Poori, Kizhangu and Anita’s Green Chilli Pickles in mustard oil
When Anita, one of my favourite people among the food bloggers called out to us to make pooris, I could not bear to refuse. And let me confess, this is the first time I’ve ever made them. They puffed up beautifully and were a great colour, but I did not want to handle the camera with oily hands, hence don’t have the proof of any puffy pooris.
Just today, I saw a Pictorial in Poori making on Mahanandi. Indira has explained in simple terms – How to make pooris that I don’t feel the need to explain. I have seen my people add some rava (semolina) in the poori dough, I did that too. It gives the pooris a slightly crispier texture.
The traditional Tambram accompaniment to pooris is potatoes in gravy and this combination is called poori-kizhangu in Tamil, kizhangu short for urulaikizhangu, which means potato. This was included in my earlier post dedicated to potatoes – Potato in Tambram cuisine.
I have fond memories of my granny preparing this occasionally, as a special tiffin (a 4 o’ clock mini meal). She would place the smaller one-burner stove on the floor and sit down to deep fry the beautiful pooris and the potato gravy simmering on the other stove would be lovingly ladled into kinnams (small bowls) as she served out the pooris as soon as they came out of the frying pan.
Poori-Kizhangu
Serves 4 people
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- 4 - 5 potatoes medium sized (boiled and peeled)
- 2 tbsps oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 2 sprigs curry leaves
- 2 tsps dal udad
- 1 tsp chana dal
- 4 green chillies , slit or finely chopped
- 1 ginger " knob of fresh , slivered
- pinch asafoetida
- 2 onions medium , peeled and finely sliced
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 3 tbsps gram flour (besan)
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sambar powder (optional)
Ingredients
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- Dice half the potatoes and roughly mash the other half. Keep aside.
- Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed wok. Splutter the mustard seeds and curry leaves. Put in the lentils (udad and chana dal) and fry till golden. Add a pinch of asafoetida powder, slivered ginger and green chillies - saute for 30 seconds.
- Next, put in the sliced onions, a pinch of salt and saute the onions of medium flame till they are soft. Add the mashed and diced potatoes, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and blend well with spices for about a minute.
- Mix the gram flour in 1 1/2 cups water with 1 tsp with a fork/whisk so that there are no lumps.
- Pour in this mixture over the potatoes and let it come to a simmer. The gram flour will thicken the gravy in about 5 minutes. Check for salt and add the sambar powder and lime juice at this stage.
- Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
Notes:
The gravy should not be runny. If it is, then mix a tbsp or so of gram flour in 3 tbsp water, add it to the gravy and simmer for 3-4 minutes, till thick.
You can increase or decrease the spice level by adding more or less green chillies, as per your tolerance. The kizhangu will taste as good even without the sambar powder- it just adds some depth to the flavour.
This can be served with plain rotis too, but is a perfect accompaniment with pooris. Serve with your favourite pickle.
Other potato posts on Saffron Trail
Nandita…thanks for the lovely post…poori kizlangu name brings so many fond memories…I have heard it being called this name down south…but amazing to know that this is the first time you are preparing…your thali looks so tempting…Srivalliwww.cooking4allseasons.blogspot.com
glad to have u join the party!ur kizhangu looks really good!can’t believe u have never made puris!
Hey, N! Fantastic job on the poori! It may be your first time with poori but you are no novice cook!And you bought mustard oil?!! Tambram making mustard oil pickle – I am so glad I went on and on about mustard oil!Thanks for deep frying! Coming from you I know how big a deal that is!
Srivalli- thats true, its a popular dish even in the Saravanabhavas and Sangeethas in Madras!Shaheen- believe me plsssssssssssA- yes my first time with mustard oil too…earlier was intimidated by the huge bottles in stores, this Saturday had gone to Fabindia Kala Ghoda – saw this 1/2 L bottle of organic mustard oil in a lovely glass bottle, and could not resist…since i did not have peanut oil, I made your pickle with mustard oil and mustard+mustard oil is a DEADLY combo na….almost as pungent as wasabi! My friend was over the evening I made pooris and the pickle, and despite my telling him ki – Guru! It has to marinate for a day, the smell was irresistible for him and now I have promised ki I’m making a bottle for him too 😛 Sab Aaapki kripa hai!!As regards deep frying-Tumne pukara aur hum chale aaaye
Hey Nandita, Enjoyed your post! By the way, the new section that you have recently started is very good!
Makes me so hungry…love puri and maybe some TamBram will invite me some day for this sabzi
You are a great sport, N! Was so happy that you decided to fry poori.Now try the Bihari aloo – it has just a smidgen of mustard oil compared to this full-blast pickle!
Poonam – thanksSandeepa – arrey don’t wait to be invited, its so easy, make it at home na, next time boil some extra potatoes and you can make them in a jiffy!!Anita – aiyo rama, I already had that in mind when i bought the oil!!! You sure can read mind ;P
You deep frying? For real? :)Maybe it is time for me to pour the oil in the kadai!
I am enjoying all these poori posts 🙂
Nandita…..Nice pooris dear….Happy I-day to u too 🙂
i’ve never made puris either. slowly, i’m warming up to the idea. your potato dish look fab.
The best poori kizhangu I have had till date is from Kumbakonam railway station. They are as famous as Maayavaram milk! Yrs look just like my mom’s 🙂
Pooris look divine…Great picture!
i have to try your kizhangu recipe, the addition of besan is really a neat idea!
Puris . puris …. every where not a bite to eat!
Hi nandita, just as i started typing, power went off. Kizhangu with little kadalai mavu gives good consistency. My sister in law does that.I appreciate your enthu to participate actively in blog events.
Hey Girl! Synchronicity, I tell you! I made poori with potato masal last week! I love this as a special treat – Amma used to make it only once in a while, so, every time they took me to a Hotel, i would order this to satisfy my craving 🙂
I love your blog 🙂 Being married to a tambrahm, and not being one myself (i’m a kanbrahm!), I keep hoping to recreate my dear mom-in-law’s creations…thanks for all the little details/tips – these make all the difference. And I absolutely adore reading the “memories” – they echo most of the ones I hold dear…!
Poori is good .. I dont like potatoes.. pudhina chutney is the best to have with pooris.. It may sound weired “POORI with CHUTNEY”!!! But trust me once u try this, U will be a lover of this combination…Here is the recipe for Pudhina chutney:Ingredients…Mint leaves Scrapped coconutGingerSaltSmall OnionsCurdGreen ChilliesMustard Curry leavesRed Chilli (Dried, Just 2 or 3)Preparation-Grind ginger, mint leaves,coconut, green chillies, small onions, and curd to paste. mix salt to this mixture. Heat some oil in a pan, when hot add half a teaspoon of mustard, add dry red chilli and curry leaves and turn off the stove. Now add this to the grounded paste. Dont heat this Chutney. Mix well .. Serve this with hot pooris.. I bet U.. U will love this recipe.. It will taste Great…If u tried this recipe plz do send me ur comments to rhce.cisco@gmail.comWith Love!!!Jasmine