
Coconut Add turmeric powder and salt when cooked
Small piece dry chilli Add ground items in
Little rice flour
Kadugu, Ulutham paruppu, THALIPPU :
Curry leaves
Kadugu, Ulutham paruppu and Curry Leaves

23
 LADIES FINGER
WITH PEPPER POWDER
METHOD :
INGREDIENTS : Slice the ladies finger thinly
Ladies finger - wash nicely and Add very little oil and add curry leaves and
keep aside earlier. onions
Onions - cut into thin slices Once onion is light brown add ladies finger
Pepper, curry leaves, and fry nicely
green chilli Sprinkle pepper powder and salt accordingly
Add ½ sliced green chilli
Mix well and serve

NOTE :
Do not cover the ladies fingers when frying

24
ISTU METHOD :
Prepare coconut milk with 3 consistencies
INGREDIENTS : (adjust the consistency by adding water to
dilute the coconut milk) -First milk will be the
Potato - peeled and thickest and the 3rd milk will be the most
cut into cubes diluted
Onions
Cook the potato in the 3rd milk along with the
Ginger
Green chillies ginger, green chilli and salt.
Coconut milk Add cut onions
Curry leaves After some time add 2nd milk and finally add
the first milk
Switch off as soon as it's about to boil.
NOTE :
If we want a little more spicy, grind onions &
rd
dry red chillies and add it with the 3 milk
25
VEGETABLE KURMA

INGREDIENTS :
Tofu METHOD :
Carrot
Boil vegetables in water with turmeric
Cauliflower
Potato and salt
Onions - 6 Fry tofu separately
Add paste and tofu to cooked
TO GRIND : vegetables
Grated Coconut Add 1 fried onion
Coriander seeds - 3 tbsp
Fenugreek - a pinch
Pepper - 1 teaspoon
Jeera - 1 teaspoon
Dry red chilli - 6
Curry leaves
First fry coconut and 5 onions
separately then grind all into a paste 26
BAKED BEANS CURRY

METHOD :
INGREDIENTS : Grind onions and dried red chilli into a
paste
Tin Canned Baked Beans
Tofu Fry Tofu and keep aside (Not deep fry.
Onions Tofu must be soft and not crispy)
Dried Red Chilli Add the grounded paste and fry till raw
Coriander leaves smell goes.
Add tofu
Add baked beans and add water according
to the thickness of the required gravy
Add salt accordingly.
Garnish with coriander leaves

27
PAAL CURRY
METHOD :
INGREDIENTS : Chop onions finely.
Vegetables: French beans, carrot, Cut the vegetables into thin and long strips
radish, potatoes, onions, cauliflower, (just like avial)
curry leaves and tofu. Add sambar podi (according to taste) turmeric
Other ingredients: powder & salt to the cut veggies and let it
coconut milk, sambar podi, marinate for about 20-30 minutes
turmeric powder
When ready add little oil in the pan and fry the
Kadugu, mendhayam,
red chillies, onions, marinated veggie for a few mins. Take care that
curry leaves. they do not burn. Once slightly cooked and
shrunk add water just to cook them . (Don't add
THALIPPU:
too much water)
In another pan add little oil. Add Once cooked add coconut milk to taste.
kadugu once it splutters add 1/2 tsp If tofu is there fry and add to the veggies before
mendhayam and red chillies. Add onions adding the coconut milk.
and fry till golden brown. Add curry
leaves and garnish the paal curry. 28
OTHER SAVOURY
ITEMS
PEERKANGAAI
THOHAIYAL
METHOD :
INGREDIENTS :
Remove Peerkangaai skin and dice the
Peerkangaai ridge gourd
(Ridgegourd) Fry ulutham paruppu and dry chilli and
Ground Coconut-2 tbsp remove from fire
Ulutham paruppu In a drop of oil, fry diced ridge gourd
Dry chilli (1) Grind all the above, ground coconut and
salt (sprinkle water only if required)
SERVING SUGGESTIONS :
Serve with vethakuzhambu,
milagu rasam or sambar
30
 COCONUT
THOHAIYAL
METHOD :
INGREDIENTS : Fry ulutham paruppu,kadalai paruppu,
Ulutham paruppu ½ cup dry chilli and perungayam in little oil
Kadalai paruppu ¼ cup Once it is nicely fried add the coconut
Dry chillies 4 or 5 and fry lightly
Perungayam - little After it cools down grind all the fried
Coconut (Half) items
Puli very little Add puli, salt and brown sugar and grind
Brown sugar very little together
Do not add too much water
SERVING SUGGESTIONS : Once everything is mixed and ground can
Have it with hot white rice take out
and nallennai. Do not grind very smoothly
31
4
INJI ARUCHAKALAKI

INGREDIENTS:
Ginger
Coconut (ground) METHOD :
Mustard Grind ginger, chilli, coconut together
Chilli (If ellam inji can add chilli, if not no need
Curd (thick) chilli)
Take 4 mustard and grind
Add thick curd to the ground items and mix
Add salt to taste
Do not add water

32
 THAYIR
PACHADI

INGREDIENTS:
Potato (boil and keep) METHOD :
Onions Cut tomatoes,onion,green chillies and
Tomato coriander finely.
Green chilli Smash the cooked potato and add to the
Coriander for garnishing cut onions, tomatoes and chilli and mix
Yogurt well.
Add the yogurt, salt and mix well.
Garnish with coriander

33
GINGER, CARROT AND
LEMON SALAD

INGREDIENTS:
Carrot METHOD :
Ginger Chop carrot and ginger finely and mix
Lemon together
Squeeze lime and add salt to taste

34
 PINEAPPLE, CARROT,
FRESH RED CHILLI SALAD

INGREDIENTS:
Pineapple METHOD :
Carrot Cut into large pieces the pineapple
Fresh red chilli and carrots
Cut red chilli into thin strips
Mix together
Add salt to taste

35
MORAPPAM

INGREDIENTS:
Old thosai maavu
Arishi maavu THALIPPU :
Kadala maavu for colour In little oil fry kadugu and
Chilli powder ulutham paruppu
Green chilli
Ginger METHOD :
Curry leaves Mix all and fry in gingelly oil in Kuzhi kal

36
VERUM ARISHI ADAI

INGREDIENTS:
METHOD :
Raw rice
Murunga leaves, Onions Soak rice in water for 2 hrs
or Grated coconut Grind coarsely
Add salt
Add ingredient as desired
Make on dosai kal

37
BLACK ULUNTHU ADAI
METHOD :
INGREDIENTS: Black whole ulutham paruppu
Idly rice - 2 cup (soak just ¾ hr before grinding in water)
Thur dhal - ½ cup Soak all the other ingredients together
Kadalai paruppu - ¼ cup (including dry chilli) for about 3 hours
Black whole ulunthu - ½ cup Grind all the items coarsely.
Dry chillies Add salt accordingly.
Pepper FOR MAKING TODAY :
Curry leaves
Soak the ingredients in hot water
Perungayam
for about an hour and grind coarsely

38
CARROT, SPRING ONION
CHAPATHI

INGREDIENTS: METHOD :
Wheat flour 2 cups Scrape the carrot very finely
Carrot 1 medium size Cut spring onion finely
Spring onion 2 bunches Add the flour and add salt.
Mix together well.
Add water little by little and make it
into a nice dough.
Add a little oil in the flour and mix well.
Keep for about 10 mins.
Roll and flatten and put on
chapathi kal and cook it well.
Can add ghee to give a good flavor. 39
 METHOD :
ELLU SADHAM Cook rice and cool it
(Rice should not be overcooked)
Fry the ellu separately until it splutters
INGREDIENTS :
Remove and fry ulutham paruppu and
Pachai arishi
dry chillies until paruppu changes color
Black ellu
Once cool grind it coarsely
Urad dhal
Dry chillies THALIPPU :
Perungayam Kadugu
Ulutham paruppu
Peanut (optional)
With nallennai
Add salt accordingly
MIX GROUND ITEMS AND
THALIPPU NICELY TO THE RICE 40
SWEETS
 METHOD :
Fry flour in a little ghee nicely. Remove and
MYSORE PAK keep aside
Add sugar to the wok and just enough
INGREDIENTS: water.
Besan flour Let it boil nicely
(kadalai mavu) – 1 cup Once sugar melts, check consistency and
Sugar – about 2 cups then slowly add the flour and keep stirring.
Ghee - about 2 cups Continue stirring while adding ghee.
Baking Powder – Sieved a little When the mixture stops sticking to the wok
and starts to crack up a little, add the
baking powder and stir nicely.
Finally when ready, pour into a greased tray
and spread it out.
Whilst the mixture is still hot, cut it into
cubes.
42
NEIYAPPAM

INGREDIENTS: METHOD :
1 cup rice flour Grind banana and brown sugar first till fine
1 cup brown sugar Add rice flour and atta to it and grind till fine
3 bananas Add elakaai and a little salt
Ghee Keep for 3 to 4 hours
1 tablespoon atta Draw APPAM KAATHAAN on the wall tiles
Elakaai Fry with ghee in Kuzhi kal

APPAM KAATHAAN
One who protects appam

43
PAAL PAYASAM

INGREDIENTS:
Broken Rice - 4 Tablespoons
Badam about 10 pieces soaked in hot water, peel the skin and cut into small pieces
Fresh milk about 3 litres
Sugar 1 ½ cups
Saffron about 4 strands
METHOD :
Wash rice and put in a heavy bottom container to boil in very little water
After boiling for a while add half litre milk and let it boil. Keep stirring.
Once the milk has boiled quite well add the next ½ litre milk. Let it boil.
Keep stirring well. If not, milk can get stuck to the container and get burnt.
Add the next ½ litre milk and let it boil, Keep stirring. Once the level of milk is
reduced add the next ½ litre of milk
Let it boil well. Keep stirring well. Add another ½ litre milk and let it boil. By now
the milk will be getting thicker.
Add the last ½ litre milk . Mix well and keep stirring well.
Once it has boiled well, add the sugar. Let it boil well. Add saffron to the payasam.
Turn off the flame.. Keep stirring once in a while as there will be a thick layer
formed on the payasam. 44
NEI PAYASAM
INGREDIENTS: METHOD :
1 cup broken rice and Wash rice until all stones are removed
fried paasi paruppu In boiling water add rice and fried paasi
2-3 cups brown sugar paruppu. Let it cook. Add hot water when
Fried cashews required
Coconut kheeru In another pot add brown sugar in hot water
- fried in ghee and boil until all the lumps are broken
Ghee When rice is cooked (very soft), sieve the
Elakaai brown sugar in.
Let it boil further and add 3-4 spoons of
ghee
Add fried cashews and fried coconut kheeru
When the mixture thickens, add elakaai.
45
 THIRUVATHARAI KALI
(made and served with Kavathu Kizhangu
for Thiruvatharai)
METHOD :
INGREDIENTS: Soak broken rice for about 10 minutes.
Broken rice-1 cup Drain and dry on a towel.
(Pachai arishi) When completely dried, roast in wok until
Moong dhal - golden brown
about 1 tablespoon Grind coarsely like rava (semolina)
Brown sugar-2 cups consistency
Elakaai-to taste and flavour Boil moong dhal in low fire
Fresh coconut Add the grounded broken rice to the cooking
Ghee-1 tablespoon moong dhal
Once the dhal and rice is cooked well like
upma consistency, add the brown sugar
Mix nicely and add a pinch of salt
Add elakkai powder and fresh coconut
Separately, heat the ghee well and finally
add to the above mixture and mix nicely. 46
 KAVATHU KIZHANGU
(made and served with Thiruvatharai Kali
for Thiruvatharai)
METHOD :
Cut all vegetables into cube chunks except
INGREDIENTS : avarakkai. If avarakkai is small only remove the tips.
Kavathu Kizhangu If big avarakkai, cut into two after removing the tips.
(Rasavalli kizhangu) In boiling water add salt, turmeric, kavathu
Avarakkai kizhangu, avarakkai, yam and raw banana. Let it boil
Yam- white/purple or both for a few seconds. (Do not drain water as the
Raw banana (Vazhakkai) vegetable may harden)
Green chilli Separately pound green chilli and coconut nicely.
Curry leaves In a wok, add little oil and kadugu. After the kadugu
Fresh coconut splutters, add ulutham paruppu and curry leaves.
Add boiled vegetables in the wok and mix well.
Add pounded green chilli and coconut and mix well.
Add salt accordingly.
(If there is leftover rice powder from Thiruvatharai kali), mix it
with the vegetables so that it will help all the vegetables mix
well and remove any excess water).
47
BOLI / OBBATTU
INGREDIENTS : METHOD :
Maida flour-1 cup Pancake
Mix maida and atta flour with water and gingelly oil
Atta flour- 1 cup
and a pinch of salt to make a dough
Gingelly oil
Knead the dough and keep it covered for 3 to 4 hours
Roasted Rava with gingelly oil nicely.
(in ghee)- 1 cup Poornam
Fresh coconut-1 cup Boil about 1 ½ cup water
Sugar-about 2 cups Add roasted rava to boiling water and let it cook well
Elakaai without any lumps. Once all lumps are removed, add
(Banana leaves coconut and mix well.
to make the bholi) Add sugar and mix well. When adding sugar make
sure we remove all the lump again.
TO MAKE BOLI : Add elakaai

Make small balls with poornam

Make even smaller balls with pancake dough
Wash the banana leaf nicely. Wipe it dry
Cook the back of the banana leaf on the tava (so that it will not break easily)
Spread gingelly oil or ghee on the top side of the banana leaf
Take a small pancake ball and flatten it a little on the top side of the banana leaf
In the centre of the dough add the ball of poornam and wrap it like a ball
Using your palm, flatten the ball nicely and evenly using gingelly oil
On a tava, add ghee and place the banana leave (upside down) with flattened
pancake (pancake on the tava and leaf side facing up)
Remove banana leaf and add ghee and cook boli well on both sides.
48
PAAL BOLI

INGREDIENTS:
Milk- 1 litre
Sugar- about 2 cups METHOD :
Kunkumappoo- a little Puri
Elakaai- a little Mix Maida and rava nicely
Pachai kalpooram- a pinch Flatten and fry like puri
Maida- 1 cup Milk
Rava- 1 tablespoon Boil milk well in a wide mouthed container
When milk boils, add sugar
Add kunkumappoo, elakkai and pachai
kalpooram
Once milk boils well, add the puri to the
milk and allow it to soak

49
MOONG DHAL PAYASAM
(made for Shivrathri as
Shivarathri kanji)

INGREDIENTS:
Moong dhal roasted- ½ cup
Milk- 1 litre
METHOD :
Brown sugar-1 cup
Pressure cook moong dhal
In a pot, add milk to the dhal and cook
nicely
Finally add brown sugar and cook until
all comes together well

50
 METHOD :
Dough :
ELAI ADAI Grind rice dough to idli mavu consistency
Add a pinch of salt
Add a little ghee to the dough and keep aside
INGREDIENTS: Poornam :
Jackfruit - 1 tray Cut jackfruit into small cubes
from fruit shop
In a wok add very little water.
Coconut - ½
Add cubed jackfruits and let it boil till nicely cooked
Brown sugar - 30-50 grams
Pachai arishi Add ground coconut and brown sugar and
(Banana leaves mix nicely and let it dry (vatthu)
to make the elai adai) Add ghee and mix nicely
To make elai adai :
Cook the back of the banana leaf on the tava
(so that it will not break easily)
Spread ghee on the top side of the banana leaf.
Add a little dough and spread like dosai
On half side of the spread dough, add the poornam
Close the banana leaf on all sides
Steam in idli pathram
51
HANDWRITTEN
RECIPES
ERISSHERI

53
ISTHU

54
KOZHUKATTAI

55
MOLLAGOOTAL

56
RICE VARIETIES

57
 Mention a
few words about
Patti's / Amma's
I so admire
Cooking. A systematic
her love for approach that
has not changed
cooking each of our a bit since the time
favorite items that she received it from
especially after her mother in law.
our children Her cooking reflects
Motherly, the passing down
came along.
thoughtful of tradition from one
generation to the next.

Paati's cooking! Paati's cooking

Ahhhhhhh. Awesome
is something
we always look
How much I long for it.
Every food which is and forward to every time.
made by her is never If we see home
delicious food I always relate
less than perfect.
to paati's food so
homely and filled
with love
Paathis food
has always
Super reminded me of home.
delicious Her dishes will always
and a great be my benchmark with
Feels
teacher which I base any like
Indian food I eat. home
58
 Feedback
Keerai on individual I must say that
Moolakootal,
pal curry and specialities my wanting to learn
how to make mysore pak
poricha Kuzhambu. was because, that for
me is my single most
I like the different favourite and so I learnt
combinations of it from her and
vegetables. I am so glad that
I managed to replicate
Paal payasam and Neiappam.
it after so many
Both these sweets are my favourite of all her
years recently.
dishes(But Obviously I love all that she makes).
Her paal payasam cannot be made by anyone else.
Maybe it is the love she puts in when she makes it,
or are there secret ingredients up her sleeve?.
Eating Neiappam is like a must eat thing when we are in Great
Singapore. If she made two rounds of neiappam,
her food teacher.
egs : one today and one another day. It would taste
makes exactly the same. No complains of less sugar, more learnt a
my day banana , burnt.... Nothing. Just PERFECT! She would lot of Palghat
better make all this customized to our taste..
I don't like cashews in Paal payasam and Thenga cooking
keeru in neiappam. from her
She would make them with the
Nei payasam - things we like.
this is one of my Neiappam
favourite sweets made
Crunch on the
by paati. And
no one can replicate outside, soft
and beat that pillow on the
taste of the payasam. inside, made
Its from the blessings
unexplainable of the Appam
Chaathan 59
 For me
there are a few classic
Feedback
combinations.
Pidikozhakattai
and appala kuzhambu,
on individual Mezhukuvarati and

keerai molagootal and

avaial, parikkai pitalai
specialities Ellu Saadham is the salt
related dishes
I loveeeeeee.
and mezhukkupuratti. The only problem with the
I associate the feeling of Mezhukuvarati is the
satisfaction and feeling quantity. It surungus and so is
satiated when too little for me.
thinking about having I keep it on my plate till
a meal at paatt'is Nei Payasum. Amma used to the end, to take it as my
house. make nei payasum for prayers, last bite after thayir
functions or festivals. The best part saadham.
of the sweet was the cashews.
Really enjoyed. Puli kut upari Amma used to
Ellu Saadham on make this in Kl ( annam attai used to make Her thayir saadham
also ) Ladies finger, brinjal n chepan kilangu that she peshais
Saturdays. I wait
marinated in tamarind paste and finally for me. Every
to come back from
tossed with rice flour. Deepavali meal ending with her
prayers so that peshaiying it into a smooth
palakarams Amma used to make Laddu,
we can eat that mysore pak , rava laddu , food that just can flow
delicious prasadham. suji biscuit , ribbon pakoda , through your throat like
Prasadham or not, mixture , thattai n seedai waterrrrrrr. Ahhh
for me its Her amazinggg!
Delicious Food that I
therattu and eat Sesame rice & Curd rice
I love her pavakkai pitlaai. Amma used to prepare,
full ahhh
She made this for me when when we were growing up in
I was pregnant- and I can't explain Monks Hill Terrace - Singapore,
how that meal made me feel. every Saturday morning - sesame
I also love her adais . When i lived rice & curd . Since we were 8-9
people at home and this is not a
in india, paati would always grind the
main dish for lunch, all of us
maavu and send with me. She would
would only get 1 table spoon
tell me to freeze it and use it to make each.
adais. I remember taking only a little at
a time so that the maavu would last
60
Long. My best meals in Chennai
GLOSSARY OF
ITEMS
SPICES/ FLOURS

S.No. NAME TRANSLATION

1 Arishi maavu Rice flour
2 Atta/ Godhumai maavu Whole wheat flour
3 Badam Almond
4 Black pepper Milagu
5 Brown Kadalai Brown chickpeas
6 Chunnambu Slaked lime
7 Elakaai Cardamom
8 Jeera Cumin
9 Kadala maavu Besan flour
10 Kadalai paruppu Bengal gram dhal
11 Kadugu Mustard seeds
12 Kunkumapoo Saffron
13 Maida All purpose flour
14 Manjal podi Turmeric powder
15 Menthayam Fenugreek
16 Milagai Vathal Dry chilli
17 Nallennai Gingelly Oil
18 Paasi Paruppu Moong Dhal
19 Pachai arishi Broken rice
20 Pachai kalpooram Edible camphor
21 Perungayam Asafoetida
22 Puli Tamarind
23 Rava Semolina
24 Tatta payaru Dried brown beans
or cow peas
25 Thuvaram Paruppu Thur dhal
26 Ulutham Paruppu Urad Dhal
62
VEGETABLES

S.No. NAME TRANSLATION

1 Avarakkai Indian broad beans
2 Chenai Yam
3 Elavan White pumpkin
4 Kadugu keerai Mustard leaves
5 Kavathau kizhangu Purple Yam
6 Murunga leaves Drumstick leaves
7 Nendhran pazham Ethapazham
(Kerala long banana)
8 Pachai mathan Orange/ Yellow pumpkin
9 Peerkangai Ridge gourd
10 Thandu keerai Amaranthus/ Stem lettuce
11 Vazhakkai Raw banana
12 Vendakkai Ladies finger

PROCESS

S.No. NAME TRANSLATION

1 Thalippu Tempering or Porichukottu

63
AmmA's
R E C I P E S