Paruppu Urundai Kara Kuzhambu:

Urundai Kuzhambu. Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu. Paruppu Urundai Kozhambu.

Ingredients:

For Paruppu Urundai:

Thoor Dal(soaked in water for 20 minutes)
Salt
Ginger 2″ peeled and grated
Garlic 5-6 cloves chopped
Dry red chilies 6-8
Salt
Fennel seeds 2 spoons
Curry leaves few.

For Making Gravy:

Cricket ball size tamarind or 1 spoon of thick tamarind paste
Red onion 1 large finely chopped
Garlic 1 large peeled and semi crushed
Tomato 1 large chopped
Jaggery or brown sugar 1 spoon
Salt
Turmeric powder 1/2 spoon
Chili powder 1 spoon
Rice powder 1 spoon
Sesame oil 1 cup
Mustard seeds 1 spoon
Cumin seeds 1 spoon
Fenugreek seeds 1/2 spoon
Chana dal 1/2 spoon
Urad dal 1/2 spoon
Asafoetida 1/2 spoon
Dry red chilies 3-5
Curry leaves

Method:

Urundai Preparation:

In a blender….dry grind fennel seeds(1 spoon) along with dry red chilies.

Then to the same blender add ginger, garlic and soaked thoor dal….wet grind these to thick batter. Maybe use limited water.

Make small lemon sized balls from this heavy batter. Set aside.

Kuzhambu Preparation:

In a deep pan, heat few spoons of oil. Add garlic, fry till its raw smell goes off. Further add onions, fry till they turn to golden brown color. Now add tomatoes, fry them till they loose their water content.

Now add salt, turmeric, chili powder, sugar and rice powder. Blend them together.

Later add tamarind paste and 2 cups of water. Cover and cook over medium flame.

Once the gravy consolidates…drop the above prepared ’roundels’ in it carefully. Never load the gravy. Drop one by one. Allow it to sit over medium heat. Let this get cooked slowly.

In a separate pan, heat oil. Add mustard, cumin, asafoetida, fenugreek, chana dal, urad dal, dry red chilies and curry leaves. Let them pop and splutter well. Run this seasoning over the gravy.

Serve this along with plain steamed rice. Run a spoon full of ghee over it…..just before serving.