Iddiyappam Puliyodare:

When it comes to talk about a particular region’s specialty, its always the food’ that comes first to my mind, which reflects the culture!

One of the regional food’ that got my attention is Coimbatore cuisine. Although, on a broad spectrum…it looks much similar to other Tamil Nadu cuisine, if you take a closer look at the culinary habits of the natives…there is considerable amount of cultural fusion. Since, the city is located at the borders of Kerala, it has taken some influences from Kerala cuisine and fused it with some Tamil Nadu aspects of cooking! So, the resulted food is overwhelmingly delicious.

I had no idea, that iddiyappam, could be chopped and whipped into various upmas…all until I tasted this Lemon Sevai, in a local Mess…few years before! Later, I came to know that many such variations could be prepared similarly. So, here you go, my take on ‘Puli Sevai’.

Ingredients:

Tamarind lemon size ball

Sesame oil 1 small cup

Mustard seeds 1 Spoon

Curry leaves 1 few

Asafoetida 1/4 spoon

Chana dal 1 fistful

Urad dal 1 fistful

Dry red chilies 10 numbers

Turmeric powder 1/4 spoon

Salt

Iddiyappam or Rice Noodle 1 box (I used Chinese rice noodles, here)

To Be Roasted Each Separately And Powdered Together:(Puliyodarai Podi)

Coriander seeds 2 spoons

Chana dal 1 spoon

Curry leaves few

Fenugreek seeds 1 spoon

Dry red chilies 5

Asafoetida 1/2 spoon

Store this powder in an air tight container.

1. Steam cook Indian iddiappam briefly (10 minutes). Or if you are using Chinese noodles like me…boil it with enough salt as per the directions. Wash several times in running cold water and spread them in a clean cloth or sheet, until the remaining moisture is all sucked up.

2. In a bowl soak tamarind with 1-2 cups of water for 1-2 hours. In a blender run this along with the same soaked water and extract a thick tamarind milk.

3. In a heavy bottomed non-stick pan, Add tamarind extract, salt, turemeric and chilies. Bring this to a thick sauce, by boiling it down to a concentrated concoction.

4. In a separate pan, heat oil and add the tempering spices. Now mix the concoction, tempered and powdered spices to the cold rice noodle, mix thoroughly and leave the set-up for couple of hours before serving.

Serve as a breakfast or dinner, along with other relish.