Ingredients:
- Gingelly seed Oil-A tbsp
- Garlic- peeled- ½ cup(slice length wise into halves if the pods are large)
- Shallots/small onions-sliced into halves1/2 cup
- Dhania powder/malli thool-1 tbsp
- Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
- Kuzhambu milagai thool-I use Aachi brand to get that distinct Chettinad flavour- 1 tbsp
- Tamarind- a small lime sized ball
- Salt-to taste
- Gingelly seed Oil-1 tbsp
- Mustard seeds
- Urad dal or Bengal gram dal-a tsp
- Methi seeds-1/2 tsp
- Dried Sundakkai or Manathakkali Vatral(optional)- A tbsp
- Curry leaves-a sprig
To Season:
Method:
- Soak tamarind in half a cup of warm water and extract juice as thick as possible.Keep aside.Generally I use a little aged tamarind, blackish brown in colour.
- This enhances the taste of any Kuzhambu and gives that blackish brown colour too.
- Heat oil in a thick bottomed deep vessel. Sauté garlic and onions till they turn golden brown, say for abt half a minute.
- Add tamarind extract followed by the 3 powders.(you can also use sambhar powder or just chilly powder instead of Kuzhambu milagai thool.)Mix well to avoid any lumps.
- Add salt. Bring this to a boil and reduce flame to simmer till it reduces to a semi-thick paste.Refer picture for consistency.If you prefer a little watery, take off from fire a little earlier, accordingly.
- In a separate kadai, heat oil, season with mustard seeds, urad or bengal gram dal & Methi seeds. Sauté Vatral of your choice for 3-5 seconds and throw in curry leaves.
- Pour over to the Kuzhambu, bring to another boil, mix well and remove from fire.
