Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Pearl onions Thokku


Thokku is one form of pickle I relish. Not inclined to pickles, I make do with the vegetable on my menu or the different kuzhambus to go with my curd rice. But thokkus are exceptions. The other pickles I might have are vadu mangai, moar nellikkai and elumichangai.
If that is me, my husband, I wonder has ever tasted pickles. On the contrary, Niki likes pickles and she also loves the thokkus as much as me. So I make very small quantities, that may last just about a week. However, recently I bought the bag of pearl onions and they were so good that I wanted to preserve them in pickle form.
I made with about 200 grams of pearl onions and hoped that I may pass that off as side dish for dosais. But my apprehension was unfounded. My husband liked the thokku and I have some more reserved in the bottle for the next dosai session.

Incidentally Priya is hosting Siri's Healing Foods representing Onions this month. I am sending her this entry.
Ingredients:
Pearl onions 200 grams
Tamarind a small lemon size ball (make tiny bits of this)
Dry red chillis 7 pieces (medium spice)
Salt as required
Sesame seeds oil/ gingelly oil 1/3 cup

Tempering:
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
Few curry leaves
2 tablespoons urad dhal
1 teaspoon Asafoetida powder

Peel the pearl onions and cut them roughly, just to facilitate the grinding in the mixie.
Take one tablespoon oil in a heavy pan. When the oil is hot, saute the pearl onions, tamarind, salt and the red chillis until the onions are soft.
Allow to cool. Transfer the mix to the jar of a mixer-grinder and coarsely grind it.




Heat the rest of the oil in the same heavy pan. Add the tempering. When the mustard seeds crackle and the urad dhal is golden, transfer the onion mix to the pan.
Cook this on medium heat until the blend is well done and the oil surfaces.

It should be well cooked in order to enhance shelf life. This is a preserve that can stay at room temperature for about a fortnight. Can be refridgerated also if desired.
This makes an excellent side dish for dosais and chappatis. You may even mix with hot rice.
We had this with rawa dosais this weekend!

21 comments:

  1. Very interesting and delicious thokku, this is yet another recipe I want to try from your site! The list just keeps growing :-)

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  2. Lipsmacking thokku, looks very delicious, bookmarked it coz my Hubby like these sort of thokkus with curd rice..Thanks for sending and sharing..

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  3. wow!!!!!! mouthwatering.Excellent,must give a try.Nice way to eat onions.Can we make it with big onions?

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  4. Thokku looks awesome Lataji, btw isn't this Shallot onions?...Sambar Onions are what you are referring too right?..

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  5. Ahhhhhhha! ver very tempting and inviting to have with especially thair sadam and even mix and have with plain sadam with little sesame oil.

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  6. Thank you everyone.@ Sailaja, yes you can use big onions too.
    Indu, me too..
    Srivalli, Yes our very own Madras vengayam/ sambhar onions.

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  7. Wonderful! Mouth watering dish. Going to try it out with big onions.

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  8. Just the title made my mouthwater and I'm drooling seeing the pics. Vayile kappale ottalam polirukku...Bookmarked

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  9. Oh wow....I've bought this from Grand Sweets before and it tasted absolutely yum. Yours looks even better. The only reason why I am hesitant to try this is because i don't have the patience to sit and peel so many small onions. Let me see if my love for pickles can overcome that small hurdle.

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  10. @ Jayashree, Grand snacks thokkus and A2B thokkus are the inspiration behind this. i am planning to try each of the menu..my sister stores them and Niki can have the tomato thokku for breakfast/lunch and dinner.

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  11. I wud love to try this out.Curd rice and thokku-absoulte Heaven!!!!

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  12. Sambar onion thokku is lipsmacking and mouthwatering... Lovely dish and suits well with any south indian tiffin I suppose.

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  13. this thokku is really new to me.. with shallots.. really yummy and delicious .. rice rasamand this thokku wow will be best combo

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  14. Wow! thokku looks spicy, hot and delicious, nice one:)

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  15. Thokku looks really nice. I love onion oorka and thokku a lot. Mom adds a little jaggery to it too :)

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  16. Vengaya thokku looks delicious - I would love to eat these with crispy dosa!

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  17. I am bookmarking this recipe Lataji, looks yumm and hot... I am all wet already..

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  18. Chithi - I made this today and it's come out very well!!!!

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  19. Chithi - I tried this recipe for lunch...Tastes very yummy with dosa!!! Hugs & Cheers, Ashoo

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Thanks once again,
Lata Raja.