Vendakkai puli kuzhambu
Popular tamarind based South Indian gravy with ladies finger
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 7 ladies finger
- 1 cup tamarind water from gooseberry sized tamarind
- 5 tbsp sesame oil
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp urad dal
- Few curry leaves
- 1 handful garlic cloves
- ½ cup chopped small onions
- 10 whole small onions
- 1 ripe tomato
- 1 tbsp red chili powder
- 1 tbsp coriander powder
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- Salt as needed
To roast and grind
- 1 tbsp dhaniya | coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp chana dal
- 1/8 tsp fenugreek seeds | vendayam
- 3 red chilis
- Few curry leaves
- ½ tsp pepper
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 4 cloves garlic
Instructions
- In a pan add 3 tsp oil and put the dhaniya, chana dal, fenugreek seeds, red chili, pepper, cumin seeds and garlic.
- Saute till the dal turns golden brown color.
- Switch off and cool this.
- Add a few curry leaves to this and grind this into a fine paste by adding little water.
- Wash and pat dry the ladies finger. Cut them into big pieces.
- In the same pan add 2 tbsp sesame oil and add the ladies finger.
- Saute this for few minutes in a medium flame.
- Do not change the color.
- Alternatively you can deep fry this too.
- When it is half done, add little salt to this.
- Cook for few more minutes and once the slimy texture goes off, take it out and keep aside.
- In the same pan add 2 tbsp sesame oil and add mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves.
- Add handful of garlic, chopped small onions and whole small onions.
- Saute this well till the onions shrink.
- Now add the chopped tomatoes.
- Cook till it becomes slightly mushy.
- You can puree the tomato also and add to this.
- Extract 1 cup of tamarind water from a gooseberry sized tamarind. Always soak tamarind in hot water for 10 minutes before taking out the tamarind water.
- Add the red chili powder, coriander powder, salt and turmeric powder.
- Instead of red chili powder and coriander powder you can add 2 tbsp of sambar powder too.
- Add the ground masala to this.
- Mix well and cover this and cook for 10 minutes.
- Stir in between.
- The gravy will come to a semi thick consistency.
- Now add the fried ladies finger to this.
- If needed you can add 1 tsp of jaggery at this stage.
- Mix well and cook it for 2 minutes.
- Switch off the flame and add 3-4 tsp of sesame oil.
- Vendakkai puli kuzhambu is ready.
- Serve with hot rice and any poriyal or kootu.
Notes
1.You can replace vendakkai with eggplant or bitter gourd or even sundakkai vathal too.
2. Do not compromise on the quantity of sesame oil for making this Vendakkai puli kuzhambu.
