The brinjals that we get in Chettinad have no match elsewhere. In the Rottukadai (those belonging to chettinad will surely understand what I mean by Rottukadai ) in all the villages this garden fresh organic brinjals will be sold early in the morning.
The main road in which bus goes and stops will be the place where some shops of the village will be found. It is called as the Rottukadai. Early in the morning itself the teashops will open and the men of the village will have tea here. The women who work in the nearby fields will grow brinjals, sundakkai, plantain, vendakkai etc in the small piece of land that they have around their hut with the water available around and the water used for washing vessels, clothes etc. The manure for these vegetables will be the cow dung available and ashes from the logs burnt while cooking. These women will bring the vegetables available in their garden for selling early in the morning. The taste of this much spoken about organic vegetable available in chettinad from the very old days cannot be explained in words. People coming here sometime during weddings or functions will make sure that they collect some of this vegetable early in the morning itself, so that they can take it to their homes. By seven in the morning these vegetables will be sold out. The spinach they bring also is very famous

Last week when my mom came home she brought me a kilo of this tender, fresh, green brinjals. Everyday, I was making one one dish out of it. Most of the items I have already written. Yesterday I could pluck some drumstick from my garden .So I thought of making this wonderful Kathirikkai Murungakkai masala. Many will be thinking how we can make a masal out of murungakkai, which is little difficult to eat. I also used to think like that until one day I tasted this in one of my friend’s house. The masal was very tasty with curd rice.
Children will find it little difficult to eat, so I will mix the rice with this curry and make rice out of it, adding little extra salt to the rice. Take out the murungakkai pieces after nicely smashing it with the rice. Send this rice to school. They will love the smell and taste of the rice. The older people will have the patience to eat the drum stick along with the masal.
Ingredients
Drum stick -5
Brinjal-3
Small onion-20(big onion-10
Tomato-1
Garlic-10
Sambar powder-1 table spoon
Turmeric powder- ½ teaspoon
Procedure
Keep the kadai in the stove. In 2 teaspoons of cooking oil season the masal with a teaspoon of mustard and fennel seeds. Saute the minced onion, garlic and tomato pieces one after the other. Add the length wise cut brinjal pieces and sauté well. Now add the drumstick pieces. Add 2 cups of water along with the turmeric powder. Close the kadai and cook for 10 minutes in medium fire till the drum stick pieces are cooked soft. Now add the sambar powder and the salt needed along with little water if there is no water left in the kadai. Cook till everything gets mixed well ( at least 5 minutes).Don’t make it very dry. Garnish with coriander leaves. Brinjal, drumstick and coriander smell will make the dish altogether taste divine.

Ingredients
Kavuni Arisi-1 cup
Sugar-1/2 cup (according to taste)
Ghee-1 table spoon
Grated coconut-2 tablespoon
Cardomom-4 or 5
Procedure
This rice is little difficult to get cooked. So soak the rice for 3 to 4 hours before preparing. Pressure cook the rice adding 3 cups of water in medium fire for 10 to 12 minutes. The rice should be cooked very soft till the white pulp in the red outer shell of the rice comes out. After opening the cooker if you find it not properly cooked, Cook for some more time. Try to smash the rice with a ladle when the heat is there. If there is excess water, strain it. After smashing, add the sugar checking for the taste in between. Powder the cardamom with a teaspoon of sugar. Add that along with the ghee and mix well. The sweet is ready. If you find the rice you are using needs more water to cook, add more next time and vice versa

Ingredients
Carrot-1
Potato (very small size)-1
Beans-6
Peas-handful
Cauliflower (5 or 6 florets)
Capsicum-1(small)
Any other vegetable which you like to add except brinjal, ladies finger etc
Make sure all these cut vegetables does not amount to more than 1 ½ cups
Onion-1
Tomato-1

Ingredients for the masala
The main taste of the kuruma depends on this masala
Coconut grated-4 to 5 table spoons or half coconut
Cashews-6
Pottukadalai-1 tablespoon
Kas kas-1 teaspoon (optional)
Garlic-6 pods
Ginger-a small piece
Cinnamon-1 small piece
Clove-1
Cardamom-1
Fennel seeds-1 teaspoon
Green chilli-6(according to taste),Chilli powder-1 teaspoon
Keep the kadai in the stove. In a teaspoon of oil add the cinnamon, cardamom, clove and fennel seeds. Then add all other items one by one and coconut at the end. Fry in medium fire for 3 minutes. Grind it to a smooth paste.

Procedure
Put a pressure pan or small cooker or kadai in the stove. In a teaspoon of ghee and oil mixed, season the kuruma with a small piece of cinnamon, cardamom, clove and fennel seed. Add the onion tomato pieces. Sauté well now add all the vegetables except cauliflower and sauté. If the pea going to be used is cooked, then that also can be added later. Add little water and salt and the chilli powder.Close the cooker(if cooker is used) and cook for five minutes in medium fire(don’t worry about the whistle and timing, just cook for that time after closing the cooker).If kadai is used, close the kadai and cook till the vegetables get cooked. Open the cooker after the pressure goes. Make sure the vegetables are cooked well. Mix the grinded masala in a cup of water and add to the vegetables. Now add the cauliflower and cooked peas. Add the salt needed and cook for 5 minutes. Due to the cashews, pottukadalai and kas kas the curry will get thickened. Make sure it is not very thick. If so add little more water and cook. Switch off the stove and if want little sour taste a teaspoon of lemon juice can be added. Garnish with coriander leaves if desired