Tamilnadu Style Vendakkai puli kuzhambu – Kulambu – Ladies Finger in tamarind curry

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Vendakkai Puli Kuzhambu
Vendakkai puli kuzhambu – South Indian style Tamilnadu recipe for Vendakkai/okra curry simmered in a rich tangy tamarind gravy. Serve hot with rice.

Here is the video of Tamilnadu Style Vendakkai puli kuzhambu – Kulambu – Ladies Finger in tamarind curry

This Vendakkai puli kuzhambu curry is for the love of tamarind. Every Tamilian house would have a version of this curry. Its really hard to qualify a recipe as authentic. To me, if the recipe was passed on from a grand mother, its as authentic as it can get. This curry paired with rice makes a very satisfying meal. This is a lunch time curry. They make this at home usually for lunch as it goes well with rice.

Here are some ingredients and tools you can buy online for making this recipe
Kuzhambu Milagai Powder
Heavy Duty Mixie
Chemical Free Jaggery
First, lets roast the ladies finger in oil and some salt. Roast until its half cooked and the ladies finger is no more slimy. For special occasions, one can deep fry the ladies finger too. But I like the pan fried version compared to the deep fried version. Remove from heat and set aside.
Vendakkai-puli-kuzhambu-recipe-1-2

In the same pan, we will make the masala paste for the kuzhambu. We do not want to waste the ladies finger flavor packed brown bits that is stuck to the bottom of the pan. Heat oil in the same pan and add cumin seeds, curry leaves and garlic. Then add the onions. Sauté briefly for a couple of minutes until the onions are soft.
Vendakkai-puli-kuzhambu-recipe-2-2

Then add the tomatoes and sauté till the tomatoes are soft. Add in the shredded coconut. Sauté for another couple of minutes.
Vendakkai-puli-kuzhambu-recipe-3-2

Remove the pan off heat and grind the mixture to a smooth paste. Add little water (half cup) to grind.
Vendakkai-puli-kuzhambu-recipe-5

Soak a small lime size tamarind in two cups of water for 15-20 minutes. Squeeze to extract the pulp. Discard the seeds and the pith. Set aside.
Vendakkai-puli-kuzhambu-recipe-6

Heat oil in a separate kadai/pan and add in the fenugreek seeds, urad dal, mustard, dried red chillies and curry leaves. Let the mustard seeds crackle. Add in the ground masala.
Vendakkai-puli-kuzhambu-recipe-7

Add in the tamarind extract, coriander powder, turmeric, chilli powder, sambar powder, salt and a little bit of jaggery all at once.
Vendakkai-puli-kuzhambu-recipe-8

Add a cup or more of water.
Vendakkai-puli-kuzhambu-recipe-9

Close the pan with a lid and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes on low flame.
Vendakkai-puli-kuzhambu-recipe-10

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Add in the cooked Vendakkai/okra and let it simmer for another 5 more minutes. The oil should float on top of the curry. That is the true indication that the curry is done.

Serve hot with rice.
Vendakkai Puli Kuzhambu

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South-indian-style-chettinad-urlai-roast-potato-roast-recipe |kannammacooks.com #ladies-finger #okra #puli-kulambu #vendakkai #curry #vegan-recipe

Tamilnadu style vendakkai puli kulambu

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4.9 from 39 reviews

South indian style tamil recipe for Vendakkai/okra curry simmered in a rich tangy tamarind gravy. Serve hot with rice.

  • Total Time: 1 hour 15 mins
  • Yield: 6 1x

Ingredients

Scale

For frying the vegetable

  • 250 grams okra/vendakkai
  • 1 teaspoon peanut oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Masala

  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 sprig curry leaves
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 1 cup onions, chopped
  • 1 cup tomatoes, chopped
  • 4 tablespoon shredded coconut
  • 1/2 cup water

Other Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon urad dal
  • 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
  • 2 dried red chillies
  • 2 sprigs curry leaves
  • 1 lime size tamarind
  • 2 cups hot water for soaking tamarind
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon chilli powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
  • 1.5 teaspoon Kuzhambu milagai powder / sambar powder
  • 1 teaspoon jaggery
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup water

Instructions

First, lets roast the ladies finger in oil and some salt. Roast until its half cooked and the ladies finger is no more slimy. For special occasions, one can deep fry the ladies finger too. But I like the pan fried version compared to the deep fried version. Remove from heat and set aside.

In the same pan, we will make the masala paste for the kuzhambu. We do not want to waste the super flavor packed brown bits that is stuck to the bottom of the pan. Heat oil in the same pan and add cumin seeds, curry leaves and garlic. Then add the onions. Sauté briefly for a couple of minutes until the onions are soft.

Then add the tomatoes and sauté till the tomatoes are soft. Add in the shredded coconut. Sauté for another couple of minutes. Remove the pan off heat and grind the mixture to a smooth paste. Add little water (half cup) to grind.

Soak a small lime size tamarind in two cups of water for 15-20 minutes. Squeeze to extract the pulp. Discard the seeds and the pith. Set aside.

Heat oil in a separate kadai/pan and add in the fenugreek seeds, urad dal, mustard, dried red chillies and curry leaves. Let the mustard seeds crackle. Add in the ground masala. Add in the tamarind extract, coriander powder, turmeric, chilli powder, sambar powder, salt and a little bit of jaggery all at once. Add a cup or more of water. Close the pan with a lid and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes on low flame.

Add in the cooked Vendakkai/okra and let it simmer for another 5 more minutes. The oil should float on top of the curry. That is the true indication that the curry is done. Serve hot with rice.

Notes

This curry will stay good for upto 2 days.

  • Author: kannamma @kannammacooks.com
  • Prep Time: 30 mins
  • Cook Time: 45 mins
  • Category: gravy
  • Cuisine: South Indian

98 thoughts on “Tamilnadu Style Vendakkai puli kuzhambu – Kulambu – Ladies Finger in tamarind curry”

  1. Aditi

    So good in taste. Since I don’t eat onion garlic I used hing and bukchoy. Thank you so much for the recipe.

    – Aditi



    Reply
  2. Achu

    Am following this recipe of u fo long time. My whole family loves this recipe.. Thank u for sharing this recipe.



    Reply
  5. Indumathi Kandasamy

    Thank you for this wonderful recipe. This is my go-to recipe for Vendakkai Kuzhumbu and it always turns out delicious! 🙂



    Reply
  6. Suresh.K.

    Thank you.Tried your recipe and loved it.This is a season of cover 19 and using the time for this.Thanks and regards. Suresh,Kochi.



    Reply
  9. Hema Priya

    Dear Suguna, your recipe states 2 onions for grinding the masala? Isn’t that a lot? I watched the YouTube video for this kuzhambu and it seems like you only added one onion. Please clarify. Looking forward to trying out this recipe!

    Reply
  10. jeba sweetlin Naveen

    its too good….. every time i make this kulambu im tempted to eat a lot…. thank u for this lovely recepie… i made it n number of times…. and today i made idli batter as per ur recepie after makin idlis ill comment on that… hope it will be fluffy ….



    Reply
  12. Renukadevi

    Hi Suguna
    I tried this recipe today. Its soo yummy. Everybody liked very much. Thank you sis.

    Reply
  13. Shilpa

    Dear Suguna,

    Thanks for your wonderful receipes. They turn out perfectly tasty every time . I especially love the fact that you mention the quantity of salt and the exact time for the cooking.
    Thanks 😊

    Reply
  15. Veena

    This recipe is a favorite in our family. My little one loves this kuzambu. Have tried many many of your recipes. You ROCK!!!



    Reply
  18. Arthi Soundararajan

    Tried it out yesterday !!! N my husband fell in love with it 🙂 soo yummm ..thanks for sharing akka ! Lovely blog ! I keep trying all ur recipes n every time it’s sooo good !!



    Reply
  21. Pari

    Tried this curry today.. Can’t believe if I was the one who cooked it.. Thank you so much for the lovely recipes and keep posting 🙂



    Reply
  22. Sheethal

    Hello Ma’am… I made this last night… It turned out really great n my hubby n daughter loved it so much that they emptied the whole curry… I loved it too… We all live tangy food… So I added extra tamrind n I skipped the coconut cos I didn’t have fresh coconut handy but still it was yummy ? thanku so much ma’am… Jus love all ur dishes ?



    Reply
  23. Rupa

    This was the first recipe I made from your site . This turned out so delicious that since then I have come to rely on your site and I know I will definitely love the food. Thank you for sharing these recipes.



    Reply
  25. Anitha

    Followed recipe to the T and it came out absolutely delicious. Thank you for sharing the recipe.



    Reply
  26. Pavithara Rathinavel

    Hi Suguna,

    I prepare vendakkai puli kulambu the same way but I add a spoon of sombu/fennel seeds for grinding masala and avoid jaggery (I love to have jaggery in all puli kolumbu but my hubby don’t like it).

    Thanks for sharing the recipe 🙂



    Reply
  27. Shiva Shankari

    I tried this recipe today & it turned out really yum. Since I love more garlic i used 10pods of garlic while tempering, it added additional taste n flavour to the dish. Everyone loved the taste in ma family 🙂

    Thanks for the lovely recipe mam.

    Keep up ur good work (y)



    Reply
  29. Judith Christy Vijay

    Tried this recipe today.. it was delish 🙂 reminded my mother’s curry 🙂



    Reply
  30. SHELTON MAHARESH

    My wife was not in good health and I thought of helping her by cooking .I just followed each step and the gravy came out so delicious and my wife loved it and also my/her collegues .. Dint feel like I was cooking for first time.. Thanks Mam.



    Reply
    1. Suguna Vinodh

      wow! you are a natural Shelton. Really glad that you were able to cook for your wife using this recipe. Thanks a lot for writing in! Happy Cooking!

      Reply
  32. Charu

    Hello Suguna, Can’t thank you enough for this kuzhambu. It tasted awesome and even better the next day 🙂

    Reply
  33. Malleswari

    I tried this it turned out very well.thanks a lot.
    I was looking for this recipe from a long time.
    Form today i guess this is the first place i would look for when i feel something to try new



    Reply
  35. Ariya

    Hi Suguna,
    Thankyou for the recipe, tried it today, and it turned out like a dream, tangy, spicy… Yumm.. Loved it!!

    Reply
    2. Jenila

      Thank you for this recipe. It is delicious. I don’t know how to cook authentic recipies but I am learning and exploring one by one from your site. Your recipies turn out perfect on the first try itself and it satisfies my pregnancy craving. Thank you again 🙂



      Reply
  37. Steffi

    Dear Sugana akka,
    I tried this recipe today and it turned out to be SPECTULAR.

    Thanks a lot
    Steffi

    Reply
  39. Swapna

    Hi kannama,

    Thank u for the receipes you have posted. I usually used to say that my mom is the best chef so far. After coming to US, i miss my mom and her receipe. Thanks to you for taking her place and helping me out in cooking. Ur receipes are easier and tasty. Can u clarify whether can i use cashewnut instead of coconut.
    Thanks



    Reply
    1. Suguna Vinodh

      Thats really nice of you to say Swapna. I have never used cashewnut paste in place of coconut. But the taste of coconut is what makes this curry so delicious I feel.! You can substitute frozen coconut or a little canned coconut milk if you cannot find fresh coconut!

      Reply
  40. Vidhya

    I am Vidhya from Coimbatore, I am great fan of Annapoorna Sambhar, Every weekend I used yo go there for the sake of Sambhar. I was searching for the Annapoorna sambhar recipe, and my SIl from USA sent me your website .

    tried the sambhar tasted awesome (Kids are relieved now, so that they can try different restaurants)

    Thanks for the recipe



    Reply
  41. Sowmya Shenoy

    Hi Kannamma,

    I am from Karnataka, but I was working in Chennai for a year. Then I came across kuzhambu & I fell in love with it. I frequently search for kuzambu recipes & one day accidentally I browsed your website. This recipe is awesome. It is so authentic & pure, I can’t describe you. Thanks for sharing such a lovely recipe. Looking forward for more authentic recipes.



    Reply
  43. Madhu

    Hi kannama, I tried your recipe today.. it came out so well.. thank you so much for posting this.



    Reply
  44. Smily jose

    First time I saw your recepie. I will surely try this. I am eager to do this different type of recepie and makes my family happy. Thank u mam.

    Reply
  45. pradeepa

    Wow awesome recipe. .now only I look into ur recipe and prepared it.it came out well n good thank u so much dear



    Reply
  46. Brindha

    Dear kannama.
    Basically I m from erode d residing in blore. As you that puzhi kuzhampu is very favourite in all occasions in our area.. i searched for the recipe here d there .. finally i got ur finger licking recipe… my husband ate it for the whole day f d also the next day. Hereafter I will be the queen maker of puli kuzhampu in my native. Credit goes to u.
    Thanks dear

    Reply
  47. andal

    Vanakkam. I tried vendai puli kulambu,kolukattai,vengaya sambar.everything came out so well tat I am very happy.where were you deary all these years….your recipe are very authentic. My food science mam would always feel not OK as standardisation s very difficult in Indian dishes. If anyone s planning to do so they can rely on yours. Please…. Keep going. And thanks for your reply for my questions on dip.



    Reply
  48. Munazah S

    Thank you soooooo much Suguna 🙂 I tried this recipe yesterday and it came out so well 🙂 I basically hail from the Northern part of India; Married and settled here in Chennai 🙂 hence always on the lookout for Southern Cuisine recipes on internet, to woo my hubby, who is from Chennai :p.. Came across your recipe yesterday and tried it too. And hubby was like “Wow-awesome”!
    All thanks to you dear! Keep posting 🙂
    Much Love,
    Munazah S.



    Reply
  49. Koushalya

    My husband’s cousin made this for us a couple of times and he makes a big kadaai full of it. We were eating everything with it until it got over (tried with idli, dosa and rice).. it is so yummy, we are recommending this page everyone 🙂



    Reply
    1. Suguna Vinodh

      Thank you so much for trying out this Tamilnadu Style Vendakkai puli kuzhambu recipe Koushalya. I am really really happy to know that it came very well. And a big thank you for recommending KC to your friends. A virtual hi-five for you. 🙂

      Reply
  50. Vijaya

    Hello kannama cooks..
    rombha nanna irrundadhu..
    my mom used make very nice vendkali puli kulambu.. after her today I have made seeing your recipe too good.. let me keep and eat this for tomorrow also…
    thanks you very much with nutrition info also/..
    thanks a ton.. keep giving more recipes of this kind..
    love and cheers.
    Vijaya

    Reply

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