Thuvaram Paruppu Kaata Kuzhambu

Recipe for traditional Kongunad kaata kuzhambu made with toor dal. Recipe with step by step pictures.

Kaata Kuzhambu is a very traditional recipe made in the kongunad region. It is usually served with Ragi Kali, idli or dosa. Kaatam காட்டம் literally means heat. The curry has an intense aroma that will fill the kitchen as you cook. The recipe is from one of my favorite Navamani Auntie. She is the most wittiest in the family. There is never a dull moment when she is around. She just cracks everyone up and takes everything so lightly. This is her recipe. She is also from the south of Kongunad – Anupatti, near my husbands place. The food of the region is so different and so elaborate. She also makes the worlds best ghee laden softest obbattu / poli.

There is also a version of kaata kuzhambu that is made with horse gram / kollu. Here is the recipe for the same.

Here is how to do kaata kuzhambu. We will need to make a paste for this recipe. Here is what you will need.

Heat quarter teaspoon of oil in a pan and add in the toor dal and rice. I have used regular parboiled rice (ponni arisi) for this recipe. Roast the lentil and rice on a very low flame. Its important to roast everything on a low flame. Once the rice and lentil is golden, remove from the pan and set aside on a plate to cool.

In the same pan, add in the remaining oil and add in the cumin seeds, coriander seeds and dried red chillies. Saute for a minute on low flame.

Add in the small onions / Indian shallots. Saute for 3-4 minutes till the shallots is golden.

Grind the lentil-rice and the spices mixture to a coarse paste with half a cup of water. Set aside. Note: You can omit the shallots and make the powder and store it for future use. The powder can be stored for up to a month. Alternatively, the paste can be frozen and used whenever needed. Just thaw the paste an hour before making the curry and proceed with the recipe.

Heat Indian sesame oil (gingely oil) in a kadai and when the oil is hot, add in the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Also add in the curry leaves. Let the mustard seeds crackle. Add in the finely chopped onions. Using lot of onions is important for the flavour of this curry. Add in the salt along with the onion so the onions cook fast.

Saute for 6-7 minutes till the onions are soft and brown. Soak a small marble size tamarind in a cup of water for 10 minutes. Squeeze and extract the pulp. Discard the pith and the fibre. Add in the tamarind extract to the pan.

Add in the ground masala paste. Wash the mixie with a cup of water and add it back to the pan.

Let the curry simmer for 10-12 minutes on a medium flame. The curry will thicken as it cooks. Keep stirring once in a while so it doesnt scorch at the bottom.

Serve the curry with idli or dosa . Its traditionally served with ragi kali / Ragi mudde.

For the Kaata Kuzhambu Masala

• 1 tablespoon Indian sesame oil / gingely oil
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 2 - 3 red chillies
• 2 teaspoon parboiled rice
• 1.5 tablespoon toor dal
• 6 - 7 Indian Shallots / Small onions

For the Kuzhambu

• 1 tablespoon Indian sesame oil / gingely oil
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 sprig curry leaves
• 1.5 cups finely chopped onions
• 1 teaspoon salt
• marble size tamarind

For the Kaata Kuzhambu Masala

1. Heat quarter teaspoon of oil in a pan and add in the toor dal and rice. I have used regular parboiled rice (ponni arisi) for this recipe. Roast the lentil and rice on a very low flame. Its important to roast everything in a low flame. Once the rice and lentil is golden, remove from the pan and set aside on a plate to cool.
2. In the same pan, add in the remaining oil and add in the cumin seeds, coriander seeds and dried red chillies. Saute for a minute on low flame.
3. Add in the small onions / Indian shallots. Saute for 3-4 minutes till the shallots is golden.
4. Grind the lentil-rice and the spices mixture to a coarse paste with half a cup of water. Set aside.

For the Kuzhambu

1. Heat Indian sesame oil (gingely oil) in a kadai and when the oil is hot, add in the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Also add in the curry leaves. Let the mustard seeds crackle. Add in the finely chopped onions. Using lot of onions is important for the flavour of this curry. Add in the salt along with the onion so the onions cook fast.
2. Saute for 6-7 minutes till the onions are soft and brown. Soak a small marble size tamarind in a cup of water for 10 minutes. Squeeze and extract the pulp. Discard the pith and the fibre. Add in the tamarind extract to the pan.
3. Add in the ground masala paste. Wash the mixie with a cup of water and add it back to the pan.
4. Let the curry simmer for 10-12 minutes on a medium flame. The curry will thicken as it cooks. Keep stirring once in a while so it doesnt scorch at the bottom.
5. Serve the curry with idli or dosa. Its traditionally served with ragi kali / Ragi mudde.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins
• Category: Side Dish
• Cuisine: Tamilnadu

For the Kaata Kuzhambu Masala

• 1 tablespoon Indian sesame oil / gingely oil
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 2 - 3 red chillies
• 2 teaspoon parboiled rice
• 1.5 tablespoon toor dal
• 6 - 7 Indian Shallots / Small onions

For the Kuzhambu

• 1 tablespoon Indian sesame oil / gingely oil
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 sprig curry leaves
• 1.5 cups finely chopped onions
• 1 teaspoon salt
• marble size tamarind

For the Kaata Kuzhambu Masala

1. Heat quarter teaspoon of oil in a pan and add in the toor dal and rice. I have used regular parboiled rice (ponni arisi) for this recipe. Roast the lentil and rice on a very low flame. Its important to roast everything in a low flame. Once the rice and lentil is golden, remove from the pan and set aside on a plate to cool.
2. In the same pan, add in the remaining oil and add in the cumin seeds, coriander seeds and dried red chillies. Saute for a minute on low flame.
3. Add in the small onions / Indian shallots. Saute for 3-4 minutes till the shallots is golden.
4. Grind the lentil-rice and the spices mixture to a coarse paste with half a cup of water. Set aside.

For the Kuzhambu

1. Heat Indian sesame oil (gingely oil) in a kadai and when the oil is hot, add in the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Also add in the curry leaves. Let the mustard seeds crackle. Add in the finely chopped onions. Using lot of onions is important for the flavour of this curry. Add in the salt along with the onion so the onions cook fast.
2. Saute for 6-7 minutes till the onions are soft and brown. Soak a small marble size tamarind in a cup of water for 10 minutes. Squeeze and extract the pulp. Discard the pith and the fibre. Add in the tamarind extract to the pan.
3. Add in the ground masala paste. Wash the mixie with a cup of water and add it back to the pan.
4. Let the curry simmer for 10-12 minutes on a medium flame. The curry will thicken as it cooks. Keep stirring once in a while so it doesnt scorch at the bottom.
5. Serve the curry with idli or dosa. Its traditionally served with ragi kali / Ragi mudde.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins
• Category: Side Dish
• Cuisine: Tamilnadu

Find it online : https://www.kannammacooks.com/thuvaram-paruppu-kaata-kuzhambu/

Recipe for making poongar unpolished rice kara kozhukattai. A different variety of kara kozhukattai made with red rice.

I have already shared the kara kozhukattai recipe that is very famous in the kogunad region that uses par boiled rice.

Poongar Red Rice is an indigenous Tamilnadu rice thats not polished and very hearty to taste. Its high in nutrition and fiber as its not polished and has its germ and bran intact. The rice is red in colour due to the presence of anthocyanin. Anthocyanin is a water soluble pigment and is present in dark coloured fruits and vegetables like Acai, blue berry, raspberry, grapes, red cabbage, black rice, cranberry etc… Anthocyanins have been shown to have antioxidant properties. Poongar rice is recommended to be the best rice for pregnant and lactating moms in Tamilnadu.

I made the kozhukattai using poongar rice today. Any red rice / brown rice will work for this recipe. With a little bit of planning, this recipe can be put together in under 30-40 minutes. The finely cut veggies and aromatics are mixed with the ground rice batter and cooked to a dough. The dough is then shaped, formed into dumplings and are steamed. These steamed little pockets are truly delicious. Do try it at home. I have made the same recipe with brown rice and found that the brown rice version is a little firm when compared to the red rice. Red rice has more fiber when compared to brown rice. The red rice kozhukattai is very slightly gummy. If you are trying for the first time, try with brown rice. The recipe can be found here. https://www.kannammacooks.com/vegetable-kozhukattai-veg-kaara-kozhukattai-recipe/

Soak the rice for 5-6 hours. If you are planning for breakfast, then soak the red rice over nite. It works well. Drain the water from the soaked rice. Note: One can use regular white rice instead of brown rice and the kozhukattai comes well too!

Now, grind the rice with some water. The quantity of water used while grinding will determine the final texture of the kozhukattai. For every cup of red rice used, add exactly one cup of water while grinding. Too little water will give a really hard Kozhukattai and adding a lot of water will make the Kozhukattai gummy. So use the correct measurement of water while grinding. Grind to a really smooth fine paste. Set aside.

Finely chop the curry leaves, ginger and green chillies.

If you cannot mince fine, its okay to crush the green chillies and the ginger to a coarse paste in a mortar and pestle.

Heat sesame oil (gingely oil) in a pan and add in the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, finely chopped ginger, finely chopped curry leaves and the chana dal. Chopping the curry leaves makes it easier while serving and eating. Wait for the dal to brown.

Add in the finely chopped onions and green chillies. Make sure all these ingredients are finely chopped, so its easy to prepare and shape the Kozhukattai later. You do not want a big chilli or a curry leaf when you bite the dumpling. So take time and chop the ingredients as fine as possible.

Get the vegetables ready.

Once the onions are cooked and starting to brown, add in the finely shredded veggies. I have used carrots, cabbage and beans today. I have finely chopped them. You can shred in a vegetable shredded and it works fine too. Also add in the salt at this stage. Saute for 3-4 minutes.

No need to cook the vegetables completely as we are going to be steaming again. So, once the veggies are half done, add in the ground rice.

The rice mixture will immediately thicken up into a mass of dough in a couple of minutes. Once the dough is thick, remove from heat and set aside to cool. Now we will shape the dumplings. Dip your hands in water everytime you form dumplings so that the dumplings do not stick. Also the cool water will help in handling the hot dough.

When the dough is still warm, dip your hands in cold water and take a small lemon size ball of dough. Press the dough a little to form oblong shaped dumplings. Repeat with the remaining dough. Dip your hands in cold water before shaping every dumpling.

Place the dumplings on an OILED idli plate or any flat plate and steam it for 15 minutes on a medium flame. The dumplings would become slightly glossy after steaming. Remove from heat.

Let the dumplings cool for 10 minutes. Hot dumplings easily break when removed from the pan. Also do not over crowd the idli plates and make sure to oil the idli plates well so it easily comes off after steaming. spoon the dumplings and serve on a platter. Serve hot with coconut chutney , red chutney or kara chutney .

For grinding

• 1 cup red rice
• 1 cup water

For tempering

• 2 teaspoon gingely oil
• ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
• ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon chana dal
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 1.5 inch piece ginger, finely chopped
• 3 sprig curry leaves, finely chopped
• 3 - 4 green chillies, finely chopped
• 3 cups finely shredded vegetables (carrot, cabbage and beans)
• 1 teaspoon salt

1. Soak the rice for 5-6 hours. If you are planning for breakfast, then soak the red rice over nite. It works well. Drain the water from the soaked rice.
2. Now, grind the rice with some water. The quantity of water used while grinding will determine the final texture of the kozhukattai. For every cup of red rice used, add exactly one cup of water while grinding. Too little water will give a really hard Kozhukattai and adding a lot of water will make the Kozhukattai gummy. So use the correct measurement of water while grinding. Grind to a really smooth fine paste. Set aside.
3. Finely chop the curry leaves, ginger and green chillies.
4. Heat sesame oil (gingely oil) in a pan and add in the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, finely chopped ginger, finely chopped curry leaves and the chana dal. Chopping the curry leaves makes it easier while serving and eating. Wait for the dal to brown. Add in the finely chopped onions and green chillies.
5. Once the onions are cooked and starting to brown, add in the finely shredded veggies. I have used carrots, cabbage and beans today. I have finely chopped them. You can shred in a vegetable shredded and it works fine too. Also add in the salt at this stage. Saute for 3-4 minutes.
6. No need to cook the vegetables completely as we are going to be steaming again. So, once the veggies are half done, add in the ground rice.
7. The rice mixture will immediately thicken up into a mass of dough in a couple of minutes. Once the dough is thick, remove from heat and set aside to cool. Now we will shape the dumplings. Dip your hands in water everytime you form dumplings so that the dumplings do not stick. Also the cool water will help in handling the hot dough.
8. When the dough is still warm, dip your hands in cold water and take a small lemon size ball of dough. Press the dough a little to form oblong shaped dumplings. Repeat with the remaining dough. Dip your hands in cold water before shaping every dumpling.
9. Place the dumplings on an OILED idli plate or any flat plate and steam it for 15 minutes on a medium flame. The dumplings would become slightly glossy after steaming. Remove from heat.
10. Let the dumplings cool for 10 minutes. Hot dumplings easily break when removed from the pan. Also do not over crowd the idli plates and make sure to oil the idli plates well so it easily comes off after steaming. spoon the dumplings and serve on a platter. Serve hot with coconut chutney, red chutney or kara chutney.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 8 hours
• Cook Time: 20 mins
• Category: Main
• Cuisine: Tamilnadu