Ellu Sadam

Cooked rice tossed with a freshly prepared paste of dry-roasted sesame seeds, dried red chillies, tamarind, and asafoetida, finished with a mustard-curry leaf tempering in sesame oil. A ritual rice dish prepared for Aadi Perukku and temple festivals in Kongunadu, ellu sadam's strong sesame-tamarind flavour is beloved as a packed-lunch staple.