Basic Kuzhambu recipe for Vathal / Sundakkai / Kathirikkai

Basic Kuzhambu recipe for Vathal / Sundakkai / Kathirikkai

Kuzhambu is a side dish with rice in South Indian cuisine !!

Serves: 5

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil (or 1 – 3 tablespoon / 50 ml)

1 teaspoon hing (asafoetida / kaayam) powder

12 curry leaves

¼ teaspoon chopped coriander leaves

10 shallots (sambar onion / chuvannulli), finely chopped

2 teaspoon red chilli powder

6 teaspoon coriander powder

¼ cup (50 ml) cooked dal

1 teaspoon tamarind paste or 1 tablespoon tamarind juice

50 ml (1/4 cup) water

½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

10 nos vathal

5 sundakkai or 3 kathirikkai ( baingan / brinjal) (or 1 big size, cut into cubes)

¼ teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon chopped coriander leaves

Method

In a pan, gently dry roast red chilli powder and coriander powder for 5 – 6 minutes on a low heat. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan / kadai. Add hing, curry leaves, coriander leaves and fry on a low heat for 2 – 3 minutes until fragrant.

Add finely chopped small onion and fry for 3 – 4 minutes until golden color.

Add dry roasted red chilli powder and coriander powder. Stir well for 2 -3 minutes.

Add cooked dal, tamarind juice or paste, salt to taste and 50 ml - 75 ml / ¼ cup water. Consistency of the Kuzhambu should be thick. Cover with lid and cook on a medium to low heat for 10 minutes.

Now add vathal, sundakkai (if using sundakkai vathal - soak sundakkai in 1 cup water for half an hour. Drain out water and then add before dal and other ingredients) or cubed kathirikkai. Mix all the ingredients well. Cover cook again for another 10 -1 2 minutes or until done / well cooked / gravy thickens. Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon sugar and coriander leaves. Serve as a side dish with rice.