Pondicherry Thali | Puducherry Cuisine|Vivikam Cake| Moonu raja pongal

Today we are landing on the famous tourist spot in Tamil nadu ” Pondicherry” , which is know for the beach,Gandhi ji statue, the french architecture and some puducherry special delicacies. Pondicherry  is a city, with municipality in pondicherry district in the Indian  union territory of puducherry. The locals call it pondy and officially called as puducherry. This city has influence from the colonial powers which were annexed by french east India company.So french influence lingers on here even after half century after their departure in architecture and culture in thic city.You can still see the police men wearing red “kepi” here ..The food is a mixture of all the south regions and of course with some french touch in them ..The most fav dishes in pondy is coconut chutney,Assad, stuffed cabbage, soya dosa, podalangkai chutney, curried vegetables and lot more .. You can also get some french baguettes right in India and don’t have to be in France for the authentic one..

For Pondy thali I gather all the possible info’s from friends and books and summed up to a single thali. I am sharing two important festival recipes in this post and rest in the coming posts ..

As said in the sunday of the year in jan is the day of visit by the three kings to see Jesus  and it is called Eiphany  which in puducherry is celebrated as Moonu Raja Pongal  as for thanking morther earth for bring as great soul to help poor.In this day special pongal is prepared and all family members gather at a common place. Usually in other parts of tamil nadu pongal is prepared using milk but in pondy and karaikal it is prepared with coconut milk. A small portion of pongal is offered to god and then distributed to neighbours, friends and relatives. Pongal is placed with sugar cane, poriyals, chutney, appalam,  ghee, tambulum/ tambul, beetle leaves,Bananas, string of jasmine flower is placed on a banana leaf to offer it to god.To go with the pongal Special kozhambu called Taplam kuzhambu which is also called as 7 kari kuzhambu made with this pongal.  

Ingredients

Rice – 1 cup
Coconut Milk- 2 cups
Cashewnuts – Few
Raisins- Few
Ghee – 2tbsp
Cardamom – 1 pod
Sugar – 1 cup
Salt a pinch

Method

• In a pan heat ghee and roast the cashews and raisins.
• Keep them a side.
• In a sauce pan add coconut milk and salt , cover and boil.
• Add rice and cook on low flame till its of sticky consistency.
• Add sugar thick coconut milk, cardamom,fried cashews and raisins
• This pongal is served hot with ghee.

Christmas is very much celebrated all over puducherry and the puducherry special Vivikam cake which is nothing but the fruit cake specially prepared in puducherry and is also called as puducherry cake. This cake has its own specialty in puducherry creole families and generally baked  well in advance and can be preserved for months. It is said that the taste of this cake is better and better as it is old, But as I made it eggless we finished it in 2 days .On the christmas eve the eldest member of the family cut the cake and it  is then distributed to the younger once. This cake is generally enjoyed with Cognac which is variety of brandy..  Other dishes made for christmas include sundal and some cereals and pulses curry.On the new year night people of pondicherry bring kaaparici ( Rice mixed with treacle or molasses ) and place it at the altar.After the offering to god its distributed to people present in the chruch. Now lets move to the most famous fruit cake of puducherry .. I have tried my hand on making it eggless but increase the longevity of the cake you can add eggs to them. 

Recipe Source : The Pondicherry Kitchen by Lourdes Tirouvanziam-Louis  

Ingredients

2 tbsp – Orange Peels ( Finely chopped)
2 tbsp – Raisins
2 tbsp – cashews ( chopped)
1 1/2 tbsp – Fine semolina
4 tbsp – Maida
2 tbsp – Ghee
1 cup – condensed Milk ( add more if you need)
1/4 cup – Mixed Fruit Jam
1/4 tsp – Nutmeg pd
1 1/2 tsp – Baking pd
1 tsp – Vanilla essence
1 1/2 cup – water / orange juice
A pinch of salt

Method

• In an airtight container add 1 1/2 cup water / orange add Chopped cashews, rasins, orange peels and soak them for atleast a week or so .
• For best results soak it for 1 month in rum.
• In a pan dry roast the semolina only till its hot.
• Add ghee to it and mix well.
• Pre heat the oven at 250 F for 15 minutes 
• In a bowl take condensed milk, vanilla essence , semolina , jam , soaked dry fruits and orange peel, nutmeg pd, maida, baking pd and Mix them well till combined.
• Grease a cake pan and dust some flour init . Tap out the excess flour and pour in the cake batter.
• Don’t fill the mould completely fill only 3/4th part as this cake will bubble out if filled fully. 
• Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour in the preheated oven at 180 C 
• When the cake is done cool it and unmould it in a plate .

• Warp the cake well when it is cool  with an aluminum foil.
• As it is eggless the cake stays only for 2 days but if egg is used it stays for 15 days.
• It is said that this cake tastes better when it older.

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