Tirunelveli Sodhi - Sodhi Kuzhambu

Sodhi is one of Tirunelveli's traditional and popular kuzhambu.This kuzhambu is a special menu on the next day of marriage. A Tirunelveli wedding meal would not be complete without this Sodhi, potato poriyal and ginger chutney.  It is prepared with coconut milk, moong dal, drumsticks, carrots, potatoes and plenty of aromatics like ginger, garlic, green chillies, small onions and lemon juice. The freshly extracted coconut milk gives you the perfect taste for this kuzhambu. We prepare this kuzhambu often during weekends, family get togethers and special occasions. My Mom, Grandma and Athai are experts in preparing this Sodhi.

Let us see the important tips to follow before preparing this kuzhambu.

1. Main Ingredients

The main ingredients for this kuzhambu are good quality coconuts, drumsticks, lemon juice, ginger and garlic. For this kuzhambu always use fresh coconuts. When you choose the coconuts, shake it and if you  hear lots of water sound then the coconut is fresher. And also choose the coconuts which are heavier in size.

2. Coconut milk preparation

Grate the coconuts finely without any brown parts. Grind the coconuts by adding water little by little and extract the milk. We have to extract 3 times for this kuzhambu. The first coconut milk, the thickest part of the milk is added in the final stage. The second coconut milk is added when the vegetables are done. The remaining coconut is strained well to take the thin coconut milk. The vegetables, onions, chillies, ginger and garlic are cooked well in the third (thin) coconut milk. For coconut milk extraction, we usually use a cotton white cloth. You can also use a strainer with fine holes.

3. Cooking

Once the vegetables are done, reduce heat from medium to low. When cooking, the correct heat setting helps them not to curdle. Please remember that, particularly on electric stoves it will get burned in the bottom after adding the dals and the coconut milk. So be careful to maintain the low heat after adding the thick coconut milk. Do not close it with the lid after finishing the dish. Allow them to cool for a while and then close it with the lid.

4. Serving Suggestions

Serve this Sodhi  with warm rice, potato fry, ginger chutney and potato or plantain chips. Pour this kuzhambu generously over the rice and enjoy your lunch with this tasty Sodhi. You can also serve this for idiyappam. 

Here is a short video for Tirunelveli Sodhi

Here is the link for my Tirunelveli Sodhi live show in Amul TN Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/amultamilnadu/videos/669258073963897/

Tirunelveli Sodi recipe

Sodhi - Sodhi is one of Tirunelveli's traditional and popular kuzhambu. It is prepared with coconut milk, moong dal, drumsticks, carrots, potatoes and plenty of aromatics like ginger, garlic, green chillies, small onions and lemon juice.

Prep  time : 45 minutes
Cook time : 40 minutes
Serves : 4
Category : kuzhambu/lunch
Author : Muthulakshmi Madhavakrishnan

Ingredients

• 2 coconuts
• 1/2 cup moong dal
• 2 drumsticks
• 1 carrot
• 5 beans
• 1 potato
• 15 to 20 small onions
• 15 garlic cloves
• small piece ginger or 2 tbsp chopped ginger
• 9 green chillies
• 2 medium lemon
• salt as required

 For tempering

• 1/2 tsp mustard
• 1/2 tsp urid dal
• 2 dried red chilly
• few curry leaves
• 1 tbsp coconut oil

Cooking Directions

1.  Heat a pan and roast the moong dal. Roast them until it becomes aromatic. Then transfer them to the pressure cooker. Wash the potato and place it in the cooker. Add 1 cup water and pressure cook for 4 whistles.
2. Heat 2 tsp oil in a pan and add the garlic cloves and ginger. Saute them for a few minutes. Next, add the onions, green chillies, carrots and beans. Saute them for a few minutes and add it to thin coconut milk.
3. Add the drumsticks to the thin coconut milk. Now keep on medium heat and cook them well.
4. In the meantime, open the cooker and check the dals are cooked well. Take the potatoes and remove the skin. Cut them and add it to the dal. Keep it ready to add to the kuzhambu.
5. When the vegetables are cooked well add the cooked dal along with the potato. Mix them well.
6. Now add the second coconut milk. Add the required salt. Do not increase the heat. Allow them to boil for a few minutes.
7. When the dals and vegetables are incorporated well with the second coconut milk reduce the heat to very low. Now carefully add the thick coconut milk.
8. Allow them to boil for 2 minutes. Then switch off the stove.
9. Now add the lemon juice over the kuzhambu.
10. Heat the coconut oil in a pan and add the mustard, urid dal and broken red chillies. Allow them to crackle and add the curry leaves. Then pour it into the kuzhambu. Mix them well. Do not close it with the lid. 

Tirunelveli Sodi with step by step photos

1. Preparing the coconut milk

Grate the coconuts finely. Take a big jar and add the grated coconuts. Add 1/2 cup of water and grind it. Take a vessel and strain the thick coconut milk using a stainer or white cloth. (Squeeze the ground coconuts with your palms to extract the milk). This is the first coconut milk.

Now again add the coconuts to the jar. Add some water and grind it. Strain the milk. Take another vessel and strain the milk. This is the second coconut milk.

Again add these coconuts in the jar. Add water and grind it. Now take the kuzhambu vessel and strain the milk. This is the third coconut milk used for cooking the vegetables. The third coconut milk should be very thin. 

Take all the three milks in a separate vessels. 

2. Preparing the vegetables

Peel the onions and garlic cloves. Peel the ginger and chop them finely. Slit the green chillies. Peel the carrots and cut them into small circles. Cut the drumsticks and beans.

3. How to make Sodhi

Heat a pan and roast the moong dal. Roast them until it becomes aromatic. Switch off the flame.

Then transfer them to the pressure cooker. Wash the potato and place it in the cooker. Add 1 cup water and pressure cook for 4 whistles. 

Heat 2 tsp oil in a pan and add the garlic cloves and ginger. Saute them for a few seconds. Do not brown them.

Add the small onions, green chillies, carrots and beans. 

Saute them well on low medium heat and transfer them to the thin coconut milk. Add the drumsticks to this thin coconut milk. Now keep on medium heat and cook them well.

In the meantime, open the cooker and check the dals are cooked well. Take the potatoes and remove the skin. Cut them and add it to the dal. Keep it ready to add to the kuzhambu. When the vegetables are cooked well add the cooked dal along with the potato. Mix them well.

Add the required salt. 

Now add the second coconut milk. Do not increase the heat. Allow them to boil for a few minutes.

When the dals and vegetables are incorporated well with the second coconut milk reduce the heat to very low. Now carefully add the thick coconut milk.

Stir the kuzhambu gently.

When it gently boils, turn off the heat. 

Now add the lemon juice over the sodhi. 

Heat the coconut oil in a pan and add the mustard, urid dal and broken red chillies. Allow them to crackle and add the curry leaves. Then pour it into the sodhi. Mix them well. Do not close it with the lid for 10 to 15 minutes.

Serve this Sodhi with warm rice, potato fry, ginger chutney and potato or plantain chips. 

How to prepare Ginger thuvaiyal (chutney)

Ingredients

• small piece ginger or 1 tbsp chopped ginger
• 3 dried red chillies
• 1/4 cup coconut
• small piece tamarind
• 1/4 tsp mustard
• 1/2 tsp urid dal
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida powder
• few curry leaves
• 2 tbsp oil

Cooking Directions

Wash the ginger without any mud and remove the skin with a knife. Chop the gingers finely. Heat a tsp of oil in a pan and add the dried red chillies. Fry them for a second and add the chopped ginger. Saute them for a few minutes and turn off the heat.Take a small chutney jar and add the tamarind, coconut, salt and the fried red chillies and ginger. Grind it smoothly. 

Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard and urid dal. When it starts to splutter add the curry leaves, asafoetida powder and the ground paste. Stir and saute them well and transfer it to the bowl. Serve this chutney for Sodhi. 

If you try this recipe for Tirunelveli Sodhi send us your comments below and share the recipe for your friends and family.