Authentic Tamil Nadu Kancheepuram Poondu Thogayal with Steamed Ponni Rice
A fiery and aromatic South Indian condiment made with pungent garlic cloves, roasted lentils, and dried red chillies. Perfectly paired with steaming hot Ponni rice and a generous dollop of ghee for a comforting meal.
35min
Total Time
4
Servings
Tamil Nadu
Cuisine
Recipe
1
Heat one tablespoon of sesame oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat.
2
Add chana dal and urad dal, roasting them until they turn golden brown and release a nutty aroma.
3
Toss in the dried red chillies and sauté for a few seconds, then remove the lentils and chillies from the pan.
4
In the remaining oil, add the peeled garlic cloves and sauté until they soften and turn lightly golden.
5
Soak the tamarind in a splash of warm water to extract a thick pulp.
6
Allow all the roasted ingredients to cool completely before transferring them to a blender.
7
Add the tamarind pulp and salt to the blender, pulsing into a coarse, thick paste without adding too much water.
8
Heat the remaining sesame oil in a small pan, crackle the mustard seeds, and drop in the curry leaves.
9
Pour the tempering over the garlic thogayal and mix well.
10
Serve the spicy thogayal warm alongside hot steamed Ponni rice and a drizzle of melted ghee.
Ingredients
200 grams peeled garlic cloves
4 dried red chillies
2 tablespoons chana dal
1 tablespoon urad dal
1 small lemon-sized ball of tamarind
3 tablespoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
A few sprigs of fresh curry leaves
Salt to taste
Hot steamed Ponni rice for serving
*This AI-generated recipe may contain inaccuracies.