Poondu VathaKuzhambu

I had tasted this Kuzhambu in a very famous hotel in Nagercoil. The hotel's name is Mani's Cafe. The taste was pretty awesome that i had asked the recepie for the same to one of my friend who stays in nagercoil.

Ingredients:-

1. Garlic pods - 20 (Medium sized)
2. Shallots / Pearl onions - 10
3. Tomato - 1/2 of a tomato
4. Coconut - 1/2 of a coconut (or) 1/2 cup coconut paste
5. Curry leaves - A handful + Few for tempering the gravy
6. Tamarind - A medium gooseberry sized
7. Dry red chilli - 10
8. Red chilli powder - 1 spoon
9. Coriander powder - 2 spoons
10. Cumin seeds - 1.5 spoons
11. Peppercorns - 1 spoon
12. Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 spoon
13. Mustard seeds - 1 spoon + 1/2 spoon + 1/2 spoon
14. Asafoetida / Hing - A pinch
15. Gingelly oil - 10 spoons + 5 spoons

Method:-

• Soak tamarind in a cup of water and after 20 minutes mash it well with fingers and extract the juice from it. Discard the pulp and set the juice aside.
• Peel off the skin form garlic pods and shallots (small onions) and set aside. Do not chop them.
• Grind coconut and make a fine paste out of it and set aside. (You must get a small cup of coconut paste that will be enough)
•Heat a pan and dry roast (i.e. do not add oil) the following ingredients;

(Ingredients to be dry roasted)

1. Dry red chillies - 10
2. Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 spoon
3. Peppercorns -1 spoon
4. Cumin seeds - 1.5 spoons
5. Mustard seeds - 1/2 spoon
• Grind the following ingredients coarsely, then add some water and make a fine paste out of it;

(Masala paste)

1. All the above dry roasted ingredients
2. Garlic pods - 5
3. Pearl onions - 5
4. Tomato - 1/2 of a tomato (Optional)

• Then heat a saucepan/pot and add 10 spoons of oil to it. (I added more, only then it will taste good)
• Now after it heats add 1 spoon of mustard seeds and let it splutter.
• Then add curry leaves, shallots, and 2 dry red chillies and saute.
• Now add the garlic and saute for 2 minutes.
• The add the masala paste and stir well, then add coconut paste, red chilli powder, coriander powder, tamarind juice and stir well.
• Add water to adjust the consistency of the gravy.
• Let the gravy boil for a while and when oil separates form the gravy and garlic gets cooked well and soft, temper the gravy.
• For tempering add 5 spoons of oil in a pan and heat it, after it heats up add, asafoetida, 1/2 spoon of mustard seeds, and few curry leaves and saute for a minute.
• Then add this tempering mixture into the gravy and stir well, remove from flame.
• Serve!!