Re: Kuzhambus- the gravies of South India. Funny,I make this so often,but never realised it had a separate name...:-D
Peanut Ambat: - I learnt this from my Saraswath friend. I used to make this dish with peanuts. For flavour I added drumsticks & tried. It turned out very tasty. Raw peanuts - ½ cup Cooked tur dhal - 3 tbsp Drumsticks - 2, cut into 2” long pieces Roast in ¼ tsp oil: Red chillies - 7, 8 Methi seeds - ½ tsp And grind to a paste with: Coconut - ½ cup & Tamarind paste - 1 tbsp Salt, haldi To temper: Coconut oil - 1 tsp Mustard seeds - ½ tsp Curry leaves - few Soak peanuts for 6 hrs. Wash well & pressure cook with drumsticks in a pressure pan with little water for 2 whistles. Cool, open & add cooked tur dhal, ground paste (with tamarind) & salt. Adjust the consistency to the desired level by adding sufficient water. Close the pressure pan & cook for 1 whistle. Cool, open & temper as given. Goes well with rice & a green vegetable curry.
Onion Puli Gotsu - an age-old recipe from Amma's "treasure trove" ! This is an ideal side dish for idli, dosai, pongal & arisi-upma. With the last two, it makes a "made-for-eachother" combination. Small onions are best - if not available, use big onions. Chopped onions - 1 cup Tamarind paste - 2 tsp Oil - 1 tsp Salt, haldi To roast dry & powder: Red chillies - 3, 4 Dhaniya - 2 tsp rice - 1 tsp To temper: Oil - 1 tsp Mustard seeds - 1 tsp Curry leaves - few In a kadai, heat 1 tsp oil & saute onions. When they become transparent, add 1 cup of water, tamarind paste, haldi & salt. Boil for 5 mtes - the onions will get cooked. Now add the powder mixed with 2 tbsp water ( to prevent lump formation) & simmer till the right consistency is reached. The thick or thin consistency is your choice. Remove & temper.
Vadai kuzambu - yet another Madurai delicacy, specially for you ! For vadai: Tur dhal - ¼ cup Gram dhal - ¼ cup Wash well, drain & grind to a coarse paste with Garlic - 5,6 petals Saunf - ½ tsp ( more is optional) Green chillies - 2,3 Red chillies - 2,3 Salt Oil - to deep fry vadas For gravy: Tomatoes - ½ kg Tamarind paste - 1 tsp Red chilli powder - 2 tsp Dhaniya powder - 1 tsp Salt, haldi Onions - 2 – chop Green chillies - 2 Cocunut - ½ - 1 cup To temper: Oil - 2 tbsp Mustard seeds - 1 tsp Urad dhal - 2 tsp Curry leaves - few For vadais: Soak dhals for 2 hrs & drain. Add other ingredients & grind coarse. Make small vadais & deep fry. Do not make them crisp, remove when ¾ done so that they will soak better. Drop them hot in water so that excess oil will be removed. For gravy: Boil tomatoes & make a pulp. Take 1 cup of milk from coconut by adding warm water. Heat oil in a kadai, temper as given & add onions & green chillies. When they are well fried, add tomato pulp mixed with tamarind paste. Add the necessary amount of water, salt & boil. When the raw smell of tomatoes is gone, add coconut milk, simmer & remove. Add the vadais just before serving.
Hotel Sambar - one of the many versions ! This does not include tamarind, but is mild & flavourful. Pressurise together: Tur dhal - ½ cup Moong dhal - 2 tsp Small onions, peeled, whole - ¾ cup Tomatoes - 3 big, chopped Green chillies - 3,4 slit Ginger - 1 “ piece, crushed Haldi Roast dry & powder: Gram dhal - 1 tsp Dhaniya - 2 tsp Tur dhal - ½ tsp Red chillies - 3,4 ( or to taste) Pepper - ½ tsp Jeera - ½ tsp Khuskhus - 1` tsp Saunf - a pinch ( more by choice only) To temper: Ghee - 1 tbsp Mustard seeds - 1 tsp Jeera - ½ tsp To Garnish: Chopped coriander leaves. Pressurise, add salt. Add the powder mixed with a little water. Boil & remove. Temper & garnish.
Udupi Sambar - Make with any vegetable combination. It is subty different from the usual sambar. Cooked tur dhal - 1 cup Tamarind paste - 2-3 tsp Salt Vegetables - 1 cup Green chillies, slit - 2-3 Salt, little jaggery Roast in 1 tsp oil, in the following given order & grind to a paste: Methi seeds - ½ tsp Urad dhal - 2 tsp Red chillies - 5-6 Dhaniya - 1 tbsp Coconut - 3-4 tbsp Curry leaves - few To temper: Oil - 2 tsp Mustard seeds - 1 tsp Hing Heat oil & temper. Add vegetables & sauté lightly with green chillies. Add tamarind paste & just nough water for the vegetables to immerse. Add haldi & cook till soft. Add cooked dhal, salt, paste & jaggery. Boil, adding little water, if necessary to get the required consistency. temper as given. This can be made with only small onions also.
Re: Kuzhambus- the gravies of South India. Dear Chitra Madam, This is my first mail to u. I read a lot about u...look forward to see u soon. Do u know the recipe for 'kadapa sambhar', my grand mother used to make it. And Just now I took a print out of all the 'kozhambus', here after, I'm going to try ' dhinamum oru kuzhambu'! Thanks a lot...for sharing all the recipes. cheers! Anu Shiv
Re: Kuzhambus- the gravies of South India. Dear Anu, Welcome to I L & to this forum. I have already given what you have asked for. Please go to Kadappah Do try Dinam oru Kuzambu ! Can I expect Dinam oru feedback, Anu ? Love, Chithra.
Ripe Mango Upkari - an Udupi dish which goes with rice & parathas The country variety of mangoes (sweet & sour) is suitable for this. Traditionally, maida is used. I tried with wheat flour. Ripe mangoes - 2,3 Green chillies - 3, 4 ( more optional) Jaggery - to taste Salt, haldi Wheat flour - 2 tbsp To temper: Oil - 1 tsp Mustard seeds - ½ tsp Red chillies - 1-2 Curry leaves - few Extract the mango pulp. Boil the peel with little water & extract that juice also. Mix mango pulp, juice, salt, haldi & green chillies. Add jaggery, if you like it sweet. Boil for a few mts. Add wheat flour mixed with little water & add, stirring. Simmer to boil. Remove & temper.
Kaihuli – Learnt this from a Saraswat friend Chow-chow or white pumpkin is used. Cut as for sambar. Vegetables - 1 cup Sour curds, churned - 1 cup Salt Green chillies - 2, slit, lengthwise To fry in ¼ tsp of oil: Methi seeds - ¼ tsp Green chillies - 3, 4 And grind with: Cashews - 4, 5 Coconut - ½ cup To temper: Coconut oil - ½ tsp Mustard seeds - 1 tsp Red chillies - 1, 2 Methi seeds - ¼ tsp Curry leaves - few Boil the vegetable pieceswith slit green chillies in enough water till soft. Add the ground paste & simmer. Add the churned curds & enough water to get the desired consistency. When it froths, remove &temper as given. Serve with a roast curry & appalam.