Murungakkai poricha kuzhambu recipe - an easy version, mild recipe but flavorful gravy for rice. It is a coconut-based moong dal gravy using very few ingredients. Goes well with hot steamed rice and ghee. This post includes vazhakkai poriyal recipe too!
Make it when you want something comforting, easy to prepare and light one stomach as part of a South Indian lunch menu.
Check out my Drumstick soup recipe and Manga murungakkai vatha kuzhambu recipe in this website.
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What is Poricha Kuzhambu?
Poricha kuzhambu is traditionally coconut and lentil-based with vegetables and no tamarind gravy. The Tamil term 'Poricha kuzhambu' means fried curry (poritha means fried Tamil). So a traditional recipe includes spice paste with roasted/ fried spices, ground with coconut, added to a moong dal base with a vegetable.
Unlike sambar, this do not use tamarind. Authentic variants are there but this is our own family version, probably adapted over the time to make it easy.
Every Tamil household now have its own version of poricha kuzhambu. We make poricha kuzhambu in two varieties, one is with coconut, vegetable in it and the other without coconut and vegetable, called " Raathiri poricha kuzhambu" ( Rathiri means "Night time"). It is more like a dal and made quickly for dinner.
I love the one made with brinjal, my favorite veggie and also this with drumstick, equally. Because, this has a nice flavor! I just love it 😍.
My mom makes this often, but I rarely make because I buy drumstick not very often! Here drumsticks are not fresh and so different from India ones even if they are fresh. These drumsticks I have used is from India, when my BIL came here last week. My FIL bought and passed it through him. So I thought I should make this with India drumstick as they are best flavorful.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients needed to make this easy murungakkai poricha kuzhambu.
- Murungakkai - Drumstick - Use fresh, green, young drumstick for best flavour
- Moong dal - Pasi paruppu - Typically added for poricha kuzhambu, forms the base
- Tomato - Gives a subtle tanginess, the acidity goes well in this gravy
- Asafoetida - Perungayam - Main flavor, works well in this flavor profile
- Small onions - fried, almost caramelized pearl onion is the highlight of the dish
- Sambar powder - Spice and flavor mainly comes from this. Our short cut and replacement for roasted spices.
- Turmeric powder - For colour and goodness
- Coconut - Base for the kuzhambu, use fresh grated coconut
- Rice flour - Adds a nice flavor, homogenous texture
- Tempering items
- Oil
- Black mustard seeds
- Urad dal
- Curry leaves
Please check my recipe card below for quantities.
Step by step images
- Cut drumstick into long pieces (2.5 inches)/ that you have desired.
Stove top method:
- Boil 2 cups water, add moong dal with with tomato, turmeric, sambar powder. Bring to rolling boil.
- Then add drumstick and salt.
Pressure cooker method:
- Take a small pressure cooker, add moong dal, 1 cup water, Sambar powder, turmeric powder, tomato, drumsticks, salt, asafoetida to it.
Pressure cook for 2 whistles in medium flame.
6. Grind coconut and rice flour with little water, smoothly.
Then add to the cooked drumstick, moong mixture, mix well and give a boil. I like to finish off with 3-4 torn fresh curry leaves. Remove from fire.
7. Heat a small pan with oil, once hot, pop black mustard seeds. Then add urad dal and roast until crisp & golden. After that, add cumin seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves. Then add sliced small onion.
Fry until it is golden in colour. Add it to the poricha kuzhambu and mix well to serve.
Enjoy murungakkai poricha kuzhambu with hot steaming rice and ghee. A spicy potato curry will be best accompaniment for this.
Top tips
- Soak moong dal for 30 mins in hot water before cooking. This way, the drumstick and moong dal cooks on same time to right stage.
- Choose pressure cooking or open pot depending on which you are comfortable with. If you are pressure cooking, make sure not to overcook drumsticks as it may break easily and open up.
- Tomato is optional but adds a nice balance.
- Rice flour adds a subtle flavor to the dish. It is used to thicken and give a homogenous texture too.
My notes
Use asafoetida, while cooking dal and then while tempering. I used solid asafoetida, dissolved in water.
If there is not enough salt and tanginess in the gravy from tomato, Drumstick may taste slightly bitter. So make sure to balance it.
Substitutions & Variations
No onion & No garlic version - Skip the small onion tempering. You can roast urad dal, red chillies and coconut, ground into a paste and add instead of sambar powder, for a totally different flavor profile.
Other vegetables you can use to make poricha kuzhambu - Brinjal, Raw mango, Green tomato (my fav!)
Recipe card
Murungakkai Poricha Kuzhambu Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Drumstick
- ¼ cup Moong dal paasi paruppu
- 1 teaspoon Sambar powder
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 Tomato chopped
- ⅛ teaspoon Asafetida powder
- Salt
To grind
- ½ cup Coconut grated
- ¼ teaspoon Rice flour
To temper
- 2 teaspoon Oil
- ½ teaspoon Mustard
- 1 teaspoon Urad dal
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 1 sprig Curry leaves
- 2 tablespoon Small onion chopped
- ⅛ teaspoon Asafetida
Instructions
Stove top method:
- Boil 2 cups water, add moong dal with with tomato, turmeric, sambar powder. Bring to rolling boil.
- Then add drumstick and salt. Cook until dal is cooked soft.
Pressure cooker method:
- Take a small pressure cooker, add moong dal, 1 cup water, Sambar powder, turmeric powder, tomato, drumsticks, salt, asafoetida to it.
- Pressure cook for 2 whistles in medium flame.
- Grind coconut and rice flour with little water, smoothly.
- Then add to the cooked drumstick, moong mixture, mix well and give a boil. I like to finish off with 3-4 torn fresh curry leaves. Remove from fire.
- Heat a small pan with oil, once hot, pop black mustard seeds. Then add urad dal and roast until crisp & golden. After that, add cumin seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves. Then add sliced small onion.
- Fry until it is golden in colour. Add it to the poricha kuzhambu and mix well to serve.
Video
Notes
- Do not add more rice flour while grinding coconut.
- Caramelize small onion while sauteeing, for best flavor.
Vazhakkai poriyal recipe
This is very very very easy to make recipe,yet the flavor is really great! Can be made in a jiffy!
Ingredients
- Vazhakkai/ plantain - 2
- Sambar powder - 1 & ½ tsp
- Turmeric - ¼ tsp
- salt - As needed
- Coconut gratings - 2 tbsp
- Rice washed water - 2 cups
To Temper
- Mustard - ½ tsp
- Urad dal - 1 tsp
- Oil - 1 tsp
- Curry leaves - A sprig
Method
- Peel the skin of the plantains and cut them to ur desired,bite size pieces!
- Keep them immersed in Arisi mandi,till you cook it.Wash them thoroughly in it to remove the stickiness of the plantain.
3.Boil it with enough water (just to immerse), sambar powder, turmeric and salt and cook just till done.Takes very less time,don't over cook.
4. Drain the water and keep aside.
5. Heat a kadai and temper with the tempering items
6. Followed by the cooked plantains and fry just for a minute to make it dry.
7. Add the coconut gratings and fry for a minute, ready!!
Both of these can be made easily and it's a very light meal!
Aruna Manikandan says
My Dad's favorite dish
Thanks for sharing the dish
Wonderful pictures!!!!!!!!!!
Prathibha says
The pics are so gorgeous and so is the meal raks..looks like a perfect combo with rice..
Faiza Ali says
Simple yet delicious...Wonderful clicks dear.
jeyashrisuresh says
i love drumstick kootu a lot. That too my dad prefer this to be cooked by me rather than my mom.My all time fav. I make it in a completely different way.
Valakai curry looks yum and so simple,will try out ur version soon.Nice clicks
Kanchan says
I knew of Sambhar but the dry veggie is quite new to me , looks quite simple !
Sushma Mallya says
Loved the colour of it raks as well as the recipe...wonderful clicks too....
Sush says
thumbs up for both the dishes 🙂
Priya says
Gorgeous dishes, poricha kuzhambu and vazhakkai poriyal both together makes me hungry Raks..delicious combo..
Sanghi says
Kuzhambu and poriyal looks tempting!
Pari says
Both the dishes are so good, nice combo with hot rice.
Sandhya Hariharan says
Heyy nice...
Poricha Koyumbu is on such dish I learnt from my MIL.. but our version seems to b very different!!
Anonymous says
Dear,
This is going to be on my list for next week.really delicious!
Tried ur 'kadai bindhi'. It was superb...tnx for the recipe&also tnx for the kind words on my blog
sowmya.s says
my friend made this kozumbu for me once..am yet to try it..
jayasree says
Delicious combo for a comfort meal.
Chitra says
Awesome clicks as usual..Soaking plantain in mandi is new to me..will try next time 🙂
Home Cooked Oriya Food says
both dishes look good. I love the drumstick one - I love drumsticks...
Nags says
the consistency of the kuzhambu looks just perfect! bookmarked!
Sarah Naveen says
Excllnt clicks!!!!
Both curry and Poriyal looks fabulously yummy dea...!!!!
EC says
Excellent traditional spread..thanks for participating
Sailaja Damodaran says
Nice event recipe....
lata raja says
Both tempting everyday dishes done with lovely pictures.
Happy cook says
Wow i just love that drumstick curry, that looks so so yumm.
I am bookmarking this one as my hubby and daughter just love drumsticks.
Ambika says
Hi Raks, the poricha kuzhambu and poriyal look delicious!! You reminded me of my mother, we love drumsticks, especially in poricha kuzhambu. Me and my dad used to pick fresh drumstick from the backyard and this was a staple in my childhood. Please accept 'One Lovely Blog Award' from me at my blog!
Cham says
Murungakkai porricha kuzhambu is my sis favo! Very inviting dish with raw banana!
Gulmohar says
Both kuzhambu and priyal looks tempting..:-) Is arisi mandi, the water which we wash the rice ?(Though I know a lil bit Tamil, this is a new word for me !!)
Gita says
Yummy and tempting kuzambu. rathri poricha kuzumbu is new to me...I have to ask my mom about this too 🙂 Delicious side dish too.
Tina says
Wow superb clicks....Vazhakkai poriyal sounds great...
lissie says
delicious kulambu...! I will surely try this recipe.
Thanks for leaving a comment on my blog!
Lissie
http://saltandspice.org/
rekhas kitchen says
wow what a combination Raks yum. both are looking great and mouthwatering beautiful click.
Suma Rajesh says
very good entry dear..looks sooo tempting..
Shwetha says
This is my visit and I have to say that you've got a wonderful blog here. I love how beautifully you've captured the food. The colors are so natural and vivid. Great job!
srikars kitchen says
nice entry.. my version is little diff.i will try ur method.
Sharmilee! :) says
Havent tried poricha kolambu will try it soon, perfect combo with vazhakai poriyal!
Valarmathi says
Looks absolutely delicious. Beautiful click.
Sangeetha Subhash says
pics are tempting...i love drumstick sooooooooo much...looks delicious..feel like having it rite now..
Anu says
Wow looks so perfect.. Excellent dishes....
Nice click...
n33ma says
your photography is spectacular.Next time I get drumsticks im sure to make this.
Sumathi says
The dishes looks so yummy..gud combination..
DEESHA says
its always this kind of food that gives us so much gratification isn't it
Anshika says
This is such a delicious curry. With rice it will make a complete meal. Wonderful!!
Ammu Madhu says
My favorite poricha kulambu..i love drumstick..but i used to put paakarkai in it..i love taste..wonderul recipe..Keep goin..
Shobana senthilkumar says
Hi raji,
ur dish luks so rich...ur version of poricha kulambu is differnt must make shot of urs:)
jayasri says
lovely photos love, next time i will try ur version of poricha kuzhambu, i made vazhakkai poriyal the other day.., both look great..
Pavithra says
Looks so yumm and gorgeous.. mouthwatering raks.. ur pict always rocks...
Soma says
The first recipe has some awesome colors. I love drumsticks, but has been ages since I had fresh ones.
the second one is so easy to make, but again so fresh & bountiful flavors. beautiful pictures as usual Raks.
Soma
http://www.ecurry.com
my kitchen says
Beautiful snaps.Poricha kuzhambu looks so yummy.
Priya says
I made the kozhamu today for my guests and everyone loved it! Including me! I've never made this or had this before.
It was soooo yummy with rice and ghee!
THANK YOU!
Devi Meyyappan says
very nice recipe!!.. nice presentation!!
utbtkids says
Rajeshwari, I have tried quite a few of your recipes and love them. Can you give the recipe for no coconut poricha kuzhambu? Thanks.
darshinspassion4cooking says
i tried it last night....it was tasty.i luv ur blog.
darshinspassion4cooking says
i tried it last night....it was tasty.i luv ur blog.
RAKS KITCHEN says
Thank you Priya,darshinspassion4cooking,utbtkids and devi!
I will soon post the recipe without coconut 🙂
ambika clyton says
hi this is ambika
i tried this recipe last night and it came out wonderful and i waited for my hubbies comment. as soon as he came he opened the vessel and smelled and got very much excited. he said that he come across this kuzhambu in his childhood days, his mom used to do this often. he really enjoyed it and made the vessel empty. the highlight is after dinner he ringed his mom and shared the entire thing. he really thanked me bringing back his memory and encouraged me to do more. heartful thanks to rak's kitchen. you really rocks. receips are really interesting and mouth watering
Aarthy Sivaraman says
Sorry one another thing is drum stick the only veggie to be used or any other suggestion.
Thanks,
Aarthy.
Aarthy Sivaraman says
Hi,
Does rice flour serve any main purpose?
Can i use idiyappam flour for the same?
Tried ur badusha and paruppu urundai kulambu it came out really well 🙂
Aarthy.
RAKS KITCHEN says
Thank you so much Ambika for the nice words and the prompt feedback, you made my day 🙂
Aarthy, you can use idiyappam flour sure, it adds a nice flavor and acts as thickening agent too.
RAKS KITCHEN says
And you can use other veggies like avarakkai(broad beans)and unripe tomato, even you can make it without any veggies.
PriyaVaasu says
Looks yum raks!!!wonderful combo!!
Meenal Ramanathan says
is it that we have use moong dhall?.can we do it thoor dhall
RAKS KITCHEN says
Yes meena moong dal is recommended ... Otherwise smells like sambar if use toor dal here..
Swapna says
in PLANTAIN/VAZHAKKAI PORIYAL is it a wet or dry coconut?? please advice
Agnel CJ Kurian says
Did not see any "sambar powder" in the sidebar. Please hyperlink for us lazy people.
Raks anand says
Sorry about that, updated now 🙂
shivapriya Iyer says
Hi Raks...I have a doubt on the vazhakkai poriyal...You mentioned "Boil it with enough water(just to immerse),sambar powder,turmeric and salt and cook just till done.Takes very less time,don’t over cook. Drain the water and keep it aside".
My question is, why should we add the sambhar powder and salt and drain it all?? Should we add salt once again later?
Raks anand says
As the vazhakkai gets cooked, since we are cutting into cubes, it will suck the necessary spice and salt so no need to add later. So add that much salt as required.