Tovvay Anna And Gojju-Made for each other!!!!

Coming to think of the ‘made for each other’ list in the food category, there are so many partners that come to my mind,say for example- Bathura and Chole,Iddli and Sambar,Pav and baaji,Roti and dhal ,the list is practically never ending and when I wanted to do a recipe for Rathna’s event –Made for each other ,I thought I would introduce a very healthy and tasty but a little lesser know couple- THOVVAY ANNA AND GOJJU.Don’t break your heads as to what they mean ,they are but the simple and humble yet nutritious and flavorsome –DAL RICE WITH SOUR STEW…

Let me tell u how to dress up the groom….

Thovvay or dal is so easy to make that its ready in a matter of minutes.
Here is what you need:

Dal [Toor dhal / split moon dhal] – ¼ cup

Seasoning :

Ghee/oil -1 teaspoon
Mustard- ½ a teaspoon
Split urad dhal-1/2 a teaspoon
Green chilies-2 ,slit
Asafoetida powder- a pinch
Curry leaves a few

Salt to taste

Lemon juice-to taste[optional]

Ø Pressure cook the dal with enough water till soft.
Ø Mash lightly and keep aside.
Ø Heat ghee in a small pan,add mustard,urad dhal and wait till the dal turns brown
Ø Put in asafetida ,slit green chillies and curry leaves and wait till the curry leaves crisp.
Ø Remove from heat and pour over the cooked dal
Ø Add salt and mix well.
Ø If using lemon juice, add to the dal mixture when it is luke-warm.

Mouth watering GOOJU,our lady love, is simple to prepare too.

You need:

Tamarind extract – 1 cup[thick]
Any dried / fresh veggies(chopped) – a handful
[I used sundakkai]
Jaggery- a small lump or more if u want it sweet but can decrease if u like the gojju sour.
Slit green chillies – 2
Curry leaves a few
Asafoetida powder- ¼ teaspoon
Turmeric Powder- a pinch
Salt to taste

Fry with a little oil and powder:

Urad dhal[white]-1 tablespoon
Gram/channa dhal-1/2 tablespoon
Coriander seeds- 1 teaspoon
Jeera/cumin seeds-1 teaspoon
Fenugreek seeds-1/2 teaspoon
Red chillies – 3 [more if u want it spicy]

Seasoning

Oil-1 tablespoon
Mustard-1/2 teaspoon
Urad dhal-1 teaspoon
Gram dhal- 1 teaspoon

Ø Heat a pan add oil and put in the sundakkai and fry till they start turning black
Ø Remove and keep aside.
Ø Into the same oil ,put in the seasoning and curry leaves and slit green chillies.
Ø When the mustard splutters put in the sundakkai and the tamarind extract.
Ø If it is too sour,add a little water.
Ø Put in turmeric powder and salt and mix well
Ø Let it boil for 10 minutes till the raw smell of tamarind disappears .Stir in between.
Ø Add the spice powder,jaggery into the tamarind extract .Take care that no lumps are formed.The jaggery will eventually dissolve.
Ø Let it boil again for another 5 minutes.
Ø If you want a thicker gojju mix 1 tablespoon rice flour in a little water and add to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes.
Ø Remove from heat and serve.

This gojju can be made with fresh veggies also.Saute the veggies in oil [step 1] and proceed as usual.Green chillies and asafetida give a wonderful and appetizing aroma .The best part is that u can store the gojju in the fridge up to 3 or 4 days and as it ages,the taste gets better!!!

Now for the marriage between these two lovely couple……

Mix rice with desired quantity of thovvay .Dip a morsel of thovvay anna into the gojju and enjoy the divine taste of this ‘made for each other’ couple….Wow!!! aren’t they a yummy pair!!!!

In this pic,the lovely pair is complimented by rice crispy[seen on the right side behind the tasty couple]

Now that we have seen the wedding of this fantastic couple,let us get to know why they are judged the best….
Dal/lentils are rich in protein, carbohydrate and fibre, and low in fat which is mostly of the unsaturated kind. They are also important sources of some B vitamins.They also have a low glycemic index.

Tamarind which is the main ingredient for the sour stew is a digestive,mild laxative and antiseptic.It is highly acidic, and hence it gives a cooling effect to our body in summers. It is also believed to boost metabolism.Tamarind pulp is high in calcium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin

The little bit of jaggery that we add is iron rich ,apart from the fact that it also contains proteins and other vitamins and minerals..

I believe that u will now accept my decision that these two recipes are simple and easy to prepare and also nutritious and delicious.The dhal which might seem bland is perked up by the tangy stew…They are made for each other ,rite??