Not forgotten, that painstaking solid-stone grind from once upon a time
There would not have been a south Indian kitchen from any social stratum without these two tools
Two important household ‘devices’, the aattukkal and the ammikkal, both grinding stones, used to play important roles. The aattukkal, a round wedge-shaped stone with a pit in the middle, and a kuzhavi, a cylindrical rounded stone, were used to grind rice and dal for idli-dosa. The ammikkal was a flat rectangular piece of stone used to grind or crush chutneys and masalas. I doubt if there would have been a south Indian kitchen from any social stratum that did not possess these two tools of the trade.
In my childhood days in Delhi, I have seen my grandma or mom grinding batter in the aattukkal. First, the soaked dal is ladled into the pit, bit by bit. Then the kozhavi is placed in the pit, and with circular motions of their left hand, they would start the grinding, adding water little by little and pushing the batter which rises to the side deftly with their right hand, avoiding the pestle crushing their fingers. The dal has to be ground to a smooth consistency till the batter becomes fluffy and bouncy. Dal-grinding is followed by rice-grinding. Then both are mixed and salt is added.
The process would take long. It was truly backbreaking work, but they did it with so much patience and passion, uncomplainingly. After all, they were doing it for their family. I cannot comprehend from where so much strength came to those hands!
Read more at: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op...ind-from-once-upon-a-time/article14310290.ece
We can share our thoughts and experiences of our parents and grandparents at the forgotten kitchen equipped with கும்முட்டி அடுப்பு, and the golden recipes like வத்தக்குழம்பும் சுட்ட அப்பளம் ஈயச்சொம்பு ரசம், வெண்கலப்பானை, உரல், உலக்கை, கற்சட்டி, etc
There would not have been a south Indian kitchen from any social stratum without these two tools
Two important household ‘devices’, the aattukkal and the ammikkal, both grinding stones, used to play important roles. The aattukkal, a round wedge-shaped stone with a pit in the middle, and a kuzhavi, a cylindrical rounded stone, were used to grind rice and dal for idli-dosa. The ammikkal was a flat rectangular piece of stone used to grind or crush chutneys and masalas. I doubt if there would have been a south Indian kitchen from any social stratum that did not possess these two tools of the trade.
In my childhood days in Delhi, I have seen my grandma or mom grinding batter in the aattukkal. First, the soaked dal is ladled into the pit, bit by bit. Then the kozhavi is placed in the pit, and with circular motions of their left hand, they would start the grinding, adding water little by little and pushing the batter which rises to the side deftly with their right hand, avoiding the pestle crushing their fingers. The dal has to be ground to a smooth consistency till the batter becomes fluffy and bouncy. Dal-grinding is followed by rice-grinding. Then both are mixed and salt is added.
The process would take long. It was truly backbreaking work, but they did it with so much patience and passion, uncomplainingly. After all, they were doing it for their family. I cannot comprehend from where so much strength came to those hands!
Read more at: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op...ind-from-once-upon-a-time/article14310290.ece
We can share our thoughts and experiences of our parents and grandparents at the forgotten kitchen equipped with கும்முட்டி அடுப்பு, and the golden recipes like வத்தக்குழம்பும் சுட்ட அப்பளம் ஈயச்சொம்பு ரசம், வெண்கலப்பானை, உரல், உலக்கை, கற்சட்டி, etc
Last edited:
