Tirunelveli Sodhi / Maapillai Sodhi

This recipe has been in my ‘to do’ list for a long long time. I mean – to post about this recipe.

Sodhi is a classic recipe from tirunelveli. Tirunelveli saiva pillai marriage is a two day affair. ‘Sodhi sappadu’ is the second day lunch , which is served on behalf of the boy’s side to the girl’s side and the guests ( a way of saying thank you ). Because of this it is also known as ‘Maapillai Sodhi’. It is a very rich dish made of coconut milk and vegetables served as a classic combo of – rice, sodhi, potato roast ( urulaikilangu varuval), inji pachadi/inji thuvaiyal along with papads and rice vadaams. The ginger pachadi is supposed to help in digestion of the heavy coconut milk.

My mom says that in olden days one coconut per person was used for getting the coconut milk- it means if you want to serve four persons you have to extract milk from four coconuts!!! Well gone are those golden days! Because of the increasing vegetable prices and the increasing calorie consciousness among people we are using less coconut now. Nowadays we use 1 coconut for 2 persons as an average…You can adjust the amount according to your taste 🙂

One of my non-veg colleague used to mock me – what variety do you have in veg dishes? I don’t understand what you people serve when you have guests at home….. She doesn’t realize that – Heaven! Thy name is SODHI!!!

Reposting this recipe for Walk down the memory lane event hosted by Kalyani of Sizzling tastebuds, started originally by Gayathri’s cookspot.

 

Tirunelveli Sodhi

Ingredients:

1 large sized coconut ( I used this for 3 persons)

1 drumstick

2 large potatoes

2 carrots

2 large onions

4-5 green chillies

1 tsp oil

Juice of 1 lemon

Salt as required

For tempering:

2 tsp oil

1 tsp mustard

1 tsp urad dhal

Few curry leaves

Method:

1. The first and crucial step is to extract the coconut milk. Take 2 cups of thick milk and 2-3 cups of thin milk from the shredded coconut.
2.  Cut the drumstick into long pieces and cube the potatoes and carrots. Cut the onions into long but thick slices.
3.  Sauté the onion in oil and add it to the thin milk along with the chopped vegetables. Allow the vegetables to cook in the thin milk in a medium flame.
4.  In the mean time grind the green chillies and required salt into a fine paste and add it to the thick milk.
5.  After the vegetables are cooked well and the thin milk has reduced in quantity add the thick milk to the pan.
6. Allow to simmer in a low flame till you see froth on top. Do not allow to boil. Switch off the stove.
7.  Add the juice of lemon after the sodhi has cooled off a little( when warm). Otherwise it will curdle. Alternatively the lemon juice can be omitted ( some of my family members like it that way- so my mom makes two versions each time , with and with out lemon juice).
8. Tempering is optional and can be done with mustard, urad dhal and curry leaves.
9. Serve sodhi with rice, potato roast and ginger pachadi. Sodhi also tastes good with aappam and idiyappam.