Vatha Kuzhambu Podi

Category: Home made Powder
Preparation Time: 5 mins  
Cooking Time: 15 mins
Servings: yields around 1 cup

Vathakuzhambu is a spicy tamarind based gravy made with dried veggies (Vathals) like Turkey berry (Sundakkai), Black night shade berry (Manathakkali). There are lot of variations - we can use small onion and garlic or we can also prepare without onion & garlic. With regard to masala, we can either use freshly ground masala or just sambar podi / sambar masala or vathakuzhambu podi.

Vatha Kuzhambu Podi

I usually prepare this vathakuzhambu podi once in a month or two months and store it at room temperature. With this podi in hand, making Vathakuzhambu is a breeze. Not only for vathakuzhambu, we can use this podi for all varieties of pulikuzhambu and for puliyodharai / Tamarind rice.

During this pandemic season, getting fresh Indian veggies was bit difficult so we often made this vathakuzhambu:) 

For me, the perfect combo is Hot rice with Spicy Vathakuzhambu, vegetable kootu and appalam.

Ingredients: 

• Channa dal- 1/4 cup
• Toor Dal - 1/4 cup
• Whole Urad dal - 2 Tbsp
• Coriander seeds- 1/4 cup
• Dry Red chillies- 10 - 15 nos (adjust as per spice level)
• Cumin seeds- 1/2 Tbsp
• Black Pepper- 1/2 Tbsp
• Fenugreek seeds / Methi seeds -  1/2 Tbsp

Method:

• Heat a wide pan, add the Channa dal and roast it in low flame for 1-2 mins

• Then add the red chillies and roast for 30 secs

• Add the Urad dal and roast for 1 min

• Add the Toor dal and roast for 1-2 mins until all the dals become golden brown

• Add the coriander seeds to the pan and roast for 1-2 mins until it gets roasted well and we get a nice aroma

• Add the black pepper and roast for few secs

• Add the the fenugreek/ methi seeds and cumin seeds to the pan and roast for a min till the fenugreek seeds gives out nice roasted aroma and switch off the stove

• Allow the spices to cool down before grinding

• Once the roasted spices cooled down, add it to the mixer jar and grind it to a powder

• Spread it in a plate for about half an hour and then transfer to an airtight container
• We can use this Podi for Vathakuzhambu, Pulikuzhambu, Tamarind rice,etc.,