Pepper corn gravy (மிளகு குழம்பு )

Pepper corn gravy  (மிளகு  குழம்பு )

Main Ingredient

·         Tamarind   -   large lemon size

·         Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp

·         Asafoetida            - 1/4 tsp

·         Salt                        -  As required     

Ingredients to be fried with oil and grinded

·         Pepper corn       - 2 tbsp

·         Dry red chillies   - 1-2 nos

·         Toor dall              - 1 tsp

·         Jeera(cumin seeds)- 1tsp

·         Curry leaves        - handful

To be fried separately and boiled with Tamarind extract

·         Mustard                - 1/2 tsp

·         Gingelly Oil           - 3-4 tbsp

·         Curry leaves         –  a little

Take a  kadai heat 1 tbsp of oil add pepper corns, toor dal,red chillies and a handful of curry leaves, allow it to cool for some time. 

Grind the mixture in a mixie with a little water and make a paste out of it.

Soak tamarind in 3-4 cups of warm water for 30 minutes and take the extract. Take a kadai and heat 3  tbsp of oil, add mustard seeds and a little of curry leaves to it when it starts spluttering,

  add the tamarind water with turmeric powder, Asafoetida, salt and boil for 3 minutes

 now add the paste made from pepper corn and toor dal to it and boil it for 30 minutes till it becomes a thick concentrate .

This gravy can be taken with hot rice and ghee or gingelly oil, with roasted pappad or curd. 

.It is good for stomach upsets, if refrigerated, this can last for upto 2 weeks. 

Tamarind Gravy prepared with Onion

Onion Vathal Kuzhambu

        This is a spicy gravy that is taken well with rice and roasted pappad. This can be made with vegetables like ladies finger ,drumstick, pumpkin, brinjal . This is one of the most wanted and simple dish in south india. If prepared well this will be sought after once more.  

Ingredients:

• ·         Tamarind    -                              small tomato size
• ·         medium sized onion(sliced) -        1 or 2
• ·         Gingely oil   -                             3 ½  tsp
• ·         mustard seeds -                          1 tsp
• ·         tur dal -                                     1 tsp
• ·         curry leaves -                              As required
• ·         sambar powder -                         1 ½ tsp
• ·         Powdered Jaggery-                       ½ tsp
• ·         Asafoetida –                               1 pinch
• ·         Red chilly -                                 1 or 2 nos
• ·         Turmeric powder –                       ½ tsp
• ·         Fenu greek seed –                       ½ tsp

Method:

Soak tamarind in 2 cups of warm water for 30 minutes and take the extract from the same.

Heat oil. Add mustard seeds, fenugreek, Tur dal, curry leaves, Red chillies to it.

When Tur dal turns brown, add sliced onion and fry till for 5 minutes till it turns soft.

Add sambar powder to it and fry for 1 minute and then add the Tamarind extract to it and boil for 5 minutes

Now add salt & Jaggery to it and boil it till it becomes thick gravy (approx. 25 – 30 minutes) and Vathal Kuzhambu is ready to be served !

Serve it with rice, ghee (or Gingely oil) and roasted pappad or curry.

P.S :  Vathal Kuzhambu  tastes better with small onion, if you are using vegetables like drumstick or pumpkin, you need not fry it but add it when the gravy is boiling. Vathal kuzhambu is a good side dish for curd rice, it is also served with paruppu Thuvaiyal (Dhal paste) for best results.