The connection between the soul and annam or food is close. The fuel food inspires life and becomes even more special when it involves close relationships.
Ulundu Ellu Sadam
Chennai:
My friend is a very well-known public figure in New York and is popular in the Indian social scene too. Many of the celebrities from India, who visit New York, stay at her gracious, beautiful home, to be pampered and taken care of in every way, with great food always being an important feature. Pam and her husband are known for their hospitality and cooking skills and had even hosted Dr Kiran Bedi for a few months, when she was posted at the United Nations.
Recently, they visited Puducherry and stayed as the Lieutenant Governor’s (L-G) guests and of course, we met and had great fun exploring the lesser known places in the vicinity. The food at the governor’s table was a well-planned connoisseur’s delight — the menu including most of the well-known dishes.
However, for a taste of the delicious street food and temple prasad, they had to come with me and visit the ancient temples and the small pathways, which sold tasty local fare.
Since Pam and her husband were intrigued by the history of temples, I took them to the famous Panchavati Hanuman temple on the outskirts of Puducherry. It boasts of a 38-foot black stone carved Hanuman. According to local legend, Hanuman appeared in the dream of the local priest and asked him to build the temple there.
The temple offers the popular prasads such as vada, curd rice, butter and the famous ulundu ellu sadam. The last one fascinated my guests and they packed some to take it back to the L-G’s place. This dish is famous in many Perumal and Hanuman temples and is made especially on Saturdays and on Hanuman Jayanthi.
The history of this prasad originates in Tirunelveli, where it was first made at the Sri Vardharaja Perumal temple. This lies on the banks of river Thamarabarani, which has the most interesting legend attached to it.
A few centuries ago, a king named Krishnavarma was ruling over that part of Tirunelveli. He was a staunch devotee of Varadharaja Perumal. Observing the deep piety of this king, the neighbouring king utilised the chance to attack his kingdom when he was offering prayers.
Legend says God appeared as Rama and saved Krishnavarma from his foe. Deeply moved by the divine vision, the king sang a few verses in praise of the Lord as stated in the famous Thamarabharini Mahatmiyam. To show his pleasure, the king also built a temple for lord Veeraghavan, founded a city around it close to the river Thamirabarani and dedicated it to the Hindu god Vishnu who is also called Vardharaja Perumal.
A bath in the Thambirani river followed by a darshan of Lord Vardharajan or Veeraghavan and eating the famous prasad ulundu ellu sadam is said to wipe out all one’s bad karma. Thus, ulundu ellu sadam came to stay and became a popular item on the temple’s prasad and lunch menu.
Ulundu Ellu Sadam
Cooking time: 18 mins
Prep time: 15 min
Serves: 4 pax
Calories per serve: 1 small cup 210 cl
Ingredients
Rice, short grained ponni: 1 cup
Salt to taste
Groundnut cooking oil: 2 tbsp
Sesame oil: 2 tbsp
Black peppercorns a few, whole
Black sesame (ellu): 1/4 cup
Black whole urad dal (ulundu parupu): 1/2 cup
Red chilli: 3
Asafoetida (hing): 1/4 spoon
Black pepper powder: 1/2 tsp
Grated coconut: 1 tbsp
Ghee: 2 tbsp
Coconut milk: 1 cup
Grated coconut: 1/4 cup
Roasted groundnuts: 1 tbsp
White urad dal (split): 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Cashew nuts: 6, broken
Whole groundnuts: roasted and broken
Curry leaves: 1/4 cup
Fenugreek seeds: 1/ tsp
Method
- Place a saucepan on fire.
- Boil 2 1/2 cups water and add 1 tsp sesame oil and 1/2 tsp salt.
- Add the coconut milk.
- Wash and add the rice.
- Add just enough water and coconut milk to cook till it still remains separate and no moisture remains.
- Rice to cook only till it remains separate not sticky.
- Heat 1 tbsp of groundnut oil, sauté urad dal, black sesame, half the groundnuts, half the cashew nuts, chillies and fry on low-medium flame till golden brown.
- Add peppercorns towards the end and switch off the flame. Cool completely and grind in grinder.
- In a non-stick pan, heat sesame oil. Splutter mustard seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves. Fry the remaining cashew nuts, groundnuts and 1/2 tsp urad dal till golden brown. Immediately add the spice powder, salt and mix well. Switch off the flame, add the rice and mix well. Add salt and adjust salt and spices.
- Fry the grated coconut in ghee, till colour changes. Add that with remaining ghee to the rice mixed with masala.
- Serve the preparation hot, with cucumber and curd raita and papad.
Kitchen Tip
- Sauté nuts, rice, rava and dal (lentils) in ghee, before cooking with it for rice dishes to increase flavour
- Adding a few drops of oil to the rice before cooking it will prevent it from becoming sticky
- Use the excess water from boiling dal to make rasam. Similarly, after boiling vegetables if you do not want the extra water, the liquid can be used in gravies or for making chapati dough
— Chef Ramaa Shanker is the author of Festive Offerings to the Gods: Divine Soul Recipes