ERICHA KUZHAMBU / YERICHA KUZHAMBU

Ericha kozhambu is a left-over special kuzhambu. This is made with leftovers after any functions, shraddham, festivals or any special occasions. My grandma makes this in a kalchatti.  She says, if generous oil is used and properly heated, it can be preserved for a couple of days (in those days there was no fridge at home). As everything is re-heated, it gets the name 'erichcha' kuzhambu. The leftovers transform to a kuzhambu with unique taste thus preventing wastage. As the shraaddha leftovers are not given to anyone, this procedure is followed.

Generally, in any household, nothing is checked for the taste before offering to GOD. In Iyengar household, offering to bhagavan is said as 'kandarulap pannudhal'(கண்டருளப் பண்ணுதல்), which means everything cooked for the day is presented before bhagavan, so that he can mercifully glance them with his divine vision to purify the same. So, nothing is tasted while cooking.

But as the ingredients in this kuzhambu are already offered and tasted, you are at liberty to check for the taste and add salt, chilli powder or sambar powder if needed.

This kuzhambu has a unique taste. It can be mixed with hot cooked rice and ghee and goes well with adai, dosai, idlies too. Tastes excellent with curd rice. It is almost a forgotten grandma's recipe.

Some people say ezhu kari koottu/ thalagam which is made on Tiruvadhirai as erichcha kuzhambu. But this is different from that, with very little ingredients, heated and heated in oil until it becomes thick . Click here for ezhu kari koottu.

NOTE: DON'TS

* DO NOT ADD* leftover raitha/thayir pachadi, sweet pachadi, payasam, pradhaman or anything which has jaggery or sugar, milk, buttermilk or curd in it.

INGREDIENTS:

Leftover kariamudhu(roast,curry/poriyal), kootu, sambar/kuzhambu, thogayal and rasam
Oil - one /two ladles or more depending on the leftovers

METHOD:

Heat a generous quantity of oil in a kadai, add all the items mentioned in the ingredients, mix everything and allow it to boil in medium flame until thick.

NO TEMPERING NEEDED. GENEROUS QUANTITY OF OIL IS A MUST.