Tirunelveli Sodhi: A Historic Tamil Nadu Vegetable Stew

 Tirunelveli Sodhi

Introduction:

Tirunelveli Sodhi, a tasty vegetable stew, hails from the in the south Indian city of Tirunelveli. This emblematic dish showcases the rich culinary tradition of Tamil Nadu. Sodhi, meaning "stew" in Tamil, is a cheering, easy-to-make recipe perfect for normal food.

Ingredients:

1. Basmati rice (washed and soaked)- 1 cup
2. Toor Dal  (washed and soaked)- 1/2 cup
3. Water- 4 cups
4. Ghee- 1 table spoon
5. Cumin Seed- 1 table spoon
6. Cinnamon stick- 1 no
7. Cloves- 2 no's
8. Cardamom- 2 no's
9. Dry red chili- 1-2 no's
10. Onion (chopped)- 1 no medium size
11. Ginger paste- 1 tea spoon
12. Garlic paste- 1 tea spoon
13. Turmeric powder- 1 tea spoon
14. Red chili powder- 1 tea spoon
15. Coriander powder- 1 tea spoon
16. Cumin powder- 1/2 tea spoon
17. Coconut Milk- 1 cup
18. Tamarind paste- 1 table spoon
19. Salt- to taste
20. Fresh Coriander Leaves, For garnish

Instructions:

Cook the rice and dal:

• Take soaked rice, toor dal, water, and spices, in a pressure cooker
• cook it until the rice and toor dal are soft and well cooked or cook for 3- 4 whistles.
• after that drain excess water and keep it aside.

Gravy preparation:

• Take ghee in a deep pan in medium heat . After that add cumin seeds and let them splutter.
• Then add chopped onion, ginger paste, and garlic paste. then sauté until the onion turns into golden brown colour.
• After that add the red chili powder, turmeric powder, and coriander powder. Sauté for a few seconds until the spices are fragrant. 
• Then add coconut mil, tamarind paste and salt. bring them to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the gravy thickens. 

Mix Rice and Gravy:

• Add cooked rice and toor dal to the gravy.
• Then mix well, confirm that the rice is evenly cooked with the gravy.
• Then cook for few more minutes, stirring occasionally, until the flavours are mix well.  

Serve:

• Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
• Serve hot.

Tips and Variations:

- Use fresh coconut milk for authentic flavor.

- Adjust spice levels to suit your taste.

- Add different vegetables like cauliflower or peas.

- Use tamarind juice instead of paste.

- Serve with idli, dosa, or appam.

Conclusion:

Tirunelveli Sodhi is a pleasing, cheering stew that showcases Tamil Nadu's culinary richness. Accompanying its easy-to-follow recipe and minimum ingredients, this recipe is perfect for home cooks. Try it today and experience the flavours of southern India!