KARA KUZHUMBU

INGREDIENTS:

Sundaikkai vatthal -  1/4 cup
Small onion - 10
Garlic cloves - 10
Tomato - 1/2
Sambar Powder - 2 tsp
Tamarind - 3/4 lemon sized
Jaggery - 1/2 tsp
Salt

To grind
Bengal gram - 1 tsp
Coriander seeds - 2 tsp
Coconut - 3 tsp

For Seasoning
Gingelly oil - 3 tsp
Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Cumin - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek - 1/2 tsp
Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 leaflet
 Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

METHOD:
1. Dry roast all the ingredients given to grind except coconut and grind along with coconut to a fine paste.

2. Take a tawa, add oil, mustard and cumin. After it splutters, add fenugreek, Urad dhal, curry leaves and asafoetia. Stir well.
3. Add Sundaikkai vatthal and roast it for 2 minutes.
4. Add onion, garlic, saute well until golden brown and add finely chopped tomatoes. Add little salt so that the tomato becomes juicy and helps cooking fastly.
5. Extract tamarind juice, add sambar powder and salt, mix well and add to the tawa.
6. Allow it to cook for 10 minutes, so that the raw smell goes off, and the oil leaves the sides of the tawa.
7. Add the paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add water if needed, taste for salt and add a little.
8. The Kozhumbu should not be very thick because will become thick later on. So add water accordingly.
9. Add Jaggery, mix well and switch of the flame.
10. Delicious, Appetizing Kara Kuzhumbu is ready.
11. To be served with Hot rice with Paruppu Usili or Hot rice with Vadagam.

Note:

• Instead of Sundaikkai vathal, vegetables like brinjal, potato, yellow pumpkin, yam and manathakkali vatthal can be used.
• Using Gingelly oil will give a nice taste to the recipe than other oils.
• Using Jaggery is optional. But it will enhance the taste.