EASY KARA KUZHAMBU / PULI KUZHAMBU RECIPE WITHOUT COCONUT- HOW TO MAKE SIMPLE PULI KUZHAMBU

Kaara kuzhambu/puli kuzhambu is a very common kuzhamubu(curry) in tamil nadu. Everyone have their own method of preparing this curry. It is nothing but the vegetables cooked in spicy and tangy tamarind gravy. In this gravy spiciness & tanginess, both will be high.This is called in various names like puli kuzhambu, kaara kuzhambu or vatha kuzhambu. This kuzhambu is varies in taste depends on the vegetables/vathal(Dried vegetables) used. Also can be prepare with or without coconut. Both ways will tastes yummy. One more variation in preparing this kaara kuzhabu is using the fresh spice powder. Yes. You can grind and use the spices freshly to make this puli kuzhambu.

I have already posted one version of kaara kuzhambu with coconut. Please the check the below link to check the recipe.

• Restaurant style Kaara kuzhambu/Pulikuzhambu with coconut

Here I have given the simple puli kuzhambu/kaara kuzhambu recipe using shallots and garlic without coconut. It is the general method I follow to prepare the puli kuzhambu frequently in my home. My mom usually prepares the puli kuzhambu in this way only. My mil too, but the consistency will be different for both version. My mom makes this kuzhambu as thick and use little jaggery at the end to balance the taste. But my mom-in-law will not use jaggery and the curry will be little thin. The taste will definitely vary in the consistency of the curry too.

Actually this puli kuzhambu is little special for me. Because this is the first (I think one and only) dish during my school days (I was in 8^th or 9^th standard) I prepared and my mom tasted and loved. Yes. On next day too she served that to my uncle who visited our place and he too praised a lotJ.

Here I want to share few words about my mother. For everyone their mom will be special. For me too. My mom is a person who always feels proud for us (me and my sister) even for a small thing which we did. Her that happiness was like a boost for us and encourages us to do more. Though it is around 13 years gone, we are missing her in each and every little thing, happening in our life. That too, while coming to cooking, my god, I am recalling her words which she told in certain situations and implementing while preparing some authentic dishes. I am wondering, if she is with us now means how much I can learn and how much support I can get.

Actually whenever I am preparing this puli kuzhambu, the situation which she tasted and enjoyed my kuzhambu will come to my mind without fail. That‘s why I mentioned a little about her here. There are a lot to say J

Ok now coming to the recipe.

KAARA KUZHAMBU/PULI KUZHAMBU WITHOUT COOCNUT

SOAKING TIME: 15 MIN | PREPARATION TIME: 10 MIN | COOKING TIME: 20 MIN

AUTHOR: KUZHALIS SAMAIYALARAI

RECIPE TYPE: MAIN 

CUISINE: SOUTH INDIAN 

SERVES: 3 PERSONS

INGREDIENTS:

                        10 to 15 shallots

                        10 pods garlic

                        1 small lemon size Tamarind   

                        1 tablespoon sambhar powder

                        ½ tablespoon chilli powder 

                        Salt to taste

                        ½ teaspoon asafetida

                        1 teaspoon turmeric powder

                        Water as required

                        Few curry leaves

To temper:

3 tablespoon sesame oil

1/2  teaspoon mustard seeds

½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds

1/2  tablespoon thoor dhal

                  

PREPARATION:

Peel the skin of the shallots and chop them in to halves.

Peel the garlic skin too and set aside.

Soak the tamarind for minimum 15 minutes and extract the juice and keep it ready.

METHOD: 

In a pan add the oil and temper the items given in the ‘To temper’ list.

First add mustard seeds and let it splutter, then add the dhal and fenugreek seeds and sauté for 1 minute or until it starts changing its color.

Then add the shallots and garlic and sauté well.

Once the onions becomes translucent add the curry leaves, asafetida and stir once.

Then add the tamarind extract and let it boil.

Add the sambhar powder, turmeric powder and chilli powder and mix well.

Close with a lid and allow the kuzhambu to boil.

Once the kuzhambu becomes thick and the raw smell goes off, add the jaggery and miz well.

Remove from heat and serve with rice. Roasted papad or paruppu thugaiyal will be best combination for this puli kuzhambu.

NOTES:

• You can reduce the onion and garlic and add any vegetables like drumstick, brinjal, raw banana, or ladysfinger.
• While adding ladysfinger sauté it well in oil and then add to the kuzhambu.
• I have added little chilli powder to get dark colour. You can add sambhar powder(Kuzhambu milagaai thool) alone.
• Or you can use chilli powder and coriander powder in equal ratios instead of sambhar powder.
• You can add any vathal (Dried vegetables) also along with onion and garlic.
• Instead of tamarind extract you can use tamarind paste too.
• Sesame oil will tastes best, you can use any oil as per your wish.
• I have used little more oil mistakenly while preparing, so it looks oily in the picture, but given right measurement in the ingredient list. you can add or reduce the oil as per your likings. 
• This kuzhambu stays well for 2 days when refrigerator.  It will taste good on next also in room temperature.

To add right amount of salt, my mom once told like if you hold and check the amount of tamarind in your palms, and then use the same amount of rock salt. But it is suitable only for rock salt and be careful while measuring with palms, because it needs practice I think ,to get the right method of measuring with palms.

* sambhar chilli powder(Kuzhambu milagaai thool in tamil) and sambhar masala are different.

VIDEO RECIPE:
Video recipe updated Later with double the ingredients...

STEP BY STEP PHOTOS:

In a pan add the oil and temper the items given in the ‘To temper’ list.

First add mustard seeds and let it splutter, then add the fenugreek seeds and sauté

Then add the dhal and sauté for 1 minute or until it starts changing its colour. Then add the shallots garlic and curry leaves. sauté well.

Once the onions becomes translucent add the asafoetida and stir once. Then add the tamarind extract and let it boil.

Add the turmeric powder ,sambhar powder ,chilli powder and salt. Mix well. 

Close with a lid and allow the kuzhambu to boil.

Once the kuzhambu becomes thick and the raw smell goes off, add the jaggery and mix well.

Remove from heat and serve with rice. Roasted papad or paruppu thugaiyal will be best combination for this puli kuzhambu.

Do try this recipe and please don’t forget to give your feedback in comments.

To get the update of new recipes posted in my blog please do subscribe to my blog or like my face book page or follow me on pinterest or add to your Google + circle.

ü  Email Subscription: Kuzhalis samaiyalarai

ü  Face book Page: Kuzhali's Samaiyalarai

ü   Twitter: KuzhaliSamaiyalai

ü   Instagram: kuzhalis Samaiyalarai

ü   Google +: kuzhalis samaiyalarai

ü   Pinterest: kuzhalis samaiyalarai

ü  For videos please subscribe: kuzhalis samaiyalarai