Recipe for kongunad thayir kuzhambu made with pachai masala (raw masala). Traditional kongunadu special thayir kuzhambu recipe. கொங்குநாடு பச்சை தயிர் குழம்பு
Thayir kuzhambu is a very popular recipe among the Gounder community in the Kongunad region. The specialty of this curry is that a very unique masala paste is ground raw and added to the curry. The curry is not cooked. The taste of the curry is very different and special to the region around Pollachi, Palladam and Udumalpet. Its served in all important festivals and functions in the region. White pumpkin is the preferred vegetable for this curry. I recently got hold of this recipe from my friend Aruna. Do try this at home.
Here is how to do it.
This recipe is usually done with white pumpkin. Clean, peel and de-seed the pumpkin. Dice the pumpkin into small pieces and boil the pumpkin in slightly salted water for 10 minutes. I used around a cup of water for boiling the pumpkin.
Once the pumpkin is fork tender, remove from heat. Drain the pumpkin and set aside to cool.
For the masala paste
We will need to make a raw masala paste for this recipe. Here is what you will need. If you want a very spicy curry, add one more green chilli.
Grind the masalas with half a cup of water to a thick smooth paste. Set aside. Do not add a lot of water. It will dilute the curry.
Note: Use the water leftover from boiling the pumpkins to grind the masala.
Take a bowl and add in 500ml of fresh plain yogurt. Add in the ground raw masala to the yogurt.
To that, add in the boiled and drained pumpkin.
For the Tempering
Take a small pan and heat sesame oil in the pan. Once the oil is hot, add in the chana dal. Once the chana dal is slightly brown, add in the mustard seeds. Let the mustard seeds crackle. Add in the curry leaves and dried red chillies.
Add in the finely chopped onion. Saute for a couple of minutes.
Remove the onion mixture and add it to the yogurt bowl. Add in the salt.
Mix well to combine. Thayir Kuzhambu is ready.
Serve with rice.
- 2 cups diced pumpkin
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup fresh shredded coconut
- 1 green chilli
- 1 dried red chilli
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¾ teaspoon coriander seeds
- 2 cloves garlic
- ¼ inch piece ginger
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon chana dal
- ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 2 dried red chillies
- ½ onion, finely choppe (1/4 cup)
- 500ml plain yogurt (curd)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Dice the pumpkin into small pieces and boil the pumpkin in slightly salted water for 10 minutes. drain the pumpkin and set aside to cool.
- Grind the masalas (raw masala paste) with half a cup of water to a thick smooth paste. Set aside. Do not add a lot of water. It will dilute the curry.
- Take a bowl and add in 500ml of fresh plain yogurt. Add in the ground raw masala to the yogurt.
- To that, add in the boiled and drained pumpkin.
- Take a small pan and heat sesame oil in the pan. Once the oil is hot, add in the chana dal. Once the chana dal is slightly brown, add in the mustard seeds. Let the mustard seeds crackle. Add in the curry leaves and dried red chillies.
- Add in the finely chopped onion. Saute for a couple of minutes.
- Remove the onion mixture and add it to the yogurt bowl. Add in the salt.
- Mix well to combine. Thayir Kuzhambu is ready.
- Serve with rice.
Thank you for the recipe. We do it without Coriander seeds and prefer only green chillies, it makes the gravy look white. You can also do this with any vegetable rich in water, banana stem and beetroot are a must try. Instead of cooking separately you can make it like poriyal and mix with curd 😊
Thank you for this lovely recipe and all the traditional recipes in your blog.The mixie you used looks very sturdy..Can you tell me what the brand is?I am on the lookout for a good mixie for our cooking.Thank you again.
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