Passport & Plate - Quaint flavours down South: Mixed Thali
India | Friday, March 6, 2015 | 5 photos
Ingredients.
Recipe:Akki roti with ellupajji paired with pickled fish and chettinad masala potato
For akki roti :Cooked rice – 3 cups,rice flour -1 cup ,salt.
For Ellu pajji :Sesame seeds(ellu )- 1/3 cup,Grated coconut – 1/3 cup,red chilies -4,tamarind paste- 2-3 tsp, sugar 1tsp, salt.
For pickled fish: Bombay Duck : 15,Shallots: 200g Oil: 100.
For the paste: Cumin seeds: 50g , Dry red chilies: 50 g,Turmeric powder : 25g,Carrom seeds : 25g,Pepper corn: 10g,Salt as needed,Malt Vinegar : 100 ml,Chopped garlic:1/4 cup,Chopped ginger: 2tsp.
For chettinad masala potato: Boiled potato : 4-5 ,peeled and cubed,Shallots :2, thinly sliced,Turmeric powder : 1tsp,Salt . For Tempering:Mustard seeds and urad dal : 1tsp,Peppercorns : 7-8,A handful of curry leaves,A pinch of asafoetida.
For roasting and grinding: Urad dal:3/4 tsp,Coriander seeds : 1tsp,Dry red chilies: 4-5,Fennel seeds : 1tsp,Peppercorns: 1tsp Cinnamon : 1stick ( 1 inch piece )
How to prepare this recipe.
For Akki roti and ellupajji: In a bowl,knead the cooked rice with salt till smooth and soft.Add flour.Knead till the dough attains a thick consistency.Make lemon sized balls and roll out rotis. Griddle it.Remove the roti from the tava and place it over direct flame so that it puffs fully.
Take some oil in a pan .Add garlic.Add roasted sesame seeds and red chili seeds to it.Cook this for 2-3 minutes. Drizzle 2-3 tsp of tamarind juice and switch off the flame. Add salt.Put this in blender. Keep adding little water since sesame seeds tend to thicken very easily Add a pinch of sugar to the paste.
For Pickled Fish:Soak the spices for the paste in vinegar for an hour. Grind the soaked spices ,ginger,garlic and salt and keep it aside.Wash the Bombay ducks in vinegar and pat them dry.Heat the oil in a pan over high flame and fry the fish till slight golden brown. Drain it off the oil and place it aside. Fry some fresh curry leaves in the same oil till dark brown.Take them out of the oil and keep them aside. In the remaining oil add the chopped garlic and ginger root.Sauté for 3-4 minutes.Add the shallots.Lower the flame and add the ground masala paste.Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes.Stir in the fried bombil pieces and sauté for 10-15 minutes till the aromas waft up. Add the fried curry leaves and cook till the flavors are well mixed.
For Chettinad Masala Potato:Dry roast the various spices in a pan in medium flame till fragrant.Remove from heat.Let it come to a room temperature. Grind to a fine powder thereafter.Heat 2tsp of oil in pan.Add the tempering ingredients and wait for spluttering. Add the curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida and fry for few seconds. Throw in the thinly sliced onions. Add salt.Fry them till they turn soft and translucent. Add turmeric powder.Throw in the potatoes and mix it. Make sure that you don’t break them. Add in the freshly ground masala powder and mix well. Fry till they turn golden brown and crispy keeping it in a medium flame.
The story behind this recipe.
"Jesus!”I mumbled under my breathe as I turned through the last few pages of Kerouac’s On The Road.
As a child,books were my window to the world.I wanted to explore that‘never never land’which captures the imagination of a child through its limitless boundaries.I spent the three years of my university at Bangalore,the Southern lands of India. Bangalore, is a blend of intrepid cultures.I met new people.I saw things I had never before.I reinvented myself in fleeting friendships and romance that taught me lessons of magic and impermanence.Even miles apart,I found home away from home.
I reminisced how through food I opened up to a larger world.My mind raced back to the winter night of December 2013.A seemingly abandoned roadside shack and four friends.Home-made local delicacies and a perfect weekend escapade far over the misty mountains of Pushpagiri,160 miles from Bangalore.Four growling stomach’s mimicked in anticipation of the sumptuous treats that would sooner flatter our taste buds,startling our senses through the gastronomic routes of southern flavor’s of India.There wasn’t a better way to experience the soul of a culture than through its local dishes.Pickled bombils,from the western coasts of Goa,Akki roti with ellupajj,the most definitive dish when it comes to Kodava cuisine;And Chettinad masala potato tempered with freshly ground masala powders.I could almost smell the delicate aroma of those spices.As we listened to blue highways,devouring plates in minutes,we bonded over our love for food,travelling through hearts of stunning landscapes and myriad country souls.
I spent the morning cozying up in the kitchen recreating little flavors of the past.Unlike the other days,cooking was more than just for the love of it.It was a stroll down the memory lane.Inspiration as they say,comes from unexpected places and this recipe is a testimonial to that.In the enticing aroma of the escaping smoke of nostalgia,I held onto the lingering memories of that unforgettable winter night.
