Vatral Kuzhambu

Ingredients:

1. Tamarind 1 lime size(you could use tamarind paste instead about 2 teaspoons)
2. 3 cups of water to extract the tamarind juice
3. Red chillies 2

4. Udad Daal 2 teaspoons

5. Chana Daal 2 teaspoons
6. Mustard seeds 1 teaspoon

7. Asafoetida 1/4 teaspoon
8. Fenugreek roasted and pounded 3/4 teaspoon(whole fenugreek can also be used)
9. Salt 2 teaspoons or to taste
10. Sambar powder 2 teaspoons
11. Rice flour 2 teaspoons
12. Curry leaves 1 strand
13. Sesame Oil 5 teaspoons

The above are the basic ingredients, to specialize the kuzhambu, you may use peanuts, okra, onion, beans, keerai thandu, manathakkali vatral, chundekkai vatral, fried udad appalam. I have used Chundekkai Vatral today.

Method

1. Heat the Sesame oil (this will get heated very soon )

2. Add the mustard seeds, when they start to sputter, add the udad daal, chanaa daal, asafoetida, fenugreek, red chillies, curry leaves and fry till the daals are just about golden brown.

3. At this point, peanuts, any kind of Vatral, onion, green beens, etc., can be added and fried well (if you are going to add fried applams that should be added at the end).

4. Add the tamarind water, sambar powder, salt, and let it boil for about 15-20 minutes.
5. When the liquid reduces to about 2 cups mix 2 tsps of rice flour in a little water and make a paste and add it to the pan for the kuzhambu to thicken.

6. Pour the Kuzhambu in a serving bowl and you can serve it with Plain Rice, or Thayir Saadam(Plain Yogurt Rice). My kids love to have it with Idli, Dosai and Chappati as well.

This will stay good for a 3/4 days and if refrigerated can last a few weeks.

Cooking time 35 minutes.