chettinad | Traditionally Modern Food

Vendakkai Thengai Puli Kuzhambu

When I was in college my Amma was out of station and my neighbour aunt offered to give lunch for me. First I told her I will cook, but Aunty convinced me and gave this kuzhambu and potato fry for lunch. While eating I realized its different from Amma’s kuzhambu. Amma doesn’t add onions in vendakkai kuzhambu, also there is no grinding step. I got so addicted to Aunty’s preparation, till my marriage whenever she prepares this kuzhambu in home, she sends me some. My Amma learnt this recipe and started cooking at home for me, also she wrote this recipe in a notebook for my reference.

Ingredients:

Ladies Finger – 10 – 12 (depending on the size of ladies finger)

Onion – 1, chopped

Tomato – 1, chopped

Tamarind – 1 lemon sized ball

Sambar powder/ chilli powder – 1 tsp + 1/2 tsp ( I used Sambar powder)

Jaggery – 1/4 tsp (optional)

Salt – to taste

To temper:

Sesame Oil – 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds – 1/4 tsp

Fenugreek – 1/8 tsp

Curry leaves – 1sprigg

To grind:

Coconut grated – 1/4 cup

Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp

Onion – 2 tbsp, chopped

Tomato – 2 tbsp, chopped

Method:

Soak tamarind in 1 cup of luke warm water and keep aside for 5 – 10 minutes, and extract the juice
Add oil to the pan. When oil is hot add ‘to temper’ ingredients and let them splutter. Add onion and sauté till the onion is translucent. Add tomato and cook till they become mushy
Add ladies finger and sauté till they are cooked
Add sambar powder and cook for a minute
Add the tamrind juice, 1 cup + 1/2 cup of water, salt and cook till the raw smell goes off

Grind the items listed under “to grind” with little water. Add the grind paste and jaggery; cook for 4 – 6 minutes and switch off

Serve with rice and poriyal / chips

Checkout my other rice Accompaniments,

My Notes:

Brinjal can be used instead of ladies finger
Adjust the Kuzhambu consistency according to your desire
Jaggery was not in the original recipe, but I added as I got use to the jaggery flavor in puli kuzhambu
Though onions and tomatoes are added raw, they won’t have raw taste in Kuzhambu as they are boiled

Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu

Post after a longtime! Felt good while drafting this:-) Thank you all for stopping by, and noticing my absence and asking me. I feel blessed to have such sweet people around me:-)

Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu is a traditional dish prepared with lentils. Whenever we get bored of sambar, vatha kuzhambu, moor kuzhambu, milagu kuzhambu etc., my mom prepares this. Takes little extra time when compared to other Kuzhambu, but after tasting the dish we won’t mind spending the extra time. Yet another recipe from my Amma’s cookbook.

Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu

Preparation Time : 10 minutes | Soaking time – 2 hours | Cooking Time : 30 mins | Serves : 4

Ingredients:

For lentil Balls:

Toor dal – 1/2 cup

Channa dal – 1/4 cup

Fennel Seeds – 1/4 tsp

Red Chilli – 2 (Adjust according to your taste)

Ginger – 1/4 tsp

Kuzhambu (Gravy):

Onion – 1

Garlic – 3 pods, finely chopped

Tomato – 1

Tamarind – 1 lemon sized ball

Coconut grated (optional) – 3 tbsp

Sambar powder/ chilli powder – 1 tsp ( I used Sambar powder)

Salt – to taste

To temper:

Sesame Oil – 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds – 1/4 tsp

Fenugreek – 1/8 tsp

Method:

Soak the dal and red chilli for 2 hours and strain the water. Add ginger and fennel seeds to the dal, and grind them into coarse mixture without adding water. Add onion and required salt to the mixture and combine well. Make marble sized balls out of it and keep aside.

Soak tamarind in 1 cup of luke warm water and keep aside for 5 – 10 minutes, and extract the juice
Add oil to the pan. When oil is hot add ‘to temper’ ingredients and let them splutter. Add garlic and onion and sauté till the onion is translucent. Add tomato and cook till becomes mushy

Add sambar powder and give a quick stir. Add the tamrind juice, 2 cup of water, salt and cook till the raw smell goes off

From the side, gently add the lentil balls one by one and cover with lid. Lentil balls initially sink, and float after cooking

Avoid sauting till the lentil balls are cooked, to prevent them from breaking. Add grated coconut and mix well. Cook for 3-4 minutes and switch off

My Notes:

While lentil balls are cooking avoid sauting, as the balls may get mushy
Can grind and add coconut
Instead of cooking lentil balls directly in gravy, can also steam them and add it to the gravy
Gravy thickens overtime, so switch off before it comes to gravy consistency
Can also saute and grind (onion and tomatoes) instead of adding directly
Can also grind lentil into fine paste