Thiruvathirai Kali

It is thiruvathirai Day today. Last year, same day I made Urad dal and rice kali in my family style. This year I wanted to try the typical Brahmin style kali. So the moment I came to know the thiruvathirai date, I immediately picked my phone to inquire the recipe details from Venkat, my colleague having heard from him that they used to prepare this dish at his home.

Meanwhile, we visited my hubby’s friends home, where his Mom was in the progress of making the kali and explained me the entire stuff of it. I simply followed her recipe except the point where she asked me to pressure cook the kali whereas I cooked the dish in the kadai itself to avoid unnecessary cleaning of vessels.

So, feel free to go as per the method you are comfortable with and enjoy the thiruvathirai day.

Basic Information:

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Raw rice / Pacharisi – 1/2 cup

Jaggery / Vellam – 1/2 heaped cup

Water – 3 cups

Grated fresh coconut – 3 tablespoons

Cashes nut – 2 tablespoons

Ghee – 2 tablespoon

Green cardamom powder – a pinch

Method:

1)  In a heavy bottom pan, dry roast raw rice till it becomes nice golden brown. The flame should be in low for even frying. It takes approx.10 minutes

2) Once done, cool and make a coarse powder. It should be like fine rava texture.

3) To the same pan, add jaggery and 1/2 cup of water. Mix well till the jaggery completely dissolves.

4) Filter the jaggery dissolved water to remove impurities.

5) Bring it back to the same pan, add coconut and cook few minutes in low flame.

6) Add powdered rice to it stirring continuously.

7) Add remaining water(2 and 1/2 cups) and mix well without any lumps.

8) Simmer the stove, cover and cook till the water get absorbed and the rice is also cooked well. When you touch it is gives soft feeling once it is done.

9) Add ghee, cardamom powder and roasted cashews. Mix well and continue stirring till you get the desired texture.  If you want to skip the stirring part, you can transfer the entire content to the pressure cooker after adding water and leave for 3 to 4 whistles and then add cashes, ghee and cardamom powder, finally mix well.

10) Thiruvathirai Kali is ready, offer to god and enjoy. (PS: The final picture shown above has colour balance issue due to my kitchen light and hence the color change)

Notes:

1) Adjust jaggery quantity as per your family preference. The colour of the kali is based on the colour of jaggery you use.

2) Pressure cooking the kali makes the job easier but to avoid washing many utensils, I skipped that part and cooked the kali in Kadai/Pan itself.

3) Adjust water quantity as per the final texture you need.