This delicious Kongunadu Paruppu Kuzhambu recipe is a flavorful and comforting dish. Made with toor dal and spices, it’s a perfect accompaniment to hot rice.
Paruppu Kuzhambu is one of the fundamental everyday recipes prepared in nearly every home in the Kongu region. Each home has its own rendition of this recipe.
Toor dal is cooked along with a small amount of castor oil, and then a tempering is added to the curry.
Chinna Vengayam (shallots) is an essential ingredient in this recipe. The more shallots you use, the more delightful the curry becomes.
There are no masala powders used in this recipe. ‘Killi potta milagai,’ or the flavor of roasted red chillies, is what brings the heat.
The flavor and aroma of roasted cumin and garlic add their unique touch.
A steaming bowl of puzhungal arisi sadam (parboiled rice) and Paruppu Kuzhambu, drizzled with a little ghee and served with appalam on the side, is all you need to create a delectable meal on a busy day.
Note:
Castor oil aids in cooking the dal to a soft consistency and is traditionally used in the Kongu region for lentil preparation. If castor oil is unavailable, you can omit it or use a small amount of vegetable oil instead.
Here are the things you can buy online for making this recipe
Earthen Kadai/Clay Pot https://amzn.to/35H6dfF
3 Liter Stainless Pressure Cooker https://amzn.to/3rxv6D4
Here is the video of how to make Kongunadu Paruppu Kuzhambu – Tamil Style Dal Curry
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Kongunadu Paruppu Kuzhambu – Tamil Style Dal Curry
This delicious Kongunadu Paruppu Kuzhambu recipe is a flavorful and comforting dish. Made with toor dal and spices, it’s a perfect accompaniment to hot rice.
- Total Time: 30m
- Yield: 2–3 servings 1x
Ingredients
For cooking the dal
1 cup water
1/3 cup toor dal
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon castor oil (or vegetable oil)
For tempering the curry
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
3 cloves of garlic
1 sprig curry leaves
2 dried red chillies
1/4 cup shallots, sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 small marble-sized tamarind
1/2 cup hot water
1 teaspoon ghee
Instructions
In a small bowl, place the tamarind and hot water. Allow it to soak for 15 minutes. Squeeze the tamarind to extract the pulp, discarding any seeds or pith. Set aside.
In a small pressure cooker, add the water, toor dal, turmeric powder, and castor oil. Castor oil aids in cooking the dal to a soft consistency and is traditionally used in the Kongu region for lentil preparation. If castor oil is unavailable, you can omit it or use a small amount of vegetable oil instead.
Cook the dal for 5 minutes, allowing 4 whistles in the pressure cooker. After the specified time, remove the cooker from heat and allow the pressure to release naturally. Set aside.
Heat oil in a pan. Add crushed cumin seeds and garlic, coarsely textured, to the hot oil. Then, add curry leaves and broken chillies. Include sliced shallots and salt. Sauté for 3-4 minutes.
Incorporate the tamarind pulp and allow it to cook for a couple of minutes. Finally, add the cooked dal and let everything come to a boil. Lastly, add the ghee and turn off the flame.
Serve the dal with hot rice.
- Prep Time: 10m
- Cook Time: 20m