Tuesday 22 October 2013

Kandathippili Kuzhambu

South Indian especially Tamilians can survive for many days with a simple tamarind gravy and rice, thats why every Tamilian household makes different types of gravies with tamarind as the main ingredient. Today's post is also one among those kuzhambu aka tamarind based gravies, this dish is prepared with a very rarely used herbal sticks in our cooking along with other usual spices. Kandathippili, an incredible herbal sticks are available in Tamil herbals stores and this fingerlicking herbal gravy is prepared with them.

These sticks are from India, am sure you cant find them in our Indian stores if you are not living in India. This kuzhambu have many medicinal value and this dish is completely spiced with black peppercorns,cuminseeds,dry red chillies and coriander seeds. My mom call this kuzhambu as pathiya kuzhambu which suits prefectly when you suffering with fever and this gravy will definitely tickle your tastebuds. This kuzhambu stay for a long and they tastes incredible after a day, if you dont like this kuzhambu,you can still make this rasam which acts a medicine if you are suffering from cold or with body aches.This dish goes directly to Tamizhar Samayal Tuesday..



20nos Shallots or 2nos Onions (diced)
10nos Garlic cloves
2cups Tamarind extract
1/4cup Gingelly oil
Salt
1/2tsp Cumin seeds
1tsp Fennel seeds
Few curry leaves

To roast & grind:
1tbsp Black pepper
5-6nos Kandathippili sticks
2tbsp Coriander seeds
1tsp Fennel seeds
1tsp Cumin seeds
5nos Dry red chillies

Heat a teaspoon oil in a pan, dry roast all the ingredients given under the list 'to roast & grind', grind as smooth paste with enough water.

Heat gingelly oil, add the cumin seeds,fennel seeds and curry leaves, fry until they turns brown.

Add immediately the diced onions or shallots, garlic pods, saute everything for few minutes.

Now add the tamarind extract,salt to the cooking veggies, bring it to boil.

Add now the freshly grounded masala to the boiling tamarind water, add half a cup of water and cook everything in medium flame.

Cook the gravy with lid closed until the oil gets separates slightly from the gravy.

This gravy will be bit thick.

1 comment:

Shema George said...

Looks delicious Priya. I love tamil style kuzhambu dishes...