A Sunday lunch tends to revolve around an aromatic biryani of some sort. But when the week before has been hectic not to mention spent indulging in choice dishes from other cuisines, the cravings lean more towards quiet comfort!
A Sunday lunch tends to revolve around an aromatic biryani of some sort. But when the week before has been hectic not to mention spent indulging in choice dishes from other cuisines, the cravings lean more towards quiet comfort!
When it comes to a comforting Indian lunch, I really cannot think of anything more satisfying than a rice and lentil meal! There’s magic in that combination, wouldn’t you agree ?! Across the country, families enjoy a hearty home cooked meal comprising of these two ingredients, in whichever manner is familiar to them; be it the khichdi, dhal bhat, arisi paruppu saadham, pappu beeyam koodu or whatever else it maybe referred to, based on the region. I’m told that there’s a typical Coimbatore version of the arisi paruppu saadham and that’s how local it can get.
A paruppu saadham craving doesn’t go away without being satiated fully. Out came the pressure cooker, the ponni rice (parboiled) and thuvar dhal (pigeon pea lentils) were washed and left to soak separately while the rest of the prep had to get done.
Each family has their own version of this dish. For me it has to do with flavours which I love to add to my arisi and paruppu and also ingredients which are vital to aid in digestion of the lentil. Once we understand the subtle science behind our ancient recipes, even a simple dish like the paruppu saadham will be appreciated for its nutritive properties. It’s not just the easy-to-digest carbohydrate contained in the rice or the protein from the dhal, it’s also the nutrients from the onion, garlic, chillies, tomatoes as well as the curry leaves! Often we see these bits and pieces being pushed away to the corner of the plate or banana leaf. Eating all these ingredients in its entirety is what brings about a balance in health. Every single ingredient in our traditional dishes have a role to play in the working of our body. From providing the much needed fibre for digestion to helping the absorption of the different minerals and vitamins, the arisi paruppu saadham is a wholesome meal.
It is a dish which is consistently advocated by celebrity nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar both in her books as well as in her live videos being streamed on Facebook. Movie stars from the Mumbai film industry who are known for their fit physique have gone on record, time and again giving credit (for their well being) to eating a generous helping of rice and dhal for dinner, every day.
The line up of ingredients in my kitchen counter are some of my favourite South Indian food flavourings. Pure perungayam (the smell itself is addictive), freshly plucked curry leaves, turmeric powder (made with home grown turmeric rhizomes), rock salt, plump, round, dried chillies(love the deep colour), small onions, country garlic cloves and a tomato or two. Sourcing our ingredients conscious does make a huge difference in the taste as well as in the health quotient of the final dish.
In addition to that, the joy of cooking with such ingredients must be seen rather than try to articulate it. I literally have a smile on my face while dropping in the different spices into the hot oil. Oh and let’s not discount the contribution of the highly flavourful cooking medium; the cold pressed sesame oil (nallennai). It is my honest opinion that when food is cooked with this kind of awareness, the end result can only be good.
As is the case with the weather in December, the sun played hide and seek behind the clouds and added to the charm of waiting for the pressure cooker to set off the whistles. This is truly one pot cooking at its easiest best. After the initial tempering of curry leaves, spices, onion, garlic and tomato, the water is added, allowed to come to a boil before putting in the rice and dhal. The pressure cooker is sealed and a few whistles later, turned off and left to cool down. When the lid is opened, the sight of the well cooked rice with the soft bits of lentils well amalgamated with the rest of the additions, stained an appetising hue from the turmeric, offers a tantalising sight for the hungry stomach. As if on cue, the sky darkened and we were treated to a light sprinkling of raindrops.
What remained to be done was to add that all important dollop of home made ghee; yet another aroma to send the senses into a tizzy. This simple dish laden with flavour can be combined with so many different sides to make a meal. It tastes delicious on its own or; with a puli kozhambhu, plain curd, red chilly pickle, vadagam or any country vegetable poriyal of choice. It never fails to hit the spot every single time.
We are so fortunate to be able to choose from a diverse variety of rice grains and lentils. This also allows for the arisi paruppu saadham to be cooked in so many variations. There are also different degrees of doneness to the way this dish is cooked. We enjoy both ways, either when it’s cooked to mushy consistency (like it’s done at amma’s place) or when the rice grains are separate from the dhal.
A vegetarian reader asked me in September if I would do a khichdi post as it was something she could never tire of eating, especially when the weather was all murky and overcast! It’s a sentiment which I can completely identify. The arisi paruppu saadham is a dish that can be enjoyed even when eating alone because it provides so much comfort, almost like meeting an old friend!