Special Kara Kuzhambu

There are various types of kuzhambu that are eaten with steamed rice. Kara kuzhambu is one such tangy spicy gravy that does not use lentils in its preparation.The name of the kuzhambu also changes with the type of ingredients that is used. If eggplant is used then it is called kathrika kuzhambu. If dried beeries are used then it becomes vathal kuzhambu. Unlike other kuzhambu, kara kuzhambu generally has onion, garlic and tomato in its prepartion.
Here, I am presenting a special kara kuzhambu that has the ingrediets of vathal kuzhambu and kara kuzhambu.

Ingredients:
Drumstick -1
Shallots - 250 gm
Tomato - 2
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Tamarind - lemon size
Brown sugar - 1 tsp (optional)
Dried black night shade berries - 2 tsp
Garlic - few pods
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Chilli powder - 3 tsp
Sambhar powder -4 tsp
Asofetida powder/hing - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - few sprigs
Mustard seeds -1 tsp
Black gram - 1tsp
Sesame oil - 1/2 cup
Salt to taste

Method:
Soak the tamarind in water. Extract the pulp from it. Add all the powders to the tamarind water. Keep it aside.
Cut the drumstick into 1 inch length. Skin the shallots. Stir fry half the shallots and drumstick. Fry the night shade berries in oil. Add the fried berries and vegetables to the tamarind water. Cook till the vegetables are done.
In the meantime, chop the garlic and balance shallots. Fry them in generous amount of oil. When the onions turn translucent, add the tomatoes. Keep frying till it turns mushy. Then, add the grated coconut. Stir fry for few seconds. Set aside to cool. Then, grind it into a smooth paste.    
Combine the ground paste, brown sugar and curry leaves with the cooked vegetables. Add more water and check the consistency. Bring it to a boil. Temper mustard seeds and black gram in little oil and garnish the kuzhambu. Serve along with steamed rice. 

Note:
Black night shade berry is known as manathakali in Tamil and makoy in Hindi. The leaves of this plant are prepared as vegetable, while its  berries are made into vathal(sun dried preserve). Vathal is prepared by soaking the green berries in salt and buttermilk for few days and drying it in sun till it becomes hard and crispy. It is stored in air tight containers for over a year. The dried berries are fried and added to kuzhambu or eaten along with curd rice. This berry is considered to have a lot of health benefits, besides aiding in digestion and keeping the tummy clean.

Extract the tamarind pulp from tamarind

Add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, sambhar powder and asafoetida powder

The tamarind water will look like this

Add the sauteed shallots and drumstick

   




Add  the fried night shade berries to it and boil till the vegetables are cooked well.     

Chop the balance shallots and garlic                                                               

                                                                             






When it becomes translucent  add the tomatoes   

When it becomes mushy add the grated coconuts

Stir fry for few seconds

Cool it well before grinding

Grind it to a smooth paste

Add the ground paste and curry leaves to the prepared vegetable

Check for consistency and bring to a boil.

Finally, add the mustard seeds and black gram tempered in oil

yummy ! kara kuzhambu is ready to be served

Vengai Kuzhambu (onion curry)

This is a simple and easy to make curry that goes well with steamed rice. It can be eaten along with any stir fried vegetable or pappadam.

Ingredients:
1. Shallots -100gm
2. Tamarind pulp 1- cup
3. Turmeric powder- 1/2tsp
4. Asafoetida powder 1/4 tsp.
5. Sambhar powder- 3tsps
6. Fenugreek powder- 1tsp
7. Mustard seeds- 1tsp
8. Sugar- 2tsps
9. Curry leaves - few
10. Sesame oil - 1tsp.
11. Salt and oil - as required

Method:
Add sugar, salt and two cups of water to the tamarind pulp. Keep it aside.
In a frying pan, heat some oil and add the mustard seeds. When it crackles add the
shallots and fry till it turns brown. Then add the fenugreek powder, asafoetida powder, turmeric powder and the sambhar powder in quick succession. Pour this mixture into the tamarind water. Boil till the shallots are cooked. Check for consistency and salt. Boil again. Garnish with curry leaves and sesame oil.

Kadamba Sambhar

 This is a different sambhar that has vegetables, and two lentils. It goes well with rice and flat bread.


1.    Mixed Vegetable- 100gms
2.    Chick pea - 1/4 cup(soaked overnight)
3.    Split pigeon pea - 1.1/2 cups
4.    Tamarind Pulp – 1cup
5.    Sambhar powder – 3tsps
6.    Turmeric powder – 2tsps
7.    Asafoetida powder - 1/2tsp
8.    Mustard seeds – 1tsp
9.    Sugar – 1tsp
10.    Grated coconut – 4tsps
11.    Chopped coriander leaves – 2tsps
12.    Curry leaves - few
13.    Oil and salt - as required
Method:
Cook the chick pea in a pressure cooker till soft. Cook the split pigeon pea with asafoetida and one teaspoon of turmeric powder. Mash it well and keep it aside.
Heat some oil in a frying pan and add the mustard seeds. When it crackles add the grated coconut and fry till brown.
Dilute the tamarind pulp with two cups of water. Add the balance turmeric powder, salt and sugar. Cook the vegetables in it. Then add the cooked chick peas and sambhar powder. Add more water and bring it to pouring consistency. Simmer for few seconds. Garnish with curry leaves, coriander leaves and fried coconut.

Sambhar's many avatars

Sambhar is a South Indian specialty, that comes as an accompaniment for tiffin items like idli, vada, dosa etc. It is also an item in the South Indian main course meals.

Most Indians and particularly South Indians know to make sambhar.  However, the method of making it differs in different regions. There is the palaght sambhar that tastes completely different from the Chettinad sambhar.

There are also a variety of sambhars depending on the vegetables used to make it. For instance, drumstick sambhar uses drumstick, lady's finger sambhar uses lady's finger while onion sambhar uses shallots.

Sometimes a combination of seasonal vegetables are also used to make sambhar. However, care must be taken to choose the right kind of vegetables to get the right   flavour of sambhar. Vegetables like onion, lady's finger and potato can be combined, while brinjal with potato make for a bad combination.

Coconut is a key ingredient in sambhars and the one without coconut is called podi sambhar.I make instant sambhar by adding coconut scrapping to ready-made sambhar powder.

Sambhar for tiffin should be like dal and hence should have less tamarind while sambhar for meals can be little sour.

Recipe for Onion Drumstick Sambhar

1 Coriander seeds (dhania) 4tsps
2 Fenugreek seeds (methi seeds) 1tsp
3 Red chillies 7 numbers or as required.
4 Cumin seeds (jeera) 1tsp
5 Asafoetida powder(hing) 1tsp.
6 Coconut scraping 2tsp.
7 Madras onion/shallots 200gm
8 Tamarind water 1 cup (from lemon sized tamarind)
9 Turmeric powder (haldi) 1tsp
10 Mustard seeds 1tsp
11 oil as required
12 Brown sugar 2tsp
13 salt to taste
14 Few curry leaves
15 Chopped coriander leaves 1tsp
16 Cooked and mashed pigeon pea/toor dal  2cups

Method:

Roast 1,2,3,4 & 5 separately with little oil. Add coconut scrapping and grind to a smooth paste. Keep it aside.Fry the shallots and drumstick in little oil. Add to the tamarind water along with salt, turmeric powder and brown sugar. Cook it well. Then, add the ground paste and mashed pigeon pea. Check for salt and consistency. Bring it to a boil. Temper mustard seeds in little oil and add to the sambhar. Garnish with curry leaves & coriander leaves.

Kerrai Molagootal

This is a gravy or kuzhanbu prepared in Kerala Iyer households. This mildly spiced gravy  is made of greens or spinach, lentils and coconut. It is rich in calcium and fiber. It also tastes great with rich flavours of coconut and lentil. It is combined with steamed rice and eaten along with some curd based dips, known as pachadi. 

Ingredients:

• Chopped Spinach -2cups
• Cooked Split pigeon pea -1cup
• Grated coconut - 1/4cup
• Split black gram -1tsp
• Red chillies -2
• Cumin seeds -1tsp
• Mustard seeds -1tsp
• Salt and oil - as required

Method:
Cook the spinach in one cup of water along with some salt. Cool and mash it coarsely. (Do not puree it) .Fry the split black gram and red chillies in little oil. Combine it with grated coconut and cumin seeds and grind to a smooth paste. Mix the spinach, split pigeon pea and the ground paste. Check the consistency and bring it to a boil. Season with mustard seeds fried in oil. It tastes great with Nellikai pachadi

Note:
In Kerala coconut oil is used for tempering mustard seeds.

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