Murungakkai Puli Kuzhambu – Kulambu

Recipe for Spicy South Indian Tamlinadu Style Murungakkai Kara Puli Kuzhambu. Drumsticks in tamarind gravy.

When I was young, me and my friends would never play near a drumstick tree. We were all made to believe that the tree hosts ghosts at night time. We would just never go near them. This is a very widely believed superstition all over Tamilnadu. It is also believed that eating drumsticks increases libido in men. This belief was popularized in a Tamil movie called Mundhanai Mudichu and it caught up with the masses.

Tamarind curries are an all time favorite for all South Indians. Its spicy, tangy and oh so perfect with rice. The flavor of drumsticks cooked in tamarind water is unbeatable. This is how we do Murungakkai Puli Kuzhambu – Drumsticks in Tamarind Gravy Taminadu style.

Soak a big lime size tamarind in 2 cups of water for 20 minutes. Once the tamarind has been soaked, squeeze it between the fingers to release all the juices. Strain the juice and set aside.

The important thing about this curry is the addition of the ground masala paste. Here is how we do it. Heat oil in a pan and add in the urad dal and the chana dal and fry till lightly brown. Frying the dal till brown on a low flame is very important. So go low and slow.

Once the dal has been fried and lightly brown, add in the tempering ingredients. Add in the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, dry red chillies, black pepper, coriander seeds (dhania), cumin seeds (jeera) and curry leaves. Fry in low flame until the seeds splutter and the curry leaves are crisp.

Add in the onions and fry till they are soft.

Once the onions are soft, add in the tomatoes, salt, asafoetida (hing) and turmeric powder. Fry till the tomatoes are mushy.

Once the tomatoes are mushy, add in the fresh shredded coconut and fry briefly for a minute to combine. Remove off heat and let it cool.

Grind the fried masala mixture to a smooth paste adding up-to 2 cups of water. Set aside.

Now the curry! Heat oil in a pan until hot. We need to use sesame oil (gingely) for this recipe. Add in the mustard seeds and the dry red chillies. Let the mustard seeds splutter. Add in the onions preferably shallots (small onions) and the curry leaves. Fry for a couple of minutes until the onions are soft.

Clean the drumsticks and roughly peel their thick outer skin. Cut into 2 inch pieces. Add it to the pan. Add in the tamarind pulp. Add a little salt and let the drumsticks simmer in tamarind mixture for 15 minutes on low flame.

Once the drumsticks are soft, add in the secret ingredient – Jaggery. There is an untold rule in Tamilnadu style tamarind gravies. Wherever tamarind goes in a gravy, a tablespoon of jaggery also goes. It rounds out the flavor and enhances the taste.

Add in the ground masala to the pan. Check for seasoning. Add more salt if required.

Simmer the curry on low flame for 15 minutes covered with a lid.

Stir once in 5 minutes to avoid scorching at the bottom.

Remove off heat and enjoy with hot rice.

For the Tamarind Pulp

• Big lemon size tamarind
• 2 cups water

For the Masala Paste

• 2 tablespoon peanut oil
• 1 tablespoon urad dal
• 1 tablespoon chana dal
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 5 dry red chillies
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoon coriander seeds (dhania)
• 2 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• 1 Onion, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/4 cup fresh shredded coconut

For the Curry

• 3 tablespoon sesame oil (gingely)
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 2 Dry red chillies
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• 10 - 12 shallots (small onions)
• 2 - 3 drumsticks
• 1 tablespoon jaggery

1. Soak a big lime size tamarind in 2 cups of water for 20 minutes. Once the tamarind has been soaked, squeeze it between the fingers to release all the juices. Strain the juice and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add in the urad dal and the chana dal and fry till lightly brown. Add in the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, dry red chillies, black pepper, coriander seeds (dhania), cumin seeds (jeera) and curry leaves. Fry in low flame until the seeds splutter and the curry leaves are crisp.
3. Add in the onions and fry till they are soft. Once the onions are soft, add in the tomatoes, salt, asafoetida (hing) and turmeric powder. Fry till the tomatoes are mushy. Once the tomatoes are mushy, add in the fresh shredded coconut and fry briefly for a minute to combine. Remove off heat and let it cool.
4. Grind the fried masala mixture to a smooth paste adding up-to 2 cups of water. Set aside.
5. Heat oil in a pan until hot. Add in the mustard seeds and the dry red chillies. Let the mustard seeds splutter. Add in the onions, preferably shallots (small onions) and the curry leaves. Fry for a couple of minutes until the onions are soft.
6. Clean the drumsticks and roughly peel their thick outer skin. Cut into 2 inch pieces. Add it to the pan. Add in the tamarind pulp. Add a little salt and let the drumsticks simmer in tamarind mixture for 15 minutes on low flame.
7. Once the drumsticks are soft, add in the jaggery. Add in the ground masala to the pan. Check for seasoning. Add more salt if required.
8. Simmer the curry on low flame for 15 minutes covered with a lid. Remove off heat and enjoy with hot rice.

Notes

I use Idhayam brand sesame oil.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins
• Category: Curry
• Cuisine: South Indian

For the Tamarind Pulp

• Big lemon size tamarind
• 2 cups water

For the Masala Paste

• 2 tablespoon peanut oil
• 1 tablespoon urad dal
• 1 tablespoon chana dal
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 5 dry red chillies
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoon coriander seeds (dhania)
• 2 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• 1 Onion, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/4 cup fresh shredded coconut

For the Curry

• 3 tablespoon sesame oil (gingely)
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 2 Dry red chillies
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• 10 - 12 shallots (small onions)
• 2 - 3 drumsticks
• 1 tablespoon jaggery

1. Soak a big lime size tamarind in 2 cups of water for 20 minutes. Once the tamarind has been soaked, squeeze it between the fingers to release all the juices. Strain the juice and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add in the urad dal and the chana dal and fry till lightly brown. Add in the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, dry red chillies, black pepper, coriander seeds (dhania), cumin seeds (jeera) and curry leaves. Fry in low flame until the seeds splutter and the curry leaves are crisp.
3. Add in the onions and fry till they are soft. Once the onions are soft, add in the tomatoes, salt, asafoetida (hing) and turmeric powder. Fry till the tomatoes are mushy. Once the tomatoes are mushy, add in the fresh shredded coconut and fry briefly for a minute to combine. Remove off heat and let it cool.
4. Grind the fried masala mixture to a smooth paste adding up-to 2 cups of water. Set aside.
5. Heat oil in a pan until hot. Add in the mustard seeds and the dry red chillies. Let the mustard seeds splutter. Add in the onions, preferably shallots (small onions) and the curry leaves. Fry for a couple of minutes until the onions are soft.
6. Clean the drumsticks and roughly peel their thick outer skin. Cut into 2 inch pieces. Add it to the pan. Add in the tamarind pulp. Add a little salt and let the drumsticks simmer in tamarind mixture for 15 minutes on low flame.
7. Once the drumsticks are soft, add in the jaggery. Add in the ground masala to the pan. Check for seasoning. Add more salt if required.
8. Simmer the curry on low flame for 15 minutes covered with a lid. Remove off heat and enjoy with hot rice.

Notes

I use Idhayam brand sesame oil.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins
• Category: Curry
• Cuisine: South Indian

Find it online : https://www.kannammacooks.com/murungakkai-puli-kuzhambu-drumsticks-in-tamarind-gravy/

Recipe for Khasi Halwa – Vellai Poosanikai Halwa served at weddings in Tamilnadu. South Indian Halwa made with white pumpkin.

Vellai Poosanikai Halwa / White Pumpkin Halwa is a very traditional sweet served at South Indian weddings. We usually start the wedding feast with a sweet. Its a divine moment when a hot scoop of this Poosanikai Halwa is served on a banana leaf. Poosanikai Halwa is my all time favorite. At a wedding lunch when I was in college, I told my mom that I want the same Poosanikai Halwa for my wedding. She dint say anything at that time. Some years passed. Many weddings and many Poosanikai Halwa’s later, my Poosanikai Halwa time came. When my parents were finalizing the menu for my wedding, I asked for this Poosanikai Halwa to be added to the menu. This Poosanikai Halwa is close to my heart and warm to my stomach. For me, it needs to be served hot. The warm Poosanikai Halwa, the pumpkin with a textural feel in the mouth, the golden yellow color, the melting ghee….what more can one need. Lets make this awesome wedding Poosanikai Halwa.

That’s us at our wedding. That was a long time back.

Its always better to pick up a pumpkin that’s aged well. Choose a pumpkin that’s a little big and is more than 6 kilograms. We will need about 1 kg of pumpkin for this recipe.

Cut the pumpkin into small pieces and remove the seeds and the innards of the pumpkin completely.

We need to remove the skin too. Remove the green skin completely. The skin is bitter. So you want to remove it off completely.

Grate the pumpkin using a vegetable peeler. Pumpkin has a lot of water content. Squeeze the grated pumpkin on a muslin cloth to remove all the water. Set aside.

Heat a pan on medium flame and add the pumpkin. The 1 kg of pumpkin at the beginning has become a mere 300 grams now.

Add in a cup of the strained pumpkin liquid and cook the pumpkin on medium flame until dry.

When the pumpkin is cooking, soak a big pinch of saffron in half a cup of pumpkin liquid. Set aside. Grind 2 cardamom pods on a mortar and pestle to a smooth powder. Remove the outer skin of the cardamom before grinding.

Add in the saffron water and the sugar. Add in the broken cashewnuts. Add in a pinch of salt. Cook the halwa on medium flame for 7-8 minutes.

When the Poosanikai Halwa starts to bubble on the sides, add in 2 tablespoon of ghee. Cook for another 3-4 minutes on medium flame. Add in a big pinch of the ground cardamom powder.

The Poosanikai Halwa is done when the ghee streaks starts to appear on top.

Serve Poosanikai Halwa hot.

• 1 Kg Pumpkin
• 200 grams Sugar
• a big pinch of saffron
• 2 cardamom
• a pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup broken cashewnuts
• 2 tablespoons Ghee

1. Cut the pumpkin into small pieces and remove the seeds and the innards. Remove the green skin completely.
2. Grate the pumpkin using a vegetable peeler. Pumpkin has a lot of water content. Squeeze the grated pumpkin on a muslin cloth to remove all the water. Set aside.
3. Heat a pan on medium flame and add the pumpkin. The 1 kg of pumpkin at the beginning has become a mere 300 grams now. Add in a cup of the strained pumpkin liquid and cook the pumpkin on medium flame until dry.
4. When the pumpkin is cooking, soak a big pinch of saffron in half a cup of pumpkin liquid. Set aside. Grind 2 cardamom pods on a mortar and pestle to a smooth powder. Remove the outer skin of the cardamom before grinding.
5. Add in the saffron water and the sugar. Add in the broken cashewnuts. Add in a pinch of salt. Cook the halwa on medium flame for 7-8 minutes.
6. When the halwa starts to bubble on the sides, add in 2 tablespoon of ghee. Cook for another 3-4 minutes on medium flame. Add in a big pinch of the ground cardamom powder. The halwa is done when the ghee streaks starts to appear on top. Serve hot.

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