This is a traditional recipe of South Indians, made in a earthen pot (kal chatty). This mud pot is available in Trichy, close to the Srirangam temple market. It gives a great special aroma when food items are cooked in this mud pot. Some people call it as Puli kuzhambu too.Now we shall see how to make it.
Ingredients:
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/8th tsp fenugreek (methi) seeds
- 2 dry red chillies broken to pieces
- 1/2 tsp yellow lentils (toor dal)
- 1 tsp tamarind paste
- 3 tbsp sesame oil
- 15 to 20 curry leaves
- 1 capsicum cut in 1 inch pieces. You can also use 1 large onion or drumstick or eggplant (brinjal) or all of the above if you choose
- 2 tbsp of veththal kozhambu powder (see below for instructions)
- 1/8th tsp of turmeric powder
- One pinch of asafoetida (if onion is not added)
- Salt to taste
- Heat oil in a karahi (kal chatty).
- Add mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds, let them splutter, simmer the gas
- Add yellow lentils, red chillies, broken curry leaves, turmeric powder, veththal kuzhambu powder, mix everything well
- Add the vegetables and pour tamarind paste with 2 cups of water
- Add salt and let it boil for 10 to 15 minutes in a low flame, till the capsicum (and other vegetables) are cooked well
- Switch off the gas
How to make veththal kuzhambu powder
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of red chilli powder
- 2 cups of coriander powder
- 1 tbsp turmeric powder
- 2 tbsp pepper corns
- 2 tbsp of yellow lentils (toor dal)
- 1 tbsp of split chickpeas (chana dal)
- 1 tb sp of fenugreek (methi) seeds
- 2 tbsp of sesame
- 1 big bunch of curry leaves washed & dried
- Dry fry sesame seeds till it splutters a little and keep aside
- Dry fry yellow lentils and for 10 minutes on a low fire till they change colour lightly
- Add pepper and fenugreek seeds and fry for 5 minutes
- Add the curry leaves and lastly add the red chilly powder and coriander powder.
- Add the dry fried sesame seeds
- Grind all the ingredients in a mixer and store in an air-tight jar
