Guest Recipe: Thengai Araitha Kuzhambu (Coconut ground gravy)

Kuzhambu (or Kulambu), is similar to Sambar, but a little thinner in the gravy. Tamil Nadu has lots of varieties of Kuzhambu to appeal both vegetarian and non-vegetarians.

Lakshmi from Chennai shares this recipe for Thengai Araitha Kuzhambu which means gravy from ground coconuts. She says

“This goes the best with Rice, Idly and Dosa. Don’t forget to add a teaspoon of ghee to your rice…..mmmmmmmm……”

In my house Sambar and Kuzhambu are always made and served in thick aluminum pots which adds it a traditional touch and flavor.

Thengai Araitha Kulambu

Ingredients

(tsp = teaspoon)

To be fried and ground to a paste:

2 Tsp oil for frying the below ingredients before grinding:

• 1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds
• 6 dried red chillies
• 10 pods small onions
• one sprig curry leaves
• 1 tsp raw rice
• one cup grated coconut (fresh or dried desiccated)

For the gravy:

• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 10 pods of small onions
• one sprig curry leaves
• juice extracted from half a lemon size tamarind
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• a pinch of jaggery (for enhancing the taste)
• salt to taste
• 3tsp oil

Method

For making the ground paste:

1. Put oil in a pan and add fenugreek seeds and red chillies.
2. Add the onions and curry leaves along.
3. Let the onions to fry well and once done add the rice and in second the rice would fry up well switch off the fire and add the grated coconut.
4. Let it fry in the heat of the pan.
5. Once the ingredients cool down grind it all together and keep aside.

Preparing the gravy:

• Put oil in a sauce pan and add the mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds.
• Let it temper and then add along the onions and curry leaves and fry till done.
• Add turmeric powder and tamarind extract and 2 cups of water and let it boil until the raw smell of tamarind leave. Now add the ground paste, salt and jaggery.
• Bring it to boil. Remove form fire once done.

This best goes with plain rice, Idly or Dosa.

Find more traditional South Indian Curries and Rasam recipes at Indian Food Kitchen Recipe section.

Links from other food websites and food blogs:

Vazhai Thandu Kulambu (Banana stem Kuzhambu) from My Kitchen Pitch

Vatral Kuzhambu (Dried veggies Kuzhambu) from Premas CookBook

More Kuzhambu (Yoghurt Kuzhambu) from the Yum Blog