Thiruvathirai Ezhu Curry Kootu – A Festive Delicacy

Thiruvathirai Ezhu Curry Kootu is a special dish prepared during the auspicious festival of Thiruvathirai, celebrated in honor of Lord Shiva as Nataraja.  (Seven Vegetable Coconut Gravy). The number seven (ezhu) holds spiritual significance, and the combination of vegetables is believed to represent cosmic harmony, much like Shiva's cosmic dance.

Vegetables to choose:

Choose at least seven from the following traditional options:

• Elephant Foot Yam (Chenai)
• Colocasia/Taro Root (Seppankizhangu)
• Sweet Potato (Sakkarai Valli)
• Ash Gourd (Poosanikai)
• Yellow Pumpkin (Parangi)
• White Pumpkin (Vellai Poosanikai)
• Broad Beans (Avaraikkai)
• Indian Long Beans (Payaru)
• Green Plantain (Vazhakkai)
• Field beans (Mochai Kottai)
• Chick Peas (Kondai Kadalai)
• Chow Chow (Chayote)

Ingredients:

• Toor dhal (Red gram dal) - ¾ cup
• Dried red chillies - 20
• Coriander seeds - ¼ cup
• Grated coconut -1 cup
• Bengal gram dal -2 tablespoons
• Oil - 8 teaspoons
• Mustard seeds - 2 teaspoons
• Fenugreek seeds -1½ teaspoons
• Asafoetida - ½ teaspoon
• Curry leaves - 2 teaspoons
• Tamarind (new) - size of a small orange
• Turmeric powder -½ teaspoon
• Salt - 2 teaspoons or as needed 
• Vegetables - 4 cups (Choose any seven or more)

Method:

• Clean and cube all vegetables into uniform medium size.
• Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a deep pan or iron kadai.
• Add coriander seeds, 18 dried red chillies, grated coconut, and Bengal gram dhal.
• Shallow fry until golden brown.
• Add ¼ to ½ cup of water and grind to a smooth paste.
• Pressure cook the toor dhal until soft and set aside.
• In a large vessel, take 2 cups of water and add the chopped vegetables.
• Cook on medium heat, adding salt and turmeric powder.
• When the vegetables are half-cooked, add the tamarind water and continue boiling.
• Add curry leaves and cook until the vegetables are soft.
• Stir in the prepared masala paste and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes until the vegetables are fully cooked.
• Add the cooked dhal, mix well, and simmer for a few more minutes.
• In a small pan, heat the remaining oil.
• Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
• Add fenugreek seeds, 2 dried red chillies (broken into halves), and asafoetida.
• Pour this tempering over the kuzhambu.
• Add chopped coriander leaves as a garnish.
• Your Ezhu curry Kuzhambu is ready to serve!
• Serve hot with steamed rice and Thiruvathirai Kali (sweet rice preparation). The dish should have a balanced taste of spice from chilies, earthiness from vegetables, and richness from coconut.

Quick Version:

• Add chopped vegetables, ground paste, salt, and tamarind juice to the cooked dal.
• Pressure cook for 3 whistles to get a mushy kuzhambu.
• Temper with mustard, red chillies, fenugreek, and asafoetida.
• Garnish with curry and coriander leaves.

Note:

• Soak lentils for 10-15 minutes before cooking to reduce cooking time.
• Use rock salt for better flavor in dishes like Sambhar, Rasam, Moar Kuzhambu, and Pitlay.
• Always break red chillies into halves before tempering to enhance flavor.