Odiyal Flour Recipes

Odiyal Flour Recipes 

 Odiyal flour is used in making odiyal Kool and odiyal pittu. This flour has a bitter taste in it and older the flour more bitter it is. So the odiyal flour has to be prepared before it is used. Soak the flour in plain water for about 20 minutes and drain the water. Add fresh water and drain the water. Repeat this process at least three times to eliminate the bitterness. Finally squeeze the flour in thin strong cotton to eliminate the water totally. Now the flour is ready for use.

 Odiyal Kool - (Koozh)

 Vegetarian Kool

Ingredients:

Odiyal flour ½ cup

Long beans 15 numbers

Jack fruit seeds 15 numbers

Tapioca medium size 10 cm long

Leaves from drumstick plant 2 cup s or spinach leaves

Turmeric powder 1/2  teaspoon

Crushed dry chillies 2 tablespoons

Tamarind paste 1 teaspoon

Cooked parboiled rice 2 tablespoons - (from left over rice)

Water 6 litres

Salt to taste

Method:

Clean, wash and cut the beans and tapioca into smaller pieces.

Peel off the skin, wash and cut the jack seeds into halves.

Clean and wash the Murungai leaves or the spinach leaves and chop them.

In a large pot, boil the vegetables - beans, jack fruit seeds and tapioca in water for five to seven minutes.

Then add drumstick leaves or spinach and turmeric and cook in low flame until they are well cooked. 

While this is cooking, prepare the odiyal flour as described above and mix this with the crushed chillies, tamarind paste and little water to make it a suspension.

Gently pour this odiyal flour mixture into the pot where the vegetables are cooking.

Now add the cooked rice and salt to taste.

Keep stirring all the time until all the flour is cooked and the mixture is thick but runny.

Remove from fire and serve.

  Non vegetarian Kool

Ingredients:

All ingredients as above for vegetarian Kool and the following;

Whole crab small 4 or medium 2

Raw prawns medium 25

Fish head of large fish 1 or small whole fish 5

Cuttle fish 100 Gms

 You can add all or any combination of seafood items and in quantities you prefer.

Method:

Clean, wash the fishes and cut them into chunks.

Shell the prawns and discard the shells.

Clean and wash the crabs and cut them into four.

Clean and wash the cuttle fish and cut them into bite size pieces.

Wash and cut the vegetables as in vegetarian Kool above.

In a large pot add water and bring to boil.

Add the pieces of seafood and salt and cook for 30 minutes or until cooked.

Add the vegetable pieces and cook further for 20 minutes.

Now add the chopped spinach or drumstick leaves.

While this is cooking, prepare the odiyal flour as described above and mix this with the crushed chillies, tamarind paste and little water to make it a suspension.

Gently pour this  mixture into the pot where the vegetables and seafood are cooking.

Now add the cooked rice and salt to taste.  Remember you have already added some salt before to the seafood.

Keep stirring all the time to avoid lumps and until all the flour is cooked .

Simmer in low flame until the consistency is thick but runny.

Remove from fire and serve.

When you drink this Kool, take care of the fish boned in the soup.

For some reason odiyal Kool is never cooked with meat, may be that fish was readily available.

Substitutes in the West:

Frozen cleaned crab halves

Raw shelled prawns medium 2

Salmon fish head  or pieces

Spinach for Drumstick leaves.

Frozen Manioc