Kuzhambus - Gravies of South India!

Sprouted Methi Sambar - Unusual, but healthy!

For SBS photos, please go to
Sprouted Methi Sambar

I dedicate this recipe to my mother whose " own invention " this recipe is !

Methi Seeds 1 tbsp

Tamarind paste I tbsp

To fry in ½ tsp oil and grind to a paste:

Red chillies 3

Pepper 1 tsp

Udad dhal 2 tsp

Hing 1 tsp

Grated coconut 2 tbsp

To temper:

Mustard seeds 1 tsp

Curry leaves

Salt & haldi



Sprout methi seeds just as we sprout moong.

It takes a little longer, but sprouts very well.

Fry the given ingredients in ½ tsp oil and grind fine.


Add the tamarind paste to 1 cup of water.

In a small 2 litre pressure cooker or pan heat 1 tsp oil, temper with the given ingredients, add the sprouts, tamarind water, ground paste, salt & haldi.

Adjust to the required consistency because you are pressure cooking it & there will not be any evaporation.

Close the cooker, put the weight and cook.

Switch off as soon as the first whistle comes.

If a small pressure cooker is not available cook in the usual way.

Adding a little jaggery is optional.

If you want to avoid coconut, you can add freshly grated carrot without frying, along with the fried ingredients.

You can add 2 tbsp cooked tur dhal, if you like.

 

Morkuzambu - Many Methods

It is better to read the tips on morkuzambu first, before proceeding with the methods.
Tips for Morkuzhambu
This recipe is for those who love a pepper flavour.

Using yam or Chenai:

Select the variety which cooks soft. Cut into 1” cubes. Cook 1 cup of vegs in just enough water with 1/2 tsp pepper powder, haldi & very little salt. In the meanwhile, grind 1 cup ofcoconut & 3-4 green chilles fine, using minimum water. When the vegetable is cooked soft, add the paste, cook on medium fire for a minute & simmer the stove, adding 2 cupsof churned lightly sour curds. When it starts frothing, switch off the stove, add the remaining salt & stir continuously for a minute. This prevents breaking of curds. Temper in 1 tsp coconut oil with red cillies, mustard seeds , few methi seeds ( or powder ) & curry leaves.

The above method can be followed without adding pepper powder also.

Using white pumpkin:

3-4Red chillies, 1 tsp tur dhal, 1/4 tsp jeera are soaked together for 15 mts & ground with 2-3green chillies & 1/2 cupcoconut. Method is the same as above, without pepper.
Yet another method is in
Morkuzambu Vadai
Morkuzambu Idli
Using seppankizangu (colocasia );

Any one of the above methods, without pepper.

Using ladies’ finger;

First, lightly fry the vegetable in 2 tsp oil for a few mts & proceed as above or first method, without pepper.

Using clusterbeans ( kothavarai )

Soak little dhaniya, a tiny piece of ginger , little jeera & grind with fried gram (pottukadalai ), less coconut & green chillies. The vegetable must be cooked quite soft, first.

Using small onions:

Grind coconut, pottukadalai & green chillies. Whole small onions must be fried in little oil first & then proceed as before.


Mampaza Puliseri:

This is a typical Kerala dish & has a sweet & sour taste.

Ripe mangoes(sweet)- 2 big or 3 medium
Fairly sour curds-2 cups
Grated coconut-1 cup
Green chillis- 6 (more or less)

To temper-1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp methi seeds
curry leaves
1 tsp oil

Steam the fruits, cool, deskin and remove the pulp. Pass it through a blender for a smooth texture. Grind coconut and green chillis to a fine paste. Beat the curds well. Mix all the three , put in a saucepan and heat the mixture on medium heat. As soon as it starts frothing, remove, add salt and stir continuously for a few minutes. Temper.
Instead of pulp, big pieces of the fruit can also be used as in the other methods.

Note: MorSambar is given as a separete recipe.
Colocasia Morkuzambu;

 

Paruppurundai Kuzambu - the Kofta Gravy of South India

For Urundai:

Tur dhal ½ cup level

Udad dhal 2 tsp

Red chillis 4

Salt, haldi,Hing,chopped curry leaves and coriander leaves

For kuzhambu:

Tamarind paste 1 tbsp

Tomatoes 3

Roast & grind with 2 tbsp coconut

Red chillis 4

Methi ½ tsp

To temper:

Mustard seeds 1 tsp

Soak the dhals & chillis for 2-3 hrs.( You can use 2 red & 2 green chillis)

Wash and drain well.

Preferably mince them as fine as possible in a small mincer jar- if not ,grind without water to a coarse paste.

Mix with this paste, salt, haldi,hing,chopped curry leaves and coriander leaves.

Make lemon sized balls without making them very tight in which case they will become hard – roll them lightly.

Steam them for 5 mtes by arranging them carefully without one touching the other.

In a pan, boil chopped tomatoes and tamarind paste with ½ cup water till soft.

Blend and strain.

Make this up to 2 cups by adding water.

Boil this with salt, haldi and ground paste.

When the mixture is well blended add the well cooled balls one by one.

Simmer for a few minutes and remove.

Temper with mustard seeds in ½ tsp oil.

This dish can be made using only tamarind without tomatoes.

This is a traditional South Indian Favourite dish.

Goes well with rice and a green vegetable curry.
The same urundais can be added to plain morkuzambu without any vegetable.
:

 

Thankyou!

Dear Jaya,
I am surprised to receive a mail, literally within 5 mts of my posting the recipe ! I posted it on your request. You can take your time & send me the feed back.
Love & regards,
Chithra.

 

Ennai Kathirikkai Kuzambu (Brinjal & small onion ) Kuzambu – second to none !

For SBS photos,please go to
Ennai kathirikkai kuzambu



Brinjal & onions always combine well. Here it is a combination of small tender round brinjals & small onions. It just tastes “ Yum!”.

Small round tender brinjals - 10-12

Small onions ( peeled ) - 1 cup

Tamarind paste - 1 tbsp

Grated coconut - 1/4 cup

Oil - 1 tbsp,

Salt

To roast in 1 tsp oil & grind to a paste:

Red chillies - 5,6

Tur dhal - 1 tsp

Gram dhal - 1 tsp

Udad dhal - 1 tsp

Khus khus - 1 tsp
To temper in ½ tsp oil :

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - few

Remove the stem of brinjals & cut vertically, criss cross to ¾ along the length.

Mix tamarind paste with 1 cup of water &salt.

Add 1 cup warm water to coconut & extract milk.

In a pressure pan, heat 1 tbsp oil , fry brinjals well for 5 mts, then add onions & fry very well till onion changes colour.
Add tamarind water, coconut milk, ground paste & make it up to required thickness.
Close the cooker, put the weight & cook for 1 whistle.

Cool, open & temper.
Variations:

Coconut can be ground with roasted ingredients & added instead of coconut milk.

Sambar powder can be added instead of the ground paste.

Big onions, sliced into long pieces, can be sustituted for small onions.

The photo is posted below.