Veena, this is delicious. Our cook back in India made a vathal kuzhambu podi to send it with me to US and it was my favorite. I never knew the recipe and now I have it. Making it right away.
Ingredients
-
VATHAL KUZHAMBU PODI
-
1/4 cup Tuvar dal
-
1/4 cup Gram dal
-
1/4 cup Urad dal
-
3/4 cup Coriander seeds
-
1 1/2 cup Red chillies
-
2 tsp Fenugreek seeds
-
INGREDIENTS TO PREPARE KUZHAMBU
-
1/2 cup Pumpkin piecescut into cubes
-
Marble sized Tamarind
-
1/4 cup Water
-
2 tsp OilPreferably gingelly oil
-
1 tsp Mustard seeds
-
1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds
-
1/2 tsp Asafoetida
-
1/2 tsp Jaggery
-
Few Curry leaves
-
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
-
to taste Salt
Directions
Vathal Kuzhambu or Vatha kuzhambu is a specialty of Tamil Nadu. Vathal is the word given to sun dried vegetable and the nearest meaning that can be attributed to kuzhambu is that it is a tamarind-based gravy. Every region of tamilnadu has its own version of this vatha kuzhambu. The spice used in this is either the sambar powder or vatha kuzhambu podi. I am sure most households have their own version of the kuzhambu powder.I use the version taught by my in law wherein she could prepare the vathal kuzhambu podi in a good quantity as this stock of podi is very helpful when we are in dearth of sambar powder.
The vathals that are generally used are the manathakkali vathal and sundakkai or turkey berry. The specialty of my mother-in-law was to use parangikkai in vathal kuzhambu. So technically mine would be parangikkai kuzhambu and not parangikkai vathal kuzhambu. I am sure it makes no difference as the hero is not the vegetable but the slurry combination of the kuzhambu powder and tamarind boiled to a perfect consistency with right amount of salt and delicately flavored with perungayam aka asafoetida and kariveppilai/ curry leaves. Ahha…. I can go on about this delectable kuzhambu, however let stop here and take you through the process.
INGREDIENTS USED FOR VATHA KUZHAMBU PODI:
Tamarind is the main ingredient which gives body to this dish. Use too much , it becomes unedible, use less it will lack the tanginess. The trick is to use the right amount. A size which is a tad bigger than a marble should be enough to make the kuzhambu for 2 people. We can use the tamarind paste which is available off shelf too.
Vathal kuzhambu podi is the spice mix which makes this kuzhambu so flavourful. It is a mix of three different dal along with coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds and red chillies. You can always substitute this with sambar powder too.
Vathals and vegetables used in making vatha kuzhambu:
Sundakkai and manithakkali are the most used vathals in this kuzhambu. The fresh vegetables that could be used are parangikkai, vendakkai , drumstick as in Murungakkai vatha kuzhambu and small onions. Some prepare it with garlic too.
How to serve Vathal Kuzhambu:
I like to serve vatha kuzhambu with hot white rice, one or two karimedhu like Beans curry in instantpot.
Steps
|
1
Done
|
Preparation of vathal kuzhambu podiMeasure the ingredients to make vatha kuzhambu podi |
|
2
Done
|
Dry roast all the dal’s together until they become slightly brown and transfer it to a plate. |
|
3
Done
|
Roast the coriander seeds and fenugreek seeds till a good flavour emanates and transfer it to the above plate. |
|
4
Done
|
Dry roast the fenugreek seeds for a minute and transfer it to the plate to cool it. |
|
5
Done
|
Now add 2 tsp oil and roast the red chillis till they become crisp. Transfer them to the plate. |
|
6
Done
|
Let all these ingredients cool down completely. |
|
7
Done
|
Store it in an airtight container. |
|
8
Done
|
Preparation of Parangikkai Vathal Kuzhambu:Cut the pumpkin into cubes. |
|
9
Done
|
Soak the tamarind in luke warm water for ½ hour. Squeeze the juice and keep it aside. |
|
10
Done
|
Heat oil in a kadai. Add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida..Once the mustard crackles, add the cut pumpkin cubes, sauté it for 3 minutes in medium flame. |
|
11
Done
|
Now put 3 tsp of the vathal kuzhambu spice powder, mix well. Fry for few seconds. |
|
12
Done
|
Now add the tamarind juice plus 1 cup of water. |
|
13
Done
|
Add salt and let everything boil for 5-6 minutes in medium flame. |
|
14
Done
|
Add gram flour and 2tsp water. Make it into a paste and pour this into the boiling Kuzhambu and boil for few minutes to get the right thickness of the kuzhambu. |
|
15
Done
|
Add jaggery, cook for 1 minute in low flame. |
|
16
Done
|
Switch off the fire. Serve with hot rice and karimedhu/ curry of your choice. |
Veena, this is delicious. Our cook back in India made a vathal kuzhambu podi to send it with me to US and it was my favorite. I never knew the recipe and now I have it. Making it right away.
I m salivating as i read through the post. Its vathakuzhambu that runs in our veins! Amma too makes a vathakuzhambu podi, definitely this separate podi adds a nice taste to the kuzhambu! Lovely share veena!
I’ve come across this recipe at the right time. With pumpkins in season and the weather being so cold, this vathal kuzhambu is definitely going to be something the family will enjoy with some hot rice.
oh wow.. so yum! I am so in love with this vathakuzhambu podi. I learnt mine from my MIL too (she used to add a handful of curry leaves and a pinch of vendhyam while roasting). and yes vathkumabu with “thokkala” perungayam is another delicacy 🙂
Good to have this kuzhambu podi recipe Veena.It is handy to have this, will try this one with okra. Makes a good accompaniment with steamed rice.
I am always in search of podi recipes and this on is another one for me to try soon. Thanks for the share.
Hi, Can I replace vathal with turkey berry
Hello. Yes you can replace it