HOW TO MAKE Thengai Thogayal / Kobbari Pachidi / Spicy Coconut Hummus RECIPE

Thengai Thogayal / Kobbari Pachidi is one of the most common item in the festival menu. Also, we could see this item along with some spicy vegetable fry during normal days. Fresh coconuts are always tastier and they taste better if its made with a good punch. Even today, I like to scrap the coconut flakes instead of cutting them across and grinding them with spices.

Ingredients

Fresh Coconut shredded - 1 Cup

Oil - 1 tbsp

Hing /Asafoetida - 1 Dash

Urad Dal / Minna Pappu / Ulutham Paruppu - 1 tbsp

Dry Red Chillies - 6 -7

Tamarind - 1 small piece

Curry Leaves - 5 or 6

Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp

Cumin Seeds / Jeera - 1 tsp

Salt - To Taste

Jaggery - 1 tiny piece

Method

• Using a proper shredder, take out the fresh coconut flakes and keep them ready.
• In the pan, add oil first. When its heated, add Hing, Urad Dal , dry red chillies and roast them slightly on medium flame.
• When they turn golden brown, add the tamarind, jaggery and mix them well. Switch off the flame.
• Add the coconut flakes into the pan and mix them very well and transfer them to the grinder jar.
• Grind them coarsely and add required amount of salt and keep the thogayal ready.
• In a separate tempering pan, add oil and when its heated, add Mustard Seeds, Cumin Seeds, little urad dal, curry leaves and fry them for few seconds.
• Pour the tadka over the Thogayal/Pachidi and serve with hot rice.

Tips

Dont reduce the spice level. If the coconut is sweeter, it might reduce the spicyness of the Thogayal.

A Basic Dip

A dip often jazzes up some simple snacks, and can get you a lot of appreciation for very little effort! There are many variations to making dips, and really, your imagination is the limit. Here, I have included the recipe for a very basic and yummy dip, that goes well with French fries, fish fry, chips etc.

Ingredients
Hung curd - 1/2 - 1 cup (You will need 2-3 cups of curd to start out with)
Capsicum - Approximately 1 teaspoon, very finely chopped
Cucumber - Approximately 1 teaspoon, very finely chopped (Make sure you remove the seeds before chopping, as these can make the dip watery.)
Salt - to taste
Pepper - to taste
A clean muslin cloth to hang the curd!


Method

1. Tie up the curd in the muslin cloth and leave for a few hours so that the excess water is drained out. I usually hang it from the tap in my kitchen sink. (Do make sure you are not using the sink then!) 
2. You will be left with a nice snowy, creamy mass of thick curd, perfect for making a dip!
   
3. Whisk it well.
4. Add the capsicum, cucumber, salt and pepper.
5. Mix well and serve.