Arai Puli Kuzhambu (Thickened tamarind gravy with vegetables and spices )

in Curries, Kuzhambu

 

The South Indian community generally prefers eating rice as a main meal. The kuzhambu or  thick gravy which is usually tamarind based has  vegetables  cooked alongwith lentils with addition of spices . Some gravies just have tamarind cooked with vegetables thickened with grated  coconut . So one can see  different types of kuzhambu  from this part of India.

Tamarind is considered a coolant and helps in digestion and is generally bought in bulk during the month of January and stored in cool  place or in refrigerator. It doesn’t get spoiled for a long time.

Recipe taken from Cook and see part -1.

Ingredients

  • Tamarind as big as lemon or 10 to 15 grams
  • Gingelly oil 6 to 8 teaspoon,
  • Curry leaves few,
  • Bengalgram dal 2 teaspoon,
  • Black gram dal ¾ teaspoon,
  •  Dried Red chillies 2 or 3,
  • Asafoetida ¼ teaspoon,
  • Sambar powder 2 teaspoon
  • Mustard ½ teaspoon,
  • Black gram dal ½ teaspoon,
  • Rice flour 1 teaspoon,
  • Coconut pieces chopped 1 to 2 tablespoon,
  • Vegetables chopped medium size,
  • Brinjal or Senai (Elephant foot yam), karnai kizhangu  half  cup
  • Salt 1½ teaspoon,
  • Fried pappadum or appalam (optional)

Method

  1. Soak the tamarind in 2 ½ cups of lukewarm or hot water for 6 to 8 minutes or so. Extract  thick juice.
  2. If using karunai or senai, boil them separately with a little salt and then add to the tamarind gravy as instructed in the recipe.
  3. In a kalchatti or stoneware or in a   pan , heat oil, add mustard, black gram dal, Bengal gram dal, curry leaves, asafoetida, red chillies and saute for a minute. Add coconut pieces. Saute till they become golden brown and then add sambar powder. After a minute add the thick extract of tamarind. Add salt and brinjal.
  4. If using taro root or elephant yam add them (cooked) , along with the tamarind extract. Simmer the kuzhambu and reduce it to a thick gravy till  oil starts floating on top. Add rice flour mixed in  2 tablespoon of  water to the kuzhambu to get a thickened gravy. Simmer for 5 minutes, more.
  5. Add crushed appalam or pappadams to the kuzhambu .
  6.   Serve with hot rice.