Pidiyum Varutharacha Kozhicurryum

                                                           

Pidiyum Kozhiyum

Pidiyum Kozhiyum is one of the traditional foods of Christians in Central Travancore region.

This is usually made during Christmas, Easter and other family gatherings.

There are many other variations in preparing pidi, but this is the traditional method 

and it's a  tedious process.

There are 3 steps in making pidi. 

In the first step, we need to roast the flour and grated coconut together until light golden brown.

(This flour can be be made a day before)

In the second step, we need to make balls (pidi) and,

in the third step, we need to cook the pidi in crushed coconut and coconut milk.

Serves: 4 people

For making rice flour 

Dosa rice - 2 cups

(Soak 2 cups dosa rice for 2 hours,
drain and leave it on a cloth to absorb excess moisture.

Grind to powder (not so fine, it should be just more than fine when we grind for puttu) and

sieve it well and keep aside. (2 cups of dosa rice will yield 3 cups of flour)

Grated coconut - 2 and 1/2 cups
Cumin seeds - 1tspn

For making dough for pidi
Water - 3 cups
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Shallots - 5
Garlic - 3
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tspn
Salt - as needed

For making Sauce for rice dumpling
Water - 2 .5 cups
Coconut milk - 1/2 cup
Grated coconut -  1/4 cup
Shallots - 2-3 crushed
Curry leaf - 1 sprig
Salt - as needed

1. Take 3 cups of flour in a wide heavy bottomed kadai/ uruli, add the grated coconut (2 & 1/2 cups) and combine well with your hands (5 minutes). Scoop the flour to the center and close with a lid and keep it for 30 minutes. (No heating required in this step)

2. Crumble the mixture again and keep the uruli /heavy bottom kadai on a low flame and dry roast until light golden brown, in a low to medium flame (It takes about 20 - 30 min). Once it starts changing color, add 1/2 tspn of cumin seeds.

3. Once it's cooled down, sieve this and grind the larger crumbles in mixer to make it even.
Now combine the flour and keep 1/4 cup of this flour separately.

4. In a pan, add 3 cups of water, crushed coconut mixture (1/2 cup coconut, 5 shallots, 3 garlic, 1/2 tspn cumin seeds), salt and allow it to boil. Once it starts boiling, keep the flame in low and add the roasted flour and combine well (like how we make idiyappam dough) and then switch off the flame. You may add extra hot/boiling water to adjust the consistency. 

5. Once it's cooled down, make pidi (balls) with out cracks and keep them in a wide plate, sprinkled with roasted flour (which was kept aside during the step 3)

 6. In a wide heavy bottomed pan (uruli), add 2.5 cups of water, 1/2 cup coconut milk, 1/4 cup grated coconut, 2-3 crushed shallots, a sprig curry leaves and little salt. Allow it to boil.

7. Once it starts boiling, add pidi and cook the pidi in low flame for 5-10 min or until it starts to get thicken. Make sure that pidi doesn't stick to the bottom (use a spoon and gently mix the pidi from the middle of the pan.

And that's how Pidi is made!

Now we have to make the chicken curry.

Varutharacha Chicken curry (Chicken curry with roasted coconut)

Chicken - 1/2 kg
(Marinate the chicken with salt, 1/4 tspn turmeric powder,
1/2 tspn red chilli powder, 1/2 tspn lemon juice and keep aside for min 30 min)
Shallots - 8-10 thinly sliced
Onion - 1 medium size thinly sliced
Ginger - 1 inch
Garlic - 4 cloves
Coconut bits - 1/4 cup

For masala
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tspn
Shallots- 1 thinly sliced
Pepper cons - 5
Whole red chilly - 5
Corriander seeds - 1 tbspn
Curry leaves - 5
Dry roast the above ingredients in a pan until dark brown and grind in a mixer.
Do not add water in the beginning, add little water in between grinding.

For tempering
Coconut oil - 1 tbspn
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tspn
Shallots - 2 thinly sliced
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Whole red chilly - 2

Method:
1. In a pan, add coconut oil. Once the oil is hot, add coconut bits.
2. When it starts to change color, add curry leaves.
3. Now add sliced shallots and onions and saute well.
4. When the onions are sauteed well, add crushed ginger garlic and saute until raw smell goes off.
4. Now add turmeric powder and add one chopped tomato and saute until it starts to leave oil.
5. Add the marinated chicken, salt and saute well until it starts releasing water.
6. Add 1 cup boiling water and cook the chicken. Once it's 80% done, add the ground masala and cook the chicken in low flame until you see the oil floating on top.
7. Now do the tempering and add to chicken curry and mix well.

Our pidi and varutharacha chicken curry is ready!

Notes:

1. You may also use ready made avalose podi (use avalose podi without sesame seeds) for making pidi. However, make sure that you sieve it well and separate the larger crumbs and grind in a mixer. And while making the dough for pidi, you will have to add more water to attain the dough like consistency.

*But I strongly recommend to make the flour as above in the recipe.