Kozhi Kuzhambu / Chicken Curry | South Indian Curry Recipes

If you are looking for something cozy yet spicy to make today, this south Indian style chicken curry recipe is a perfect one for your Sunday lunch with rice. Before now, cooking non-vegetarian at home wasn't a frequent event since DH is a pure vegetarian. Now that I have my LO to give me company to eat chicken at home I find myself cooking it more often. So expect more chicken recipes in this space.

Ingredients:
Serves - 2-3
Chicken - 1/2 kg 
Small Onions / Pearl onions - 8, halved OR Onion, chopped - 1 cup
Tomato, small - 2, chopped
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp (optional)
Oil - 2 tbsp
Water - 2-3 cups
Fresh ground pepper - 1/4 tsp (optional)
Spice paste:
Cumin seeds / Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Fennel seeds / Sombu - 1 tsp
Poppy seeds / kasa kasa - 1 tsp
Cinnamon / Pattai - 1" piece - 2 nos
Cloves / Krambu - 5
Coriander seeds - 3 tsp
Dry red chillies - 5-6
Ginger, peeled - 1" piece
Garlic cloves - 3
Pearl onions - 4
Coconut, grated - 1/3 cup (about 5 tbsp)
Oil - 2 tsp

Method:
Heat 1 tsp of oil in a small pan and add the first 7 ingredients of the spice paste. When it is slightly toasted, remove from heat and allow to cool in a plate. Crush the peeled ginger, garlic and pearl onions with a rolling pin or the bottom of a cup. Add another tsp of oil and fry the crushed ginger, garlic and pearl onions for a minute. Add the coconut and fry in medium heat until it is slightly toasted. Remove from heat to cool. Make a fine paste of the above 2 mixtures together adding water. 
Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a cast-iron skillet (I love the cast iron for this recipe) and add the chicken pieces brown them all over, about a couple of minutes. The chicken may not have been cooked through but it is ok, it will cook in the curry. Remove to a plate. In the same pan add the remaining oil and the mustard seeds. When they pop, add the chopped onion and fry until it is translucent. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until they are mushy. Add the ground paste with 2 cups of water. Add salt as needed with pepper (if using) and bring it to a boil. Add the chicken pieces and cook in medium heat for 15-20 minutes until the chicken is tender and the kuzhambu is thick. Serve over rice or as a side for idli/dosa.

Puli Kuzhambu / Pumpkin Tamarind Curry | South Indian Curry Recipes

It was tough deciding which recipe I wanted to post next. Most of the recipes I had in draft was either baked (I had been posting 3 baked recipes in a row the past week) or more of a combination recipes which had to be posted one after the other. But since I had been planning to post a special chicken curry for the weekend, I think this would be a nice one to post for a midweek. 
Psst.. the combination recipes I talked about earlier.. here are a few coming up.. well over a couple of days.. Achari Murgh with Kashmiri Pulao; Mushroom Briyani with Zucchini Raitha; Kollu Thogayal with Kollu Rasam.

Ingredients:
Pearl onions - 10
Garlic cloves - 15
Tomato, ripe - 2
Pumpkin / Parangikai, cubed - 1 cup
Tamarind - size of a lemon
Water - 2 cups
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Sambar powder - 3 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - a few
Gingelly oil - 3 tbsp
Salt - to taste

Method:
Peel and halve the pearl onions. Peel the garlic cloves. Soak the tamarind in warm water for 30 minutes and extract 2 cups of juice. Heat oil in a kadai and splutter the fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. Add the onion and garlic cloves and fry until softened. Add the cubed pumpkin and fry for a couple of minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes with a pinch of salt and cook until it is pulpy. Now sprinkle the turmeric powder, sambar powder and mix well. Add the tamarind juice and water and check for seasoning. Bring it to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes stirring occasionally. Serve hot with rice and pappads.
Notes:
The pumpkin here can be replaced by bitter gourd or brinjals.

Avarakkai Mochai Kuzhambu / Broad Beans Curry | South Indian Curry Recipes

Cooking for loved ones is special. Well, I do that on a daily basis, but cooking some dish for the loved ones which they really love is more special. This is one such dish. DH is a food lover but what he likes is not complicated. A simple South-Indian meal is his go to preference on any day. 
He loves avarakai aka Broad Beans. It was a delight when I came across them in the Farmer's Market and immediately bought it. I made this kulambu the same day which he loves have with rice.

Ingredients:
Serves - 3-4
Avarakkai / Broad beans - 20-25
Mochai / Fresh Hyacinth beans - 1/2 cup
Onion - 1/2 of a big one, chopped
Toor dhal - 1/2 cup (120 ml)
Tamarind - lemon sized
Gingelly oil - 1-1/2 tbsp
Thalippu Vadagam - 1 tbsp
Curry leaves - a little
Make a paste:
Fresh Grated Coconut - 1/4 cup
Coriander powder - 2 tsp (heaped)
Chilli powder - 1 tsp (or 1/2 tsp if spicy)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Pearl onions - 2, small

Method:
Cut the ends and pull out the fibrous veins. Chop into 1 inch pieces. Remove the mochai (pods from the beans) if any as you chop. These can be added to kuzhambu. Place the chopped beans, pods and chopped onions in a microwave proof bowl with half a cup of water and a pinch of salt. Microwave for 8 minutes stirring once in between.
Make a smooth paste with the ingredients under 'make a paste' adding water as needed. Soak the tamarind in 1 cup of warm water. Extract about 2 cups of tamarind juice.
Wash and soak the toor dhal for 15 minutes. Pressure cook the dhal with 2 cups of water with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder for 3 whistles. Drain and reserve the dhal cooked water. Mash the dhal with a maththu or the back of a wooden spoon. 
Now add the reserved dhal-cooked water, ground coconut paste, salt, cooked vegetables and the tamarind juice to the dhal. The kuzhambu can be slightly thin at this point, it will thicken as it boils. When it starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the kuzhambu thickens and the flavors meld. 
Heat oil in a small pan and splutter the vadagam and curry leaves. Pour this over the kuzhambu and serve hot with steamed rice.

Mushroom Kulambu | South Indian Curry Recipes

Us Indians are known for the love of spicy curries. Every region has its own specialty and every family has its own signature dish.  This recipe here is a family recipe for chicken or mutton preparations. Married to a vegetarian I do not cook non-vegetarian often. But the spicy cravings inside me is satisfied by this kulambu made with mushrooms but with all the aromatic spices found in a South-Indian spicy curry. This kuzhambu is a great combo for rice, idli and dosa.

Ingredients:
White button Mushrooms - 200 g / 8 oz
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - to taste
Corainder leaves - a little
Oil - 2 tsp
Coriander seeds - 2-1/2 tbsp
Dry red chillies - 2 or 3
Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp
Raw Rice - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Pearl onions - 3
Garlic cloves - 2
Tomato - 1/2 of a small one, chopped
Grated Coconut - 3 tbsp

Method:
Clean the mushrooms and make thick slices.
Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan and roast the coriander seeds, urad dhal, rice, cumin for about 2 minutes. Add the crushed garlic and pearl onions and continue to roast until the rice starts to become a shade darker. Now add the tomatoes and fry for a minute until slightly cooked. Add the grated coconut, and turn off the heat. Continue to roast in the residual heat until the coconut is toasted. Allow the mix to cool and make a fine paste. Heat the remaining oil in a saucepan and fry the mushrooms with turmeric powder until it starts to shrink. Add the ground paste, salt and about a cup of water. Allow it to come to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with rice, roti, dosa or naan.
Linking this to Priya's Vegan Thursdays.

Chettinadu Poondu Kuzhambu / Spicy Garlic Tamarind Curry | South Indian Curry Recipes

Chettinadu is a region in Tamilnadu, the Southern state of India. The recipes specializes in using freshly ground spices added to make tasty food. Most of the recipes are spicy and tangy with the liberal use of the flavorful spices and herbs native to India. Did you know that many south indian dishes taste better if pearl onions are used instead of the regular onions. Also no, we do not add curry leaves to every dish but there are certain dishes which just can't be made without the aroma of the curry leaves in it. This is one such kuzhambu which has simple ingredients but makes you want to go for another serving.

Ingredients:
In standard cup measurements
Garlic - 3 whole - 1/2 cup heaped
Pearl onions - 10
Tamarind - size of a lemon
Pepper corns - 1-1/2 tsp
Ghee - a few drops
Coriander powder - 1/4 tsp
Tomato - 2 (medium sized, about 1 cup chopped)
Onion - 1/2 cup (chopped) or 10 pearl onions
Sesame oil - 4 tbsp
Tempering:
Fenugreek seeds / vendhayam - 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - a few
Asafoetida - a pinch

Method:
Soak the tamarind in hot water and extract about 3 cups of juice. Roast the pepper corns in ghee. Make a fine powder. Grind the tomato and onion to make a paste. Heat sesame oil in a kadai and splutter the ingredients for temepring. Add the peeled garlic cloves and pearl onions and fry until it is almost cooked. Add the ground pepper powder, coriander powder and fry for another minute. Pour the ground paste and cook in medium heat until the raw smell disappears and the oil oozes out of the mixture. Mix the tamarind juice and salt. Allow it to come to a boil in med-high heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve hot over rice with a simple poriyal or fryums.
For the Carrot Beans Poriyal featured in the picture, click here.\
Linking this up to Flavor with Spices - #1.

Manga Vathal Kulambu / Dry Mango Tamarind Curry | South Indian Curry Recipes

Packing stuff to bring from India when on vacation is always an exciting thing. Apart from nice Indian dresses for us, I also pack things we do not get here. Grandma's onion pickle, MIL's home made fryums and aunt's multi-purpose spice powder. This time MIL also asked me if I want to take the manga vathal (sundried mango pieces). I was not sure what to do with that, until DH insisted me to pack that to make vathal kulambu. Apparently, he loves manga vathal kulambu very much. I bought 2 packets and still have a little left after making this vathal kulambu few times.

Ingredients:
Manga Vathal / Dried Mango pieces - 1/4 cup - about 6-7 pieces
Gingelly oil - 1/4 cup
Fenugreek seeds / Vendhayam - 1/2 tsp
Pearl onions / Sambar onions - 20 - peeled whole
Garlic - pods from 2 heads - approx 25 cloves
Curry leaves - a few
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder / dhaniya - 2 tsps heaped
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Tamarind - size of a small lime - soaked in water and juice extracted - about 2 cups
Water - 2 cups

Hot water - 1/2 cup

Method:
Soak the dried mango pieces in hot water. Heat oil in a kadai and add the fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. After about half a minute add the peeled whole pearl onions and garlic cloves. Cook in medium-high heat until the onions are three-fourth cooked. Add the spice powders and fry for a minute. Add the tamarind extract, salt and the water from the mango pieces. When it comes to a boil add the mango pieces. Reduce the heat and simmer for a good 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and serve hot over steamed rice. Keerai kootu or pappad are best combos.
Notes: This kulambu can be stored for upto a week in the fridge, if it lasts that long for you. Remember to use clean, dry spoon every time.

Thattapayir Kulambu / South Indian Black Eyed Peas (Cowpeas) Curry | Indian Curry Recipes

We love beans (the legume) and can't get enough. It is a great source of protein and iron for vegetarians. I include them in our meal plan as often as possible in salads, soups or just plain sundal. This Kulambu is also one of our favorite ways to eat them. This is a simple tamarind based curry with a hint of coconut. The richness the coconut milk imparts to this dish is simply fabulous.

Ingredients:
Serves - 4-6
Dry Black Eyed Peas - 1 cup (or) 1 can of black eyed peas
Onion - chopped - 1 cup
Garlic - 15 cloves
Tamarind - size of a lemon - soak and extract juice
Oil - 2 tbsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Thin Coconut milk - 1 cup (or) 1/2 can of Light Coconut milk
Salt - to taste
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp (I used a mix of 1/2 tsp of extra hot chilli powder and 1 tsp of kashmiri for the color)
Coriander powder - 3 tsp (heaped)

Method:
Soak the beans for 3 hours and pressure cook for 1 whistle with a tsp of salt. Drain and set aside. Heat oil in a kadai and add the fenugreek seeds and cumin seeds. Add the chopped onions and garlic and fry until the onions turn soft. Now sprinkle the spice powders and mix well. Add the tamarind juice and salt with a cup of water. Do a taste check and allow it to boil. Add the cooked beans and reduce the heat. Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the kulambu reaches the desired consistency and the oil floats on the top. Add the coconut milk and continue to simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and serve with rice.

Muttai Kulambu / Boiled Egg Curry - South Indian Style | Indian Egg Curry Recipes

There would be quite a few family recipes we all love but have forgotten. Being far away from my family and home country, certain dishes just vanish from my mind though the taste lingers in the thoughts. This is one such dish which I remembered one fine day and promptly called up grandma for the recipe. She patiently mentioned every ingredient and measurement with the steps involved. I also got a bonus recipe (another type of muttai kulambu). I followed the recipe to the T and arrived very close to the taste. I believe it was her touch that was missing :)

Ingredients:
Serves - 4
Eggs - 4
Onions - 1/2 cup chopped
Tomato - 1 - chopped
Curry leaves - a few
Oil - 2 tsp + 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp
To grind:
Coriander Seeds - 3 tbsp (heaped)
Cloves - 3
Cinnamon - 1" piece
Fennel seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp
Raw Rice - 1/2 tsp
Garlic cloves - 3 or 4
Grated Coconut - 4 tbsp (heaped)
Dry Red Chillies - 4

Method:
Boil the eggs as mentioned below and slice into two lengthwise. Heat 2 tsp of oil in a kadai and roast all the ingredients under "to grind" except coconut. Roast until the rice takes a light brown shade. Remove from heat and mix in the grated coconut. The residual heat is sufficient for the coconut to get roasted. Cool the mixture completely and grind to a smooth paste in a mixie/blender. Heat the remaining oil and splutter the mustard seeds, urad dhal and curry leaves. Add the chopped onion and saute until it turns pale. Add the chopped tomato with a pinch of salt and saute until the tomato becomes mushy. Now add the ground paste and mix in medium heat until the raw smell disappears, about 10-12 minutes. Add required quantity of water per the desired consistency and allow it to boil. When the kulambu boils, add salt, do a taste check and drop the halved eggs slowly. Simmer for about 5 minutes and remove from heat. Serve hot with steamed rice. This is also a great side dish for chapathi, idli or dosa.
How to boil eggs:
In a medium saucepan, bring 2 litres of water to boil. Drop the eggs slowly into the boiling water. Cook in medium-high heat for 15 minutes. Drain the water and fill with cold tap water. Set aside for about 5 minutes and then peel the eggs. Wash again in running tap water to remove any tiny bits of shell.

Sundal Kulambu / Channa Kuzhambu | Indian Curry Recipes

I made this Sundal Kulambu for a cozy lazy lunch one day. I am proud to say this kulambu-rice combo does not need any side dish but papads would be a lovely pair if needed. This is my MIL's recipe handwritten for my DH when he first came to US. There are a handful of recipes, all his favorite foods which she had chosen to write. I have tried quite a few of them and this sundal kuzhambu is one of those few for which I got a thumbs up from him with "Just like Mom's!" That means something, right?! The others? The feedback was "Hmm..Good.. But not quite like Mom's". I am still working on those recipes :)

Ingredients:
Sundal / Dried chickpeas (garbanzo) - 2/3 cup - soaked overnight and cooked OR use 1 can of garbanzo beans - Click here to see how it is done
Tamarind - size of a lemon
Onion - chopped - 1 cup
Garlic - 3 cloves - halved
Olive oil / Canola oil - 2 tsp
Gingelly Oil - 1 tsp
Thalippu Vadagam/Badaga - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Make a paste:
Grated Coconut - 2 tbsp (heaped)
Coriander powder - 2 tsp (heaped)
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp (Use 1 tsp if using Kashmiri chiili powder)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Method:
Soak dried chickpeas in plenty of water overnight. Drain the water and pressure cook for 3 whistles adding three times water and 1/2 tsp of salt. Drain and set aside. If using canned beans, drain and wash the beans to remove extra salt. Soak the tamarind in warm water and extract 2 cups of juice. Grind the ingredients under make a paste into a smooth paste, adding water as required.
In a kadai, heat oil and saute the onions and garlic until the onion turns soft. Add the cooked beans and saute for a couple of minutes. Add the tamarind juice, ground paste, salt and 1 cup of water. Check for salt and spice and allow it to boil in med-high heat. When it comes to a rolling boil, reduce the heat to simmer and allow it to cook for another 45 minutes uncovered. Yes, you read it right. The kulambu has to cook for 45 minutes for the flavors to meld and to be "finger-licking-good". But stir it once every 10 minutes to make sure the coconut doesn't stick to the bottom. After 45 minutes heat gingelly oil (kind of a mandatory item here) in a small pan and splutter the vadagam. Pour over the Kuzhambu and serve hot with rice. Enjoy!
Note:
1. The sundal can be replaced by black eyed peas, white navy beans, mochai etc.,.
2. Do not try to reduce the simmering time by increasing the heat and reducing cooking time. It is quite not of the same taste. Trust me!

Linking this up to Taste of the Tropics - Tamarind event by Mirielle; Favorite Recipes event; Walk through Memory Lane.

Banana Blossom Curry / Vazhaipoo Kulambu | Indian Curry Recipes

Come Summer we get more Asian vegetables in the supermarket. I love the season due its abundant availability of fresh vegetables. Curry leaves, Methi leaves and not to forget Banana Blossom / Vazhaipoo. It is a rare vegetable to come by in this country and when I find one I pick it immediately. We mostly prepare vadas with this one but this time MIL made delicious kuzhambu with this. This time too I missed to take the step by step pictures on how to clean and prepare this one but would do so next time.  

Ingredients:
Banana Blossom/Flower/Vazhaipoo - Prepped and chopped - 2 cups
Onion - chopped - 1 cup
Garlic - 4 cloves - sliced thin
Tomato - 1/2 - chopped
Tamarind - size of a lemon - soak in water and extract juice
Fenugreek seeds/Vendhayam - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - a few
Gingelly oil - 3 tbsp
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp - optional
Buttermillk - 1 tbsp
Water - 2 cups
Roast and grind:
Red Chillies - 5
Coriander seeds - 3 heaped tbsp
Chana dhal - 2 heaped tbsp

Method:
Prepare the banana blossom and chop finely. Put the chopped stems in a bowl of water mixed with a tbsp of buttermilk until ready to use. Roast the ingredients under 'Roast and grind' one by one and allow it to cool. Make a fine powder in a mixie or a coffee grinder. Heat oil in a kadai and add the fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. When the curry leaves splatter add the chopped onions and saute until translucent. Drain and squeeze the chopped banana blossom and add it to the onions. Fry for about 5 mins until half done. Add the chopped tomato and fry for about a minute. Now add the powdered spice and mix well. Add 2 cups of water and cover and boil for about 5-7 minutes until the mixture is cooked. Now add the tamarind extract and salt. Check for heat and add chilli powder if needed. Allow it to boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Vendakkai More Kulambu / Okra in Yogurt Sauce | Indian Curry Recipes

I love mor kulambu. Period. If you are a yogurt lover like me you sure would love it. This mildly spiced tangy gravy tastes super delicious. If you have a blender and some sour yogurt (or not so sour one) you are all set to try this. Any vine vegetable like okra, bottle gourd etc can be added to this. You could also make urad dhal bonda and add to this kulambu. Try this out and enjoy a comforting meal.

Ingredients:
Okra - cut into 1/2 inch pieces - 1 cup (I used frozen cut okra)
Besan / Chick pea flour - 2 tbsp
Curd/Thick Greek yogurt - 1 1/2 cups (can use lesser if sour)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt - taste

Make a paste:

Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup
Green chilli - 4
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Pepper corns - 1/4 tsp (optional)
Tempering:
Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Urad dhal - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Red chilli - 1 - broken

Method:
Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a kadai and saute the cut okra until almost cooked. Grind the ingredients under make a paste adding little water. Add the ground paste to the kadai and fry until the raw smell disappears. Mix the besan with 2 cups of water without any lumps and add to the kadai along with turmeric powder and salt. When the mixture starts to boil add the whisked yogurt and let it heat for about 5 mins in the heat. In a small pan heat oil and add the ingredients to temper and pour over the kulambu. Serve hot with rice and a spicy curry.

Sending this awesome kulambu to Serve It - Boiled event happening at my space and Denny's. Also to Sumee's Bon Vivant#9 - Simply Sides; Radhika's Let's Cook - Protein Rich foods; Jagruti's Know your Flours - Besan.

Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu / Steamed Lentil dumplings in Coconut Tamarind Curry | Indian Curry Recipes

When I want to make something authentic and traditional, but want to try it in a totally different way, what do I do? I check out my fellow bloggers' page for inspiration and style. Well this recipe is one such attempt. Though I have my own (well not my own, my grandma's) Paruppu Urundai Kulambu recipe, I decided to try from Denny's page this time. This dish is DH's most favorite but ironically I don't make it that often, due to the process and effort involved. But when I decide to prepare it I make sure I put all effort and concentration while making this. Now to Denny's Paruppu Urundai Kulambu recipe.

Ingredients:
For the Urundai/Lentil balls:
Toor dhal - 2/3 cups (~160 ml) - Wash and soak for minimum 1 hr
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Dry Red chillies - 5 nos
Onion - 1 cup - chopped fine
Garlic - 1 clove - chopped fine
Cilantro - leaves from 4 twigs - chopped
Salt - 1/4 tsp or to taste
Grind to a paste/Masala:
Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Fennel Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Dry red chillies - 6 - 8 nos (based on spice level)
Grated Coconut - 1/4 cup
For the Curry:
Oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - a few
Shallots / Sambar onions - 1 cup - peeled and halved (can substitute 1 cup of chopped regular onions)
Garlic - 5 cloves - sliced thin
Tomatoes - 2 (~1-1/2 cups) - chopped fine
Tamarind extract - 1/4 cup thick / from a lime sized tamarind

Method:
Make the masala:
Grind the ingredients under grind to a paste into a smooth paste adding water as needed.
Steam the Lentil balls:
Take the soaked dhal, fennel seeds, cumin seeds and dry red chillies in a blender and grind to a coarse mixture. Transfer the coarsely ground contents to a bowl and add the onions, garlic, coriander leaves and salt. Mix well and make small lime sized balls. Steam the balls in a bamboo/idli steamer for 10-15 mins. A toothpick test would help to know the doneness.
Kulambu:
When the paruppu urundais are steaming, in a wide bottomed kadai, heat oil and add mustard seeds, fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. When the mustard seeds splutter add the shallots and garlic cloves and fry in medium heat until it turns translucent. Add the tomatoes with a pinch of salt and cook in med-high heat until it turns mushy. Now add the ground masala with a cup or two of water and salt to taste. Allow it to boil and then simmer for 5 minutes. Add the tamarind extract and continue to simmer for 5 minutes. At this stage, check for salt and then drop the steamed balls slowly into the curry. Let it absorb the flavors of the curry for 5 minutes in low heat. If the curry is very watery, break one or two lentil balls with the ladle to thicken it.
Serve hot with steamed rice and enjoy!

Sending this droolworthy kulambu to the following events..Show me your HITS - Lentils & Legumes event by Sangeetha; Kalyani's Kitchen Chronicles - Only Vegan;

Vendhaya Keerai Kulambu / Methi leaves & Dhal Sour Curry

I love to add greens to any dish possible. It gives a new dimension of taste and increases the health quotient of the dish. Methi leaves are hard to come by here in US except during Spring/Summer. I never fail to pick a bunch of fresh greens when I find them. This time I was happy to find this fresh methi leaves during my grocery shopping. Was planning something different this time, but I realized that I hadn't posted Denny's Vendhaya Keerai Kulambu which I make often and is a favorite at home.

Ingredients:
Toor dhal - 1/2 cup
Fresh Methi leaves / Fenugreek leaves - 1 small bunch - picked & cleaned
Onion - chopped - 1 cup
Garlic - 7-8 cloves - sliced
Tomato - 1 - chopped fine
Tamarind extract - 1/2 cup - Juice from tamarind about a size of a lime
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds / Methi / Vendhayam - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - a few
Jaggery - size of a blueberry - optional
Gingelly oil - 2 tbsp
Make a paste:
Channa dhal - 1 tbsp
Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp
Red chillies - 4
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Method:
Wash and soak the toor dhal for 30 mins. Dry roast the ingredients under for the spice mix one by one in medium heat. Make a paste in a blender adding water as required. Pressure cook the toor dhal with 2 cups of water, little salt and a pinch of turmeric powder for 1 whistle. Alternatively you could cook in a open vessel with water until cooked, but still holds its shape. Set aside.
Heat oil in a wide pan and add mustard seeds, methi seeds and curry leaves. When the mustard seeds splutter, add the chopped onion and garlic and saute until it turns soft. Add the tomato and a pinch of salt and saute until they turn mushy. Now add the freshly ground spice paste and mix in medium heat until the oil separates from the sides. Time to add the feneugreek leaves. Add the leaves and fry for a minute or so until it wilts. Pour the tamarind juice and allow it to boil. Transfer the cooked toor dhal to this mixture. Mix and check for salt and add if required. When it comes to a boil, add the jaggery and simmer the mixture for about 10-15 mins. This enables better melding of the flavors. Serve hot with steamed rice and papads!

Sending this kulambu to Show me your HITS - Lentils & Legumes event by Sangeetha; Kalyani's Kitchen Chronicles - Only Vegan.

Ennai Kathirikkai Kuzhambu - II | Indian Curry Recipes

As I said long before earlier, I am here with the second version of the Ennai Kathirikai Kuzhambu. DH likes this version better because this was the one which I made first. This Kuzhambu/Curry takes longer to cook but the whole process is worth the effort when you taste this one with hot steamed rice. I had bookmarked this recipe months ago. I would never miss to pick up some cute baby indian eggplants when I see them. And 99% of the time it goes into making this kulambu. Now to the recipe..

Ingredients:
Serves - 2-3; Preparation time - 10 mins; Cooking time - 45 mins;
Recipe from here
Baby Indian Eggplants/Brinjals - 6-8
Oil - 1 tsp + 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Tamarind - size of a lime - soaked in warm water
Salt - to taste
Spice mix powder - 2 tsp + as needed for stuffing (recipe below)

Method: 
Extract about 2 cups of tamarind water from the soaked tamarind. Wash and pat dry the brinjals. With the stems intact slit the bottom to a 'X' shape with a paring knife. The slit should be halfway through the brinjal. Make sure you dont slit it open reaching the stem. Use a teaspoon to fill the slits with the spice mix powder. Stuff as much powder as it can hold to all the brinjals. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wide pan and place the stuffed brinjals. Cook it by turning over once in 4-5 mins until all sides are cooked and soft. Have the heat in medium flame all the time. The brinjals would be done in about 20 mins. When done remove from heat. In another pan heat a teaspoon of oil and splutter the mustard seeds. Add the turmeric powder and the cooked brinjals with the tamarind water, 1 cup water and salt. Allow it to boil and add the leftover spice mix powder (about 2 tsps heaped). Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the kuzhambu to simmer for 20 mins until it thickens. Serve with hot steamed rice.
Note: I had reserved about 2 tsps of the spice mix powder to season my Vazhaikai Podimas. 

Spice mix powder:
Oil - 1 tsp
Fenugreek - 1/2 tsp
Dry Red Chillis - 7 or 8
Toor dhal - 3 tsp
Urad dhal - 3/4 tsp
Chana dhal - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Method:
Heat oil and fry all the ingredients (except salt) in medium heat for about 5-7 mins. When roasted well, allow it to cool and grind to a fine powder in a mixie/coffee grinder adding salt. Make sure that the mix is salty because we are not going to add salt to the brinjals separately. 

Sending this to HLI-Eggplant event by Kalyani.

Ennai Kathirikkai kuzhambu

Ennai Kathirikkai kuzhambu is one of the favourites of my DH but I did not prepare it recently. It used to feature in our menu whenever we get good, fresh and soft brinjals in the indian stores or asian super market, but you know it is rare. This is my grandma's recipe for ennai kathirikkai kuzhambu and it tasted awesome. We had it for lunch with hot steamed rice and also as a side dish for dosa at dinner and it vanished. I would be posting another recipe soon which involves stuffing the brinjal with roast ingredients. For now this is the recipe from grandma..

Ingredients:
Serves: 2
Brinjal/Indian eggplant - 5 or 6
Onion - chopped - 3/4 cup
Tamarind - size of a lemon, soak in warm water and extract juice
Gingelly Oil/nallennai for shallow fry
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Make a paste:
Coriander seeds - 3 tsp
cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp
Rice - 1/2 tsp
Dried red chillies - 5
Shallots/Pearl onions - 4. Can substitute with 1/4 cup chopped regular onions but the taste would be different.
Garlic Cloves - 5
Grated coconut - 2 tsp

Method:
Heat 2 tsp of oil in a kadai and add the ingredients under 'Make a paste', except coconut and roast in med-high flame. Make sure that you give a constant stir to avoid burning of the items. We add rice here as an indicator for the duration of roasting the masala. When the rice turns to a shade of brown, turn off the heat and add the coconut. This heat is enough for the coconut to be roasted. Give a quick mix and allow it to cool in a blender/mixie. When it is cooling wash the brinjals and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Make a slit at the base so that it resembles a plus (+) sign until midway in the brinjal. This is similar to how we slit tomatoes while blanching. Heat 4 tbsp of oil in a wide kadai and place the brinjal with the stems intact. Cook in med-high flame and turn frequently to have it cook on all sides. cook until the brinjals are charred and soft. Transfer the brinjals holding their stems into a plate.

Add 2 tbsp of oil and when it is hot add the mustard seeds, urad dhal and chopped onions and fry onion until transparent. Meanwhile make a smooth paste of the items in the blender adding water. Add the paste to the onions with 1/2 cup water and bring to boil until oil seperates in the sides. Now add salt and the brinjals carefully onto the kadai and add the tamarind water. Check for seasoning and allow the kuzhambu to boil and thicken. Serve hot with rice.
I am sending this to Healing foods - Eggplant event by Siri, guest hosted by Kavita of 'Seasoned n Dressed'


I am also sending this to 'Dish Name Starts With : E' event by Akila of 'Learning-to-Cook'