I never had a thought of posting neeragaram here. The full credit for this post goes to my best friends hubby who suggested me to post this. I kept postponing it for the reason that I didnt have any mud pots. Last week I got them and went ahead making and clicking this.
Neer + Aagaram – Water based food. This is the diet in most of the south indian villagers and farmers house which keep them energized throughout the day and this keeps them cool as well as they have work in the scorching sun throughout the day. They purposely make more rice than needed so that they can use the leftover rice to make this for next day morning breakfast.
I should admit this is almost forgotten in the fast paced life where in readymade porridge’s and cereals are used to our convenience.
There were no grass in our apt surroundings, so went 2 streets ahead to click this with the grass. This is the first time I took all the materials outside to click and I thoroughly enjoyed the fun with 2-3 people staring at me 😉
The below capture was just for the nativity feel so asked the maid of our apartment to pose for this and she did it with so much of enthusiasm.
Neeragaram (Pazhayathu) Recipe – Ingredients
- Left over Rice – 1 cup
- Water – 1/4 cup
- Buttermilk – 1/4 cup
- Small Onion – 3 to 4 chopped roughly
- Green Chillies – 1 chopped finely
- Salt – to taste
Method:
1.Soak the leftover rice in immersing level of water overnight. Drain little water next day morning then add buttermilk / curd. Smash it well with a laddle.Add little more water to bring it to porridge consistency.
2.Add required salt, finely chopped onion and green chillies, mix well. Pour into mud pots and allow it to rest for a while. Serve it.
3.Pickle is the best combination for this else fish curry is an apt combo esp the one made the previous day 🙂
My Notes:
- Let over rice is best to be used for this neeragaram. If you are using fresh rice, give some 2-3hrs resting time then soak it.
- Actually neeragaram is just water and rice but we can add buttermilk/curd to enhance the taste.
- Mud pots are natural coolant so serving in it gives a cool feeling.
- You can also add coriander, curry leaves to garnish and for extra flavour.
- I removed the seeds almost fully in green chillies to avoid the spice level in it.
- No need to refrigerate it.
This is the best natural summer coolant for breakfast. The crunch in the onions and the hot spicy chillies makes it the best combination. This is mostly had for breakfast and it is very much filling that you will not feel hungry for the next 4-5 hours for sure.
So what are you still waiting for?! Dont throw the leftover rice and enjoy this cool neeragaram.
Awesome post Sharmi.Loved the clicks.Very apt coolant for this season 🙂
Unbeatable one for summer, loooooooooooooove this a lot 🙂
Comfort food,looks yummy
Wat a fabulous post,nothing will beat this neeragaram, am missing it a lot.
wow!! its really amazing.No one would thought of this recipe.Nice click.
Lovely shrami, i am reminded of my thatha who user to have small onions with curd rice. I have never made/tasted neeragam though.
you can try it once u came to tamil nadu villages. its very tasty and if you take a single glass stomach get full and chill .
Lovely sharmi, reminded of my thatha who used to eat curd rice with onions.never tried neeragam though, i am tempted now.
And stunning pictures, the rustic touch is super! Really amazed at your enthu level!' 🙂
lovely sharmi….awesome clicks!
indha combination aa adichikka mudiyathu.. my fav 🙂 i used to have it regularly in summer. super coolant 🙂
//There were no grass in our apt surroundings, so went 2 streets ahead to click this with the grass. This is the first time I took all the materials outside to click and I thoroughly enjoyed the fun with 2-3 people staring at me ;)// :))))) கலக்கறீங்க ஷர்மி! என்ன சொல்லன்னு தெரியலை,வார்த்தயே வரல்ல! 😉
எல்லாப் படங்களும் அழகா இருக்கு!
Greatttt post..loved it 🙂
I have heard a lot about this dish but I have tried making it or tasted it. Now that I know the whole procedure, guess I can try making this now 🙂
wow awesome ….i remember this and still crave for it as always! reminds me of my mom!:)
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Hi Sharmi, never tried this dish before but looks simple & perfect for this hot summer. Cant end without mentioning the fantastic clicks – worth the 2 streets walk 🙂
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Sharmi, somebody should give you an award for this post. Truly. You wont believe, I had the same idea of posting it in my blog and you did it! The world's best post this is! Love it Sharmi!
At our place, normally pregnant ladies are made to eat this dish as it cools them in the morning!
I love this a lot, especially that water…We usually have this in summer with variety of vathals like chilli,sundakkai,kothavarangai vathals…lovee it 🙂 the pics are cool…!
First of all hats off to ur guts to post this recipe…. Always people think posting these kind of recipes is not that much important… But the health benefits of these are so good…. When I was in India, my grandma used to prepare this n I love this to eat… But for my kids when I prepare n give they see this strange…
Ur pictures are awesome….
Sharmi, I am all gusto about your enthusiasm for the click! Amma still makes this at home:)Your maid is a natural hand model!
Looks yummy! This is new to me. Will surely try it out.
Hello…
I like this post. I would like to suggest other variation to prepare this "pazhaya saatham" which is my favorite. To prepare this, a spl technique is there. Make rice with par boiled. Should not boil more and smashy. Keep it to cool. Then soak over nite in water with required salt and green curry leaves. Next day morning u can eat as such. It will be delicious. Coconut thuvayal is best combination for this.
I like the pictures here. And what an ideal food for the hot season!
well captured : http://homestylevegfood.blogspot.in/
Neeragaram is a very good coolant for the season. Your model has posed without any reluctance, that's great. Nice pics.
Great snaps… Looks very tempting..
When we were kids, leftover rice soaked in water with mor milagai was our favorite. You carried stuff across 2 streets for the pic .. Sharmi .. I am just lazy to carry stuff outside my house these days and looking for shortcuts 🙂
Vardhini
CooksJoy
i have had neeragaram whilst my travels in tamil nadu.
just loved the fact that you went 2 streets ahead to click the pics… way to go girl…
i know how onlookers stop and look at the photographer when they click photos, especially food photographers.
i always avoid clicking photos in restaurants and people just start staring at you as if… what on earth this girl is doing… why she is taking food photographs instead of eating it 🙂
Beautiful!
Wonderful post. I used to have this summer during when I was young. Wow you went 2 streets tp click pictures that is great. Loved it !!
Hi sis I've tried few recipes of your especialw when I've to make my husband in good mood . Lovely . Pati used to give it to me when I was child now I make moore sadham with yesterdays left over rice n wit that maavadu suits best. I really loved it that you really made a post for this recipe.Lots of love. Keep posting more so thatt I can try impressing my husband. Aishu
Hi Sharmi,
Where in Coimbatore can I find mud pots for cooking?
@Unknown : I got it near the streets of Gandhipark….
Thank you!
Hi.. Shall I prepare this without using earthern pot?
Yes you can…
Your effort to post this recipe is much appreciated. Am glad to see so many people still interested in our traditional food which is one of my favourites too. Post many such traditional recipes which we have forgotten in this fast paced world. Well done! 🙂
Sharmi ur neeragaram is so perfect.my hubby enjoyed it a lot.thank you very much.kudos for your wonderful pics
Sharmi, we should not strain the water that you leave overnight. The water is rich in Amino acid, Vitamin B12, rich starch and bacterial content that is extreme good for the body. you got to use the water along with the rice to get all the benefits. Just the rice is a waste.