ahmi

We went to Pollachi last week. We Choosed to stay at Maitreyi Vedic Villiage and had a Nice Time with the Nature. The Food over there was so hygienic and it was just like our home made food. The Food Prepared are without Onion and Garlic. We had Thakkali Kuzhambu there and we liked it very much. Today when i was raving about the kuzhambu to my Freind Anu, she said me her MOM's recipe for Thakkali Kuzhambu. I just followed the recipe and got this Lip-Smacking Curry. This is best eaten with Hot Idli's or Rice.


How to Prepare?

To Dry Roast:

Dhaniya / Corriander Seeds - 1 tbsp
Jeeragam / Cumin - 1 tbsp
Milagu / Pepper - 1 tsp
Dry Red Chilli's - 3
Grated Coconut - 1 tbsp

Dry Roast the above ingredients one by one.


Other Ingredients to Grind:

Oil - 1/2 tsp
Tomatoes - 3

Pottu Kadalai / Roasted Gram - 1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder - a pinch

Heat a Pan, add 1/2 tsp of Oil, and add chopped tomatoes and fry them till the tomatoes turn soft and their skin peels off.

Add the fried tomatoes to the dry roasted ingredients. Add Pottu Kadalai and turmeric powder along with the tomatoes, add 1/4 cup of water and Grind them all together into a smooth paste.

For Seasoning:

Sesame Oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard - 1 tsp
Dry Red Chilli - 2
Curry Leaves - 1 sprig

Heat Oil in a Pan, add Mustard seeds and let it splutter, add dry red chilli and curry leaves and roast them. add the grounded smooth paste to the pan. add 1/2 cup of water to the pan and make the kuzhambu thinner.
let the kuzhambu boil for 5 mins atleast and remove it from flame.

Serve Hot with Hot Rice or Hot Idli's or Dosa's.


Notes:

I avoided Onion and Garlic, you may use it while grinding the masala's.

Roasted Gram / Pottukadalai adds good taste.

You can also add Chana Dal(Kadala Paruppu) if not using Roasted Gram. But Chana Dal should be Dry Roasted.

Adding Coconut is also Optional.

When i get bored with usual curry, i prepare this. This is one of my hubby's favourite. This Curry goes well with Idli, Dosa's and Rice. You can add variety of vegetables, my choice is drumstick, potato and brinjal.


Ingredients:

Drumstick - 1
Potato - 1
Small Onions - 10 (chopped finely)
Garlic - 5 cloves
Tomato - 1 (chopped finely)
Turmeric Powder - a pinch
Tamarind - a small lemon size

For Seasoning:

2 Tbsp of Oil
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1/4 tsp Methi seeds
1 sprig Curry Leaves

To Dry Roast and Ground:

1 tbsp Corriander seeds
1/2 tbsp Urad dal
1/2 tbsp Cumin Seeds
1/4 tsp Methi seeds
3 Dry Red Chilli's
3 tbsp of grated coconut

Dry Roast the above and grind along with 2 tbsp's of Sambhar Powder and 1/4 cup water. Grind it all together into smooth paste.


Method:

Cook the Drumstick and Peeled Potato in 1 cup of water for about 10 mins.

Soak Tamarind in hot water for about 10 minutes, then squeeze the tamarind and get tamarind pulp.

In a Pan, Heat Oil, add mustard seeds and let it splutter, add methi seeds and curry leaves and roast them.
add garlic, shallots and roast them till they are almost cooked. add chopped tomato and mix well.

Add Turmeric Powder, Salt to taste to the pan and mix well. add the cooked vegetables to the pan and the tamarind pulp. mix all together and let it boil for 2 minutes.

Add the Ground paste to the pan and mix well. add little water, if you want loose curry. let the curry boil for 2 minutes and garnish with corroiander leaves and curry leaves.

Serve Hot with Idli's or Rice.

* Use Coconut Oil, it gives nice flavour.