Kongu Thakkali Aati Kaachina Kuzhambu

Thakkali aati kaachina kuzhambu is a popular side dish served with idli in the Kongunad region of Tamilnadu. The curry is made by roasting and grinding spices, tomatoes and coconut which is then simmered to form a thick sauce. தக்காளி ஆட்டி காச்சின குழம்பு.

“Thakkali aati kaachina kuzhambu” literally means tomatoes ground and simmered to a thick sauce. This tomato curry is an excellent side dish for idlis and is one of the main staples of everyday kongu cuisine. There are different versions of this curry in every home in this region. The spices are roasted in oil along with tomatoes and coconut and then ground to a fine paste. The ground paste is then simmered to form a luscious gravy that is so perfect for dunking the idlis. This curry will definitely appear at the breakfast table if you have guests for breakfast. This is one of my husbands favorite side dish for idli. I have shared another variation of this tomato kuzhambu and the recipe is here.

Here is the video of how to make Thakkali aati kaachina kuzhambu at home

Click the link below to find the recipes on the site that uses the main ingredient as tomatoes. Tomato recipes Kongunadu recipes Here are some of the equipment, utensils and gadgets that will be useful for making this recipe. Click the link to buy them online. Triply Stainless Steel Frypan Hard Anodised Deep-Fry Pan Mixer Grinder 1000 Watt Sambar Powder

Here is how to do Kongu Style Thakkali aati kaachina kuzhambu. For this recipe, its traditional to use coconut oil or sesame oil (Indian Gingely oil). I like to use coconut oil for this curry at home. Heat oil in a pan and add in the spices – cumin seeds, coriander seeds, dried red chillies and black pepper. Use the black pepper sparingly else it will over power the curry. When the spices hit the hot oil, it will immediately become aromatic. Add in the chopped small onions, and garlic.

Add in the curry leaves. Saute the onions till its nicely caramelized and brown.

Add in the roughly chopped tomatoes, salt, turmeric powder and sambar powder. Let the tomatoes cook for 5-6 minutes on a medium flame till the tomatoes are cooked and mushy.

Add in the fresh shredded coconut and saute for five minutes more. Switch off the flame and allow the mixture to cool.

Grind the mixture with a cup of water to a smooth paste. Take your time to grind. It will take 2-3 minutes. We need a very fine paste. Set aside.

Heat oil in a pan and add in the mustard seeds, curry leaves and finely sliced small onions.

Saute till the small onions are nicely brown. Once the onions are brown, add in the ground paste.

Add a cup of water to the empty mixie jar and wash off all the leftover masala paste and add it back to the pan.

Simmer the gravy for 10 minutes. The gravy should not be very thick. It should be like the consistency of sambar.

Serve Thakkali aati kaachina kuzhambu with idli.

For the masala paste

• 2 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 dried red chillies
• 10 small onions (Indian shallots), chopped
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 4 - 5 medium very ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon sambar powder
• 1/2 cup fresh shredded coconut

For the tempering

• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 2 sprig curry leaves
• 5 small onions (Indian shallots), thinly sliced

1. Heat oil in a pan and add in the spices. Add in the chopped small onions and garlic. Add in the curry leaves. Saute the onions till its nicely caramelized and brown.
2. Add in the roughly chopped tomatoes, salt, turmeric powder and sambar powder. Let the tomatoes cook for 5-6 minutes on a medium flame till the tomatoes are cooked and mushy.
3. Add in the fresh shredded coconut and saute for five minutes more. Switch off the flame and allow the mixture to cool.
4. Grind the mixture with a cup of water to a smooth paste.
5. Heat oil in a pan and add in the mustard seeds, curry leaves and finely sliced small onions.
6. Saute till the small onions are nicely brown. Once the onions are brown, add in the ground paste.
7. Add a cup of water to the empty mixie jar and wash off all the leftover masala paste and add it back to the pan.
8. Simmer the gravy for 10 minutes.
9. Serve with idli.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins
• Category: Side Dish
• Cuisine: Tamilnadu

For the masala paste

• 2 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 dried red chillies
• 10 small onions (Indian shallots), chopped
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 4 - 5 medium very ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon sambar powder
• 1/2 cup fresh shredded coconut

For the tempering

• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 2 sprig curry leaves
• 5 small onions (Indian shallots), thinly sliced

1. Heat oil in a pan and add in the spices. Add in the chopped small onions and garlic. Add in the curry leaves. Saute the onions till its nicely caramelized and brown.
2. Add in the roughly chopped tomatoes, salt, turmeric powder and sambar powder. Let the tomatoes cook for 5-6 minutes on a medium flame till the tomatoes are cooked and mushy.
3. Add in the fresh shredded coconut and saute for five minutes more. Switch off the flame and allow the mixture to cool.
4. Grind the mixture with a cup of water to a smooth paste.
5. Heat oil in a pan and add in the mustard seeds, curry leaves and finely sliced small onions.
6. Saute till the small onions are nicely brown. Once the onions are brown, add in the ground paste.
7. Add a cup of water to the empty mixie jar and wash off all the leftover masala paste and add it back to the pan.
8. Simmer the gravy for 10 minutes.
9. Serve with idli.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins
• Category: Side Dish
• Cuisine: Tamilnadu

Find it online : https://www.kannammacooks.com/kongu-thakkali-aati-kaachina-kuzhambu/

As a Tamilian, I am so partial to biriyani made with the aromatic short grained seeraga samba rice. The rice soaks up the meat stock and spices so well that the end result is very flavorful. I tried this mutton biriyani during one of our travels. Chef Peter is a home cook at Tipperary estate and we loved his mutton biriyani. He uses green chillies alone for spicing up the biriyani. It was very different. He was happy to share the recipe and here it is.

Prep Work Soak the seeraga samba rice in water. Set aside. Soak the rice when starting to cook. Let the rice soak for half an hour.

Cook the mutton in a pressure cooker with two cups of water and a teaspoon of salt for 20 minutes. Ignore the whistles. I like the mutton to be “fall of the bone” tender. So cook for a long time. Remove from heat and let the pressure from the cooker release naturally. Note: I always salt the mutton while cooking. The mutton will be well seasoned and flavorful that way. Also always buy mutton with bone. Bone is so flavorful.

The important thing in this biriyani is the masala paste. Here is what you will need.

Grind all the ingredients for the masala paste with little water. Grind to a fine paste. Make sure that the paste is fine and not coarse. Set aside.

Making the biriyani Take a heavy pan and add in the ghee and peanut oil. Chef Peter says that wood pressed peanut oil (மர செக்கு கடலெண்ணெய்) is the secret for his biriyani. Add in the sliced onions and the remaining salt. The salt helps in browning the onions quicker.

Saute till the onions are nicely brown and caramelized. It will take about 10 minutes.

Add in the masala paste and saute for 3-4 minutes.

Add in the tomatoes and the herbs (roughly chopped mint and coriander leaves). Saute for a couple of minutes.

Remove the mutton pieces and add in the mutton cooked water (mutton stock). Measure the stock and add it to the pan.

Add in half a cup of curd. Whisk the curd well so it does not form into lumps when added to the pan. Add in the water. Note – For every cup of rice used, we need two cups of liquid. I have used two cups of rice today. So I need four cups of liquid. I had one cup of mutton stock. So I added that one cup of mutton stock and three cups of water (1 stock + 3 water = 4 liquid). Please also note that I have not included the curd for measurement.

Add in juice of half a lime and the cooked mutton with bone.

When it come to a boil, drain the water from the rice and add it to the pan.

Cover the pan with a lid and let it cook for the first four minutes on medium flame.

Open the lid. Gently mix once from the bottom, cover the lid again and simmer for 10 minutes on very low flame.

The rice will be about 80% done. Switch off the flame and close the pan with a lid. Do not disturb for the next 20 minutes. The rice will get swollen and absorb all the left out moisture. This time is very important. Do not rush.

After the rest, Enjoy Peter’s home style seeraga samba Biriyani!

For the masala paste

• 1 inch piece ginger
• 7 cloves garlic (you may need more if you use small Indian garlic)
• 10 green chillies
• 1 teaspoon kalpasi
• 1/2 inch piece cinnamon
• 2 cardamom
• 1/2 of a star anise
• 2 clove
• 2 small piece mace (jadhi pathiri)

Other Ingredients

• 500 grams mutton with bone
• 500 ml seeraga samba rice
• 3 tablespoon ghee
• 3 tablespoon peanut oil
• 2 medium onions, sliced
• 1 teaspoon plus 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 5 sprig mint leaves, chopped
• 5 sprig coriander leaves, chopped
• 1/2 cup curd
• juice of half a lemon/lime

Prep Work

1. Soak the seeraga samba rice in water. Set aside. Soak the rice when starting to cook.
2. Cook the mutton in a pressure cooker with two cups of water and a teaspoon of salt for 20 minutes.
3. Grind all the ingredients for the masala paste with little water. Grind to a fine paste.

Making the biriyani

1. Take a heavy pan and add in the ghee and peanut oil.
2. Add in the sliced onions and remaining salt.
3. Saute till the onions are nicely brown and caramelized.
4. Add in the masala paste and saute for 3-4 minutes.
5. Add in the tomatoes and the herbs (roughly chopped mint and coriander leaves). Saute for a couple of minutes.
6. Remove the mutton pieces and add in the mutton cooked water (mutton stock). Measure the stock and add it to the pan.
7. Add in half a cup of curd. Whisk the curd well so it does not form into lumps when added to the pan. Add in the water. *see notes
8. Add in juice of half a lime and the cooked mutton with bone.
9. When it come to a boil, drain the water from the rice and add it to the pan.
10. Cover the pan with a lid and let it cook for the first four minutes on medium flame.
11. Open the lid. Gently mix once from the bottom, cover the lid again and simmer for 10 minutes on very low flame.
12. The rice will be about 80% done. Switch off the flame and close the pan with a lid. Do not disturb for the next 20 minutes. The rice will get swollen and absorb all the left out moisture.
13. After the rest, Enjoy Peter’s home style seeraga samba Biriyani!

Notes

For every cup of rice used, we need two cups of liquid. I have used two cups of rice today. So I need four cups of liquid. I had one cup of mutton stock. So I added that one cup of mutton stock and three cups of water (1 stock + 3 water = 4 liquid). Please also note that I have not included the curd for measurement.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins
• Category: biriyani
• Cuisine: Tamilnadu