Thirunelvelli Sodhi

Sodhi is a very famous dish in Thirunelvelli, Tamilnadu. It is also called " Mapillai Sodhi". One of our friend told about this. We asked recipe from his mom. After that only we knew about this dish and then i planned to cook this. It's a very delicious curry made from coconut milk. 

Ingredients:-
Moong dal - 1 cup
Drumstick pieces - 8 or 10 nos
Sliced Carrot - 1/2 cup
Diced Potatoes - 1/4 cup
Chopped Brinjal - 1/4 cup
Peas - 1/4 cup
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Grated Coconut - 1 cup ( I used frozen coconut)
Tomato - 1
Small onion - 8 or 10
Salt to taste

To grind:-
Green Chilli - 3 nos
Ginger - 1 inch
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp

To Temper:-
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Hing - a pinch
Red Chillies - 2 nos
Curry leaves - few

Preparation:-

To prepare Coconut Milk:-
1. In a blender add grated coconut  and 1 cup of warm water . keep aside for around 5 minutes.
2. Grind into a smooth paste and  strain it with the stainer. Press it with a ladle to extract the thick coconut milk . Keep this First extracted milk aside.

3. Repeat this process and keep the second extract (thin) milk aside.

To prepare Sodhi:-
1. Wash and chop the vegetables and keep aside.

2.  In a pressure cooker, add moong dal, green chilli, 4 or 5 small onion , salt and turmeric powder with enough water for 3 whistles.Mash it and keep it aside.

3. Grind Green Chilli, ginger and cumin seeds into a fine paste. keep aside.

4. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, hing, broken red chillies and curry leaves and fry for a mins.

5. Add remaining onion, tomato and green chilli. Saute till it turns translucent.

6. Now add carrot , peas, potatoes, brinjal, drumstick and salt and fry  for few mins.
7. Add thin coconut milk and turmeric powder. Cover and cook the vegetables until it turns soft .

8. Then add mashed moong dal and gorunded ginger greenchilli paste,mix well and bring it to boil for 4-5 mins.

9. Add thick coconut milk and Cook for another 3-5 mins and turn off the flame.

10.  Serve with hot steamed rice, potato fry and ginger chutney.