Sodhi is basically a Stew made with Coconut milk. It is very famous in Tirunelveli, Kerala and Sri Lanka. Of course there are minor differences in the recipes used. Here in this recipe, am going to explain in detail about Tirunelveli Sodhi. Sodhi is the main Feast in Tirunelveli
Ingredients:
This recipe yields sodhi for 8 to 10 people
1. Coconut milk - First & Second (from 3 coconuts)
2. Vegetables - Carrots, Beans, Drumsticks, Peas
3. Boiled Potatoes - 2
4. Green Chillies - 4 (for sauteing) & 4(for grinding)
5. Onions sliced - 1 big
6. Small Onions - 10 to 15
7. Ginger - 50 gms
8. Garlic - 5
9. Yellow spilit Lentils (Moong Dal) - 150 grams
10. Lemon - 1 big lemon
( If you are making for 2 to 3 people, use the following measurements.
1. Coconut milk - First & Second (from 1 coconut)
2. Vegetables - Carrots, Beans, Drumsticks, Peas
3. Boiled Potatoes - 1 small
4. Green Chillies - 2 (for sauteing) & 2 (for grinding)
5. Onions sliced - 1/2 small
6. Small Onions - 5
7. Ginger - 2 inch piece
8. Garlic - 5
9. Yellow split Lentils (Moong Dal) - 50 grams
10. Lemon - 1/2 small )
To Temper:
1. Oil
2. Mustard seeds
3. Broken urad dal
4. Curry leaves
Milk Extraction:
Scrap the coconut or slice the cocnut pieces and grind it with little water in batches. Squeeze out the milk from the pulp with the help of a filter. The milk obtained is called first milk.
Again add water to the residue and grind it. Again squeeze out the milk from the pulp. The milk obtained is called the second milk.
This second milk is usually thinner than the first milk. Using warm water while extracting the milk yields more milk. But do not use hot water
Recipe:
1. Pressure cook the Yellow split lentils and Potatoes for 3 whistles.
2. Take First and Second Milk from 3 coconuts.
2. Take First and Second Milk from 3 coconuts.
3. In a big pot or in a cooker base, Cook the chopped vegetables in a little water with the lid closed. The water amount should be correct enough to cook the vegetables. If the water is more, Sodhi will become runny. The vegetables can be cooked in the third milk as well.
4. Add the Garlic to the vegetables. If the garlic are small, Add them while the vegetables are half cooked. If the Garlic are big, add at the beginning.
5. In another pan, saute the onions (both), green chillies and add to the vegetables which are getting cooked.
6. In the same pan, saute the ginger and grind it along with green chillies and salt.
7. Mean while, mash the cooked dal and scramble the cooked Potatoes.
8. Once the vegetables are completely cooked and ther is no water left out in the vegetables, add the second milk, grounded mixture, mashed dal and scrambled potatoes
9. Add the required salt and cook for 5 to 10 minutes in medium flame. The gravy should not boil. Also keep stirring continuously. Else the milk will split.
10. You can check the doneness by keeeping your palm above the pan. You should feel the steam in your palm. At this stage, add the first milk and cook in a very low flame and cook for few minutes with continuous stirring.
11. Switch off the flame. Temper Mustard seeds, broken urad dal and curry leaves in 1 or 2 spoons of oil and add it to Sodhi.
12. Allow the Sodhi to get cooled for 10 to 15 minutes and add lemon juice and give a stir. Make sure the sodhi is not hot, else the Sodhi will split
9. Add the required salt and cook for 5 to 10 minutes in medium flame. The gravy should not boil. Also keep stirring continuously. Else the milk will split.
10. You can check the doneness by keeeping your palm above the pan. You should feel the steam in your palm. At this stage, add the first milk and cook in a very low flame and cook for few minutes with continuous stirring.
11. Switch off the flame. Temper Mustard seeds, broken urad dal and curry leaves in 1 or 2 spoons of oil and add it to Sodhi.
12. Allow the Sodhi to get cooled for 10 to 15 minutes and add lemon juice and give a stir. Make sure the sodhi is not hot, else the Sodhi will split
Notes:
1. Sodhi goes very well with Rice, Appam, Idiyappam, dosai, Idly and Chapatis.
2. The best combo for Sodhi is Inji pachadi, Potato podimas.
The link for Inji Pachadi recipe is
The link for Potato Podimas recipe is
3. Inji Pachadi is a must with Sodhi. As Sodhi is made with coconut milk and coconut milk gives a drowsy feel, it is good to have Inji/ginger along with sodhi. Ginger subsides the drowsy feel.
4. While eating with rice, sodhi shd be used in large quantity like as we do for rasam.
