Thread by @deepan_civileng

THREAD on #KonguCuisine

This thread is about common dishes cooked at most homes of #Kongunadu.

Some of them are very unique to be called #KonguFoods

#Cuisine
#KonguNadu
#Kongu
#Vellalar

(Any item left out, no offence, just comment please)

1. Aruseem Paruppu (அருசீம் பருப்பு சோறு).
This is the first thing that comes to everyone’s mind when speaking about #Kongu Cuisine.

Made from rice and lentils (துவரம் பருப்பு) as main ingredients - is an everyday dish of Kongu people. Some add onions, garlic..,

#KonguFoods

2. Kollu Paruppu
A chutney made from Horse Gram (கொள்ளு) is another unique food item, very popular in Kongu region.

Served with rice & ghee - is a must at least once a week for many in their lunch.

#KonguFoods

3. Pachai Payiru (Green Gram)
A curry made using Green Gram is mixed with cooked rice and taken mostly as lunch.

Most kitchens, mix grated coconuts in the curry giving a unique flavour - #KonguFoods

4. Uppu Paruppu (Toor Dhal)

Literally meaning salty lentil curry - this is a very simple dish made by cooking lentils with salt. It’s mixed with steamed rice for lunch. People also add ghee, onions, garlic (as some regional variations).

#KonguFoods

5. Molagu Kolambu மொளகு குழம்பு (Country Chicken Broth)

A curry made from Country Chicken (or, ridge gourd/ Mushrooms etc.,) is very unique #KonguFoods for two reasons:

1. There is no marination involved
2. Freshly ground spices - made like paste is used

அரைச்சுவிட்ட குழம்பு

6. Santhavai (சந்தவை)

Looks like idiappam (kind of Noodles) but is made from Rice Cakes (Idlis).

A simple equipment is used to squeeze the cooked idlis into noodle. Culturally important #KonguFoods item - as it’s the first dish to be served to married couple at bride’s home.

7. Raagi Dumpling (ராய் களி)

Being an arid region, Ragi used to be one of the staple food item in Kongu. Though not a unique dish in #KonguFoods, it has a golden spot esp. among oldies.

Many homes don’t cook it now due to intense labour it needs in the modern kitchen stoves.

8. Kachayam (கச்சாயம்)

A 5 mins oil fried sweet made by mixing flour with jaggery is a quick snack at every Kongu home.

Either rice flour or wheat flour is used for this.

#KonguFoods

9. Kambu Dosai (Pearl Millet Dosa)
Pearl millet, like ragi, used to a staple food item in Kongu Kitchens - slowly given away their share to tastier rice varieties.

But some of their last bastions are well preserved - one is dosa, which is still loved by many.
#KonguFoods

10. Ragi Pakoda (ராயி வடை)

A pakoda made by mixing onions with ragi flour is a very popular snack in Kongu Homes.

Most of them have stock of Ragi Pakoda ready to be served for guests.

#KonguFoods

11. அப்ப கோவத்தலை ரசம்
Rasam (South Indian soup) cooked as medicine to be given to kids who caught cold - this is made from a medicinal plant called அப்பகோவத்தலை.

#KonguFoods

12. Raw Tamarind Soup
(பச்சை புளி ரசம்)

Different from the boiled broth soups, this rasam is made without cooking (heating) it - aptly named as pachai puli (raw tamarind)

It’s a very popular dish taken after a heavy lunch, say, a கெடா விருந்து.

#KonguFoods

13. Rakkiri (ரக்கிரி கடசல்)

கடயர கீரை as the plant is called - rakkiri is a very simple leafy green dish made from கட கீரை.

Could be called the ‘palak paneer’ of #kongunadu. It take few minutes to cook right from plucking the leaves in the backyard.

#KonguFoods

14. Aska Muttai (அஸ்கா முட்டாய்)

What would you get in return when you give Kongu women - an alternative to Jaggery - refined sugar (அஸ்கா)?

Mix it with #coconut 🥥 and tadaa… coconut burfi.

The tastiest & quickest of all sweets - a 3 year old can get. 😌😍

#KonguFoods

15. Horse Gram Soup
(கொள்ளு ரசம்)

Of all everyday rasams, what’s so close to Kongu hearts?
1. Tomato
2. Green gram
3. Toor dhal
4. Horse gram

Obvious winner is Horse Gram Rasam.

#KonguFoods

16. Cow Pea Broth
(தட்டை பயித்துக் குழம்பு)

A curry made from தட்டை பயிர் is another common dish used for taking boiled rice.

The twist here is again, addition of KonguNadu specific spices & proportions.

#KonguFoods

17. Selavu Rasam
(செலவுரசம்)

What if the frugal #Kongu Kitchens have to cook a rasam - with almost all ingredients you have to buy from சந்தை!?

Name it செலவு ரசம் 🤣.

It has pepper, 🧄, 🌶️ & coriander seeds as main ingredients - good for sour-throat.

#KonguFoods

18. Pearl Millet Paniyaram
(கம்பு பணியாரம்)

The one dish every Kongu heart remembers from their grandmother’s kitchen would be கம்பு பணியாரம்.

Again not unique to #KonguFoods - but is a staple … close to heart dish.

19. Coconut Chutney
(தேங்காய் சட்னி)

Don’t get angry - I am not going to say it’s unique to #KonguFoods.

But, please, no one loves Coconut Chutney more than a #Kongu Heart. 😍

We can have it with everything 💪🏼, literally, from parota to dosai to aruseem paruppu …

20. Plain dry prep chicken
(தட்டான் வருவல் - ஆசாரி வருவல் - சிந்தாமனி வருவல் - மண் சட்டி வருவல்)

Chopped chicken dry prepared on a pan (preferably mud pot) with little oil, 🌶️ and salt.

A very popular dish made while hanging out with friends - is 🔥💪🏼#KonguFoods

21. Pallipalayam Chicken
(பள்ளிபாளையம் வருவல்)

With ingredients of item #20 - add shallots & cut coconut 🥥 - cook it with empty coconut shells - டடா… you get Pallipalayam Chicken.

Named after a town near Erode this #KonguFoods has right balance of spices, meat & coconut 😍