Thalagam

Thiruvadirai—Happens mostly in the end of December or first week of January. Arudra Darisanam, a festival dedicated to Lord Nataraja, is major event in the Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu. This festival is observed during the full moon night in the Tamil month of Margazhi (December/ January). 

Thalagam tastes more like sambar but is made with 7 vegetables and is also otherwise called " Ezhu Curry Koottu". This is had in combination with Kali

 

Ingredients (Serves 2)

Brinjal - 1 Medium sized

Pumpkin - 1 small piece

Potato - 1 small

Carrot - 1 small

Raw Banana (Vazhaikai) - 1/2

Sweet potato– 1 small

Yam –1 small piece

Tamarind - 1 lemon size

Salt - To Taste

Toor dhal cooked -  one and half cups

For Grinding

Red Chillies - 8

Raw Rice - 2 teaspoon

Chana dhal -  2  teaspoons

Coriander seeds—  2  teaspoons

Sesame seeds - 1 teaspoon

Fenugreek seeds-  1/2 teaspoon

Grated Cocunut - 1 cup

Oil - 2 teaspoon

For Seasoning

Oil - 1 teaspoon

Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon

Curry Leaves – few

Procedure

1. Cut the vegetables for the thalagam as small cubes

2. Soak the tamarind in the water and extract the juice and keep it separately.

3. Heat the oil in the pan and fry the chana dal, sesame seeds, red chillies, coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, raw rice and grated coconut and fry it till it becomes light brown color and grind all these into a coarse paste in a mixer.

4. Cook the vegetables in the pan , and when the vegetables are half-cooked, add the tamarind extract and salt and let it boil for some more time.

5. Finally add the ground paste , cooked toor dhal and allow it to boil. 

6. Season the thalagam with mustard, fenugreek and curry leaves.

7. Thalagam is ready to serve