Kara Kuzhambu

Kara Kuzhambu

Kara Kuzhambu

Veg Vegan

Hot tamarind-shallot curry — small shallots and tomato fried in sesame oil with mustard seeds, dried red chilli, and curry leaves until the shallots caramelise at the edges, then tamarind pulp and a freshly ground or store-ground kuzhambu milagai thool (curry powder of coriander, cumin, dried red chilli, and black pepper) added and the whole simmered until thick and dark. The kara (spicy) kuzhambu is the most everyday curry in Tamil Brahmin cooking alongside sambar; it is thicker, spicier, and more tamarind-forward than sambar. Eaten with plain rice, papad, and sesame oil; the shallots are the only allium used, reflecting the Tamil Brahmin preference for small onions over large.

Cuisines

Chettinad Tamil Brahmin Kongunadu Madras

Best for

Lunch Dinner

Recipe

Prep: 15 min Cook: 30 min Total: 45 min 2-3 servings

Ingredients

1 cup tamarind pulp
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 pinch asafoetida
2 sprigs curry leaves
2 cups water
1 cup mixed vegetables (eggplant, drumstick, okra)
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 tablespoons sambar powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon jaggery
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon chana dal
4 dried red chilies
2 tablespoons grated coconut

Instructions

  1. 1 Soak the tamarind in 1 cup of warm water for 10 minutes and extract the pulp.
  2. 2 Heat sesame oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, and asafoetida.
  3. 3 Add curry leaves and sauté for a few seconds.
  4. 4 Add the mixed vegetables and sauté for 5 minutes until they are slightly tender.
  5. 5 Add turmeric powder, sambar powder, and salt. Mix well.
  6. 6 Pour in the tamarind pulp and 1 cup of water. Bring it to a boil.
  7. 7 Add jaggery and let the kuzhambu simmer for 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are cooked and the oil separates.
  8. 8 In a separate pan, dry roast coriander seeds, chana dal, dried red chilies, and grated coconut until golden brown. Allow to cool.
  9. 9 Grind the roasted ingredients into a fine paste with a little water.
  10. 10 Add this paste to the simmering kuzhambu and cook for another 5 minutes.
  11. 11 Adjust salt and consistency as needed. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Tips

For extra depth of flavor, allow the kuzhambu to rest for a few hours before serving.