Poondu kuzhambu recipe, Spicy poondu kulambu

Poondu kuzhambu is a spicy and tangy, flavourful south indian gravy. Packed with flavors, this is such a treat for your taste buds.

Goes well with hot steamed rice topped with sesame oil and kuzhambu thoroughly mixed in this.

Any kootu will go well with this kuzhambu sadam.

This Poondu Kuzhambu I remember eating from my mother's hands. She will mix with rice and sesame oil/ ghee. Will make bite size balls(urundai) and make me, my brother sit, then give it in our hands.

Will taste like heaven. We will ask her ‘is this kuzhambu or honey 👸

I have used sambar powder, which my mother grinds in the mill and gives me when I visit her (for a year), you may use ur own sambar powder or instead replace with red chilli powder and little coriander powder.

Why I love this

Because it is amma's recipe! We have been fed with it n number of times. She makes it perfectly balanced. Otherwise here are some highlights:

• Tempering with fenugreek seeds, toor dal gives a flavor that is so good.
• Adding a bit if jaggery, pepper powder makes it taste special.
• Very easy, no grinding part. Just peeling garlic and small onion takes time.
• Versatile. You can adapt the same recipe and reduce garlic, onion (add few chopped instead.

Top tip

Many people complain about kuzhambu not getting thick. It all depends on the kuzhambu powder you are using (we use our own, call it milagai thool, but it is compound ingredients not just plain chilli powder).

You can use Sakthi or Aachi brand which comes close to my moms. In Singapore, Baba's sambar powder works best. Though it is called sambar powder, it can be used to make poriyal, kari, kootu, kuzhambu etc.

Another tip for thickening is to use a teaspoon of rice flour towards the end. You can also use corn flour (corn starch). But be sure to use just right. If you add more, the taste and texture will not be nice.

For color - Recently I am seeing many people in Instagram using a bit of Kashmiri chilli powder for color which I too find appealing. You too can try that.

Method

1. Soak tamarind in warm water for ½ hour and extract the juice.
2. Heat kadai with oil, add tempering items followed by curry leaves, garlic and small onion.
3. Fry till onion and garlic turns golden brown.
   
4. Add tamarind extract, turmeric, salt, jaggery, sambar powder, chilli powder if adding and stir well, bring to boil.
   
5. Simmer till the kuzhambu gets thicker and onions and garlic should have got cooked well.Lastly add pepper powder and switch off.
    

Enjoy with steamed rice and top it with a teaspoon of ghee or sesame oil. Tastes great!

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5 from 4 votes

Poondu kuzhambu recipe

Poondu kuzhambu is a spicy and tangy, flavourful south indian gravy. Packed with flavors, this is such a treat for your taste buds.

Course Main Course

Cuisine South Indian

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

1x2x3x

Cup measurements

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup Garlic Peeled
• ⅓ cup Small onion Peeled
• 1 tablespoon Tamarind small lemon sized
• 1 tablespoon Sambar powder
• ¼ teaspoon Jaggery
• Salt
• ¼ teaspoon Turmeric
• ¾ teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder Optional for color
• ¼ teaspoon Pepper powder optional
• 4 Curry leaves

To temper

• ½ teaspoon Mustard
• ¼ teaspoon Fenugreek seeds - ½ tsp
• 1 teaspoon Urad dal
• 1 teaspoon Toor dal
• 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon Oil peanut oil or sesame oil works best

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Instructions

• Soak tamarind in warm water for ½ hour firstly and extract the juice. Total 1 & ½ cups water.
• Heat kadai with oil, add tempering items followed by curry leaves, garlic and small onion.
• Fry till onion and garlic turns golden brown.
• Add tamarind extract, turmeric, salt, jaggery, sambar powder, red chilli powder if adding and stir well. Bring to boil.
• Simmer till the kuzhambu gets thicker and onions and garlic should have got cooked well.
• Lastly add pepper powder and switch off.

Notes

• Adding pepper at last adds extra flavour to the kuzhambu.
• If your kuzhambu doesn't get thick, add a teaspoon of rice flour dissolved in 1 tablespoon of water and boil. The thickness of the kuzhambu depends on mainly the sambar powder we use. 

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