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Kongu Thakkali aati kaachina kuzhambu

May 31, 2018 by Suguna Vinodh 28 Comments

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kongu-thakali-aati-kaachina-kulambu-10
Thakkali aati kaachina kuzhambu is a popular side dish served with idli in the Kongunad region of Tamilnadu. The curry is made by roasting and grinding spices, tomatoes and coconut which is then simmered to form a thick sauce. தக்காளி ஆட்டி காச்சின குழம்பு.

“Thakkali aati kaachina kuzhambu” literally means tomatoes ground and simmered to a thick sauce. This tomato curry is an excellent side dish for idlis and is one of the main staples of everyday kongu cuisine. There are different versions of this curry in every home in this region. The spices are roasted in oil along with tomatoes and coconut and then ground to a fine paste. The ground paste is then simmered to form a luscious gravy that is so perfect for dunking the idlis. This curry will definitely appear at the breakfast table if you have guests for breakfast. This is one of my husbands favorite side dish for idli.
I have shared another variation of this tomato kuzhambu and the recipe is here.

Here is the video of how to make Thakkali aati kaachina kuzhambu at home

Click the link below to find the recipes on the site that uses the main ingredient as tomatoes.
Tomato recipes
Kongunadu recipes
Here are some of the equipment, utensils and gadgets that will be useful for making this recipe. Click the link to buy them online.
Triply Stainless Steel Frypan
Hard Anodised Deep-Fry Pan
Mixer Grinder 1000 Watt
Sambar Powder

Here is how to do Kongu Style Thakkali aati kaachina kuzhambu.
For this recipe, its traditional to use coconut oil or sesame oil (Indian Gingely oil). I like to use coconut oil for this curry at home. Heat oil in a pan and add in the spices – cumin seeds, coriander seeds, dried red chillies and black pepper. Use the black pepper sparingly else it will over power the curry. When the spices hit the hot oil, it will immediately become aromatic. Add in the chopped small onions, and garlic.
kongu-thakali-aati-kaachina-kulambu-1

Add in the curry leaves. Saute the onions till its nicely caramelized and brown.
kongu-thakali-aati-kaachina-kulambu-2

Add in the roughly chopped tomatoes, salt, turmeric powder and sambar powder. Let the tomatoes cook for 5-6 minutes on a medium flame till the tomatoes are cooked and mushy.
kongu-thakali-aati-kaachina-kulambu-3

Add in the fresh shredded coconut and saute for five minutes more. Switch off the flame and allow the mixture to cool.
kongu-thakali-aati-kaachina-kulambu-4

Grind the mixture with a cup of water to a smooth paste. Take your time to grind. It will take 2-3 minutes. We need a very fine paste. Set aside.
kongu-thakali-aati-kaachina-kulambu-5

Heat oil in a pan and add in the mustard seeds, curry leaves and finely sliced small onions.
kongu-thakali-aati-kaachina-kulambu-6

Saute till the small onions are nicely brown. Once the onions are brown, add in the ground paste.
kongu-thakali-aati-kaachina-kulambu-7

Add a cup of water to the empty mixie jar and wash off all the leftover masala paste and add it back to the pan.
kongu-thakali-aati-kaachina-kulambu-8

Simmer the gravy for 10 minutes. The gravy should not be very thick. It should be like the consistency of sambar.
kongu-thakali-aati-kaachina-kulambu-9

Serve Thakkali aati kaachina kuzhambu with idli.
kongu-thakali-aati-kaachina-kulambu-10

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Kongu Thakkali aati kaachina kuzhambu


★★★★★

4.7 from 7 reviews

  • Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 40 mins
  • Total Time: 55 mins
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
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Description

Thakkali aati kaachina kuzhambu is a popular side dish served with idli in the Kongunad region of Tamilnadu. The curry is made by roasting and grinding spices, tomatoes and coconut which is then simmered to form a thick sauce.


Ingredients

Scale

For the masala paste

  • 2 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 dried red chillies
  • 10 small onions (Indian shallots), chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 1 sprig curry leaves
  • 4–5 medium very ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon sambar powder
  • 1/2 cup fresh shredded coconut

For the tempering

  • 1 teaspoon coconut oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 2 sprig curry leaves
  • 5 small onions (Indian shallots), thinly sliced

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in a pan and add in the spices. Add in the chopped small onions and garlic. Add in the curry leaves. Saute the onions till its nicely caramelized and brown.
  2. Add in the roughly chopped tomatoes, salt, turmeric powder and sambar powder. Let the tomatoes cook for 5-6 minutes on a medium flame till the tomatoes are cooked and mushy.
  3. Add in the fresh shredded coconut and saute for five minutes more. Switch off the flame and allow the mixture to cool.
  4. Grind the mixture with a cup of water to a smooth paste.
  5. Heat oil in a pan and add in the mustard seeds, curry leaves and finely sliced small onions.
  6. Saute till the small onions are nicely brown. Once the onions are brown, add in the ground paste.
  7. Add a cup of water to the empty mixie jar and wash off all the leftover masala paste and add it back to the pan.
  8. Simmer the gravy for 10 minutes.
  9. Serve with idli.
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Cuisine: Tamilnadu

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Suguna Vinodh

I'm Suguna Vinodh aka Kannamma. I love south Indian food and I am passionate about baking. My Favorite things include my Wusthof knife, Coffee, Ilayaraja, Tamil and beaches. I love Jacques Pepin and Julia Child.

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Comments

  1. Keerthi says

    January 10, 2019 at 5:16 am

    Thanks for the wonderful recipe! It came out good and my husband said somehow it tasted like fish kulambu and he was searching for one 😉

    Reply
    • Suguna Vinodh says

      July 2, 2020 at 8:28 pm

      Thank you very much. Glad you liked the thakkali kuzhambu / tomato curry

      Reply
  2. Sowmya says

    October 10, 2018 at 10:37 pm

    This has become a favorite at home. I love it. Can’t believe I’ve started cooking fairly decent food. All thanks to your recipes. I’m on your website atleast couple of times a day. Used to be a terrible cook, now I’m pretty good. Thanks much!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Suguna Vinodh says

      October 11, 2018 at 3:01 pm

      Thanks so much Sowmya.

      Reply
  3. Tharunya Bhasker says

    September 19, 2018 at 2:42 pm

    Lip smacking good. Lovely combination fir idlis!!

    Reply
    • Suguna Vinodh says

      July 2, 2020 at 8:28 pm

      Thank you very much. Hope you like the thakkali kuzhambu / tomato curry

      Reply
  4. Ananth says

    August 15, 2018 at 8:56 pm

    Kannamma you speard tamil cuisines to the world . Taking Tamil Nadu samiyal to the world through internet . Lot of your recipes tastes exactly like hotel food keep up your excellent work and keep adding recipes

    Reply
    • Suguna Vinodh says

      July 2, 2020 at 8:28 pm

      Thank you very much. Hope you like the thakkali kuzhambu / tomato curry

      Reply
  5. Lalitha Shankar says

    June 20, 2018 at 3:21 pm

    Wow!!!!!! Excellent side dish 🙂 You know what I like about you Suguna , the below point.

    “Add a cup of water to the empty mixie jar and wash off all the leftover masala paste and add it back to the pan.”

    This is where video bloggers or anyone, miss the point of reducing wastage.And this is called home style cooking!! Keep rocking 🙂

    Reply
    • Suguna Vinodh says

      June 20, 2018 at 4:57 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
  6. Ramya says

    June 2, 2018 at 9:27 am

    I have a recipe request – I once had Kurma style kolambu for Idli, it had potatoes, some Sombu and coconut grinded , after tempered with green chillies, onion & tomato i guess. I tried to recreate myself with the taste but didn’t get the same taste. If you come across something like this can you please make the recipe available in the site?

    Reply
    • Suguna Vinodh says

      July 13, 2020 at 5:18 pm

      Try this
      https://www.kannammacooks.com/urulai-kurma-for-idli-and-dosa-potato-kurma-recipe/

      ★★★★★

      Reply
  7. Ramya says

    June 2, 2018 at 9:21 am

    Another Classic Kongu Recipe! Yesterday I made Saravana Bhavan Hotel style Veg Kurma and it was a hit, perfect taste. I have tried many recipes like Tomato Biryani, Chicken Biryani every one of them comes out as how i expect the taste to be! Keep doing the awesome work!

    Reply
    • Suguna Vinodh says

      June 3, 2018 at 2:55 am

      Thank you! Glad you liked it!

      Reply
  8. S Venkataramanan says

    June 1, 2018 at 4:40 pm

    Super and mouth watering

    ★★★★

    Reply
    • Suguna Vinodh says

      June 3, 2018 at 2:57 am

      Thank you! Glad you liked it!

      Reply
  9. Latha says

    June 1, 2018 at 2:42 pm

    Nice variation of my favourite kuzhambu. I add whole garam masala while grinding. Thanks for sharing.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Suguna Vinodh says

      June 3, 2018 at 2:58 am

      Thank you! Glad you liked it!

      Reply
  10. Dr Neerja L Bisht says

    June 1, 2018 at 1:57 pm

    Hi Kannama, I have just started to learn cooking. I love Tamil cuisine as I was born and brought up there. I also find it best suits my system. It is really easy to follow your recipes, thanks, especially for the images. All the best.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Suguna Vinodh says

      June 3, 2018 at 2:58 am

      Thank you! Glad you liked it!

      Reply
  11. Krithika says

    June 1, 2018 at 9:19 am

    Wow,it’s yummy and thank you for the super recepy

    Reply
    • Suguna Vinodh says

      June 3, 2018 at 2:58 am

      Thank you! Glad you liked it!

      Reply
  12. Anu says

    May 31, 2018 at 11:56 pm

    Thank you for sharing your tasty yummy recipes….. I have tried ur mutton curry and sambar… ohh awesome… it came out very well… my son loved it… will try one this also

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Suguna Vinodh says

      June 3, 2018 at 2:58 am

      Thank you Anu!

      Reply
  13. Vaish says

    May 31, 2018 at 11:39 pm

    Looks so delicious. I will make it today for idlis!

    Reply
    • Suguna Vinodh says

      July 2, 2020 at 8:27 pm

      Hope you like the thakkali kuzhambu / tomato curry

      Reply
  14. Marina C. says

    May 31, 2018 at 11:04 pm

    I love your recipes. Kudos yo your passion for cuisines.

    ★★★★

    Reply
    • Suguna Vinodh says

      June 3, 2018 at 2:58 am

      Thank you!

      Reply

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I’m Suguna, a former financial analyst, now a full-time food blogger. Welcome to my space. I share recipes gathered from my friends and family here. I am passionate about South Indian food. I crazy love knives. A sharp knife is a girls best friend. Hope you like the recipes here. Happy Cooking. Read more.....

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