Vendakkai Puli Kuzhambu - Home Style (Kongu Special Recipes)

Category:  Kuzhambu Varieties / Lunch

Preparation Time: 10 mins  

Cooking Time: 30 mins 

Servings: 3-4 servings

Vendakkai Puli Kuzhambu is my one of my favourite recipe from childhood:) and I love the ones which my grandma and my mom prepares. We love to have with hot rice and it also tastes yummy with curd rice:) and even with dosa. This recipe doesnot involve any spice powders and we just use roasted and powdered Urad dhal with vendhayam for thickening and additional flavour.

As far the Kongu nadu special recipes are considered, Small onions are the important ingredients for the authentic flavour and taste and we wont get the same taste while using shallots / big onions. So for this recipe, Small onions are the must and if we dont want we can skip garlic.

Vendakkai Puli Kuzhambu

Ingredients:

• Lady's finger /Okra - 20-25 nos
• Small Onions - 10-15 nos, peeled and halved
• Garlic- 6-10 nos, peeled and roughly chopped 
• Tamarind - lemon sized
• Sesame Oil - 1 tbsp + 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Channa Dhal - 1 tsp
• Split Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves - 1-2 springs
• Red Chillies - 2-4 nos (adjust as per spice level)
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Water - as required

To Roast and Grind: 

• Urad Dhal (Whole White) - 1 tbsp
• Fenugreek Seeds / Vendhayam - 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Soak Tamarind in warm water and extract juice
2. Heat a pan and dry roast the urad dhal and fenugreek seeds till they turn golden brown and gives out nice aroma. Switch it off and allow to cool and then powder it and keep it ready
3. Wash the Lady's finger / Okra and wipe dry without any moisture
4. Trim off the ends and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
5. In a pan (prefereably non-stick  so less oil can be used), heat 1 tsp of oil and add the Okra pieces and saute for 6-8 mins until the stickiness gone and keep aside
   
6. Heat 1 tbsp of Oil in a pan, once it gets heated up add the mustard seeds, followed by Channa dhal, Urad dhal, Curry leaves and red chillies. Fry for a min till the dhals turn golden brown 
   
7. Add the halved onions and then roughly chopped garlic pieces and saute for 2-3 mins til the onions turn transparent
   
8. Add the tamarind extract with enough water (as per required Kuzhambu consistency) along with required salt and turmeric powder, mix well and bring to boil
   
9. Once it started to boil, add the sauted okra pieces and allow to cook covered in low-medium flame for 10 mins
   
10. Check for salt and now add the Urad dhal - fenugreek powder to it and simmer for another 5-6 mins
    
11. Now the kuzhambu gets thickened and reached the desired consistency
    
12. Switch it off and serve hot with rice!