Vendaikai kuzhambu (ladies finger curry)

 

   This is very simple kuzhambu yet delicious. This goes well with plain rice. Also can be served with idly & dosa.

Ingredients

• Ladies finger - 2 cups
• Shallots- 10 (chopped)
• Curry leaves - few
• Tomatoes - 2 small or 1 big
• Fenugreek seeds - a pinch
• Coriander powder - 1 1/2 tbsp
• Sambhar or chili powder - 1 tbsp
• Mustard & urad dal - 1 tsp
• Green & red chillies - 3-4  each
• Coconut - 2/3 cup
• Aniseeds - 1 tsp
• Oil as required
• Salt to taste

Method

• Chop the ladies finger & dry roast it to remove stickiness. keep this aside.
• Head oil to the pan & splutter mustard & urad dal.
• Add fenugreek seeds, chillies, curry leaves & onions one by one.
• Fry till it becomes translucent. Add tomatoes. 
• Add some salt & spice powders. when the tomatoes becomes mashy, add the vegetable & mix well.
• Now grind coconut & aniseeds. Pour this mixture in the vegetable & mix well. 
• Add little water if necessary. Cover & cook for few minutes.
• Remove from flame, when it reaches desire consistency.

Tips for the recipe - Adding sesame oil will give more authentic taste than the refined oil.

Soya chunks kuruma

Ingredients
Group I

• Soya chunks - 12 to 15 (soaked in hot water)
• Onion (big)- 1/2
• Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp
• Oil as required
• Salt to taste

Group II (to roast & grind)

• Tomato -1 medium size
• Onion - 1/2 medium size
• Coriander seeds - 1 tbs
• Cumin seeds -1sp
• Fennel seeds-1 tsp
• Cinnamon Stick - 1 inch
• Cloves-2
• Cardamon -2
• Homemade chilly powder or sambar powder - 1 tsp
• Grated Coconut - 2 tbsp

Method

• Heat little oil in the pan & roast the group II ingredients.(Last two ingredients should be added after switching off the stove.Too much of roasting sambhar powder & coconut will spoil the taste of the gravy) Grind the masala & keep it aside.
• Heat some oil & splutter mustards.
• Now fry the onions for 2 minutes.
• Wash the chunks in the running cold water. then squeeze out the excess water. 
• Add soyas, salt & the masala to the onions.
• Mix well & add some water.
• Allow the gravy to boil. Remove it from the flame when there is no raw smell.

More kuzhambu

Ingredients

• Toor Dal - 1 tbsp
• Par boiled rice - 1 tbsp
• Ginger - small piece
• Hing - 1/4 tsp
• Curry leaves - few
• Red chillies - 2-3
• Cumin seeds - 1tsp
• Shredded coconut - 2 tbsp
• Mustard - 1/2 tsp
• Fenugreek - 1/2 tsp
• Shallot - 10 (chopped lengthwise)
• White pumpkin - 1- 1 1/2 cup (cubed)
• Turmeric(optional) - little
• Buttermilk - 1- 1 1/2 cup
• Salt to taste
• Oil as required

Method

• Soak toor dal & rice for 15mints.
• Cook the vegetable with little salt & keep it aside.
• Heat little oil in the pan & roast cumin seeds, hing, curry leaves & red chillies.
• Grind this along with ginger, coconut, soaked dal & rice to smooth paste.
• Heat oil & splutter mustard, fenugreek & curry leaves.
• Add onions & roast till it turns transparent. 
• Now add the grounded paste, turmeric & add the vegetable.
• Add enough water & salt & let it cook for 10-15 minutes.
• Now remove the pan from heat & add the buttermilk.
• Serve it with rice or roti.

Tips for the recipe - Sour curd taste good to make buttermilk for this curry.

Ladies Finger Kuzhambu

Ingredients

• Ladies Finger - 2 cups (Chopped into 1/2 inch pieces)
• Tamarind - small lemon size
• Shallots - 1/2 cup (Chopped)
• Garlic - 5 (chopped length wise)
• Curry leaves - 1 string
• Red Chillies - 2
• Mustard -1/4 tsp
• Urad Dal - 1/4 tsp
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Salt for taste

To Fry & Grind (for the masala)

• Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Corriander seeds - 2 tsp
• Shallot - 10 medium size 0r 15 small size
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Tomato - 2 medium size
• Curry leaves - 1 stings
• Red Chillies - 6 or adjust
• Pepper Corns - 12 nos
• Chana Dal - 1 1/2 tsp
• Coconut - 1/4 Cup+2 tbsp

To Powder

• Hing - 1/4 tsp
• Fenugreek - 3-4 pinches

Method

• Fry all the masala ingredients with little oil and grind it to smooth paste.
• Dry roast the ladies finger, till it is not sticky & keep it aside.
• Soak the tamarind in hot water & keep aside.
• Heat oil in kadai on high medium flame.
• Splutter mustard, urad dal, red chillies & curry leaves one by one.
• Add garlic & shallots and fry till becomes brown in color.
• Now add the ladies finger & salt.
• Add the tamarind water & allow it to cook for 5 minutes.
• Add the grinded masala & mix well.
• Add water if needed.
• When it starts bubbling, add the hing & fenugreek power.
• Cover & cook till the raw small leaves the gravy.
• Remove it from flame when the gravy becomes thick.

Tips for the recipe - Don't over fry the masala ingredients. Don't add too much of water & don't allow the gravy to cook for a long time.

Red bean & Brinjal curry

Ingredients

• Brinjals - 6-8 small size (quartered lengthwise)
• Red bean - 1/2 cup
• Tamarind - small lemon size or big gooseberry size
• Tomato - 2 medium size
• Shallots - 15 -20 (Chopped)
• Curry leaves - 1 string
• Green Chillies - 2
• Mustard -1/4 tsp
• Urad Dal - 1/4 tsp
• Sambhar Powder - 1 tsp
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Salt for taste

To Grind (for the masala)

• Coconut - 1/4 Cup
• Cumin - 1/4 tsp
• Coriander -seeds -1/4 tsp

Method

• Fry cumin & coriander seeds in little oil & grind it with the coconut.
• Boil Red Beans till it is half broken.
  
• Soak the tamarind in hot water & keep aside.
• Heat oil in kadai on high medium flame.
• Splutter mustard, urad dal, green chillies, curry leaves one by one.
• Add shallots and fry till it becomes light brown in color.
• Add the tomatoes & fry till it becomes slightly mashy.
• Now add the brinjals.
• Fry till it changes the color to brown & tomatoes become completely mashy.
• Add salt & sambhar powder.
• Stir in the tamarind water & allow it to cook for 5 minutes.
• Add the red beans & cook for 2 minutes.
• Stir in the grinded masala & mix well.
• Add water if needed.
• Cover & cook till the brinjals are tender & the raw small leaves the gravy.
• Remove it from flame, when the gravy becomes thick.

Tips for the recipe - After using the beans in the curry, do not throw away the water. You can use it for the curry. It will give the dark brown color for the curry. If you wish, 2-4 chopped or crushed garlic can be added while frying onions.

Menthi Kuzhambhu

Ingredients

• Menthi - 1 bunch(washed & cleaned)
• Toor dal - 1/4 cup
• Onion - 1/2 medium side( chopped)
• Mustard & Urad Dal - 1/2 tsp
• Garlic - 2
• Hing - a pinch
• Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Oil - 1tbsp
• Salt as needed

To grind (masala)

• Coconut- 2 tbsp
• Tomato - 1/2 medium size.

Method

• Boil the dal till it becomes mashy & keep aside.
  
• Grind the masala ingredients & keep aside.
• Heat the pan with oil on medium flame.
• Splutter mustard, urad dal & cumin seeds.
• Add hing, garlic & onions one by one.
• Add salt & fry till the onion becomes golden brown in color .
  
• Now add the grinded masala & saute well.
• Add the sambhar powder & the mashed dal.
• Add water if needed.
  
• Let it cook for 2 minutes.
• Now add the washed menthi.
• Cover & cook till it is done.
• Remove it from the flame, when the curry is slightly thick.
• Serve it with rice.

Tips for the recipe - You can also use shallot for good taste. Do not over cook the menthi leaves.

Brinjal Curry (Tamil Nadu Cuisine)

Ingredients

• Brinjals - 12 small size
• Tamarind - big gooseberry size
• Tomato - 1 big
• Shallots - 1/2 cup (Chopped)
• Curry leaves - 1 string
• Red Chillies - 2
• Mustard -1/4 tsp
• Urad Dal - 1/4 tsp
• Cumin - 1/2 tsp
• Sambhar Powder - 1 tsp
• oil - 5 tbsp
• Salt for taste

To Fry & Grind (for the masala)

• Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
• Corriander seeds - 1 1/2 tsp
• Garlic - 4
• Shallot- 10 medium size 0r 15 small size
• Curry leaves - 1 stings
• Red Chillies - 5
• Pepper Corns - 1/2 tsp
• Chana Dal - 1/2 tsp
• Coconut - 1/4 Cup+2 tbsp

Method

• Fry all the masala ingredients with little oil and grind it.
• Slit the brinjals into quarter by keeping the bottom in tact
  
• Soak the tamarind in hot water & keep aside.
• Heat oil in kadai on high medium flame.
• Splutter mustard, urad dal, cumin, red chillies, curry leaves one by one.
• Add shallots and fry for a minute.
• Now add the brinjals and fry till it is half cooked and the onions become brown in color.
• Add in the tomatoes & fry till it becomes mashy.
• Add salt & sambhar powder.
• Stir in the tamarind water & allow it to cook for 5 minutes.
• Add the grinded masala & mix well.
• Add water if needed.
• Cover & cook till the raw smell leaves the gravy.
• Remove it from flame when the gravy becomes thick.

Tips for the recipe - Instead of using refined oil you can also use gingerly oil.This kind of curry taste good when you give more oil & more frying. Don't over fry the masala ingredients.