Kuzhambu

Kuzhambu

Ennai kathirikkai kuzhambu (Stuffed eggplant kuzhambu)
Place of origin Tamil Nadu
Region or state South India
Main ingredients Lentils, tamarind, vegetables
Cookbook: Kuzhambu  Media: Kuzhambu

Kuzhambu (Tamil: குழம்பு (curry)), is a common dish in South India and Sri Lankan Tamil cuisines, and is primarily made of a variety of dals.

Kuzhambu is a gravy based on a broth made with tamarind, urad (bean) dal and toor dal, and can include vegetables. The dish is very popular as a side for rice in the southern regions of India especially in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala. The number of varieties of kuzhambu are countless, with each state in the South preparing it with a typical variation, adapted to its taste and environment.

Preparation

The preparation of kuzhambu vary greatly with the type of kuzhambu to be made, but its basic preparation methods include first frying curry leaves, mustard seeds, and dry chili pepper over vegetable oil on a heated stove. For kuzhambu that includes vegetables, cut the vegetables and fry them if required for the kuzhambu. For some types of kuzmabu, such as vathal kuzhambu, heat a separate pan with oil, and use this to fry the dals, other spices, onions, and garlic. In general, kuzambu does not include onions. Add tamarind juice, which is made in advance by soaking tamarind with water, and jaggery. Add water and salt, and cook for about 20 minutes.

Varieties

Mor Kuzhambu
Poondu Kuzhambu

The following is a small list of the hundreds of varieties of kuzhambu popular in Tamil cuisine. These types of kuzhambu all include a base of tamarind, urad and toor dals, and spices such as curry leaves, chili, and salt. Many of these varieties also include tomatoes or tomato juice as part of the base.

Varieties of Kuzhambu
Name Distinguishing Ingredient(s)
Vathal Kuzhambu turkey berry, shallots
Milagu Kuzhambu black pepper
Kara Kuzhambu onion, green chili, tomatoes
Mor Kuzhambu thick buttermilk, channa dal, ash gourd, okra, pumpkin
Poondu Kuzhambu garlic
Vazhakai Kuzhambu plantain
Vendakai Kuzhambu okra
Poricha Kuzhambu mixed vegetables, black pepper, ample amounts of dal

See also

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 4/15/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.