Kara Kuzhambu – Spicy Tamarind Stew is an everyday recipe made in Tamilnadu. Its usually served with rice for lunch. There are a lot of different ways in which this recipe is made and it differs a lot between various households. This is how we make at home. Tamarind is an important ingredient in this recipe. You can use fresh tamarind or home made tamarind paste . I find home made tamarind paste to be so easy as it makes for one chore less everyday.
Here is how to do Kara Kuzhambu. Vegetables like Brinjal, drumstick, ladies finger, shallots are very traditional for making Kara Kuzhambu. Today we will be making karakuzhambu using brinjal. Also sesame oil / gingely oil is used for this recipe.
Heat sesame oil in a pressure pan until hot. Add in the fenugreek seeds (vendhayam), curry leaves and garlic cloves. Fry for a minute. Add in the onion and tomato and fry for a minute more.
Add in the sambar powder, turmeric powder, salt, tamarind paste, water and jaggery. Add in the cut brinjal.
Take a mixie jar and grind the coconut and fennel seeds (sombu) with water to a fine paste. Add it to the pan.
Cover the pressure cooker and cook for 2 whistles. Switch off the flame and wait for the pressure release naturally. Do not cook more than that. I prefer to cook in the pressure cooker as its easy and its fast. Many might think that the brinjal might get overcooked. But because we are adding tamarind, the brinjal doesn’t get mushy at all.
Note If you do not want to use the pressure cooker, add one cup more water and simmer the curry for 15 minutes on a low flame.
Switch off the flame and wait for the pressure to release. Serve the Kaara kuzhambu hot with rice.
Main Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (vendhayam)
- 2 sprigs curry leaves
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 medium sized onion, diced
- 2 ripe tomatoes, diced
- 2 inch tamarind or 3 Tablespoon homemade tamarind paste
- 2 teaspoon sambar powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon jaggery
- 6 - 7 brinjal, cut into big pieces
- 3/4 cup Water
To make into a paste
- 1/4 cup fresh shredded coconut
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds (sombu)
- 1/2 cup Water
- Heat sesame oil in a pressure pan until hot. Add in the fenugreek seeds (vendhayam), curry leaves and garlic cloves. Fry for a minute.
- Then add in the diced onion and tomatoes. Fry for a minute more.
- Add in the sambar powder, turmeric powder and salt. Add in the tamarind paste and jaggery. Add in the brinjal and water.
- Take a mixie jar and grind the coconut and fennel seeds (sombu) with water to a fine paste. Add it to the pan.
- Cover the pressure cooker and cook for 2 whistles.
- Switch off the flame and wait for the pressure to release. Serve the Kaara kuzhambu hot with rice.
Notes
If using fresh tamarind, Soak the tamarind in 3/4 cup water for 20 minutes. Crush between hands to make pulp. Then use it in the recipe. Do not add extra water.
- Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: Tamilnadu
Main Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (vendhayam)
- 2 sprigs curry leaves
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 medium sized onion, diced
- 2 ripe tomatoes, diced
- 2 inch tamarind or 3 Tablespoon homemade tamarind paste
- 2 teaspoon sambar powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon jaggery
- 6 - 7 brinjal, cut into big pieces
- 3/4 cup Water
To make into a paste
- 1/4 cup fresh shredded coconut
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds (sombu)
- 1/2 cup Water
- Heat sesame oil in a pressure pan until hot. Add in the fenugreek seeds (vendhayam), curry leaves and garlic cloves. Fry for a minute.
- Then add in the diced onion and tomatoes. Fry for a minute more.
- Add in the sambar powder, turmeric powder and salt. Add in the tamarind paste and jaggery. Add in the brinjal and water.
- Take a mixie jar and grind the coconut and fennel seeds (sombu) with water to a fine paste. Add it to the pan.
- Cover the pressure cooker and cook for 2 whistles.
- Switch off the flame and wait for the pressure to release. Serve the Kaara kuzhambu hot with rice.
Notes
If using fresh tamarind, Soak the tamarind in 3/4 cup water for 20 minutes. Crush between hands to make pulp. Then use it in the recipe. Do not add extra water.
- Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: Tamilnadu
Find it online : https://www.kannammacooks.com/kara-kuzhambu-recipe-brinjal-kara-kuzhambu/
This is a simple pasi paruppu dal thats made in Tamilnadu for Chapati. Its truly simple to make and a very nourishing side dish for chapati. The dal is cooked with a lot of vegetables and finally lemon / lime juice and coriander leaves are added. The fresh sourness from lime with veggies and dal makes it so tasty. There is a version of this recipe in each household. My aunt is an awesome cook. Even though she cooks with a lot of masalas, the kongunad way for us, she cooks simple dishes like these for herself. She never eats the kurmas and spicy gravies that she makes for us. She is a complete vegetarian who cooks awesome non-veg recipes without even tasting. She just smells and says whether the recipe needs more salt. I don’t know how she does that.
Here is how to do pasi paruppu dal, moong dal for chapathi, chapati dal recipe.
Get all the veggies chopped and ready to go. Use a combination of vegetables that you can find in your refrigerator. Potatoes is a must as it makes for a thick gravy . You can use carrots, potatoes, cauliflower, peas and beans etc…
Heat a pressure pan and add in a teaspoon of ghee. Add in the cumin seeds and curry leaves. Let it splutter. Add in the chopped ginger. Fry for a minute until the ginger turns very aromatic.
Add in the onions and green chillies. Fry till its soft. Onions are optional. If you take off the onions from the recipe, this dish becomes completely Sathvik. Add in the moong dal, chopped tomatoes and the veggies.
Add in the water and cover the pan and cook for 3 whistles. Switch off the flame and wait for the pressure to release naturally.
Open the cooker and add in the salt. We add the salt at the last so the dal gets cooked well in the cooker. Add in the lime / lemon juice and coriander leaves. Mix well to combine. Do not cook after adding the lemon juice. Lemon juice should not be cooked else it will turn bitter.
Serve with chapati.
- 1 teaspoon ghee
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1 inch ginger, minced
- 1 medium sized onion, chopped fine
- 3 green chillies, chopped
- 1 ripe tomato, chopped
- 1/3 cup moong dal
- 2 cups veggies
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Juice of 1 lime
- 4 sprigs coriander leaves, chopped
- Heat a pressure pan and add in a teaspoon of ghee. Add in the cumin seeds and curry leaves. Let it splutter. Add in the chopped ginger. Fry for a minute until the ginger turns very aromatic.
- Add in the onions and green chillies. Fry till its soft.
- Add in the moong dal, chopped tomatoes and the veggies.
- Add in the water and cover the pan and cook for 3 whistles. Switch off the flame and wait for the pressure to release naturally.
- Open the cooker and add in the salt. We add the salt at the last so the dal gets cooked well in the cooker. Add in the lime / lemon juice and coriander leaves. Mix well to combine.
- Serve with chapati.
Notes
A note on Veggies: Potatoes is a must as it makes for a thick gravy . You can use carrots, potatoes, cauliflower peas and beans etc…
- Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: Tailnadu
