Ezhukari Kozhambu (7 or more vegetables in tamarind lentil gravy)

in Curries, Kuzhambu
This kuzhambu gets its name from the fact, it uses seven vegatables or more in the dish .This popular dish of Tamilnadu, is generally prepared during the Thiruvadirai festival day.
This tamarind based, coconut and spice added gravy is a delicious.
This goes along with Kali, a Thiruvadirai special,  sweet   preparation.
This can  be served with hot rice too.
Recipe from Cook and See Part 1

Ingredients

  • Tuvar dal or Red gram dal ¾ cups,
  •  Dried red chillies 20,
  • Coriander seeds ¼ cup,
  • Dessicated coconut 1 cup,
  • Bengal gram dal 2 tablespoon,
  • Oil 8  teaspoon,
  • Mustard 2 teaspoon,
  • Fenugreek seeds 1½ teaspoon,
  • Asafoetida ½ teaspoon,
  • Curry leaves 2 teaspoon,
  • New Tamarind size of a small orange or 30 to 35 grams,
  • Turmeric powder ½ teaspoon,
  • Rock salt little less than 1/4 cup,
  • Vegetables to be chosen (ANY SEVEN OR MORE) Ash gourd, Sweet potato, Brinjal, Snake gourd, Potato, Sabre beans, Cluster beans, French beans, Chow chow ( chayote squash) fresh beans like mochai soya etc, elephant yam,

 

 

 

Method

  1. Pressure cook the red gram dal, to soft.
  2. In a deep pan, or a iron kadai , heat oil (4 teaspoon) , add coriander seeds, red chillies (18), coconut, bengal gram dal and shallow fry till golden brown.
  3. Add ¼ to ½ cup water and grind to a smooth paste.
  4. Soak the tamarind in 2 cups of water, after some 10 minutes, extract juice which measures up to 2 cups.
  5. Chop all the vegetables you have chosen, into medium sized cubes, measuring upto 4 cups. If potatoes or elephant yam (chenai) is chosen, peel them before using them.
  6. In a big vessel take two cups of water, add the vegetables and cook in medium heat.
  7. Add salt and turmeric powder. When half done, add tamarind water and boil.
  8. Add curry leaves and cook till the vegetables are soft.
  9. Add ground paste and stir. Let it simmer for two to three minutes, or till the vegatables are well cooked .
  10. Add the cooked dal, simmer again for few minutes.
  11. In a small pan, heat remaining oil, add mustard, as it splutters add fenugreek seeds, red chillies (2 ), asafoetida and season the kuzhambu with it.
  12. Coriander leaves (chopped) can be added to the kuzhambu as a garnish . Tasty Ezhukari Kuzhambu is ready.

NOTE

  1. To make a quicker kuzhambu, add the chopped vegetables ground paste ,salt   and tamarind juice to the red gram dal and pressure cook  till three whistles ,to get a mushy kuzhambu.
  2. Season with mustard,red chillies ,fenugreek and asafoetida .
  3. Add curry leaves and coriander leaves as a garnish .
  1. If lentils are soaked for 10 to 15 minutes , prior to cooking, they get cooked faster .
  2. In most  Kuzhambus, like Sambhar, Rasam ,Moar kuzhambu ,Pitlay etc, rock salt is generally  used .
  3. While tempering with red chillies , break them into two, before adding to the oil. Follow this rule for every South Indian recipe.