Coconut Poli (தேங்காய் போளி)

Poli (போளி) is a sweet that is served along with the traditional meal on festival days, especially on ‘Aavani avittam’ (ஆவணி அவிட்டம்) and ‘bhogi’ (போகி) festival, though some prefer to make it on ‘Vinayaka chathurthi’ (விநாயக சதுர்த்தி) and ‘Diwali’(தீபாவளி). Poli is often included in the wedding feast menu as well. This sweet has an outer covering made of all purpose flour enclosing an inner layer of filling called ‘pooranam’ (பூரணம்) either made of Bengal gram dhal or coconut. Traditionally jaggery is used as a sweetener; however, sugar may also be used. Poli also makes a great dessert or snack. I still have the warm memories my grandmother making polis during holidays for us grand children to enjoy! Let’s follow the step-by-step instructions and make delicious polis. Are we ready?

Ingredients: (makes approximately 8 polis)

For the pooranam or filling:

Coconut – white meat of half a coconut

Jaggery – powdered, ½ teacup or 100ml measure

Cardamoms – 3 no

For the covering:

All purpose flour or maida – 1 teacup or 200ml measure

Salt – 2 generous pinches

Gingelly oil – 2 tablespoons

Oil – for making poli

Ghee – for cooking poli

Method – How to make coconut filling or thengai pooranam (தேங்காய் பூரணம்): Remove cardamom seeds and powder them using the mortar and pestle. Cut the white meat of coconut into small pieces. Grind the coconut meat using the mixer grinder, preferably by turning whipper button 2-3 times. Keep aside. 

Heat powdered jaggery with ¼ teacup (50ml) of water in a kadai. Stir occasionally till jaggery is dissolved fully. Switch off the stove and filter through a sieve to remove impurities. Now heat the filtered jaggery solution in the kadai and bring it to boil. Allow it to boil for a minute. Add the grated coconut and cardamom powder. Mix well and cook on low flame till the water is fully absorbed and the contents start to separate from the sides of the kadai (Fig.1). Switch off the stove and allow it to cool. Later divide the pooranam into 8 equal parts and keep aside.

Fig.1: Thengai pooranam (தேங்காய் பூரணம்)

How to make the covering: Mix all purpose flour, salt and required water in a bowl, and knead the contents into smooth dough. Add oil little by little and knead very well. The dough should be of rolling consistency. Cover the dough with a wet cloth and allow it to stand for about 15-20 minutes. Later divide the dough into 8 equal parts and shape them into balls. Keep aside.

How to make the poli: Place one dough ball on a plate (Fig.2). Traditionally plantain leaf (வாழை இலை) is used for this purpose.

Fig.2: Dough for the covering

Smear your fingers with oil and flatten the dough ball with your fingers into a circle of 4” diameter. Place a portion of pooranam in the center (Fig.3)

Fig.3: Coconut filling placed on the dough layer

Bring the edges of the dough layer over the pooranam as shown in the figure to cover the filling fully (Fig.4).

Fig.4: Coconut filling covered by dough layer on all sides

Apply little oil and flatten the ball with your fingers into a circle of 7-8” diameter (Fig.5), while taking care that the filling does not come out of the covering dough layer. Over all, the poli should be of uniform thickness. Repeat the process with remaining dough balls.

Fig.5: Dough layer containing pooranam flattened to form poli

Heat a tava on medium flame. Place one poli in the center, smear the surface with ghee. Turnover and apply ghee on the other surface as well. Continue to cook by turning the poli as required, till brown spots appear on both sides. Remove from the tava and cook the remaining polis in the same way. Serve hot either alone as a snack/ dessert or as part of the traditional feast menu.

Coconut Poli (தேங்காய் போளி)

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Sarkarai Pongal (சர்க்கரை பொங்கல்)

‘Sarkarai pongal’ (சர்க்கரை பொங்கல்), a traditional sweet, is made with jaggery (வெல்லம்) and newly harvested raw rice. Usually ‘sarkarai pongal’ is made on the first day of ‘Thai’ (தை), the tenth month of Tamil calendar, which marks the harvest festival (பொங்கல் திருநாள்). In some families, ‘sarkarai pongal’ is made on other festival days such as ‘Varalakshmi viratham’ (வரலக்ஷ்மி நோன்பு) or ‘navarathri’ (நவராத்திரி). I am happy to share the traditional recipe with you on this sankaranthi day!

Ingredients:

Newly harvested raw rice (புதுப் பச்சரிசி) – 1 tumbler or 200ml measure

Moong dhal – ¼ tumblers or 50ml measure

Milk – 1½ tumblers or 300ml measure

Jaggery – 1½ - 2 tumblers (Adjust to taste)*

Ghee – 1 large hollow ladle or 75ml measure

Cardamom – 4no

Camphor laurel (பச்சை கற்பூரம்) – a pinch (optional)

Coconut – grated, 2 tablespoons

Cashew nuts – 2 tablespoons

Raisins – 2 tablespoons

* Sweetness of jaggery may vary and hence, adjust its quantity based on the sweetness and your own personal preferences.

Sarkarai Pongal (சர்க்கரை பொங்கல்)

Method: Wash rice and moong dhal well and pressure cook with 3 tumblers (600ml) of water for 10 minutes. Once the pressure subsides, remove the rice and keep aside.

Remove cardamom seeds and powder them finely, using the mortar and pestle. Powder the jaggery and keep aside.

Boil milk in a thick bottomed vessel (உருளி) or kadai, add the rice and 2 teaspoons of ghee. Cook on low flame stirring on and off. Continue to cook till the milk and rice blend well into a uniform mass. Add jaggery; cook till it melts and mixes well with the rice. Add the remaining ghee and blend well. Now, add cardamom powder and crushed camphor laurel. Mix well. Simmer for 2 minutes and switch off the fire. 

Heat a teaspoon of ghee in a tadka pan or spice pan (தாளிக்கிற கரண்டி), add cashew nuts and raisins and fry till the nuts turn light brown in color. Now, add the grated coconut and switch off the stove. Add the fried ingredients to the pongal and mix well. Traditional sarkarai pongal is ready !

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Thalatha Kuzhambu (தாளதக் குழம்பு)

Thalatha kuzhambu (தாளதக் குழம்பு) is a traditional Brahmin preparation and is usually made as an accompaniment to ven pongal (வெண் பொங்கல்). During ‘Harvest Festival’ (தைப் பொங்கல்), this kuzhambu is made with seven different country vegetables and hence, called ‘ezhukari kuzhambu’ (ஏழுகறிக் குழம்பு). Thalatha kuzhambu is also made as an accompaniment to ‘thiruvathirai kali’ (திருவாதிரை களி). However, you can make this kuzhambu with one or two vegetables alone. It has a unique taste owing to the different masala used for making this kuzhambu.

Ingredients: (Serves four)

Tamarind – the size of a large gooseberry (காட்டு நெல்லிக்காய்)

Vegetables – cut into large pieces, 2 teacups*

Jaggery – half teaspoon

Salt – to taste

Cooking oil – 1 tablespoon

Mustard seeds – 1 teaspoon

Curry leaves - a few

To be ground into a paste:

Red chilies – 3-4 no (adjust to taste)

Toor dhal – 1 tablespoon

Urad dhal – 2 teaspoons

Raw rice – 2 teaspoons

Asafoetida – 2 generous pinches

Thil/sesame seeds (எள்) – 1 teaspoon

Coconut – grated, 2 tablespoons

*Ash gourd or yellow pumpkin is normally used for making thalatha kuzhambu. For festival preparation you may use ash gourd, yellow pumpkin, plantain, broad beans, brinjal/eggplant, sweet potato and snake gourd. Yam may also be used, if desired.

Thalatha Kuzhambu (தாளதக் குழம்பு) made with ash gourd

Method: Roast (without oil) toor dhal, urad dhal and rice in a kadai till they turn light brown in color. Transfer to a bowl. Roast thil separately till it starts crackling. Switch off the fire. Add to the other roasted ingredients. Now heat a teaspoon of oil in a kadai, add red chilies and fry till they turn darker in color. Add asafoetida and switch off the stove. Allow the fried and roasted ingredients to cool and later grind them with coconut into a fine paste.

Soak tamarind in warm water for 15-20 minutes. Later squeeze tamarind and extract the juice. Add the masala paste to the tamarind juice and mix well.

Thalatha Kuzhambu (தாளதக் குழம்பு) made with seven vegetables (ash gourd, yellow pumpkin, broad beans, eggplant, snake gourd, field bean and plantain) for harvest festival

Wash the vegetables; peel ash gourd, yellow pumpkin, plantain and sweet potato; and cut the vegetables into large pieces. Boil the vegetables with required salt and half tumbler (100ml) of water in a kadai. Cover and cook on low flame till the vegetables are done. Now add the tamarind juice mixture, salt and jaggery to the kadai. Bring it to boil, and then simmer for 2 minutes. 

Heat the remaining oil in a tadka pan or spice pan (தாளிக்கிற கரண்டி), add mustard seeds and when they start to sputter, switch off the fire. Add the seasonings to the kuzhambu and garnish with curry leaves. Serve hot with rice and poriyal or applam. 

Note: You may add half teacup of toor dhal to the kuzhambu, if desired. Pressure cook the dhal, mash it well, add it as a last step and then simmer for 2 minutes. Though it is not part of traditional recipe, I prefer to add the dhal as it increases the consistency and taste of the preparation.

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Kalkandu Sarkarai Pongal (கல்கண்டு சர்க்கரை பொங்கல்)

‘Kalkandu sarkarai pongal’ (கல்கண்டு சர்க்கரை பொங்கல்) is a traditional sweet and is made with rock candy (கல்கண்டு) as the sweetener, as against jaggery (வெல்லம்) used for making ‘sarkarai pongal’ (சர்க்கரை பொங்கல்). My grandfather was an expert in making this delicacy! Even my grandmother granted credit to him on this score! This sweet has a distinctly different taste due to the addition of rock candy. Usually ‘sarkarai pongal’ is made on 1^st day of ‘Thai’ (தை), the tenth month of Tamil calendar, which marks the harvest festival (பொங்கல் திருநாள்). In some families, ‘Kalkandu sarkarai pongal’ is made instead of routine payasam on the second day of ‘Thai’ (கனு பண்டிகை) . Well, you need not wait for a festival to prepare this delicacy. Just give it a try!

Ingredients:

Raw rice (பச்சரிசி) – ½ tumbler

Moong dhal – ½ teaspoon

Milk – 1½ tumblers

Rock candy (கல்கண்டு) – ¾ -1 tumbler (Adjust to taste)*

Ghee – ½ tumbler

Cardamom – 4 no

Clove – 1 no

Cashew nuts – 1 tablespoon

Raisins – 1 tablespoon

* You may also prepare this pongal with sugar, but it is preferable to use rock candy for best results. However, if desired use ½ tumbler sugar instead of rock candy.

Kalkandu Sarkarai Pongal (கல்கண்டு சர்க்கரை பொங்கல்)

Method: Wash rice and moong dhal well and pressure cook with 2 tumblers (400ml) of water for 5 minutes or 5 whistles. Once the pressure subsides, remove the rice and keep aside.

Remove cardamom seeds and powder them finely along with clove, using the mortar and pestle.

Boil milk in a thick bottomed vessel (உருளி) or kadai, add the rice and cook on low flame stirring on and off. Continue to cook till the milk and rice blend well into a uniform mass. Add rock candy and cook till it melts and mixes well with the rice. Now add ghee and spice powder and mix well. Simmer for 2 minutes and switch off the fire. 

Heat a teaspoon of ghee in a tadka pan or spice pan (தாளிக்கிற கரண்டி), add cashew nuts and raisins and fry till the nuts turn light brown in color. Switch off the stove. Add the fried ingredients to the pongal and mix well. Serve hot either as a dessert or as part of the feast menu.

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Pongal (பொங்கல்)

Pongal (பொங்கல்) is rice dish, either sweet or spicy, prepared especially for the ‘Harvest Festival’ (உழவர் திருநாள்) on the 1st day of ‘Thai’ (தை மாதம்), 10^th month of Tamil calendar. Pongal generally refers to ‘ven pongal’ (வெண் பொங்கல்) and it is commonly made for breakfast. While sweet pongal (சர்க்கரைப் பொங்கல்) is prepared for festivals and other special occasions. Pongal varieties are best made with freshly harvested raw rice (புது பச்சரிசி). Ven pongal goes well with brinjal kothsu, sambar or coconut chutney. Today let us see how to make ven pongal.

Ingredients:

Raw rice (பச்சரிசி) – 1 tumbler or 200ml measure

Green gram dhal (பாசிப் பருப்பு) – ½ tumbler or 100ml measure

Peppercorns – 1 teaspoon

Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon

Ginger – ½” piece, grated

Turmeric powder – ½ teaspoon (optional)*

Cumin seed powder – ½ teaspoon

Pepper powder – ⅛ teaspoon  

Salt – to taste

Cashew nuts – broken, 1 tablespoon

Ghee – 3 tablespoons

* Some folks like pongal to have the natural whitish color. However, I prefer to add turmeric powder, which imparts a yellowish color to the dish.

Pongal (பொங்கல்) served with Brinjal Kothsu (கத்தரிக்காய் கொத்சு)

Method: Wash rice and dhal well in a vessel. Add 4½ tumblers (500ml) of water. Add in salt, pepper powder, cumin seed powder and turmeric powder and mix well. Now add peppercorns, cumin seeds and ginger gratings. Cover with a lid and pressure cook for 10 minutes or 10 whistles. Once the pressure subsides, remove pongal from the cooker. Heat ghee in a tadka pan or spice pan (தாளிக்கிற கரண்டி), add cashew nuts and fry till they turn light brown. Remove from fire and add to the pongal. Mix very well and serve hot preferably with ‘brinjal kothsu’(கத்தரிக்காய் கொத்சு).

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