Tirunelveli Sodhi / திருநெல்வேலி சொதி - A traditional Tirunelveli curry- Step by step

 This is one of the dishes,which I enjoyed during my vacation at Tirunelveli. We have a cook ,who's name is "Murugan Anna". He is very talented and passionate cook. He was taking care of us very well. Rohith and Ashwath will always run around him and pesture him to prepare juice,food etc. He will always treat us royally.Whatever it is, he will always do the job religiously and do it professionally. He taught me this traditional dish of  "Tirunelveli". It is also called " Mapillai Sodhi", as it is served for marriage occasions. Sodhi goes very well with ginger thuvayal and potato curry (Urulai kaara kari) . I would also like to thank "Vanraj " anna for helping me to take pictures . Lovely peopleto be  around.

  

 



 



Ingredients:

For the curry :

1. Moong dal                -      1/4 cup

2.Carrot                        -       1

3.Potato                        -        1(big)

4.Drumstick                 -        1

5.Beans                        -       5

5.a.Tomato                   -         1 (chopped)

6.First Coconut milk    -     1 cup

7.Second coconut milk - 1 1/2 cup

8.Salt                             -    to taste

 

For grinding:

1.Green chillies         -       3

2.Cumin seeds           -       1 tsp

 

For tempering:

1.Oil                         -        2 tsp

2.Mustard seeds       -        1/2 tsp

3.Cumin seeds         -         1/2 tsp

4.Curry leaves         -         a hand full

 

Method:

Wash and cut the veges as in the picture.Take coconut milk and keep in separate bowls. Take a pan, add washed moon dal and second coconut milk . Let the moong dal cook in medium flame, till it is mushy. Always use less moong dal ,as its just used to thicken the curry. Now add the veges in the pan and let it cook well.



After 5 - 10 minutes, all the veges would have cooked. Now add cubed tomato.Let the tomatoes get cooked.Meamwhile , take green chilly and cumin seeds in a blender and grind it well.



After the veges are cooked,dump in the grinded masala into the curry. Let the raw smell of the green chillies get eliminated. Adjust salt to taste.Now turn off the stove . Pour the first coconut milk into the curry .

 

 

Finally, take another pan,add oil and temper with mustard seeds,cumin seeds and curry leaves. Pour the tempering into the curry. Have it with steamed hot rice.

 

Notes:

The curry will be bit runny only.But it is so flavourfull.Don't add first coconut milk, when the stove is on, if not the coconut milk will curdle. Moong dal ,has to be added very little.We can add veges of our choice, but traditionally, these are veges, which are used in the curry. We can alter the amount of green chillies according to our taste.