Keerai Mandi Recipe Chettinad Style

How to make Chettinad Keerai Mandi Recipe. karaikudi special. Spinach Curry Tamilnadu style. A very traditional easy to do dish. With step by step pictures.

The Chettinad women folks are said to be very thrift and use even the inexpensive ingredients wisely. The usage of mandi (rice water while washing rice) is a gem. They are said to never waste anything however inexpensive they may be. Not just in cooking. Life in general. The olden day Chettiar community was a very affluent community and traded all over the world. This is a picture of an old Cigarette box and a biscuit box from the 1950’s that I found on the attic in Karaikudi on my recent trip. They have put even these simple things to use in their everyday life for decades. These are not to be confused with hoarding.

This recipe is an everyday spinach curry – Keerai Mandi served with rice during lunch. Keerai Mandi is a mainstay in Chettinad cuisine of Tamilnadu. Its called as Keerai (Spinach) Mandi for a reason. So what is Mandi? Mandi in tamil means sediment. In cooking, mandi refers to arisi mandi or rice mandi. Its nothing but the left over water from washing rice. When we cook rice for lunch, just soak the rice in water for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes mix (rub) the rice and water well with your hands and drain. The starchy drained water is mandi. So what is the short cut for making mandi? If you are in a hurry, just mix 2 teaspoon of rice flour in 1 cup of water and mix well. Thats instant mandi for you. We will need about 1 cup of mandi for this recipe.

Here is the video of how to make Keerai Mandi

Here is the recipe for Keerai Mandi. Chop the shallots (small onions), garlic and green chillies. Set aside. Heat oil in a pan and when the oil is hot, add in the mustard seeds and the urad dal. Wait for the mustard seeds to splutter and the urad dal to brown. Tempering is key for the taste of the final dish. So have patience until the mustard seeds splutter and the urad dal browns.

Add in the green chillies, garlic and the shallots (small onions). Fry till the onions are soft.

When the shallots are frying, clean, wash and roughly chop the spinach. You can use any kind of spinach leaves for this recipe. Add in the spinach to the pan.

Add in the rice mandi and the salt. Let the mixture boil in medium flame for 10 minutes.

When the mixture is simmering, lets grind some coconut paste. Grind 1/3 cup of coconuts with one cup of water to a very smooth paste. Strain on a sieve. We got coconut milk and to this, add a heaping teaspoon of rice flour. Mix well to combine.

When the spinach mixture is thick and saucy , Add in the coconut milk mixture to the pan. Simmer for a minute. Switch off the flame and remove off heat. Serve hot with rice.

For the Tempering and Gravy

• 1 cup Rice Mandi (see notes)
• 2 teaspoon sesame oil (gingely oil)
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon urad dal
• 15 shallots , finely sliced (small onions)
• 2 green chillies, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 small bunches Spinach leaves ( About 200 grams )
• 1 teaspoon salt

For Coconut mixture

• 1/3 cup coconut
• 1 cup water
• 1 heaping teaspoon Rice flour

1. Heat oil in a pan and when the oil is hot, add in the mustard seeds and the urad dal. Wait for the seeds to splutter and the urad dal to brown.
2. Add in the green chillies, garlic and the shallots (small onions). Fry till the onions are soft.
3. When the shallots are frying, clean, wash and roughly chop the spinach.
4. Add in the spinach, rice mandi, and the salt. Let the mixture boil in medium flame for 10 minutes.
5. Grind 1/3 cup of coconuts with one cup of water to a very smooth paste. Strain on a sieve. This is coconut milk and to this, add a heaping teaspoon of rice flour. Mix well to combine.
6. When the spinach mixture is thick and saucy , Add in the coconut milk mixture to the pan. Simmer for a minute. Switch off the flame and remove off heat. Serve hot with rice.

Notes

What is Mandi? Mandi in tamil means sediment. In cooking, mandi refers to arisi mandi or rice mandi. Its nothing but the left over water from washing rice. When we cook rice for lunch, just soak the rice in water for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes mix (rub) the rice and water well with your hands and drain. The starchy drained water is mandi. So what is the short cut for making mandi? If you are in a hurry, just mix 2 teaspoon of rice flour in 1 cup of water and mix well. Thats instant mandi for you. We will need about 1 cup of mandi for this recipe.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins
• Category: Side Dish
• Cuisine: Tamilnadu, South Indian

For the Tempering and Gravy

• 1 cup Rice Mandi (see notes)
• 2 teaspoon sesame oil (gingely oil)
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon urad dal
• 15 shallots , finely sliced (small onions)
• 2 green chillies, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 small bunches Spinach leaves ( About 200 grams )
• 1 teaspoon salt

For Coconut mixture

• 1/3 cup coconut
• 1 cup water
• 1 heaping teaspoon Rice flour

1. Heat oil in a pan and when the oil is hot, add in the mustard seeds and the urad dal. Wait for the seeds to splutter and the urad dal to brown.
2. Add in the green chillies, garlic and the shallots (small onions). Fry till the onions are soft.
3. When the shallots are frying, clean, wash and roughly chop the spinach.
4. Add in the spinach, rice mandi, and the salt. Let the mixture boil in medium flame for 10 minutes.
5. Grind 1/3 cup of coconuts with one cup of water to a very smooth paste. Strain on a sieve. This is coconut milk and to this, add a heaping teaspoon of rice flour. Mix well to combine.
6. When the spinach mixture is thick and saucy , Add in the coconut milk mixture to the pan. Simmer for a minute. Switch off the flame and remove off heat. Serve hot with rice.

Notes

What is Mandi? Mandi in tamil means sediment. In cooking, mandi refers to arisi mandi or rice mandi. Its nothing but the left over water from washing rice. When we cook rice for lunch, just soak the rice in water for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes mix (rub) the rice and water well with your hands and drain. The starchy drained water is mandi. So what is the short cut for making mandi? If you are in a hurry, just mix 2 teaspoon of rice flour in 1 cup of water and mix well. Thats instant mandi for you. We will need about 1 cup of mandi for this recipe.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins
• Category: Side Dish
• Cuisine: Tamilnadu, South Indian

Find it online : https://www.kannammacooks.com/keerai-mandi/

Recipe for Mothagam – Sweet Coconut Kozhukattai with home made ground rice. Vinayagar Chathurthi festival prasadam. Easy to do recipe with thengai pooranam.

Vinayagar Chathurthi means Kozhukattai. Kozhukattai is the main prasadam for the day. This is a very easy recipe for Sweet Kozhukattai that is made using soaked rice. Here is how to do Sweet Coconut Kozhukattai for Vinayagar Chathurthi.

Wash 1/2 cup of raw rice in water for 2-3 times. Soak the washed rice in 1/2 cup of water. Let it soak for a minimum of one hour. Grind the rice in the mixie along with the water used for soaking rice. Do not use extra water. You should grind it to a very smooth paste. Set aside.

Heat the remaining half a cup of water in a pan until boiling. Add in the oil and the salt. Add in the rice paste and mix well continously until it forms a very thick paste. Remove off heat. cover with a pan and set aside.

Now lets make the stuffing AKA pooranam.

Heat ghee in a pan and add in the broken cashew-nuts. Fry until golden. Add in the freshly shredded coconut, powdered jaggery and cardamom. Fry till all the jaggery is melted.

Grind two teaspoon of fried gram dal (pottu kadalai) to a smooth powder. Add in the fried gram powder to the pan and mix well. Switch off the flame. Allow it to cool. The stuffing will thicken up as it cools. Note: Do not add more than two teaspoon. The stuffing wont taste good.

Now lets make the dumpling. One can make the dumpling by hand or with the help of the mold. I will show both methods. Apply little oil in your hands and spread a small dough on the palm. Add in a little stuffing and make a dumpling like below by folding the dough on itself. Set aside.

The dumpling made with mold looks beautiful. Here is where you can buy them.

Apply oil in your hands and take a small piece of the dough and fill only the sides of the cavity. If the dough is extremely sticky, dip your hands in water and then fill.

After filling the dough, place a little stuffing inside till the top. Cover the mold with some more dough and carefully remove the dumpling from the cavity. Set aside. Repeat until the all the dough is finished.

Heat an idli vessel with water and steam the dumplings for 7-8 minutes. Remove off heat and serve sweet kozhukattai warm or at room temperature.

For the Dumpling

• 1/2 cup Raw Rice
• 1 cup Water ( 1/2 cup + 1/2 cup )
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Oil

For the Stuffing (pooranam)

• 1/2 cup fresh shredded Coconut
• 1/2 cup powdered Jaggery
• 1/2 teaspoon Cardamom powder
• a pinch of salt
• 2 teaspoon ghee
• 5 cashewnuts, broken into small pieces
• 2 teaspoon fried gram dal (pottu kadalai in tamil)

For the Dumpling

1. Wash 1/2 cup of raw rice in water for 2-3 times. Soak the washed rice in 1/2 cup of water. Let it soak for a minimum of one hour. Grind the rice in the mixie along with the water used for soaking rice. Do not use extra water. You should grind it to a very smooth paste. Set aside.
2. Heat the remaining half a cup of water in a pan until boiling. Add in the oil and the salt. Add in the rice paste and mix well continously until it forms a very thick paste. Remove off heat. cover with a pan and set aside.

Now lets make the stuffing AKA pooranam.

1. Heat ghee in a pan and add in the broken cashew-nuts. Fry until golden. Add in the freshly shredded coconut, powdered jaggery and cardamom. Fry till all the jaggery is melted.
2. Grind two teaspoon of fried gram dal (pottu kadalai) to a smooth powder. Add in the fried gram powder to the pan and mix well. Switch off the flame. Allow it to cool. The stuffing will thicken up as it cools.
3. Now lets make the dumpling. One can make the dumpling by hand or with the help of the mold.
4. • Look at visual instructions above.
5. Heat an idli vessel with water and steam the dumplings for 7-8 minutes. Remove off heat and serve warm or at room temperature.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins
• Category: Prasadam, Sweet, Dessert
• Cuisine: Tamilnadu, South Indian