Thani Kootu

Thani Kootu is a traditional Tamil brahmin speciality prepared during “Sumangali Prarthanai”.  Loaded with coconut this tamarind based gravy with fresh spice powder and lots of jaggery is so addictive. Unlike other kootu this Thani kootu doesn’t have cooked dal.

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Ever since we had this at a relative’s pooja, my sister and I are big fans of this kootu. I still remember days when I have put this in a bowl and enjoyed with a spoon. Since we like it my mother prepares even during regular days.

Last summer when I went to India, my sister told Amma to prepare it for lunch with Sepppankizhangu Fry. My Amma told haven’t tried this combo before don’t know how it will taste. My sister asked when we can have Pavakkai Pitlai / Thaala Kuzhambu with Potato fry why not this.

My Amma started preparing the dish, I was standing next to her and was clicking pictures in my phone. I was constantly telling her my comments, don’t add this much oil, too much coconut, lot of jaggery for kuzhambu. She was smiling and said this is not your traditionally modern recipe with many modifications. I said I will just have very little portion, she didn’t reply anything. Well she knew what would happen:-)

We all started eating and as I told I started with a very small portion.  Myself and my sister were speechless with its taste and we almost finished the dish with just two/three spoons left for my Amma. I understood the fact that certain Traditional dishes are best in the way they are cooked. 

My sister told me post this in the blog.  I said I will post it after going to US (I heard some people cook this for pongal (Sankranti) so I thought of posting it today, after 7 months, I can imagine her mind voice after seeing this post:-)). Though I am an amatuer photographer I usually try clicking some 20 pics in camera and select better ones.  That day’s pics from my Nexus and I wasn’t sure how it looked. 

My mother told me, if you are clicking again from camera for posting don’t alter the recipe. Amma this is for you – as usual I am late in posting but I haven’t changed the traditional way followed in our home. 

Ingredients:

Tamarind – gooseberry size
Water – 2 cups + 1/3 cup
Salt – as needed
Turmeric powder – generous pinch
Fresh/ Frozen Coconut – 1/2 cup
Jaggery – 1/4 cup
!To Grind
Coriander Seed – 2 tbsp
Channa Dal – 2 tbsp
Red chilli – 5/6 (Adjust according to your taste)
!To Temper
Coconut oil – 2 tbsp
Channa Dal – 2 tbsp
Curry leaves – few
Mustard seed – 1/4 tsp
Asafetida – generous pinch

Method:

• In medium heat cook tamarind extract, salt and turmeric powder till the raw tamarind smell goes off
• In the meantime dry Roast Coriander Seeds, Channa Dal and red chilli till the aroma comes and Dal changes its color. Cool it and grind it into fine powder without adding water

• Add little water and bring coconut into  coarse mixture
• Take 1/3 cup of water and add the ground powder; mix it without lumps. After the tamarind raw smell goes, add the mixture to it and continue boiling

• Add ground coconut after 2-3 minutes and cook till it boils well. Add the jaggery to the kuzhambu and cook till it is melted; switch off
• Add oil to a small pan and when the oil is hot and the ingredients added under ‘to temper” and cool til the mustard crackle. Add it to the Kootu and mix well. Though it is Kootu in our home we like to mix it with rice

Thani Kootu

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

35 mins

 

Traditional Kootu prepared with Tamarind, coconut, jaggery and Spice mix during Sumangali Prathanai, pongal

Author: Vidya Srinivasan

Recipe type: Kuzhambu

Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

• Tamarind - gooseberry size
• Water - 2 cups + ⅓ cup
• Salt - as needed
• Turmeric powder - generous pinch
• Fresh/ Frozen Coconut - ½ cup
• Jaggery - ¼ cup

To Grind

• Coriander Seed - 2 tbsp
• Channa Dal - 2 tbsp
• Red chilli - ⅚ (Adjust according to your taste)

To Temper

• Coconut oil - 2 tbsp
• Channa Dal - 2 tbsp
• Curry leaves - few
• Mustard seed - ¼ tsp
• Asafetida - generous pinch

Method

1. In medium heat cook tamarind extract, salt and turmeric powder till the raw tamarind smell goes off
2. In the meantime dry Roast Coriander Seeds, Channa Dal and red chilli till the aroma comes and Dal changes its color. Cool it and grind it into fine powder without adding water
3. Add little water and bring coconut into coarse mixture. take ⅓ cup of water and add the ground powder; mix it without lumps. After the tamarind raw smell goes add the mixture to it and continue boiling
4. Add ground coconut after 2-3 minutes and cook till it boils well. Add the jaggery to the kuzhambu and cook till it is melted; switch offAdd oil to a small pan and when the oil is hot and the ingredients added under 'to temper" and cool til the mustard crackle. Add it to the Kootu and mix well. Though it is Kootu in our home we like to mix it with rice

Notes

Some people boil channal Dal and add it to the Kootu instead of adding while tempering. Avoid mushing the Dal
Vegetables can be added to the kootu. if you are cooking that way, boiled vegetables like white pumpkin, Snake guard,cluster beans,chow chow,brinjal, etc. can be boiled and added to the kootu
Ground powder can be directly. To avoid lumps it is mixed with water and added

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 3 Calories: 227 Fat: 14g Saturated fat: 12g Unsaturated fat: 1g Carbohydrates: 27g Sugar: 23g Sodium: 101mg Fiber: 3g Protein: 1g

3.5.3229

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