A few weeks ago everyone in the family fell sick. First it started off with my son feeling sickly, thanks to the germs he picked up from the daycare. Then hubby got sick quickly followed by me. My son coughed right into my eye and my eyes got it too. It was horrible.Initially I thought it was pink eye and then the doctor clarified that it wasn't. My son's goop was traveling places. :). Gross, I know! I think it was the worst flu strain cause besides the usual symptoms, my mouth was feeling extremely dry and everything tasted like mud.FYI, I have eaten mud and bricks when I was young. So I know what I am talking about. The only best part of that sickness was that I actually lost a few pounds due to frequently skipping meals. I mean, who wants to eat anything that tasted like mud,right?(Well, I guess I didn't feel that way when I was really young).Anyways, I remembered that mom always tells me to eat something hot and tangy to delight my taste buds. So I made this "Venthaya Kuzhambhu" and ate it with such gusto that the food vanished from the plate in a blink of an eye.And I was ready for seconds.
I know the photo looks fancy and all but its eaten best when the rice and gravy/kuzhambhu are combined/mashed with hands and eaten like so. With Chips on the side. Oh yeah!
Ingredients:
Enjoy!
I know the photo looks fancy and all but its eaten best when the rice and gravy/kuzhambhu are combined/mashed with hands and eaten like so. With Chips on the side. Oh yeah!
Ingredients:
- 1 Small Onion
- 1 Small Tomato
- 1/4 Tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1/2 Tsp Mustard seeds
- Golf-ball size Tamarind, soaked in 1/2 Cup warm water for 10-15 minutes
- Salt as needed
- 1 Stalk Curry Leaves, Optional but highly desired
- 2-3 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 3 Tbsp Red Lentils
- 1/2 Tsp Cumin seeds
- 4-5 Tbsp Fresh or Frozen Grated Coconut
- 1 Tbsp Black Peppercorns
- 1 Tbsp Fenugreek Seeds
- 3-5 Dry Red Chili
- In a pan, heat about 2 tsp oil and brown the red lentils. When they start turning lightly brown add the cumin, fenugreek, red chilies and saute for a minute more. Switch off the stove and add the grated coconut and stir to combine. Cool and grind to a smooth paste with little water.
- Heat the remaining oil in a pan/kadai and add the dry mustard seeds. When they start sputtering, throw in the onions and curry leaves(if using). Saute until the onion is translucent.
- Add the turmeric powder, chopped tomato and fry till the tomato loses raw smell.Extract a thick pulp from the soaked tamarind.
- Pour the extracted tamarind pulp along with salt.
- Add the ground masala along with some water and slowly stir to combine.
- Lid the Kadai and bring it to a boil on a medium flame for 10 minutes or so. The gravy/kuzhambhu should look something like this-
- Serve with piping hot rice and chips.
Enjoy!
This sounds like a traditional recipe, Lassie. I always love tamarind based gravies...
ReplyDeleteOne of favorites.Looks so good Lassie..How r u people doing now.Hope all is well..
ReplyDeletei can almost feel the spice:)
ReplyDeleteand fancy crackers on top or is it something else??
Glad to know that the sickness has passed! This would be perfect for a cold day. The first snapshot would look gorgeous on a white background/platter.
ReplyDelete@ ? : Thanks for the suggestion. I should have done it on a white plate but this plate came handy.. LoL
ReplyDelete@AnOpenBook: Nisha, its Veggie Straws. They taste similar to the hollow fryums/finger chips in India. I buy this cause my son loves it. So do I.
ReplyDelete@Shabitha: We are doing good. So how is you?
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a beautiful dish!
ReplyDeleteI am huge fan of vendhaya kuzhambu. This looks perfect.
ReplyDeleteDelicious recipe!! Great one for when you have lost your appetite. Hope that you all have recovered.
ReplyDeleteDelicious recipe!! Great one for when you have lost your appetite. Hope that you all have recovered.
ReplyDeleteVery yummy recipe...Nice explanations..
ReplyDeleteSounds authentic recipe,tangy and spicy,makes me drool.
ReplyDeleteAs to your question I brought the banana leaves from Indian grocery store,freezer section. The Asian market here also has them :)
Tremendous flavors,it has so much going on in there and it is so right that we eat with our eyes first,I am drooling and greddily eyeing this platter*drools*
ReplyDeleteWow that's soo fantastic...yummy!
ReplyDeleteThis looks beautiful and sounds like something I would love to try. The ingredients are intriguing. Blessings, Catherine
ReplyDeleteHi Cool
ReplyDeleteGravy looks to be awesome. Would love to try out this method in this weekend.
Deepa
Hamaree Rasoi
The more I scroll through your pics the hungrier I get :)
ReplyDeleteGreat recipe!
US Masala
à®°ொà®®்ப à®…à®°ுà®®ையாக இருக்கு கூல்...à®…à®®்à®®ா வந்து இருந்த பொà®´ுது செய்தது...அப்பறம் செய்வேயில்லை...கண்டிப்பாக உங்க செய்à®®ுà®±ையில் செய்து பாà®°்க்கிà®±ேன்...
ReplyDeletenice clicks dear....looks yummy...
ReplyDeletelove that picture..looks yumm..
ReplyDeleteWoww... Traditional and delicious recipe.. looks so so so perfect and tempting.. thanks for sharing !!
ReplyDeleteIndian Cuisine
Beautiful presentation CL, i dont bother to finish that whole plate, inviting and mouthwatering here..
ReplyDeletemake somethg similar- lovely clicks !
ReplyDeleteooooh love the pics..very well presented
ReplyDeleteஅழகான பிà®°ேசண்டேஷன் கூல்..வெந்தயக் குà®´à®®்பு எனக்கு à®°ொமப் பிடிக்குà®®்..உங்க செய்à®®ுà®±ையிலுà®®் செய்து பாà®°்க்கனுà®®்..
ReplyDeleteLove this gravy...looks so delicious.
ReplyDeleteThose chick crackers looks fab! and Kolambu drool! :)
ReplyDeletethis is my all time fav.. your gravy looks super delicious.. tempting..
ReplyDeleteI adore the flavor of tamarind so this whole dish sounds fantastic to me!
ReplyDeleteur presentation is too tempting!...veggie strawswith hot rice and pulusu!....soo yummm!...heavenly...comfort food at its best!
ReplyDeleteSmitha
Smitha's Spicy Flavors
well prepared n mouthwatering..
ReplyDeletestop over n pick up an award plz..
Tasty Appetite
Nice favourful dish..
ReplyDeleteLove your presentation, CL. The crispies in the fist click look good.
ReplyDeleteLite Bite