Vendhaya Vendai Kuzhambu

Ingredients

Ladies Finger - 6 to 8
Onion - 1 (big)
Tomato - 1
Thick Tamarind Extract - 2 tbsp
Thuar Dhal - 2 tbsp
Salt - To taste
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Jaggery - 1 small piece

To Temper

Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Urad Dhal - 1/4 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida - 1 pinch
Curry Leaves - Few

Grind Together

Red Chillies - 7 to 8
Fenugreek - 1/2 tsp
Bengal Gram Dhal - 1 tbsp
Garlic - 2 flakes
Small Onions - 4 (peeled)
Grated Fresh Coconut - 1 tbsp


Procedure

Peel and slice onion lengthwise.

Cut ladies fingers into 1-inch pieces.  Chop the tomato finely.

Wash and cook thuar dhal with just enough water.  You can keep it along with rice in the pressure cooker.

Fry all the ingredients given to grind together (except coconut) in little oil and then grind along with grated coconut to a smooth paste.

Heat oil in a kadai and add the ingredients given for tempering.

Add sliced onions and chopped ladies fingers and fry together for few minutes.

Add tomatoes and stir for 2 minutes.

Dilute the tamarind extract with little water and add.  Cook till the vegetable is soft.

Add cooked thuar dhal, salt, ground paste with enough water and allow to cook till raw flavor goes and the gravy thickens.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve hot with hot rice, dosa, or pongal.


Notes:

When using fenugreek (vendhayam) in any recipe, do not over fry since it become bitter.  Add at the end, after frying other spices.

Channa/Kondai Kadalai/Chickpea Kuzhambu

Source:

Mrs. Ranganayaki


Serves: 2


Ingredients:

Chickpea/Channa/Kondai Kadalai - 1/8 cup (heaped)

Thuar Dal - 1/8 cup (leveled)

Tamarind - 1 Marble sized ball (5 gm)

Sambhar Powder - 2 tsp

Salt - 1 tsp

Seasoning:

Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp

Urad Dal - 1/4 tsp

Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp

Asafoetida Powder - 1/4 tsp

Oil - 1 tsp

Curry Leaves - Few

To Garnish:

Coriander Leaves (finely chopped) - 1 tbsp


Method:

1.  Wash and soak channa overnight for a minimum of 6 hours.

2.  Pressure cook channa and thuar dhal with enough water until 3 to 4 whistles.

3.  Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup water and take extract.

4.  In a kadai, heat oil and splutter mustard seeds, urad dal, cumin seeds, curry leaves, and asafoetida (hing).

5.  Then pour the tamarind extract into the kadai and bring to boil.  Add salt and sambhar powder and boil for a minute.

6.  Add the cooked channa and thuar dhal and bring to boil adding the water used to boil channa and the dhal.  When the kuzhambu becomes thick and all ingredients are well combined, switch off the flame and transfer to a serving dish.  Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.

This kuzhambu goes well with cooked rice, dosa, or idlis.

Carrot Kara Kuzhambu

Source:

Mrs. Santhi Vijayakrishnan, Aval Vikatan (30 Carrot Varieties)


Ingredients:

Carrots - 2 medium sized (chopped)

Tamarind - Lime sized ball

Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp

Grated Coconut - 1 tbsp

Salt - 1 tsp or to taste

To fry and grind:

Thuar Dhal - 1 tsp

Bengal Gram Dhal - 1 tsp

Coriander Seeds - 2 tsp

Fenugreek - 1/4 tsp

Asafoetida powder - 1/4 tsp

Red Chillies - 6

For Seasoning:

Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp

Fenugreek - 1/4 tsp

Curry Leaves - Few

Gingelly Oil - 1 tbsp


Method:

1.  In a hot kadai, dry fry the dhals, coriander seeds, fenugreek, asafoetida, and red chillies as given in the fry and grind list.  To this, add 1 tbsp of freshly grated coconut and grind to a smooth paste adding enough water.

2.  Soak tamarind in 1-1/2 cups water and make an extract.

3.  Heat kadai, add 1 tbsp of gingelly oil and add the seasoning ingredients.  Add chopped carrots and stir well.  Pour the tamarind extract and bring to boil.  Add turmeric powder and salt.  Allow to boil until the carrots are cooked.  Mix in the ground paste and allow to boil until a thick gravy is formed.  Serve hot with rice or dosas.