Vendakkai Kuzhambu, Ladies Finger Curry

Recipe for vendakkai kuzhambu made with coconut paste and tamarind. Recipe with step by step pictures.

This variation of vendakkai puli kuzhambu is another gem from the kongunad region. A dry roasted masala paste of fried gram, chana dal, coconut and spices are ground and added to this tamarind based gravy.

Here is the video of how to do vendakkai kuzhambu

Here is how to do vendakkai kuzhambu Saute the vendakkai / ladies finger in a teaspoon of Indian sesame oil / gingely oil till golden. It will take about 7-8 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Soak the tamarind in a cup of water and squeeze the tamarind to extract the pulp. Discard the seeds and the pith. Set aside.

Now we will make a masala paste. For that we will dry roast some ingredients. Dry roast the rice until brown on a medium flame. Set aside to cool.

In the same pan, dry roast dry red chillies, chana dal and fried gram (dalia – pottukadalai) till golden. Set aside to cool.

Dry roast the coconut for a minute. Set aside to cool.

Add in all the dry roasted ingredients to a mixie and add in half a cup of water. Grind to a smooth paste. Add little more water while grinding if necessary. Set aside.

Now , we will make the curry. Heat Indian sesame oil in a pan and add in the mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida. Let the mustard seeds crackle. Add in the chopped small onions (Indian shallots), garlic, salt and slit green chillies.

Add in the tomatoes and saute everything for 5 minutes.

Once the tomatoes are juiced down, add the kuzhambu milagai thool. If you dont have kuzhambu milagai thool, you can substitute sambar powder. Add in the tamarind pulp. Let it cook for 5 minutes.

Add in the ground masala paste.

Wash the mixie with half a cup of water and add back the washed masala water to the pan. Add a cup of water and simmer for 5 minutes

Add in the roasted ladies finger. Simmer for couple of more minutes. Stir once in a while so the bottom does not scorch.

Vendakkai kuzhambu is ready. Serve with rice.

• 1 teaspoon Indian sesame oil / gingely oil (for sauteing ladies finger)
• 12 ladies finger, cut into half an inch pieces
• 1/2 inch piece tamarind
• 2 tablespoon Indian sesame oil / gingely oil
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• a big pinch of asafoetida
• 10 small onions, Indian shallots (chopped)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 green chillies, slit
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 tomato, chopped (preferably country tomato)
• 2 teaspoon kuzhambu milagai powder
• 1/2 teaspoon jaggery (optional)

For the masala

• 1 tablespoon rice
• 1 tablespoon chana dal
• 1 tablespoon fried gram – pottukadalai
• 2 dried red chillies
• 1/3 cup fresh shredded coconut

1. Saute the vendakkai / ladies finger in a teaspoon of Indian sesame oil / gingely oil till golden. It will take about 7-8 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
2. Soak the tamarind in a cup of water and squeeze the tamarind to extract the pulp. Discard the seeds and the pith. Set aside.
3. Now we will make a masala paste. For that we will dry roast some ingredients.
4. Dry roast the rice until brown on a medium flame. Set aside to cool. In the same pan, dry roast dry red chillies, chana dal and fried gram (dalia – pottukadalai) till golden. Set aside to cool. Dry roast the coconut for a minute. Set aside to cool.
5. Add in all the dry roasted ingredients to a mixie and add in half a cup of water. Grind to a smooth paste. Set aside.
6. Heat Indian sesame oil in a pan and add in the mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida. Let the mustard seeds crackle. Add in the chopped small onions (Indian shallots), garlic, salt and slit green chillies.
7. Add in the tomatoes and saute everything for 5 minutes.
8. Once the tomatoes are juiced down, add the kuzhambu milagai thool. Add in the tamarind pulp. Let it cook for 5 minutes.
9. Add in the ground masala paste.
10. Wash the mixie with half a cup of water and add back the washed masala water to the pan. Add a cup of water. add jaggery if using. Let the curry simmer for a few minutes.
11. Add in the roasted ladies finger. Simmer for couple of minutes. Stir once in a while so the bottom does not scorch.
12. Vendakkai kuzhambu is ready. Serve with rice.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins
• Category: side dish
• Cuisine: Tamilnadu

• 1 teaspoon Indian sesame oil / gingely oil (for sauteing ladies finger)
• 12 ladies finger, cut into half an inch pieces
• 1/2 inch piece tamarind
• 2 tablespoon Indian sesame oil / gingely oil
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• a big pinch of asafoetida
• 10 small onions, Indian shallots (chopped)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 green chillies, slit
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 tomato, chopped (preferably country tomato)
• 2 teaspoon kuzhambu milagai powder
• 1/2 teaspoon jaggery (optional)

For the masala

• 1 tablespoon rice
• 1 tablespoon chana dal
• 1 tablespoon fried gram – pottukadalai
• 2 dried red chillies
• 1/3 cup fresh shredded coconut

1. Saute the vendakkai / ladies finger in a teaspoon of Indian sesame oil / gingely oil till golden. It will take about 7-8 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
2. Soak the tamarind in a cup of water and squeeze the tamarind to extract the pulp. Discard the seeds and the pith. Set aside.
3. Now we will make a masala paste. For that we will dry roast some ingredients.
4. Dry roast the rice until brown on a medium flame. Set aside to cool. In the same pan, dry roast dry red chillies, chana dal and fried gram (dalia – pottukadalai) till golden. Set aside to cool. Dry roast the coconut for a minute. Set aside to cool.
5. Add in all the dry roasted ingredients to a mixie and add in half a cup of water. Grind to a smooth paste. Set aside.
6. Heat Indian sesame oil in a pan and add in the mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida. Let the mustard seeds crackle. Add in the chopped small onions (Indian shallots), garlic, salt and slit green chillies.
7. Add in the tomatoes and saute everything for 5 minutes.
8. Once the tomatoes are juiced down, add the kuzhambu milagai thool. Add in the tamarind pulp. Let it cook for 5 minutes.
9. Add in the ground masala paste.
10. Wash the mixie with half a cup of water and add back the washed masala water to the pan. Add a cup of water. add jaggery if using. Let the curry simmer for a few minutes.
11. Add in the roasted ladies finger. Simmer for couple of minutes. Stir once in a while so the bottom does not scorch.
12. Vendakkai kuzhambu is ready. Serve with rice.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins
• Category: side dish
• Cuisine: Tamilnadu

Find it online : https://www.kannammacooks.com/vendakkai-kuzhambu-ladies-finger-curry/

Recipe for Davanagere style benne dosa / butter dosa. Dosa made with butter. Recipe with step by step pictures.

I am a fan of Davanagere style Benne dosa and recently we tried these at Davanagere at the popular Sri Guru Koteswara hotel. The texture of the dosa is something so different. Its crisp on one side and so spongy on the other. On enquiring, the dosa master told that the uniqueness of the dosa batter is in the addition of murmura / mandakki / pori (puffed rice). Also parboiled rice is used. I tried the recipe after coming home and after a few tweaks, here is my version of the benne dosa.

Traditionally, the dosas are cooked in an wood fired oven and it is hard to replicate at home. The dosas gain a slight woody / smoky flavour that’s so delicious.

The dosas are usually served with coconut chutney and spiced potatoes.

Here is how to do it. Soak the urad dal and idli rice for 4-5 hours or over-nite. If you cannot get idli rice, the best substitute will be using par boiled rice.

Grind the urad dal with half a cup of ice water. Ice water helps in keeping the mixie cool so the urad dal does not become hot while grinding. Set aside on a bowl. Grind the rice with a cup of water to a smooth paste.

Make sure that the rice is ground fine. Add it to the same bowl.

Now comes the secret ingredient, pori!!!! Also called as murmura or mandakki.

Grind the pori with a cup of water and add it to the bowl.

Add in the salt and mix well. I have added unrefined sea salt, so the light brown color. 🙂 In some places in Davanagere, a little maida is also added for crispness. I have not added today. If you want to add maida, add about 1/4 cup at this stage.

Mix well with hands.

Ferment the batter for 6-8 hours. The batter should have doubled in volume. Dosa batter is ready. If the dosa batter is very thick, thin it out by adding very little water.

I use a cast iron pan and this is a Lodge cast iron pan. Here is where you can buy the pan.

Heat the dosa griddle until medium hot. Add 1/3 cup batter and swirl to cover dosa griddle. Let the dosa be a little thick.

The batter will instantly bubble up.

Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of melted butter or ghee to the dosa. Cook until underside of the dosa is golden brown, about a minute.

Loosen the edges of the dosa with a steel spatula. flip the dosa. Cook for 30 seconds more.

Remove dosa from the griddle and repeat with remaining batter. Serve hot with coconut chutney.

The batter can be stored in the refrigerator and used for up to three days.

• 1/3 cup urad dal
• 1.5 cups idli rice / parboiled rice
• 2 cups pori / mandakki
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (optional)
• 1/4 cup maida (optional)
• melted butter / ghee for making dosas

1. Soak the urad dal and idli rice for 4-5 hours or over-nite.
2. Grind the urad dal with half a cup of ice water. Add the fenugreek along with urad dal if using. Set aside on a bowl. Grind the rice with a cup of water to a smooth paste.
3. Make sure that the rice is ground fine. Add it to the same bowl.
4. Grind the pori with a cup of water and add it to the bowl. Add in the maida if using.
5. Add in the salt and mix everything well.
6. Ferment the batter for 6-8 hours. The batter should have doubled in volume.
7. Heat the dosa griddle until medium hot. Add 1/3 cup batter and swirl to cover dosa griddle. Let the dosa be a little thick.
8. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of melted butter or ghee to the dosa. Cook until underside of the dosa is golden brown, about a minute.
9. Loosen the edges of the dosa with a steel spatula. flip the dosa. Cook for 30 seconds more.
10. Remove dosa from the griddle and repeat with remaining batter. Serve hot with coconut chutney.

Notes

A tablespoon of sugar can be added to the batter for better color and browning of the dosa.

Also little maida is added to the batter and fermented along for more crispness of the dosa. I have not added any maida today.

A teaspoon of fenugreek can be added for better fermentation too!

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