MANATHAKKAALI VATRAL KUZHAMBU

Vatral kuzhamvu can be prepared with either chili and coriander powder or sambar powder. In chetti nadu and Brahmin cooking, only sambar powder is used. But in most of the houses in south, chilli powder and coriander powders are used. In some places around Mayuram, Chidhambaram and Cuddalore area, they use ‘kuzhambu podi’ for all the kuzhambu varieties. It is prepared with red chillies, coriander seeds, thuar dal, Bengal gram and a little quantities of other spices like fennel seeds, cumin seeds etc. Here I am posting a simple version of vatral kuzhambu using sambar powder. It tastes divinely with hot rice and ghee!

மணத்தக்காளி வற்றல் குழம்பு

Ingredients:

Manathakkali vatral- quarter cup
Gingelly oil- 2 tbsp+ 1 tsp
Mustard seeds- half sp
Cumin seeds- half sp
Fenugreek seeds- half sp
Asafetida- half sp
Curry leaves- 1 arc
Bengal gram- 2 tbsp
Red chillies-5
Turmeric powder- half sp
Sambar powder- 11/2 tsp
Tamarind- a big lime size
Salt to taste

Procedure:

Soak the tamarind in warm water for half an hour and extract its juice.
Heat a pan and pour the 2 tbsp of gingelly oil.
Add the mustard seeds and when they splutter add the cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds.
When they start to turn golden brown add the Bengal gram, red chillies and the manathakkali vatral along with the curry leaves and asafetida powder.
Fry them for a few minutes.
Add the tamarind juice with the sambar powder and salt.
Le it boil for a few minutes.
When the kuzhambu is thickened, pour the remaining oil.
Keep it on slow fire for 2 minutes.
Serve this with hot rice, melted ghee, pappads and chips!