Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu

Lentil ball tamarind curry — toor dal or chana dal soaked, ground coarsely with dried red chilli, asafoetida, and curry leaves, shaped by hand into firm, golf ball-sized rounds and steamed until just cooked through, then carefully added to a boiling tamarind-based curry of fried shallots, tomato, and sambar powder and simmered gently for fifteen minutes so the lentil balls absorb the tamarind gravy while holding their shape. The urundai (balls) are the protein element that makes this dish a complete meal; they are fragile and will disintegrate if over-stirred. Considered one of the more skilled everyday preparations in Tamil Brahmin cooking; the balance of steaming the urundai to firmness without making them hard is the critical step.