VIRUNDHOMBAL

Ginger Thokku, also known as Inji Thokku, is a traditional South Indian condiment that is loved for its bold flavour and medicinal benefits. During my childhood, my grandmother used to prepare many varieties of thokku at home. I still remember enjoying her style of cooking, especially the generous use of oil and jaggery that made every thokku taste divine and stay fresh for a long time. This Ginger Thokku is my own kitchen experiment inspired by her methods. It turned out to be a big hit at home and tasted absolutely delicious with curd rice. You can also mix it with hot rice and enjoy it as Inji Puli Sadam. Watch the video carefully and try this traditional ginger thokku at home. Important Tips for Preparing Ginger Thokku 1. Peel the ginger and rinse it well. Chop the ginger into medium-sized pieces. If chopped too finely, ginger may taste bitter. Since the ginger is sautéed and then ground, medium-sized pieces work best. 2. Instead of grinding, you may also grate the ginger using a c...

Today we are going to see another lip-smacking South Indian thokku recipe — Red Chilli Fruit Thokku. This vibrant and flavorful thokku is made using fresh red chilli fruits, giving it a gorgeous orange-red hue and a perfect mix of spice, tang, and sweetness. My husband, Madhav, loves vegetable shopping and always brings home colourful vegetables and fresh chillies. Every Sunday, our kitchen turns into a splash of colours with ginger, green chillies, and keerai. Whenever he finds these beautiful red chilli fruits, our dishes turn into different shades of orange — from coconut chutney to mor kuzhambu and aviyal! This time, I decided to try a Red Chilli Fruit Thokku, and it turned out so delicious. The colour, flavour, and aroma were simply irresistible!The secret to making a perfect thokku lies in using a good amount of oil, salt, and spice, and balancing it with a touch of jaggery. Also, always cook thokku in a heavy-bottomed kadai for the best texture and flavour. Similar recipes Amla ...

Tomato Thokku is a flavorful South Indian condiment made with ripe tomatoes, spices, and a touch of jaggery. It’s tangy, spicy, and mildly sweet—perfect to pair with idli, dosa, chapati, or even curd rice. This thokku is not only easy to prepare but also stays fresh for days when stored properly. In this post, I’m sharing all my tips and tricks to make the perfect tomato thokku just like we do at home. Once you try it, it’s sure to become a regular in your kitchen! Our First Star : Tomato   Use fresh, red, ripe tomatoes for this thokku. Wash the tomatoes thoroughly and gently wipe them with a clean white cloth, making sure there are no water droplets on the surface. Make a circular cut around the top and remove the stem. There's no need to chop or cut the tomatoes for this recipe. Take your time with the cleaning and drying process—this is one of the most important steps in achieving the perfect thokku. Tamarind : The Natural Preservative Our next key ingredient is tamarind. Clean ...

Get ready for a burst of flavor with our Ginger Green Chilli Thokku recipe! This traditional South Indian side dish combines the spicy kick of green chilies with the aromatic warmth of ginger, creating a tangy and sweet symphony in every spoon. Perfect accompaniment for curd rice, idli, and dosa. The three main ingredients for this thokku are green chili, ginger, and tamarind. To balance the taste, we have to add a good amount of jaggery. For any thokku varieties, try to use clean and well-dried ingredients before sautéing. The ginger and green chili must be well-dried before sautéing.  In my previous post on Virundhombal, I shared a recipe for Ginger Pachadi with red chillies. For any ginger thokku or pachadi recipes, it's crucial to avoid prolonged sauteing of the ginger as it can impart a bitter taste. Adjust the quantity of green chillies to suit your preferred spice level. I also recommend against increasing the amount of fenugreek and mustard seeds as it can alter the overall...

This Saravan bhavan tomato thokku recipe which is actually a different tomato chutney and easy to make. This thokku tastes good with idli, dosa, chapathi and curd rice.  The method and preparation of this tomato thokku doesn't require much time. To make this tomato thokku we have to cook the tomatoes along with tamarind and ginger. Then the cooked tomato mixture is flavoured with chilli powder and a pinch of sambar powder. Make sure to use fresh red ripe tomatoes which makes the best thokku.  Few tips for a tasty thokku Use less ginger or omit it completely.  Do not cook the thokku in an iron kadai. Do not add water while grinding the tomato mixture.  If you like a smooth thokku grind them to a smooth paste or if you like small bits of tomatoes here and there in the thokku grind it coarsely.  You can also increase the garlic cloves for an extra kick of flavour.  A perfect thokku does not have a runny consistency or a dry thick chutney consistency. While coo...

Traditional raw mango pickle recipe from Rajapalayam which you can preserve for a year.  This pickle is made with raw mango, red chilli powder, mustard powder, fenugreek powder, asafoetida, jaggery and gingely oil. After tasting this pickle prepared by  my sister Priya, my son said goodbye to the store bought pickles. She learnt this recipe from her relatives at Rajapalayam and prepared this pickle without changing the steps and ingredients. This homemade mango pickle not only tastes good, it also has a long shelf life without any preservatives. Try this mango pickle recipe during this mango season, I'm sure that you will all love this pickle.  Similar recipes Amla Thokku Raw mango Thokku Garlic Thokku Tomato Thokku - Thakkali thokku  Instant Mango Pickle Here is the video link for Rajapalayam Mango Pickle Rajapalayam Mango Pickle - Raw Mango Pickle - Mangai Oorugai Recipe Details Prep time : 3 days Cook time : 15 minutes Yields : 1 Kg Category : pickle Author : Muth...

Green tomato pachadi is a tasty side dish prepared with green tomatoes, onions and green chillies as the main ingredients. It goes well with idli, dosa, curd rice and even chapathi. The green tomatoes are usually tangy when compared to red tomatoes and there is no need to add tamarind for the pachadi.  To make this green tomato pachadi you will need Onions - it adds a delicious sweetness to the dish. Make sure to slice the onions thinly, so that it will be blended well with the tomatoes.  Green chillies - as we are preparing pachadi with green tomatoes I don't want to lose the beautiful colour. So I have added green chillies in more quantities. You can increase or decrease the amount of green chillies, according to your spice level.  Green tomatoes - slice the tomatoes thinly because it takes more time to cook when compared to red tomatoes. In the final stage, I have mashed the tomatoes with a wooden masher, so you can get a smooth texture. If you prefer a chunky textu...

Narthangai Pachadi - tangy and spicy pachadi prepared with narthangai (citron), small onions, green chillies, tamarind and jaggery. In our hometown Tirunelveli, pachadis or thokkus are a staple dish for our lunch.

This instant pickle with raw mangoes is an incredibly simple pickle you can make within 10 minutes. There are many different methods for preparing a mango pickle. But, this instant pickle is easy to prepare, easy to store and enjoy a tasty pickle for your curd rice with simple process. Anyone can make this instant mango pickle. You can serve this mango pickle right away, but it will taste better, if it gets at least 30 minutes to marinate.

Garlic Thokku (pickle) is the perfect condiment for many dishes like rava upma, dal kichidi, roti and curd rice. A thokku is  a condiment, which is basically a pickle consisting of methods like preparing the fenugreek powder, sauteing the ingredients using gingely oil. It also follows the addition of good amount of red chilly powder, asafoetida powder and a small piece of jaggery.  Today we are going to see thokku using garlic cloves. It's very simple and healthy. The only hard part of  this dish, is peeling the garlic cloves. To keep your work simple, peel the garlic cloves or you can finish it when you watch a movie on the TV. After peeling the garlic cloves, it's just a 15 minutes work and you can enjoy a healthy homemade pickle for 2 to 3 months without any added preservatives. It's always better to prepare homemade pickle with your seasonal ingredients like mangoes, garlics, tomatoes, etc.. Small softneck garlics are best suited for pickles. Gingely oil, red...

Pirandai is a creeper which has so many health benefits. Pirandai thuvaiyal is good for all digestion problems like indigestion, lack of appetite and gastritis. I learnt this recipe from my grandma which has a nice flavour of black urid dal. We have to add more tamarind to prevent the itching in the tongue after eating this. Wear gloves or grease your hands with sesame oil before chopping it. You can serve this thuvaiyal as an accompaniment for curd rice, idly and dosa or you can mix it with the hot rice and a tsp of ghee. 

Amla/ Nellikai/Gooseberry Pickle Amla Pickle - perfect a ccompaniment for curd rice, parathas and rotis. My mother makes this easy and delicious Amla pickle whenever she finds good amlas. For pickles she always prefers fresh amlas without any black spots or dull skin. The amlas are thinly sliced and then deep fried in oil. The deep fried amla slices or further seasoned with chilly powder, asafoetida powder, tamarind extract, jaggery and fenugreek powder. I frequently prepare this amla pickle because the entire recipe takes less than 30 minutes with minimal processing. You can feel the flavour of amlas in every bite. This pickle packs a lot of flavour using the simplest ingredients.