I don’t even remember ordering full meals at hotels, whenever we dine for lunch my order will be either sambar sadam / roti , nan with a gravy…..but never miss to taste vatha kuzhambu from hubbys plate 🙂 Even at home when there is any padaiyal I run miles away seeing the full meals spread….kind of weird but yes I don’t feel like eating seeing such a wide south indian spread….I limit myself with rice,sambar and a poriyal.It is only at weddings / other functions I eat full meals as there is no other option, even there I end up eating chapathi or any tiffin item asking for second serving and skip the usual sambar, rasam meals. I always look upon hubby who loves full meals 🙂
Now with no further delays let get on to to learn vathal kuzhambu recipe.
Lunch Ready with Rice, Vathal Kuzhambu,Keerai Kootu and Vathal
Vathal Kuzhambu Recipe – Ingredients
Recipe Category: Main | Recipe Cuisine: South Indian
Sundakkai Vathal (Dried Turkey Berry)- 1/4 cup
Tamarind – 1/2 lemon sized
Small Onion – 15
Garlic pearls – 5 halved
Sambar powder – 3 tsp
Water – 1 cup
Powdered Jaggery – 1 tsp(optional)
Salt – to taste
To temper:
Gingelly Oil – 3 tbsp
Mustard Seeds – 1/2 tsp
Jeera – 1/2 tsp
Chana Dal – 3/4 tsp
Fenugreek seeds – 1/4 tsp
Red Chillies – 2
Curry Leaves – a small sprig
Method:
- Soak tamarind in hot water and extract the thin tamarind water.Peel the skin of garlic and small onions and make it ready.In a tadka pan – fry the sundakkai vathal till dark browned.
- In a kadai / pan heat oil – add the items listed under ‘to temper’, then add onion and garlic, fry for 2mins.Then add sambar powder.
- Fry for a minute.Then add tamarind water and let it boil for few mins.Let it boil for few mins till oil separates and it becomes slightly thick.
- Then add sundakkai vathal and let it boil for a good 5mins in low flame.Then finally add jaggery stir well and switch off.
Serve with hot rice.
My Notes:
- Add a cup of water to tamarind and make a thin extract.
- I recommend adding gingelly oil(nallennai) , if you don’t have then go ahead with your usual cooking oil.
- Keeps well for 2 days even without refrigeration.
- Also you can use other vathals like manathakkali vathal, maa vathal, mithuku vathal or any vathal for making this kuzhambu.
- Add 1/2 tsp chilli powder if your sambar powder is less spicy.
- You can even add any other vegetable that you use four puli kuzhambu.
- Adding jaggery is optional but I prefer adding it for the slight tangy sweet taste which is so good for this kuzhambu.
Ramya Venkateswaran says
September 24, 2014 at 6:47 amYummy kuzhambu
Triveni Srinu says
September 24, 2014 at 7:57 amNice looking… Can you say What is Telugu name of Sundakkai Vathal…? I didn't heard anywhere. Where shall we brought…???
SHARMILEE J says
September 26, 2014 at 3:37 pmCheck here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solanum_torvum
sathya says
September 24, 2014 at 3:42 pmI tried this kuzhambu today… It was yummy ?
Meenal Krishnan says
September 24, 2014 at 9:10 pmsharmi i tried this receipe as similar to your method but i added coconut paste and manathakkali vathal along with sundaikai vathal. i found a bitter taste when i used that kuzhambu. sundaikai vathal also bitter in taste.what i can do to avoid this bitterness?
SHARMILEE J says
September 25, 2014 at 8:30 amDon't let the gravy boil for more time after the vathal is added…Also adding jaggey will sure avoid the bitterness
Stay Fit With Healthy Food says
December 28, 2016 at 8:59 amPls add any one type of dried berries and for bitterness you can add jaggery in it.
Durga Karthik. says
September 25, 2014 at 12:02 amThanks for the recipe.Even i learnt the same from my grandma who makes it so rich.We used to say it is like five star hotel dish.As thick as Kalli paal .
Kurinji says
September 25, 2014 at 6:41 ammouthwatering here…
suja says
March 7, 2015 at 8:45 amI can't get vattal here.what can I substitute it with?
SHARMILEE J says
March 7, 2015 at 12:40 pmYou can add some vegetables that you add for pulikuzhambu and make this but it will be like our usual puli kuzhambu as Vathal is the main ingredient here
Suvetha says
March 12, 2015 at 11:48 pmHi sharmi ka…going to try out this recipe. I know it will come out well. I tried many of your recipes. Thanks.
Suvetha says
March 12, 2015 at 11:49 pmSuper ka.
Best says
March 31, 2015 at 5:38 amHi sharmi tried d kuzhambu. Semma taste. Got good comment from everyone.Thank you.
I love ur cooking n I tooooo love ur photography.
srividya priya says
October 20, 2015 at 4:53 amAm going to try today.
Lavanya sivanesan says
October 22, 2015 at 7:53 amtried this as a lunch superb but how it wil be good without tomatoes? we have prepared with tomato.. can u tel me why u didn't add tomatoes?
SHARMILEE J says
October 22, 2015 at 11:50 pmI followed a youtube recipe and it didnt use tomatoes, but if you want you can add a tomato while sauteing onion
nafeesa says
November 2, 2015 at 12:40 pmHi Sharmi sis,Can v use shakthi Sambhar powder ?'coz i dnt hv Home made one…I followed many recipe's from ur blog..All came out very well..Thank u so muj…
SHARMILEE J says
November 3, 2015 at 2:24 pmYes you can use storebought sambar powder too….
shivani chintawar says
April 25, 2016 at 6:40 amJust like the kuzhmbu i used to have at my PG in chennai
Joelle says
December 20, 2017 at 6:33 pmHi Sharmilee !
I love your recipes !!! All are very tasty !!! =)
I just have one question. If you want to make for double amount of people, 4 people for example, can you just double the ingredients amount or no ?
Any tips for doubling the ingredients ? Double cooking time also ?
Thank you !!
Joelle
Sharmilee J says
January 15, 2018 at 11:40 amThank you so much!Yes just double all the ingredients…
Vinodha says
October 27, 2018 at 2:56 pmHi yesturday I made this kulambu and ate today,I got thums up from my family members.i add 1tstp of. Rice. Flour paste to make the consistency thick.