Thalagam kuzhambu recipe | Thiruvadirai Thalagam recipe with full video and step by step pictures. This is a wonderful delicacy, a very common dish made by Tirunelveli Brahmins. This is made mainly during Pongal festival or for Thirvathirai festival. I have already posted Thiruvathirai kali and 7 kari kootu.
This Thalagam is similar to ezhukari kootu, but has it is unique in its flavor and taste. We add all naatu kaai| locally grown veggies to this thalagam kootu recipe. We do not add sambar powder or cooked dal for this thalagam kuzhambu recipe.
The addition of the freshly ground spices gives thickness to the kuzhambu. Traditionally we make this for Thiruvadirai. But we can make this on other days too and pair it with rice too.
The traditional Gujarati dish Undhiyu is made using all the winter vegetables, this one is a South Indian version of that using Winter vegetables.
A simple no onion no garlic Thalagam recipe, do give this a try and enjoy the winter.
Also check out, Vazhakkai kootu, Tomato kootu, Vazhaipoo kootu, Ezhukari kootu
Thalagam kuzhambu recipe
Thaalagam recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups mixed veggies*
- 1.5 cups thin tamarind extract
- Salt as needed
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 2 pinches asafoetida
- 3 tsp sesame oil
- ½ tsp jaggery
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- Few curry leaves
- 1 cup water
To grind
- 1 tbsp toor dal
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds | dhaniya
- ½ tbsp urad dal
- ½ tsp venthayam | methi seeds
- 1 tbsp raw rice
- 5 red chili
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- ½ cup coconut
- 2 tsp oil
- * I used mochai, avarakkai(broad beans), raw banana( vazhakkai), chayote(chow chow), yam(sennai kizhangu), beans, Yellow pumpkin and white poosanikai. You can add sweet potato, Brinjal(kathrikkai) too.
Instructions
- Soak a small lemon sized tamarind in hot water and extract 1.5 cups of thin tamarind extract.
- Cut the veggies into medium sized cubes. If using mochai pressure cook this separately and add.
- In a pan dry roast 2 tbsp of sesame seeds till it is golden brown. Take out and keep it aside.
- In the same pan add 2 tsp of oil and add the toor dal, urad dal, coriander seeds, raw rice, venthayam and red chili.
- Roast till the dal becomes golden brown.
- Take out and add to the mixie jar.
- Add the coconut and roasted sesame seeds to this.
- Grind this into a paste by adding water.
- In a pan add the veggies and add the tamarind extract, turmeric powder, salt and asafoetida.
- Let the veggies cook till it becomes soft.
- Do not overcook this.
- Now add the ground coconut paste to this.
- Mix well and add1 cup of water to adjust the consistency.
- Add ½ tsp of jaggery to this and mix well.
- Let this boil for 3 minutes.
- Switch off the flame.
- Temper mustard seeds and curry leaves in 3 tsp of sesame oil.
- Mix well.
- Thalagam is ready.
- Traditionally it is served with Thiuvadirai kali.
- You can serve this with plain rice too.
Video
Notes
- Soak a small lemon sized tamarind in hot water and extract 1.5 cups of thin tamarind extract.
- Cut the veggies into medium sized cubes. If using mochai pressure cook this separately and add.
- Since I don’t get mochai here in Hongkong, I used edamame.
- In a pan dry roast 2 tbsp of sesame seeds till it is golden brown. Take out and keep it aside.
- In the same pan add 2 tsp of oil and add the toor dal, urad dal, coriander seeds, raw rice, venthayam and red chili.
- Roast this till it becomes golden brown.
- Take out and add to the mixie jar.
- Add the coconut and roasted sesame seeds to this.
- Grind this into a paste by adding water.
- In a pan add the veggies and add the tamarind extract, turmeric powder, salt and asafoetida.
- Let the veggies cook till it becomes soft.
- Do not overcook this.
- Now add the ground coconut paste to this.
- Mix well and add1 cup of water to adjust the consistency.
- Add ½ tsp of jaggery to this and mix well.
- Let this boil for 3 minutes.
- Switch off the flame.
- Temper mustard seeds and curry leaves in 3 tsp of sesame oil.
- Mix well.
- Thalagam is ready.
- Traditionally it is served with Thiuvadirai kali.
- You can serve this with plain rice too.
- Thalagam tends to get thicker once it is cool, so adjust the consistency before switching off the flame.
- You can add sweet potato and brinjal to the thalagam.
Grt recipes
Looks super delish and flavourful!!
Hi jeyasri… hw r u ? a big THANKS to u for the kali and talagam reciepe. both came out very well.. i did for the first time as it was our first thiruvathirai after mrge…… my husband liked it very much…. cud not take pics…. missed it as i was running late. thanks again…
When do add the methi seeds
Methi to be added while roasting. Sorry missed to include. Edited now