Thayir Kichadi - Ginger

Kichadi is a unavoidable dish for any Kerala type Sadya (feast). If one notices the dishes served for a kerala or South Indian feast, each one will stimulate different taste buds. (unlike many of teh current day hotel dishes which taste similar due to the similar masal ingredients).Thayir Kichadi contain curd and has a soft sour taste. It is usually served at the right most corner of the Plaintain leaf!
It is one of my son's favourite item. Different varieties of this can be made. It is very easy to make, especially, when you have unexpected guests at home.!
Kichadi with ginger can be prepared when you run out of vegetables. Traditionally it is prepared for "Srardhams" (a custom where puja is done for the expired people of the family).

Ingredients for Ginger Kichadi
Ginger - 1 piece
grated Coconut - half cup
Curd - half cup
salt to taste
mustard seeds, curry leaves, oil

Method
Grind the coconut and ginger into a fine paste. Mix with the curd (ensure it is not sour and no lumps). Add salt to taste. Fry the mustard seeds and curry leaves and add the seasoning on top.

Nellikkai Arachu Kalakkiyathu

This is an easy to make side dish. This is more a Kerala style Kitchadi recipe. Since nellikkai kitchadi wil be sour, it will taste better if the other side dish is of bland taste like Kuttu, Olan etc. That is why the traditional "Sadya" will have each side dish kindling different taste buds. Kitchadi is sour, whereas Pachadi is sweet, Thoran and avail may be more spicier.

See previous post for preparing neer nellikkai.

Ingredients
1. Neer Nellikkai - 4 or 5
2. Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup
3. Green chilli -1
4. Oil - 1 spoon
5. Mustad - 1/2 spoon
6. Curry leaves
7. Red chilli -1
8. Curd - 1/2 cup

Method:

Remove the seeds from the "neer nellikkai". Mix the ingredients 1 to 3 above in a mixer to form a fine paste. Mix the curd and stir to mix it uniformly.

Heat oil in a tawa. Put mustard seeds and Red chilli. When the mustard sputters, add the curry leaves. Add this as garnish on top.

This is a favourite for many children, as it retains the sour, bitter and sweet tastes of the gooseberries.