ARUDRADARSHANAM -KAIKOTTIKALI AND KALI &KARI - THIRUVATHIRA SPECIAL

Celebrations of any sort, all around the world revolve around food to a large extent. I sometimes think it is more so in the Palakkad Iyer community .

KALI & KARI(poDOTHUVAL)

 Kali and Kari (we also call it Kari while others in Kerala refer to it as Puzhukku  some other places  PODUTHUVAL) are two separate dishes, one savoury and one sweet that are made for the festival of Thiruvathira as ritual offering which is then served to everyone at home.

Thiruvathira is a festive occasion celebrated by Hindus in the Southern Indian states of Tamilnadu and Kerala, sometime on a full moon night in the months of December/ January. In Kerala, Thiruvathira is considered by many to be the birthday of the Lord Shiva and is celebrated with prayer, and fasting through the day from dawn to dusk by abstaining from rice based foods. Women folk in the house get together in the evening for the Thiruvathirakali, a very graceful dance with singing is performed in the evening around a lit lamp.

 

Thiruvathira Kali – a sweet dish

In my home, as in others in our community,. it is a day for visiting the Shiva temple in one’s neighbourhood and offering prayers but we don’t however follow the other practices in Kerala of Thiruvathira dance and song. Kali and Kari is prepared in a manner that is more Kerala style with the generous use of coconut, and ritually offered to Lord Shiva before it is partaken of by the family.

In Palakkad Iyer homes, some still stick to the practice of using 5 different vegetables but most of us cook the Kari with a mix of three or four vegetables of which two vegetables would be “Avarakkai” or Hyacinth Beans and a root vegetable called “Kaavatthu” or Kaachil” or Purple Yam (grows as pinkish purple and white varieties also) which is usually in season at this time of the year 

 

Thiruvathira Kari – a savory dish

The other vegetables commonly used include raw plantains, elephant yam, sweet potato, pumpkin, and “Koorka” (Chinese Potato or Country Potato) which is a vegetable much used in Kerala. Modern versions of Kari tend to include “English” or non-native vegetables like green beans, green peas, carrots, potatoes, etc. but this is not traditional.

 

Kali & Kari

INGREDIENTS

  

For the Thiruvathira Kali :

·         1 cup raw rice (not steamed, par boiled or processed)

·         1/8 cup moong lentils

·         2 1/4 cups water

·         1 cup jaggery powdered

·         1/4 cup coconut fresh grated

·         4 to 5 pods cardamom , powdered

·         1 1/2 tbsps ghee

For the Thiruvathira Kari :

·         1 cup  Koorka, cubed

·         1 cup pumpkin , cubed

·         1 cup plantain raw , sliced chunks

·         1 cup Avarakkai , chopped

·         1/4 tsp turmeric powder

·         1 cup coconut fresh grated

·         2 to 3 green chillies

·         to taste Salt

·         1 tbsp coconut oil

·         1 tsp mustard seeds

·         1 1/2 tsps black gram lentils

·         1 sprig curry leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

 To make the Kali : Dry roast (toast) the rice in a pan over medium heat until it begins to turn golden.. Take it off the heat and let it cool. If the rice remains in the pan, it will darken. In the same pan dry roast (toast) the moong lentils ..pasi paruppu ..the same way and let this also cool.

1.             Once cooled, run the rice and lentils together in you mixer/ grinder to a coarse powder. If it is powdered fine, the texture of the cooked Kali will become sticky and will not have the desired fluffy texture.

2.             Heat the water in a non-stick or heavy bottomed pot, add the powdered jaggery and let it dissolve. When this starts boiling and turn down the heat to low, slowly add the coarse powdered rice and lentils while stirring constantly. Let this cook until the water is completely absorbed, and the Kali looks dry (but moist) and fluffy.

3.     Stir in 1 tbsp of the ghee and the powdered cardamom. Now stir in the coconut as well, and take it off the heat.

 

To make the Kari : Put all the vegetables into a pot (or the pressure cooker if you use one) with the turmeric powder and cook with a little water to reasonably soft consistency. There should be very little water left in the vegetables.

Grind the coconut and the green chillies with very little water into a very smooth paste. Put the cooked vegetables and the coconut paste and enough salt into a pot. Bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and add a little water if required. The consistency of the Kari should be on the drier side but moist, but some people like their Kari with just a hint of gravy.

 

When done take it off the heat. In a smaller pan, heat the oil for tempering. Add the mustard seeds and when they splutter add the lentils. Let them turn golden brown, then add the curry leaves, stir once and take it off the heat. Stir this into the Kari and serve hot with the Kali.