Ingredients
Scale
- 1 teaspoon Indian sesame oil / gingely oil (for sauteing ladies finger)
- 12 ladies finger, cut into half an inch pieces
- 1/2 inch piece tamarind
- 2 tablespoon Indian sesame oil / gingely oil
- 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- a big pinch of asafoetida
- 10 small onions, Indian shallots (chopped)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 green chillies, slit
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 tomato, chopped (preferably country tomato)
- 2 teaspoon kuzhambu milagai powder
- 1/2 teaspoon jaggery (optional)
For the masala
- 1 tablespoon rice
- 1 tablespoon chana dal
- 1 tablespoon fried gram – pottukadalai
- 2 dried red chillies
- 1/3 cup fresh shredded coconut
Instructions
- Saute the vendakkai / ladies finger in a teaspoon of Indian sesame oil / gingely oil till golden. It will take about 7-8 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- Soak the tamarind in a cup of water and squeeze the tamarind to extract the pulp. Discard the seeds and the pith. Set aside.
- Now we will make a masala paste. For that we will dry roast some ingredients.
- Dry roast the rice until brown on a medium flame. Set aside to cool. In the same pan, dry roast dry red chillies, chana dal and fried gram (dalia – pottukadalai) till golden. Set aside to cool. Dry roast the coconut for a minute. Set aside to cool.
- Add in all the dry roasted ingredients to a mixie and add in half a cup of water. Grind to a smooth paste. Set aside.
- Heat Indian sesame oil in a pan and add in the mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida. Let the mustard seeds crackle. Add in the chopped small onions (Indian shallots), garlic, salt and slit green chillies.
- Add in the tomatoes and saute everything for 5 minutes.
- Once the tomatoes are juiced down, add the kuzhambu milagai thool. Add in the tamarind pulp. Let it cook for 5 minutes.
- Add in the ground masala paste.
- Wash the mixie with half a cup of water and add back the washed masala water to the pan. Add a cup of water. add jaggery if using. Let the curry simmer for a few minutes.
- Add in the roasted ladies finger. Simmer for couple of minutes. Stir once in a while so the bottom does not scorch.
- Vendakkai kuzhambu is ready. Serve with rice.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: side dish
- Cuisine: Tamilnadu
Keywords: vendakkai kuzhambu