There are a few dishes that stay close to my heart and make me reminisce the childhood days each time I have them. This is one such dish and it has never failed to make me binge eat for the next 3-4 meals. Warm steamed rice, fire-roasted papadam, and this kuzhambu with some gingelly oil… I got no words to express, a few moments has to be lived rather heard. My granny’s house had a hearth in the backyard and she used to fire-roast the papadams — good old days!
My mom makes the best version, and everyone who comes to our place know what to ask for, good food of course. My cousins and aunts always asks my mom to pack this one for the road. The best part is we make the masala powder right from the scratch and use homemade sun dried berries — no store bought ingredients. The taste gets enhanced the next day; however, it barely gets to see the next day!
Fortunately, Sashi loves vathal kuzhambu and this has become one of our frequent resorts. I love the bittersweet version and have used both sundakkai vathal/sun dried turkey berries and manathakkali vathal/sun berries. There are a wide range of options for sun dried veggies/berries and every house has their own preference. Give it a try and let me know your comments!
—Ingredients for 4 servings—
For grinding
1 1/2 tablespoons black pepper corns
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon fenugreek
1 tablespoon toor dal
3 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 tablespoon raw rice
5 dried chillies
2 tablespoons grated coconut
For curry
1/2 cup gingelly oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 tablespoon urad dal
1/4 teaspoon fenugreek
2 dried chillies
2 sprig curry leaves
25-30 garlic pods
25-30 shallots
1 cup tamarind paste
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 1/2 tablespoons jaggery powder
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon hing
Vathal/sun dried berries/veggies as needed
Salt as needed
—Process—
1. Dry roast all the ingredients for grinding and grind them into a coarse powder.
2. In a pan, heat 4 tablespoons of oil, add mustard seeds and let it splutter, then add urad dal, fenugreek, dry chillies, curry leaves and garlic pods. Once the garlic pods have turned golden add the shallots and fry for a minute or two.
3. Pour in the tamarind paste, ground powder, turmeric powder, jaggery powder, salt and a cup of water. Close the lid and let it boil in a medium flame for 10-12 minutes.
4. In another pan, heat 4 tablespoons of oil and fry the sundried berries/veggies. I’ve used sun dried turkey berries and sun berries, each 3 tablespoons. Pour it atop the boiling curry and add hing. Switch off the flame after a couple of minutes and serve hot!
—Tips—
The masala powder has a shelf life of 3-4 days. It will stay fresh for a couple of weeks if you exclude the graded coconut.
Loavesandfishez 