Kongu Thakkali Kuzhambu – Kulambu

Kongu Thakkali Kuzhambu – Kulambu – Coimbatore Style Tomato Kurma

Kongu Thakkali Kuzhambu – Tamil style tomato kurma recipe for idli, dosa with coconut. Popular in Coimbatore. With step by step pictures.

Kongu Thakkali Kuzhambu – This is an amazing kurma for idli and dosa and is very popular in the kongu region of Tamilnadu. Thakkali Kuzhambu is an absolute favorite and every family in Coimbatore has a version of this curry in their repertoire. Juicy ripe tomatoes and coconut are the star of this dish. The spice that elevates it up is the fennel seeds. Its mild. There is a saying about tomato. “Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it into a fruit salad.” Thakkali Kuzhambu goes well with idli and dosa. This is how we do Kongu Thakkali Kuzhambu – Coimbatore Style Tomato Curry at our home.

We need really juicy and ripe tomatoes for Thakkali Kuzhambu.

The spices are fried in oil along with onions and tomatoes and ground to a paste. We would need the following spices for our Kongu Thakkali Kuzhambu – Coimbatore Style Tomato Curry.

Heat oil in a pan and add in all the spices shown on the above spice plate at once. Fry for a couple of minutes on low flame. Increase the flame to medium and add in the roughly chopped onions and fry till slightly brown. About 4-5 minutes.

Once the onions are brown, add in the tomatoes, turmeric, salt and a small piece of tamarind. Fry for a good 8-10 minutes until the tomatoes are almost dry.

Its time for coconut. Coconut gives this curry that rich smooth feel in the mouth and also gives body to the curry and makes it thick. Adding coconut in cooking is actually good for you. Never listen to someone who says otherwise. Read my recipe for south indian coconut chutney to know why.

Add in the fresh shredded coconut and fry for a minute.

Remove off heat and let it cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, grind the mixture to a very smooth paste. Add up-to 2 cups of water while grinding.

Heat oil in a pan and add in the curry leaves and fennel seeds. Add in the ground masala. It will be very thick.

Add in some water to the blender (upto 1.5 cups) and add it back to the pan so the thick masala sticking in the blender doesn’t get wasted. Let it simmer for a minute. The Thakkali Kuzhambu masala is already well cooked. So a brief simmer is enough.

After a couple of minutes add in the coriander leaves and remove the pan from heat. Thakkali Kuzhambu is ready.

Serve Thakkali Kuzhambu hot with idli or dosa.

Here is a printable Thakkali Kuzhambu recipe.

For the Spice Mixture

• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 dried red chilli
• 1 teaspoon whole black pepper
• 2 tablespoon fried gram (pottu kadalai)

For the curry

• 2 tablespoon Oil
• 2 onions
• 6 very ripe tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon salt
• a small candy size tamarind
• 1/2 cup fresh shredded coconut

For Tempering

• 1 teaspoon Oil
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 5 stalks coriander leaves

1. Heat oil in a pan and add in all the spices at once. Fry for a couple of minutes on low flame. Increase the flame to medium and add in the roughly chopped onions and fry till slightly brown. About 4-5 minutes.
2. Once the onions are brown, add in the tomatoes, turmeric, salt and a small piece of tamarind. Fry for a good 8-10 minutes until the tomatoes are almost dry.
3. Add in the fresh shredded coconut and fry for a minute.
4. Remove off heat and let it cool slightly. When cool enough to handle grind the mixture to a very smooth paste. Add up-to 2 cups of water while grinding.
5. Heat oil in a pan and add in the curry leaves and fennel seeds. Add in the ground masala and water. Let it simmer for a minute.
6. After a couple of minutes add in the coriander leaves and remove the pan from heat.
7. Serve hot with idli or dosa.

Notes

Measurements used – 1 cup = 250 ml Its traditional to use indian sesame oil, also called as gingely oil in this recipe. Peanut oil works equally good.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins
• Category: Gravy
• Cuisine: South Indian

For the Spice Mixture

• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 dried red chilli
• 1 teaspoon whole black pepper
• 2 tablespoon fried gram (pottu kadalai)

For the curry

• 2 tablespoon Oil
• 2 onions
• 6 very ripe tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon salt
• a small candy size tamarind
• 1/2 cup fresh shredded coconut

For Tempering

• 1 teaspoon Oil
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 5 stalks coriander leaves

1. Heat oil in a pan and add in all the spices at once. Fry for a couple of minutes on low flame. Increase the flame to medium and add in the roughly chopped onions and fry till slightly brown. About 4-5 minutes.
2. Once the onions are brown, add in the tomatoes, turmeric, salt and a small piece of tamarind. Fry for a good 8-10 minutes until the tomatoes are almost dry.
3. Add in the fresh shredded coconut and fry for a minute.
4. Remove off heat and let it cool slightly. When cool enough to handle grind the mixture to a very smooth paste. Add up-to 2 cups of water while grinding.
5. Heat oil in a pan and add in the curry leaves and fennel seeds. Add in the ground masala and water. Let it simmer for a minute.
6. After a couple of minutes add in the coriander leaves and remove the pan from heat.
7. Serve hot with idli or dosa.

Notes

Measurements used – 1 cup = 250 ml Its traditional to use indian sesame oil, also called as gingely oil in this recipe. Peanut oil works equally good.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins
• Category: Gravy
• Cuisine: South Indian

Find it online : https://www.kannammacooks.com/kongu-thakkali-kuzhambu-coimbatore-style-tomato-kurma/

Peas Pulao

Delicious Recipe for Indian Green Peas Pulao with basmati rice. No coconut milk. Includes step by step pictures.

This is my recipe for Peas Pulao. Think about it – Peas and Rice. You can eat a hundred of these when you feel like it. Next time you eat peas pulao, stop at the hundredth grain and think about me. Will you? Don’t break the promise. OK. This is an aromatic one pot Peas Pulao dish. There are a few small little steps involved in making this Peas Pulao recipe. It takes a little bit of time but its totally worth it.

Here is how to do an awesome and fragrant Peas Pulao, Kannamma style.

STEP 1 of Peas Pulao As I told you, there are a few small prep steps involved in Peas Pulao. Lets get started with frying some onions. Heat oil in a small kadai until hot and add in 2 medium sized sliced onions and cook in high flame for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Set aside.

STEP 2 of Peas Pulao Add two tablespoons of oil (the oil that we used to fry the onions) in a pan and fry the cashew-nuts on low flame until brown. Drain on paper towels. Set aside.

STEP 3 of Peas Pulao Now, lets cook rice. You can do this in your rice cooker or your pressure cooker. I do it in the pressure cooker. Soak 2 cups of basmati rice in cold water for half an hour. Now, lets talk about water. The water to rice ratio while cooking is 1 RICE : 1.5 HOT WATER. So I added 3 cups of hot water to the rice. Add SALT, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom in the water and cook it for 2 whistles in medium flame or follow the instructions of your rice cooker. Once cooked, add in two to three tablespoons of ghee and fluff up the rice with a flat spatula. Set aside.

STEP 4 of Peas Pulao Soak a generous pinch of saffron in half a cup of hot milk. Set aside.

STEP 5 of Peas Pulao Boil some peas and set aside. Chop mint leaves and coriander leaves. Set aside.

STEP 6 – Onion and Peas Saute Crush some ginger and garlic in a mortar and pestle. We just want it crushed. Not pureed. Set aside.

Add two tablespoons of oil (the oil that we used to fry the onions) in a pan and add in two medium onions and fry till soft. Add in 10 crushed green chillies. I added less as my young son still cannot take heat. He loves this pulao. I do not want his mouth on fire. So I stopped with 3 chillies. Adjust the chillies according to your taste. Add in the crushed ginger and garlic. Add in the salt. Fry for 2-3 minutes till the ginger and garlic is cooked and dry.

Add in some boiled peas and cook for a minute or two. Remove off heat. Set aside.

FINAL STEP for Peas Pulao Now is the final step. Lets call it putting together the Peas Pulao. Take a heavy bottomed pan with a tight lid. 1. Take half of the onion and peas saute mixture and spread it on the bottom of the pan. 2. Take half of the rice mixture and spread it on top of the onion and peas mixture. 3. Sprinkle half of the fried onions. 4. Sprinkle half of the fried cashew-nuts. 5. Add in few coriander leaves and mint leaves. 6. Sprinkle half of the saffron milk all over the pan

REPEAT the above steps to form another layer.

We need to put it on Dum. You can either do this in the stove top or in the oven.

If you are doing it in the stove top, keep the Peas Pulao dish on top of an iron skillet/griddle and cook on low flame (dum) for 15 minutes.

If using the oven, cook in a 400 degree F oven for 20 minutes. The results are extremely good in an oven. I always finish cooking the dum in the oven.

Serve Peas Pulao hot. Enjoy!

For Step 1

• Oil for deep frying
• 2 medium sized onions, sliced

For Step 2

• 2 Tablespoon Oil
• 3 tablespoon Cashew-nut

For Step 3

• 2 cups rice
• 3 cups hot water
• 2 sticks cinnamon
• 3 cloves
• 3 cardamom
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoon ghee

For Step 4

• 1/2 cup hot milk
• generous pinch of saffron

For Step 5

• 250 grams peas
• 10 sprigs mint leaves
• 10 stalks coriander leaves

For Step 6

• 1 pod garlic
• 2 inch ginger
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 2 medium sized onion
• 10 green chillies, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Heat oil in a small kadai until hot and add in 2 medium sized sliced onions and cook in high flame for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Set aside.
2. Add two tablespoons of oil (the oil that we used to fry the onions) in a pan and fry the cashew-nuts on low flame until brown. Drain on paper towels. Set aside.
3. Soak 2 cups of rice in cold water for half an hour. The water to rice ratio is 1 RICE : 1.5 HOT WATER. So I added 3 cups of hot water to the soaked rice. Add SALT, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom in the water and cook it for 2 whistles in medium flame or follow the instructions for your rice cooker. Once cooked, add in two to three tablespoons of ghee and fluff up the rice with a flat spatula. Set aside.
4. Soak a generous pinch of saffron in half a cup of hot milk. Set aside.
5. Boil some peas and set aside. Chop mint leaves and coriander leaves. Set aside.
6. Crush some ginger and garlic in a mortar and pestle. We just want it crushed. Not pureed. Set aside.Add two tablespoons of oil (the oil that we used to fry the onions) in a pan and add in two medium onions and fry till soft. Add in 10 crushed green chillies. Add in the crushed ginger and garlic. Add in the salt. Fry for 2-3 minutes till the ginger and garlic is cooked and dry. Add in some boiled peas and cook for a minute or two. Remove off heat. Set aside.
7. FINAL STEP – Layering the pulao -Take half of the onion and peas saute and spread it on the bottom of the pan. Take half of the rice mixture and spread it on top of the onion and peas mixture. Sprinkle half of the fried onions. Sprinkle half of the fried cashew-nuts. Add in few coriander leaves and mint leaves. Add in half of the saffron milk all over the pan. REPEAT the above steps to form another layer.
8. Put it on Dum – If you are doing it in the stove top, keep the pulao dish on top of a iron skillet/griddle and cook on low flame (dum) for 15 minutes. If using the oven, cook in a 400 degree F oven for 20 minutes.
9. Serve hot.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Category: Main Dish
• Cuisine: Indian