Paruppu Urundai Kulambu

PARUPPU URUNDAI KUZHAMBU: Ingredients: Tamarind- a small orange size Lentils- 1 cup Bengal gram- a handful Red chillies-3 Green chillies-2 Fennel seeds- 1 tsp Chopped onions- 1 cup Chopped garlic flakes- 2tbsp Curry leaves- a handful Shredded coconut- ½ cup Turmeric powder- 1 tsp Coriander powder- 3 tbsp Chilli powder- 2 tbsp Fenugreek powder- 1tsp Enough gingelly oil Salt to taste Procedure: Soak the tamarind for ½ hour and then extract the thick juice out of it. Soak the lentils with the bengal gram for 2 hours and then grind with the fennel seeds, red chillies, salt and green chillies coarsely like we grind for ‘Masal vadai’. Add the chopped onions, chopped garlic flakes, curry leaves and shredded coconut to the ground paste and mix well.

Make lime sized balls. In a deep vessel pour gingelly oil. When the oil becomes hot, add the chopped sambar onions and the tomatoes. Cook on moderate fire until they are well mashed and the oil floats on the surface. Add the fenugreek powder and some curry leaves to the tomatoes and fry for a few minutes. Pour the tamarind extract with the turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder and enough salt. Let the kuzhambu simmer for a few minutes. Now add the balls 5 at a time and when they come on the surface after they are cooked, then add the next portion of balls again. Thus complete all the balls. When dropping the balls in the kuzhambu, the consistency of it must be watery and the fire should not be very high. After completing the balls the kuzhambu must simmer for a few minutes. The kuzhambu will thicken when we finish the cooking. You can add pieces of drumstick and it will enhance the taste and the flavour. It must be added and cooked well before dropping the balls.