A couple of days ago I was reading about a dish called panjiri. It was mentioned among the list of wholesome dishes which pregnant women should include in their diet. Having it’s origins in Punjab this dish consisted of primarily wheat that was cooked to a crumbly consistency along with sugar,ghee and dried fruits.
A couple of days ago I was reading about a dish called panjiri. It was mentioned among the list of wholesome dishes which pregnant women should include in their diet. Having it’s origins in Punjab this dish consisted of primarily wheat that was cooked to a crumbly consistency along with sugar, ghee and dried fruits.
The images that I saw of this dish both in the book and later on the internet reminded me of something that I had eaten years ago at my grand aunt’s funeral. The loss of a loved one is also a time for family bonding and in our culture especially, it happens over food.
The panjiri brought to mind the ukkarai serving which was heaped onto a corner of the banana leaf by my aunt. In some parts of South India, I’m told that it’s also pronounced as ‘okkarai’. Both panjiri and ukkarai are similar in the manner in which they provide nourishment. Meant to be eaten in cooler months, they contain grains, nuts and milk solids which strengthen the body to combat seasonal allergies and infections.
The ukkarai is made up of lentils and contains no rice or wheat. While the original version apparently comprised of only channa dhal / kadalai paruppu,the dish has evolved in some homes to include a variety of different lentils. Whenever possible we prefer to not tamper with traditional recipes simply because these contain ingredients cooked in a manner that contribute towards healthy living. A lot of the knowledge pertaining to eating such foods in the right season may not have been passed down to us by our thathas and pattis simply because we were expected to do as taught and not question their wise ways.
In this age of looking at vegan,high protein, low carb, I sometimes think we neglect to appreciate the many healthful practices that are staring right at us.
In modern food parlance, the ukkarai does come under the category of a high protein dish with it’s addition of channa dhal, fresh coconut, jaggery, ghee and cashew nuts. The process of making it was every bit as enjoyable as the final taste.Making the ukkarai is truly a labour of love.With each process one is reminded of how such a humble ingredient like the kadalai paruppu can be transformed into such a nutritious snack.
The process involves roasting ,soaking, steaming and grinding the paruppu before cooking it to a dry consistency after adding jaggery and fresh coconut gratings. When the lentils are dry roasted on a hot pan, the aroma of just that one ingredient is itself quite wonderful.Instead of steaming it in a cloth, we used banana leaves which made cooking it all the more enjoyable.
Once the steamed lentils are crumbled and added to the jaggery syrup along with the coconut, care needs to be taken to ensure that the mixture doesn’t burn but is cooked to a dry consistency.Using a wide pan helps to toss the mixture about without allowing it to stick.Since we don’t really like the taste of cardamom powder, we used whole cardamom to add a hint of flavour without the strong aftertaste.
The colour of the ukkarai depends on the kind of jaggery used.It can vary from a pale beige to a rich molten honey colour. The addition of fried cashew nuts adds to the texture and is liked by both adults and children. The ukkarai is a well known dish in Tamil homes.It is made for special occasions and is popularly served during the Navaratri, Deepavali and Karthigai festivals.The ukkarai is also dished up as neivedyam at many temples. The marghazhi month known for the nip in the air and cold early mornings when devotees throng for a glimpse of the divine is the perfect weather for ukkarai snacking.
With the Pongal festival around the corner, the ukkarai is a tasty traditional dish that’s easy to make for the family. Along with the taste it gives the young ones an insight into our culinary heritage.
Ukkarai recipe
Ingredients
Kadalai paruppu – 1 cup
Freshly grated coconut-1and 1/4 Cups
Jaggery – 8 Tablespoons
Cardamom- 3 whole
Ghee- 4-6 teaspoons
Cashew nuts- 10 – 12 broken
Water-3 Tablespoons and for soaking
Method
Roast the paruppu in a dry pan and set aside.
Soak in water for 2 hours
Drain the paruppu (use the water for cooking, please do not let it go to waste).
Pulse the soaked paruppu in a mixer jar until it is a coarse mixture
Take spoonfuls of the mixture and flatten it on washed banana leaf pieces, fold and place it in the steamer.
Steam it for 15-20 minutes.
Take out and let cool. Crumble the steamed paruppu using fingers.
In a large vessel, add the jaggery and water, let it cook to a syrup. Once it has reached a string consistency, the syrup can be strained or left as it is based on the impurities on the surface.
Add the whole cardamom, the crumbled paruppu, coconut and 4 teaspoons of ghee.
Cook the mixture on a very low flame by continuously stirring it until it becomes dry and no longer sticky.(takes about 8-10 minutes)
Fry the cashew nuts in half a teaspoon of ghee and add to the paruppu mixture.
Mix well and take off the fire.
Serve it in small bowls at room temperature.