Chundakkai or Turkey berry is often used in making many traditional dishes . Even though these berries , seem to have lost relevance in our daily cuisine ,nowadays , the dishes were relished when they are a season , not so long ago . Fresh chundakkai and sundried chundakkais can be used for this curry . When you run out of vegatables , you can use this berry and make Vatha kuzhambu and serve with chutta appalam.
Chundakkai has loads of benefits . They are rich in iron and help in lowering diabetes . Chundakkai helps in curing stomach ulcers and worms in the stomach .
Ingredients
- Chundakkai half a cup
- Tamarind 40 grams
- Water 1 cup
- Sesame oil 2 tablespoons
- Tuvar dal 1/2 cup ( cooked )
- Mustard 1 teaspoon
- Red chilies 2 ( broken into two )
- Urad dal 1/2 teaspoons
- Salt 1 teaspoon
- Turmeric Powder 1/2 teaspoon
- Curry leaves few
- Coconut ( grated ) 1/2 cup
- Jaggery 1 teaspoon
Method
- Soak the tamarind in 1 cup of warm water . After 10 minutes , extract juice .
- In a thick bottomed kadai , add sesame oil and heat it . Meanwhile , pound the chundakkais with a pestle , lightly and keep aside .
- Add mustard and red chilies to the oil . When it bursts ,add urad dal and curry leaves . Add chundakkai and stir well .
- After a minute or two , if stirring in low heat , add thick juice of tamarind and add to the kadai .
- Cook in low heat, till it reduces a little . Add turmeric powder .
- Add cooked tuvar dal , after the tamarind juice starts reducing . Cook for two to three minutes , in low heat .
- Add coconut gratings and jaggery and mix well .
- Stir and remove from fire after a few minutes .
- Delightful curry is ready .
- Serve with hot rice .
- If you want to make a kuzhambu out of it , add more water and make it thinner . Add sambar powder for more flavour .
