KOLLU KALATHU PODI

Kollu  (Tamil) means horsegram.  It is also known as Muthira in Malayalam, Kulith or Kulthi in Hindi.  This can be used as sprouts, or as it is after soaking in water overnight.  We can make rasam, thogayal, puzhukku,  etc. out of it.

It is good for health.  In South India various dals are mixed, powdered with red chilli and pepper.  This powder is put in plain rice with little seasame oil and consumed a morsel or two my mother used to give us.  Afterwards, we used to have our regular food.  This is quite tasty.  I have posted :  horse-gram-curry-muthira-curry-kulith.html,  rasam, sharbat.

This morning I was talking to my mother aunty, Mrs. Chembagam, she always encourage me to post various old recipes and also used to share with me, she reminded me about the kollu kalathu podi.  Though my mother used to make this, I forgot about it and my aunty happily shared the recipe. 

Horsegram is or kulith or muthira it is called, is  rich in B-complex vitamins,  proteine and  highly nutritious.  

It is  commonly prescribed in ayurvedic medicine for conditions like difficult breathing, cough, gastric problems, ulcers, worm infections and excessive perspiration. Some alternative medicine experts even consider horse gram as a good remedy to control joints pain. It can be also used as a natural health tonic.    It tones up the digestive system and prevents acidity and flatulence.  

People suffering from spleen enlargement, colic and weak liver can also benefit from this plants medicinal properties. People with kidney stones, hypertension, gall stones also benefit from its intake.  

Similarly, I prepared  Flaxseed kalathu podi today.

Let us look at the recipe now:

Author: Raji Ramakrishnan

Cuisine: South Indian

Category: powder

Yield:  1/3 c up

Ingredients:

1/4 cup kollu

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 red chilli

a pinch of asafoetida

1 tsp salt

Method:

1.  Dry roast all the ingredients separately except salt.

2.  Cool and grind to a fine powder, add salt and mix.

3.  Your kalathu podi is ready.

How to serve:

Take 3-4 tbps hot plain rice, mix 1 tsp powder in it along with one teaspoon gingelly oil. consume it.

You can also serve it with papad, any kind of mild curries.

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