SOTHI

Tirunelveli Sodhi
Ingredients:
1 large sized coconut ( I used this for 3 persons)
1 drumstick
2 large potatoes
2 carrots
2 large onions
4-5 green chillies
1 tsp oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt as required
For tempering:
2 tsp oil
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp urad dhal
Few curry leaves

Method:

1. The first and crucial step is to extract the coconut milk. Take 2 cups of thick milk and 2-3 cups of thin milk from the shredded coconut.
2.  Cut the drumstick into long pieces and cube the potatoes and carrots. Cut the onions into long but thick slices.
3.  Sauté the onion in oil and add it to the thin milk along with the chopped vegetables. Allow the vegetables to cook in the thin milk in a medium flame.
4.  In the mean time grind the green chillies and required salt into a fine paste and add it to the thick milk.
5.  After the vegetables are cooked well and the thin milk has reduced in quantity add the thick milk to the pan.
6. Allow to simmer in a low flame till you see froth on top. Do not allow to boil. Switch off the stove.
7.  Add the juice of lemon after the sodhi has cooled off a little( when warm). Otherwise it will curdle. Alternatively the lemon juice can be omitted ( some of my family members like it that way- so my mom makes two versions each time , with and with out lemon juice).
8. Tempering is optional and can be done with mustard, urad dhal and curry leaves.
9. Serve sodhi with rice, potato roast and ginger pachadi. Sodhi also tastes good with aappam and idiyappam.