from BEARDO's kitchen: Simple Village Meal

 

Simple Village Meal

(Dried Prawn Sambol, Ponnangkanni Keerai Kadiyal (Dwarf Copperleaf Mashed Curry), Kambu Saadham (Pearl Millet Rice) and Yougurt.

It is Saturday, and woke up kinda late, had breakfast only at 10.00am. Greeja had an online seminar to attend, and I was entrusted with lunch. So decided to go traditional, which is also rather simple to prepare, because I did not want to toil too much in the kitchen. Though my motive had self interested reason but my choice today is also a healthy choice.

Today's meal consist of three preparation, firstly the dried prawn sambol, secondly the Dwarf Copperleaf Curry and thirdly the Kambu Saadham. Lets get the picture trail going for the recipe.

Star of the day, Dwarf Copperleaf and Kambu

Main ingredient

(Pounded Anchovies, Fried Dried Prawn, Chopped Tomatoes, Chopped Onion, Diced garlic and ginger and my special Tamarind Sauce)

First item for the day is dried prawns sambol. I actually bought this nice big dried prawns from Da Nang, Vietnam. Vietnam is haven for seafood. So next time there, check out their sea food. If you are looking for dried seafood, then head straight to their local market, particularly to Con Market, where you can find all local delights. On the other hand if you are in Ho Chi Minh then go to Ba Chieu or Tan Dinh market. You must be wondering why I have skipped the famous Ben Thanh market, well it is rather touristy and the prices have become exhorbitant today.

Oopps..... lets get to business, as usual heat coconut oil in wok, once heated add garlic, ginger and onion, and saute till the onion turns light golden. Then add curry leaves.

Garlic, ginger,onion and curry leafs

When the the aroma of the curry leafs gets to your nose, add chopped tomatoes, and saute it till it becomes a little mushy.

Adding Tomatoes

At this stage pour in the tamarind sauce (I mean my special tamarind sauce) into the mixture. Bought de-seeded tamarind from Melaka a few months ago. I like to use this tamarind because it has a rich taste. In a bowl of hot water, drop the tamarind and allow it to disintegrate, then add 2 table spoon of chilly powder (add more if you want it spicier), a quarter spoon of tumeric powder, 2 teaspoon coriander powder and a teaspoon of cumin seed powder, stir well to make it into a thick sauce. 

Tamarind Sauce

Allow the combi to cook well, and then add the fried dried prawns, and stir well. Should keep stirring until the prawn sambol becomes dry. Add salt to taste. When cooking dried seafood check salt last because most dried seafood are already salted.

 

Forgive me for the stray below, that was my thirst quencher. Got it from my reason trip to Ho Chi Minh city. Always an inspiration😁

The Stray

We are done with the first item on our menu, next lets move to the Ponnangkanni Keerai Kadaiyal. The one thing I get tired doing as far as the ponnangkanni leaves are, plucking it from its stem. Thank God for me, I have my Amma, she is my saviour, she did all the plucking. Clean the vegetable and transfer it to a pressure cooker. Throw in some garlic, and add moong dhall (preferably) or in my case I used Mysore dhall (because I ran out of the former). Add water and sprinkle some hing, close the lid and cook till 2 whistle. 

 

The Outcome of the Pressure Cooked Item

Hold your horses, this item is not done yet. It is only the first part. Using a mallet, mash the cooked ponnangkanni leaves lightly. Then heat gingerly oil in pot. Then transfer the tampering item into the heated oil.

 

The tampering item includes, mustard seed, fenugreek, urad dhall, followed by chopped onions, and curry leaves. To give an added umpp, add the pounded anchovies into the tempering. Once the anchovies turn golden brown, pour the mashed ponnangkanni leaves into the tempred item, and stir well, till one boil then you are done.

Finished Ponnangkanni Keerai Kadaiyal

Finally we start with our Kambu rice. Soak 1 cup of Kambu (Pearl Millet) in hot water for about half an hour. Then pulse it coursely in the blender. Transfer it to a pot, add water and boil it till it starts to bubble.

Let the Kambu Boil

Meanwhile cook rice normally. Whilst the rice is almost cooked transfer the cooked Kambu into the rice and mix it well. Allow the kambu to blend well with the rice, and let it cool. 

Kambu Saadham is ready.

Viola ........ my lunch was ready. All I have to do now is to serve it and eat. This is one of the healthiest meal. It is simple to make but is flushed with nutrients and more so this meal has a cooling effect during this hot weather.

Served in Banana Leaf

Do try out and let me know. Btw the Kambu Saadham can be eaten with plain yougurt, fish curry, fried salt fish or even with plain onion and green chillies.

ravivarmmankkanniappan@1042100620233.0567° N, 101.5851° E