Karuveppilai Kuzhambu

Description

Its a good practise to include some kind of herbal greens / spice once in while in our normal diet. In India these are available in abundance and is seen in markets fresh almost throughout the year. But its the opposite state here and much harder for us to locate one such items in the market. Indian stores sometimes have fresh bunch of curry leaves which is one item loaded with healing properties and can't afford to be missed.

Curry leaves Kuzhambu / Kulambu / Kolambu / Kari Leaves / Karuveppilai gravy / kaara Kuzhambu

Ingredients-1
4 nos	Dry red chili
4 tbsp	Coriander seeds
1 tsp	Cumin seeds
1 tsp	Black pepper corns
1 tbsp	Split red gram (toor gram / thuvaram paruppu)
1 tsp	Bengal gram
¼ tsp	Fenugreek seeds
1 tbsp	Dry coconut flakes/ desicated / coparai thengai
10 nos	Curry leaves
2 drop	Oil

Ingredients-2
10 nos	Shallots (sambar onions )
6 clove	Garlic
¼ tsp	Asafoetida
¼ tsp	Turmeric powder
¼ tsp	Jaggery
10 nos	Curry leaves
¼ tsp	Mustard
¼ tsp	Cumin seeds
4 tsp	Tamarind juice (or thick store bought pulp 1/4 tsp)
1½ tsp	Salt (or to taste)
½ cup	Water
2 tsp	Sesame oil (for tempering)
3 tsp	Sesame oil (for sauteing)

Instructions

For the Podi / Powder : Roast all the ingredients from table -1 except coconut using few drops of oil until golden. Switch off and remove the roasted contents, now in the same pan add dry coconut flakes (flame should be switched off) and toast until slightly brown. Let cool and grind everything to fine powder form and keep aside.

For the Kuzhambu / gravy: Soak tamarind in little water and squeeze out the pulp. Clean the shallots, remove the skin and quarter them. Garlic can be either crushed or slivered. Heat 3 tsp of sesame oil in a sauce pan, fry onions and garlic until translucent. Add the ground podi along with asafoetida, turmeric powder, tamarind pulp, jaggery and salt. Add 1/2 cup water and bring it to one boil and simmer. Now in a small pan, heat remaining 2 tsp of oil, splutter mustard, cumin seeds and curry leaves(table-2) and add this to the simmering gravy. Switch off and serve with plain rice.