Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu

paruppu urundai kuzhambuHello everyone. It has been quite a while since I posted new recipes. But I am back and I hope that you had tried as many recipes as possible while I was away. Today, I am going to post an authentic Tamilian gravy dish called the Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu (it means Lentil dumplings gravy in english). It is one of my favorite gravy and is a favorite of my HB as well. It is packed with protein (lentils), hence healthy for all age groups.

paruppu urundai kuzhambuThe first time I had Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu was in my friend’s home during my school days.  I loved it instantly. Though it might look like a time consuming process to prepare this gravy, given the preparation of the lentil dumplings and the gravy (we make them separately), it is actually an easy to make recipe. There are subtle variations to the gravy (and the dumplings as well) and the most common one is where the gravy resembles Puzhi Kuzhambu (tamarind gravy). It is a common occurrence in south Indian cuisine where you can prepare different recipes using one common gravy. For example, the tamarind gravy can be used to make Meen Kuzhambu (Fish gravy) and Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu (Lentil dumplings gravy) as well. I personally like to have a distinct taste, wherever possible, in each of the recipes that I prepare and for that reason my gravy in this recipe does not have tamarind as an ingredient:)

paruppu urundai kuzhambuAs I had mentioned earlier, Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu is a two step process. One is the preparation of the gravy and the other one is the making of lentil dumplings. For those who are a bit apprehensive about the preparatory method for the lentil dumplings, worry not. You can steam the dumplings first and then drop them in the gravy. One reason why I don’t steam is that the gravy does not get absorbed by the dumplings if you do that and that will alter the taste. So do try this authentic recipe from my home state in India and as always post your comments.

Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Indian
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • Oil- 2 tbsp
  • Cloves – 2 nos
  • Cinnamon stick – 1”
  • Fennel seeds – 1 tsp
  • Shallots , roughly chopped – 4 nos
  • Garlic cloves, crushed – 4 nos
  • Tomatoes, pureed – 2 nos
  • Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
  • Sambar powder – 2 tbsp
To grind:
  • Grated coconut – 1 tbsp
  • Shallots – 1 no
To make dumplings:
  • Toor dal, soaked and coarsely ground – ½ cup
  • Shallots, finely chopped – 3 nos
  • Garlic clove, crushed – 1
  • Turmeric powder – a pinch
  • Sambar powder – ½ tsp
  • Salt – a pinch
Instructions
  1. Soak dal in water for one hour. Drain the water completely and grind them coarsely in a blender. Just pulse them like how you make for paruppu vada.
  2. Crush the garlic cloves and chop the shallots. Make tomato puree and keep it ready. Grind grated coconut along with a shallot to a fine paste and keep it aside.
  3. Heat a pan with oil and season with cloves, cinnamon and fennel seeds.
  4. Add shallots and sauté well. Add the crushed garlic cloves.
  5. Add tomato puree and sauté for a minute.
  6. Add turmeric powder, sambar powder and salt. Add enough water, close the lid and bring it to boil.
  7. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, mix the dal, finely chopped shallots, crushed garlic, a pinch of turmeric powder and ½ tsp sambar powder and a pinch of salt.
  8. Make small dumplings.
  9. Add ground coconut paste and enough water to the gravy and bring them to boil.
  10. When the gravy starts to boil, check the salt and add the dumplings. Do not stir the gravy once the dumplings are added. Cover and allow them to cook for five minutes. The dumplings will start to float on top when they are cooked. Simmer and cook for another couple of minutes and switch off the flame.
  11. Enjoy the paruppu urundai kuzhambu with steamed rice and fryums on the side. 🙂
Notes
1.You could also steam the dumplings in pressure cooker for 10 minutes and add them to the gravy instead of adding them directly.
2.The gravy must be thin while you add the dumplings. So that it gets cooked.
3.If you feel like the gravy is so thin, take out the cooked dumplings carefully and place on a wide pan or plate. Simmer the gravy and cook until the desired consistency. Switch off the flame and transfer the gravy to the pan where the dumplings are transferred.
4.You could also use coconut milk in place of coconut paste.

VENTHAYA KUZHAMBU

Venthaya kuzhambu is a south Indian gravy that is usually had with white rice (and rarely with idli or dosa). I learnt this dish from my MIL. She is my go-to source for all traditional south Indian (especially Tamilian) recipes. Venthaya kuzhambu is very much like puli (tamarind) kuzhambu except for the fact that we use only fenugreek seeds (venthaiyam/methi) in the recipe.
Venthaya Kuzhambu
Venthayam/Methi/Fenugreek is a healthy spice especially for new moms (for milk production) and also used for digestive problems. Fenugreek seeds in general are bitter in taste. Hence be cautious in the number for fenugreek seeds you use for the preparation of Venthaya kuzhambu. Personally, I have cooked Venthaya kuzhambu only for two, so, I use very little amount of fenugreek seeds (half in that I fry and the rest I add as is in the gravy).
Venthaya Kuzhambu
Like all those dishes that tastes better as they get older (pizza, fish gravy etc), Venthaya kuzhambu tastes excellent as it gets older. As I had mentioned above, you can have this gravy with white rice or as a side dish for curd rice, yummy! Try this healthy (for all those new moms) and tasty recipe in your home and as always let me know your comments and thoughts.

VENTHAYA KUZHAMBU
Recipe type: lunch
Cuisine: Indian
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 2
 
Ingredients
  • Shallots,chopped – 6 nos
  • Garlic cloves, chopped – 4 nos
  • Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp ( 5 to 6 nos )
  • Tamarind – big gooseberry size
  • Sambar powder – 1 tbs
  • Grated Coconut – 1 tbs
  • Gingelly oil – 2 tbs
  • Salt – as required
Instructions
  1. Soak tamarind in water for half an hour and extract the juice. Add sambar powder to the tamarind extract, mix well and set aside.
  2. Grind the coconut along with one chopped shallot and little water in to a fine paste.
  3. Dry roast the fenugreek seeds in a hot pan until golden brown. Allow them to cool. keep half of them aside and blend the remaining half to powder.
  4. Heat a pan with oil and add the shallots. Sauté until the onions turn translucent.
  5. Add garlic and sauté well.
  6. Add tamarind extract and the dry roasted fenugreek seeds.
  7. Now add the coconut paste and bring it to boil. Add the fenugreek powder. Mix well and cook until the gravy is thick and dark brown. Switch off the flame.
  8. Serve venthaya kuzhambu along with white rice and egg podimas or fryums on the side. Enjoy!
Notes
1.Be careful while roasting the fenugreek seeds as it tastes bitter when overcooked. 2.Grinding very few fenugreek seeds to powder is a difficult job. So make a batch and use very little for this gravy. Store the remaining in a small air tight container.

Venthaya Kuzhambu

MOCHAI KUZHAMBU

Mochai is a type of bean also known as field beans in English. You will find this as Val beans in Indian grocery stores across the US. Mochai Kuzhambu is a gravy dish made with Mochai beans. The search for these beans in the US must have been the longest one that I have ever undertaken to find a food item (ingredient or cooked dish).
mochai kuzhambuMochai Kuzhambu tastes somewhat similar to Puzhi Kuzhambu only that it has Mochai beans in it. An interesting fact about Mochai is that every part of the plant is edible, i.e., can be cooked and eaten. However, Indian recipes are predominantly made using the beans only. Also, Mochai is used to make Tofu and Tempeh (attention vegan lovers!).
mochai kuzhambuMochai Kuzhambu is one of the easiest dishes to make. It goes well with hot white rice and normally you don’t need a side dish since the Mochai beans serves as one. Mochai Kuzhambu also tastes good when had with Chappati or Dosa.
mochai kuzhambuHere is the recipe to Mochai Kuzhambu. Do try it in your home and let me know your thoughts.

MOCHAI KUZHAMBU
Recipe type: lunch
Cuisine: Indian
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 3
 
Ingredients
  • Mochai (Field Beans) - ¾ cup
  • Tamarind – a big gooseberry sized ball (when diluted comes to ¼ cup)
  • Small Onion – 8 nos
  • Tomato - ½
  • Garlic - 4 cloves
  • Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
  • Coriander powder - 2 tsp
  • Salt - to taste
To saute and grind:
  • Oil - 1 tsp
  • Shallots - 6 to 7 nos
  • Tomato – 1 no
  • Garlic - 4 cloves
  • Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
  • Fennel seeds – ½ tsp
  • Grated coconut – 2 tbsp
To temper:
  • Oil - 1 tbsp
  • Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
  • Urad dal - ½ tsp
  • Fenugreek seeds - ¼ tsp
  • Hing - a generous pinch
  • Curry leaves – a sprig
Instructions
  1. Soak the beans in water overnight or at least 8 hours and pressure cook for 6 whistles.
  2. Soak the tamarind in water for 15 minutes and extract the juice.
  3. Sauté and grind the ingredients mentioned above to a fine paste.
  4. Heat oil in a sauce pan and add the items given under tempering. When they start to sizzle, add in chopped shallots. Sauté until they turn translucent.
  5. Now add in garlic cloves and sauté until the raw smell leaves. Add the chopped tomatoes and sauté till they become mushy.
  6. Add in the cooked beans along with tamarind juice and water and bring it to boil- it should take couple of minutes.
  7. Now add in the ground paste followed by red chilli powder, coriander powder and salt. Mix well and bring it to boil- add water if needed.
  8. Simmer it in a low flame for 10 minutes until the gravy thickens.
  9. Switch off the flame and close the lid. Serve it after 30 minutes. Enjoy!
Notes
You could also dry roast the Mochai or field beans before soaking in water.
Always try adding coconut just while blending, without roasting it. As coconut has high cholesterol when roasted.
Whenever you make any type of beans gravy, try to serve it at least after 15 minutes so that the beans absorb the masalas from the gravy.

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PULIKUZHAMBU

022Pulikuzhambu is a south Indian gravy made from tamarind. Again, there are many variations to it based on geographical locations. It is specific to Tamilnadu. Pulikuzhambu is very easy to make and involves very limited ingredients. It is one of the main dishes served in a marriage feast along with Sambar. There are many variations of Pulikuzhambu but I would say almost every one of them is easy to make.
018Pulikuzhambu is one of my favorite vegetarian dishes. I love the tanginess (because of tamarind) in it. And I love the one prepared by my mom. There is this tradition in most of the homes in Tamilnadu where quite often families have dinner under moon light, sharing food with their dear ones. It is called as Nilachoru (Nila- Moon, Choru – rice) in Tamil. Pulikuzhambu is often the dish that we used to have in our nilachoru back home. So whenever I prepare Pulikuzhambu here, I feel nostalgic and start missing my home.
The drumstick Pulikuzhambu recipe that I have given here is my Mom’s so it guaranteed to come out well when you prepare it :). I love having Pulikuzhambu with rice and poriyal (for which I given the recipe here (link)) and also with curd (yoghurt). So do try this wonderful and simple recipe at your home and let me know your comments.

DRUMSTICK PULI KUZHAMBU |MURUNGAIKAI PULI KUZHAMBU
Recipe type: Lunch
Cuisine: Indian
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 3
 
Pulikuzhambu is a south Indian gravy made from tamarind. Again, there are many variations to it based on geographical locations. It is specific to Tamilnadu. Pulikuzhambu is very easy to make and involves very limited ingredients.
Ingredients
  • Gingelly oil – 1 tbs
  • Mustard seeds & urad dal - 1 tsp each
  • Fennel seeds- ½ tsp
  • Curry leaves- a sprig
  • Shallots – 7 nos (cut lenghtwise)
  • Garlic cloves – 5 (cut lenghtwise)
  • Drumstick – 1 (cut into equal pieces)
  • Sambar powder – 1 to 2 tbs
  • Grated coconut – 1 tbs
  • Tamarind – big gooseberry size
  • Salt as required
Instructions
  1. Soak tamarind in a cup of water and extract the juice.
  2. Blend together a shallot, grated coconut and a tbs of sambar powder with little water to make a paste.
  3. Heat a pan with gingelly oil followed by mustard, urad dal, fennel seeds and curry leaves. When they start to sizzle, add in chopped garlic and sauté for few seconds until the aroma spreads. Add shallots and sauté for a while.
  4. When the shallots turn translucent, add sambar powder followed by drumstick. Give a quick stir and add the ground paste and the tamarind extract. Stir and bring it to boil. Close the lid and cook until the drumstick is done (drumsticks easily disintegrates when you poke it with your cooking spatula).
  5. Serve hot with any poriyal or kootu. Enjoy!

 

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Tirunelveli Pulikuzhambu

028Tirunelveli always reminds me of so many special memories. I learnt this super dish from my mom’s bestie (and her daughter is my bestie!). We go to Tirunelveli just to visit them and of course to enjoy her food. She always makes this dish whenever we visit them as it is my favorite. (I must say that this is one among many she prepares for the lunch). My mom’s friend is an avid cook. It was very kind of her to share this recipe. I also love her Sothi for which I will post the recipe very soon. Thanks to aunty and my friend, who took the time to ask her mom and e-mail me the recipe.
Tirunelveli pulikuzhambuPulikuzhambu is a tamarind based gravy popular in my home state of Tamilnadu, India. And Tirunelveli pulikuzhambu is one of the best. The key to this recipe is the roasting of spices to the right temper which is then ground to a paste and that forms the base for this gravy. Tirunelveli pulikuzhambu goes very well with rice, idli and dosa.
tirunelveli pulikuzhambuLooks yummy rite? Pulikuzhambu is my most favorite vegetarian gravy and this Tirunelveli variety is at the top of the pecking order. That is mainly because of the taste and the traditional method in which it is prepared. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Tirunelveli Pulikuzhambu
Recipe type: Lunch
Cuisine: Indian
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Easy puli kuzhambu made in tirunelveli style for the spicy food lovers and mom to be's.
Ingredients
  • Garlic cloves – 15 nos
  • Shallots – 4 (if small – 6, cut into slits)
  • Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
  • Urad dal – 1 tsp
  • Tamarind – big gooseberry size
  • Gingelly oil – 2 tbs
  • Salt as required
To roast
  • Cumin seeds – 1 tbs
  • Whole black pepper – 12 nos
  • Red chillies – 3
  • Coriander seeds – 1 tbs
  • Split bengal gram/ kadalai paruppu - 1 tbs
  • Raw rice – 1 tsp
  • Fenugreek seeds – ½ tbs (7 to 8 nos)
Instructions
  1. Soak tamarind in a cup of water for 15 minutes and extract the juice.
  2. Heat a tsp of gingelly oil, add and roast the ingredients given above for a couple of minutes until the aroma spreads (simmer it to avoid burning). Allow it to cool and grind along with a shallot and keep it ready.
  3. Heat gingelly oil in a sauce pan and add mustard seeds and urad dal. When it starts to pop, add shallots and garlic cloves. Sauté until onion turn translucent.
  4. Now add in the ground masala and immediately the tamarind juice with enough salt. Mix well and allow it to boil. Switch off the flame when oil separates.
Notes
Add whole garlic cloves to this gravy *WITHOUT* chopping. This gives an added taste. Chopped garlic not so much.

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