Vatha kuzhambu Recipe

Vatha kuzhambu Recipe

1. Tamarind – either lemon size black/brown tamarind or 1 spoon of tamarind concentrate/paste
2. Water – 3 cups
3. Tuvar/Toor Dhal(Split yellow lentils) – 1.5 tea spoons
4. Chana Dhal – 1 spoon
5. Fenugreek seeds /Methi – ½ tea spoon
6. Curry leaves – 1 strand(About 10-12 leaves)
7. Chilli powder – 1 tea spoon
8. Turmeric powder – ½ tea spoon
9. Finely chopped Red onions – ½ Big onion
10. Salt – as required (I use about ¾ tea spoon)
11. Cooking oil – 1 ½ spoon
12. Asafoetida – a pinch
13. Mustard seeds – ½ tea spoon
14. Sambar powder - ½ tea spoon
15. Rice powder (optional)

Steps for Preparation :

1. Soak the tamarind in water for about ½ hour and extract the pulp and add about 3 cups of water to it (Else add 3 cups of water to the tamarind concentrate/paste)
2. Add the turmeric powder, Chilli powder and salt to this mixture.
3. In a wok/Frying pan/Kadai, add about 1 ½ spoon of cooking oil.
4. Put in the Methi seeds and allow them to turn golden brown and till a nice aroma comes.
5. Add the Asafoetida and the Mustard seeds, allow them to splutter.
6. Add the Toor dhal and chana dhal and fry them till the raw smell goes away. (If you want a dark vatha kuzhambu, then add sambar powder at this stage, else add it at step 9)
7. Add the chopped onions and fry them till they turn golden brown/translucent….
8. At this stage, add the Curry leaves. This would give a nice aroma.
9. Add rice powder mixed a about 2 spoons of water ,if you want the mixture to be thick, else you can skip if you prefer the liquid to be of thin consistency
10. Now pour the tamarind water mixture in here and allow it to boil well till it becomes about 1/3rd of the original volume.
11. Add ½ tea spoon of Jaggery or sugar at this stage and close the lid for a while if you prefer a little sweet version of the vatha kuzhambu …Yummmyyy…… !
Tangy Vatha kuzhambu is ready to be taken with Hot rice !