Vathal Kuzhambu, precisely manathakkali vathal kuzhambu is a finger-licking spicy and tangy tamarind-based gravy with the dried sun berries or the black nightshade berries. Check out this authentic recipe from Tamil Nadu, with a detailed video.
Sambhar Varieties
Tiffin Sambar | Sambar for Idli and Dosai
Today I am going to share a delicious gravy made with fresh ground spices, moong dal, vegetables aka the sambar precisely the tiffin sambar that pairs well with idli and dosai. But hey, you can serve this with rice too. Check out how to make this lip-smacking tiffin sambar with a detailed video.
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Manjal Sambar | A Quick Tiffin Sambar with Chickpea Flour & Turmeric
Manjal Sambar aka Turmeric Sambar – A quick and an instant sambar prepared with chickpea flour or besan with a lot of turmeric and fennel seeds and it is a perfect side for idli, dosa, upma, and even roti. Check out this simple yet flavorful recipe with a detailed video.
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Instant Raw Buttermilk Sambar | Patchai Mor Kuzhambu
We all love quick and instant recipes. Today I am going to share one such recipe called the Raw Buttermilk Sambar or Patchai Mor Kuzhambu. It the instant buttermilk sambar with the mustard seeds flavor. Wondering why it got the name raw buttermilk sambar? Check out the post for the details and also for the recipe with step-by-step pictures.
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No Onion No Garlic Tomato Gojju
No Onion No Garlic Tomato Gojju – A sweet and a tangy stew, a perfect pair for all the tiffin items be it idli, dosa, upma or ven pongal. Check out the detailed video recipe and how I served this tomato gojju with ven pongal.
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Pathiya Mor Kuzhambu | Spinach Mor Kuzhambu with White Pepper
Pathiya Mor Kuzhambu – A delicious buttermilk sambar recipe for lactating mothers prepared without any coconut and chili but with white pepper and spinach. Check out the detailed recipe instructions of this unique keerai mor kuzhambu with vellai milagu.
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Instant Pot Avarekalu Huli Saaru | Hyacinth beans curry
After three back to back lentil recipes, today I am going to share a delicious and a lip-smacking bean based curry, a perfect rice accompaniment from the state of Karnataka. It’s the Avarekalu Huli Saaru, a winter special, mild coconut based gravy prepared with field beans/hyacinth beans. Here is my no onion – no garlic version of the Averakalu huli saaru that I made in instant pot. ( I promise, the recipe that I am going to post tomorrow is not a no onion no garlic recipe.)
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Bendakaya Pulusu | Tangy and Spicy Okra Gravy
I know I am posting back to back Andhra & Telangana special recipes. If you are following me on IG, you would have guessed it by now. Yes, Thali theme is coming up in a weeks time, and I am going share an Andhra/Telangana spread. (Other two spreads are coming up too, stay tuned.) I thought of preparing all the recipes from scratch and not to use any of the recipes from my archives. :-) This also gives me an opportunity to share our family favorites. Today’s recipe is Bendakaya Pulusu or Lady’s Finger Tangy and spicy gravy.
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Instant Pot Mixed Vegetable Sambar | Video Recipe
Here comes my next instant pot recipe – Mixed vegetable sambar – A simple Tamil Nadu style mixed vegetable sambar prepared in Instant Pot. After the kheer, I slowly started to experiment with a different recipe in my instant pot, especially the day to day recipes like sambar, kootu, poriyal, and rasam. Guess what, all my experiments were successful. I just love this kitchen gadget. It’s worth the money….
Dried Raw Mango Kuzhambu | Maanga Vathal Kuzhambu
If you are craving for mango during winter, here comes a perfect recipe prepared with dried raw mangoes. This dried raw mango kuzhambu, is a perfect rice accompaniment and it is simple tangy and yummy gravy/kuzhambu loaded with toor dal and of course dried raw mango. This can be prepared with fresh raw mango but during off season the dried ones come in handy.
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Cranberry Sauce Vathal Kuzhambu
When I prepared my slow cooker cranberry sauce, I wanted to try some fusion recipe with it. Given the fact that it is sweet and tart, I was planning for a savory recipe. I had sufficient amount, so used my sauce for the cheesecake and with the remaining I experimented quite a few recipes. And one of the most successful recipes was this Cranberry Sauce Vathal Kuzhambu or cranberry sauce gojju.
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Black Eyed Peas & Brinjal Kuzhambu | Kongu Nadu Special
Here is the third recipe from the Kongu Nadu cuisine – Thattam Payaru Katharikai Kuzhambu. Yes, I am back with one more brinjal recipe. Distinct and unique tangy and spicy gravy loaded with the goodness of black-eyed peas. Usually, for sambar, we use mashed toor dal but for this recipe, you use mashed black-eyed peas along with cooked black-eyed peas. Didn’t I say it’s distinct?
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Karuvadaam Vathal Kuzhambu
Vathal Kuzhambu – spicy and tangy and lip-smacking tamarind gravy prepared with sun dried fryums and it is one of the common recipes in Tamil Nadu households. It’s doesn’t require any vegetables, also no toor dal (you can add it for tempering though) which obviously means no pressure cooking and also no coconut. All you need is sundried fryums or vathals as we say in Tamil, tamarind juice, sambar powder and you can prepare this in a jiffy. I have already posted Manathakkali Vathal Kuzhambu and also Ariachu vitta Manathakkali Vathal Kuzhambu. Here is my third vathal Kuzhambu recipe with Karuvadaam.
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Katharikai Puli Kuzhambu With Coconut | Tangy & Spicy Brinjal Gravy
Katharikai Puli Kuzhambu | the Brinjal gravy/sambar is a tasty and lip-smacking rice accompaniment prepared with tender brinjals. Here comes an authentic and traditional Tirunelveli style kuzhambu recipe prepared with tender brinjals with fresh ground coconut and shallots. Check out the detailed recipe with step-wise pictures below.
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Rasavangi | Brinjal Rasavangi/Kootu
Rasavangi is one of the traditional and authentic kootu recipes prepared with tender brinjals and channa dal. Like pitlai we add other legumes also but for this recipe I went only with channa dal. The masala reminds me of the ennai katharikai masala and this curry/kootu is like a gravy version of the same.
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Pavakkai Pitlai / Bitter Gourd Black Eyed Peas Sambar
Pitlai is an authentic and traditional sambar variety prepared with veggies like Brinjal or Bitter Gourd or Cluster Beans and with legumes. Traditionally black/brown chick peas are used but you can also use any legumes that you have in hand. Also for pitlai instead of sambar powder we use fresh ground coconut masala. Today’s I am presenting pitlai, prepared with bitter gourd and black eyed peas.
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Orange Peel Kuzhambu / Pachadi / Gojju
Orange Peel Kuzhambu is yet another sweet and sour and mild rice accompaniment prepared with orange peels (of course). I should say it’s the cousin of puli Kuzhambu or Vathal Kuzhambu. I am a big fan of Kadarangai Pachadi or gojju, so I thought of mimicking that with orange peels.
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Leeks Sambar
Leeks sambar is yet another a simple sambar recipe prepared with leeks and homemade sambar powder. Instead of grinding the coconut, I sautéed it along with leeks to enhance the flavor. This is a perfect side for rice and also for tiffin like idly and dosa. I cannot skip sambar when it comes to Tamil Nadu Cuisine so here I am adding one more to my sambar category.
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Cauliflower Kurma Kuzhambu | Chettinad Style
Cauliflower Kuruma Kuzhambu or Chettinadu Kuruma Kuzhambu is a gravy curry which uses the sambhar ingredients as well the kuruma ingredients. Yes, we add sambar podi, tamarind and also the masala items. It’s a great side for rice and also chapatti or roti.
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Tomato Drumstick Sambar | Ariachuvitta Sambar Varieties
There are zillion varieties of sambhar/sambar, and you can find a handful here at VVK under the sambar category. Adding one more to the lot – Thakkali Arichuvitta sambar, meaning sambar prepared with fresh ground tomato masala. Each and every household will have their sambar recipe. The highlight of sambar is that just by changing a couple of ingredients or by varying couple of steps you can get altogether different sambar with a unique taste.
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Thiruvadirai Sambhar | 7 Veggie Sambhar
During 2015 January Blogathon, I posted the Tiruvadirai Kali recipe and explained the significance of the thiruvadirai celebration and also why these offerings (particularly this 7 veggie sambhar and Kali) are prepared. So this blogathon, I am posting the 7 veggie sambhar. We prepare this for pongal too. With pongal right around the corner, here is the recipe.
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Onion/Shallots Theeyal – Kerala Special
In this post I have explained about the influence of Kerala cuisine in mine. When it comes to Indian state based recipes how can I miss Kerala? Here is one of my favorite recipe from Kerala – Small onions / Shallots Theeyal or as they say in Malayalam Ulli Theeyal.
It is similar to varathu aracha kuzhambu (freshly ground masala sambhar) with the flavor of small onions and coconut. The key ingredient in this Theeyal/Kuzhambu/Sambhar is Small Onions or Shallots. You can use regular onion along with other veggies like drumstick and brinjals but small onions provides the unique flavor and makes this Theeyal stand out. I totally agree peeling small onions is not an easy task but no pain no gain ;-) This is was a word by mouth recipe but later modified from the Kerala Tourism blog. Basically you need to dry roast coconut, method seeds, red chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric and shallots and grind them into a smooth paste. This forma the base for the Theeyal.
I didn’t use any other veggies but as I mentioned you can use other veggies along with shallots too. This Theeyal goes well with rice and with any dry curries or Thoran.
Onion/Shallots Theeyal
Prep Time30 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- Small Onions/Shallots - 20 + 3 Peel and chop them into halves
- Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup
- Methi seeds - 1 tsp
- Red chilly Powder - 1 tsp
- Dhaniya/Coriander Powder - 2 tsp
- Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
- Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp or 1 tsp adjust according to taste
- Water - 1 cup + 1/2 cup
- Tamarind water - 1 cup Diluted 2 tsps of tamarind paste in 1 cup of water or soak the tamarind in 1 cup of water and extract the juice
- Oil - 2 tsps + 1 tsp
- Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
- Hing - 1/2 tsp
- Salt - 1 tsp
- Curry Leaves - 1 strand
Instructions
- Heat the kadai and add 1 tsp of oil.
- Add the grated coconut and fry for couple of minutes.
- Now add the methi seeds, turmeric powder, red chilly powder, pepper powder,dhaniya powder and fry till the raw smell goes.
- Now add the 3 shallots and fry for another couple of minutes. (The coconut mixture will be dark brown in color and thats perfectly fine)
- Let this mixture cool down and grind with 1/2 cup of water into smooth paste.
- Now again heat the kadai and 2 tsps of oil.
- Once the oil is hot add the mustard seeds and hing.
- As they start to splutter add the chopped shallots and cook till they are tender.
- Add the tamarind extract, the grinded masala and salt.
- Bring it to boil. Add the curry leaves and let it boil for a minute and then turn it off.
Notes
Adapted from Kerala Tourism Blog
Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 56
Loading InLinkz ...Slow Cooker Red Radish Sambhar
After trying out the dhal with slow cooker, I thought why not try our Tamil Nadu delicacies? So the next recipe is the day -today sambhar or as we say kuzhambu.Kuzhambu or sambhar is one among best rice accompaniment. I usually make any one type of kuzhambu most of the days . Be it vathal kuzhambu or mandi or this kind of sambhar without coconut they go well with rice. The traditional araichuvitta sambhar is reserved for weekend. :-) During weekdays I usually try pressure cooker sambhar. I thought why not try the same with slow cooker. In my pressure cooker sambhar recipe I used masoor dhal as it cooks comparatively faster and also its light. But for this slow cooker sambhar I went with toor dhal itself. For sambhar I use only one veggie, either with or without onion so you get the taste of that veggie completely in the sambhar.
Here is the red radish sambhar.
Ingredients:
- Toor dhal – 1 cup
- Half of medium onion chopped
- Red Radish – 1 bunch chopped in to halves.
- Tamarind paste – 1 tsp or 1 cup of juice extracted from small gooseberry sized tamarind
- Cilantro chopped – 1 tbsp
- Curry leaves – 1 strand
- Jaggery – 1 tsp
- Sambhar powder – 1 tbsp (heaped)
- Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
- Salt – 1.5 tsp (as per taste)
- Water – 3 cups + 3 tbsps (if required)
- Rice flour – 2 tsps (optional)
For tempering,
- Oil – 1 tbsp
- Hing – 1 tsp
- Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
- Methi seeds – 2 tsps
Steps:
- Wash the toor dhal and chop the veggies.
- Now add the radish, onion, washed toor dhal, sambhar powder, turmeric powder, tamarind paste,salt, jaggery, cilantro, curry leaves along with 3 cups of water.
- Set it in low mode for 7 hours. (5 hrs should be enough if in high mode). I tried in low mode.
- Remove the pot from the cooker and mix well.
- Heat the kadai or pan and add oil.
- Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds, hing and methi seeds.
- As they start to splutter add the cooked sambhar mix.
- (Reheating the cooked sambhar mix is for thickening it.)
- If you feel it’s too thick, add water to required consistency and let it boil for a 5 minutes. If it’s too thin, add 2 tsps of rice flour in 3tbsps cup of water and add it and let it boil so that sambhar becomes thick.
That’s it. Yummy sambhar is ready. On a busy weekday set this up in the morning or in the previous night. Once its cooked all you need is 5 minutes for the tadka and mixing it up. Loving this slow cooker.
More South Indian recipes to come.. :-)
Vendiya Keerai Kuzhambu | Methi leaves Sambar
Fresh Methi Sambar is a delicious and healthy rice accompaniment prepared with shallots and of course methi leaves. Keerai kuzhambu or spinach sambar is one among the traditional recipes of Tamil Nadu. Instead of regular amaranth greens, I went with methi leaves.
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