This recipe is from Mellowbites Spice Series Episode 5. Here’s a breakdown of the ingredients and instructions on how to make Vatha Kuzhambu, a South Indian dish perfect for those who love a spicy and flavorful gravy.

Ingredients:

• For the Vatha Kuzhambu Powder:
  • 2 teaspoons Chana Dal or Bengal gram
  • 2 teaspoons Red Dal or white lentils
  • 2 teaspoons Raw rice
  • 2 teaspoons Cumin seeds
  • ½ teaspoon Fenugreek seeds
  • 6 teaspoons Coriander seeds
  • ½ teaspoon Peppercorn
  • 6 to 8 Red chillies
• For the Vatha Kuzhambu:
  • Tamarind – small lemon sized, soaked in 1 cup of water
  • 4-5 tablespoons Sesame oil
  • 1 ½ cups Sundakai Vetti (dried turkey berry)
  • 2 Red chillies
  • Curry leaves – a nice amount, chopped
  • 3/4 cup Shallots, finely chopped
  • 12-15 Garlic cloves, whole and peeled
  • Salt to taste
  • Turmeric powder
  • 1 ½ – 2 tablespoons Vatha Kuzhambu powder (from the first step)
  • 3/4 to 1 cup Water

Instructions:

1. Dry Roast the Ingredients for the Vatha Kuzhambu Powder:
   • Using a heavy bottomed pan, dry roast 2 teaspoons of Chana Dal or Bengal gram until golden brown. Transfer to a plate.
   • Repeat the same process for all the other ingredients for the Vatha Kuzhambu powder one after another.
2. Grind the Vatha Kuzhambu Powder:
   • Once all the ingredients have cooled, transfer them to a blender jar and grind into a fine powder.
   • Store this powder in an airtight container.
3. Make the Vatha Kuzhambu:
   • Soak tamarind in a small bowl of water for 10-15 minutes. Squeeze out the pulp and discard the seeds. Keep the tamarind water aside.
   • In a pressure cooker, heat 4-5 tablespoons of sesame oil.
   • Add 1 ½ cups of Sundakai Vetti (dried turkey berry) and saute until it gets roasted nicely. Remove and keep it aside.
   • Temper the oil with 2 red chillies and a nice amount of chopped curry leaves.
   • Add 3/4 cup of finely chopped shallots and saute until light golden brown.
   • Add 12-15 whole peeled garlic cloves and saute for 2-3 minutes.
   • Add salt and turmeric powder to taste.
   • Add 1 ½ – 2 tablespoons of the Vatha Kuzhambu powder you made earlier and mix well.
   • Add the roasted Sundakai Vathal back to the pressure cooker.
   • Pour in the tamarind water and 3/4 to 1 cup of water, depending on how thick you prefer the gravy to be.
   • Cover the pressure cooker and cook for just one whistle.
   • Once the pressure cooker releases pressure, open the lid and your Vatha Kuzhambu is ready!

Tips:

• This Vatha Kuzhambu is best served over hot rice with some appalams.
• You can adjust the amount of chillies to your spice preference.
• The recipe suggests shallots are best for this dish, but you can also use onions if you don’t have shallots.

I hope this recipe blog helps you recreate this delicious South Indian dish at home!