Vathal Kuzhambu or vatha kuzhambu is a spicy, tangy and a lip-smacking tamarind based gravy made with sun-dried berries or vegetables. Serve with steamed rice with appalam for a hearty meal.
WHAT IS VATHAL?
Vathals is the tamil word for sun dried vegetables or berries. The veggies or berries are soaked in buttermilk for some hours or overnight and later sun dried. In this recipe post I have used manathakkali and sundakkai vathal.
Manathakkali is the tamil word for black nightshade berries. These are also called as makoy in hindi language.
Sundakkai is also called as turkey berries. The fresh berries are soaked in a salt-buttermilk mixture for couple of days and then dried and stored for making curries. Its easily available in Indian grocery stores or online.
HOW TO MAKE VATHA KUZHAMBU?
Soak tamarind in hot water. I use a combination of new and old dark tamarind for good taste. Extract pulp and keep aside.
Heat gingelly oil in a heavy bottom pan and add hing, mustard seeds, once it splutters add fenugreek seeds and cumin seeds.
Then add the chopped garlic, vathal and fry for few seconds and then add in the small onions/shallots.
Saute the onions till it becomes translucent. Then add the chilli powder, sambhar powder and salt. Sauté for 30 seconds.
Add the tomatoes and cook till its mushy and oil seperates from the sides. This may take 5-7 minutes.
Add tamarind pulp, jaggery and 1/4 cup water. Mix well and let it come to a boil.
Close the pan with a lid and cook for 3 to 4 minutes over low flame and take off stove.
Add the coconut, onions and cumin seeds to a mixer and grind to a smooth paste by adding little water.
Extract the milk from the paste and add it to the kulambu. Allow to boil for another 2-3 minutes nad turn off the flame.
Serve with hot rice and a dash of ghee or sesame oil accompanied by vadams/fryums or appalam for a hearty meal.
POINTS TO REMEMBER WHILE MAKING VATHA KUZHAMBU:
- If possible use dark tamarind or old tamarind as it gives a lovely deep sour taste.
- In this recipe, I have used mix of manathakkali and sundakkai vathal, you can use dried okra, brinjal or cluster beans.
- For the best and authentic taste, use sesame oil (gingelly oil) which is cold pressed oil made from raw sesame seeds.
- Be generous with oil. There should be a thin layer of oil on top of the kuzhambu. This helps in keeping the kuzhambu stay good for about a week in the fridge and also gives a good taste.
- Small onions or pearl onions gives the kuzhambu the best flavor.
- After adding sambar powder, it should be fried in oil so that it releases its flavors.
- For a slight thickening of the kuzhambu gravy, you can add some rice flour.
- A bit of jaggery can helps to balance the sourness and bitterness.
- Adjust red chili powder as per spice level required for this Vatha Kuzhambu recipe.
- Store-bought dried vegetables usually contain salt. So depending upon that, adjust the salt measure.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS:
Vatha kuzhambu is best served with hot steamed rice with poriyal or stir fry like vazhakkai poriyal or potato fry or beans poriyal or taro fry.
HOW TO STORE THE LEFTOVER VATHA KUZHAMBU?
Once it comes to room temperature, store in air-tight container and it stays good for 3-4 days in refrigerator
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Vathal Kulambu
Ingredients
To make kulambu:
- 3 tbsp Vathal
- 1/4 cup sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- pinch of hing
- 4 sprigs curry leaves
- 8-10 garlic cloves chopped
- 3 tbsp Vathal Manathakkali or Sundakkai
- 1/2 cup small onions
- 1 large tomato roughly chopped
- 1 tsp red chillli powder
- 2 tsp sambhar powder
- Salt to taste
- 1 cup tamarind water from small lemon size tamarind
- 1 tsp jaggery
To make coconut milk:
- 2 small onions chopped
- 2 tbsp coconut grated
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
Instructions
- Soak tamarind in hot water. I use a combination of new and old dark tamarind for good taste. Extract pulp and keep aside.
- Heat gingelly oil in a heavy bottom pan and add hing, mustard seeds, once it splutters add fenugreek seeds and cumin seeds.
- Then add the chopped garlic, vathal and fry for few seconds and then add in the small onions/shallots.
- Saute the onions till it becomes translucent. Then add the chilli powder, sambhar powder and salt. Sauté for 30 seconds.
- Add the tomatoes and cook till its mushy and oil separates from the sides. This may take 5-7 minutes.
- Add tamarind pulp, jaggery and 1/4 cup water. Mix well and let it come to a boil.
- Close the pan with a lid and cook for 3 to 4 minutes over low flame and take off stove.
- Add the coconut, onions and cumin seeds to a mixer and grind to a smooth paste by adding little water.
- Extract the milk from the paste and add it to the kulambu. Allow to boil for another 2-3 minutes nad turn off the flame.
- Serve with hot rice and a dash of ghee or sesame oil accompanied by vadams or appalam for a hearty meal.
Notes
- If possible use dark tamarind or old tamarind as it gives a lovely deep sour taste.
- In this recipe, I have used mix of manathakkali and sundakkai vathal, you can use dried okra, brinjal or cluster beans.
- For the best and authentic taste, use sesame oil (gingelly oil) which is cold pressed oil made from raw sesame seeds.
- Be generous with oil. There should be a thin layer of oil on top of the kuzhambu.
- This helps in keeping the kuzhambu stay good for about a week in the fridge and also gives a good taste.
- Small onions or pearl onions gives the kuzhambu the best flavor.
- After adding sambar powder, it should be fried in oil so that it releases its flavors.
- For a slight thickening of the kuzhambu gravy, you can add some rice flour.
- A bit of jaggery can helps to balance the sourness and bitterness.
- Adjust red chili powder as per spice level required for this Vatha Kuzhambu recipe.
- Store-bought dried vegetables usually contain salt. So depending upon that, adjust the salt measure.
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