Vatha Kuzhambu

In the Tam-Brahm community, Vatha Kuzhambu is the mother of all spicy gravies (kuzhambu). Nutritionally speaking, it has nothing vital, but it is fabulously spicy and flavorful. It is hands down the best Kuzhambu we can offer from our kitchens. 

So what goes in it? Reduced tamarind extract (lots of it) is spiced with sambar powder, chilli powder, dried crisps (vathal, samabar-vadaam), onions, and other dried vegetables/fruits. It can also be made with gourds and other vegetables of your choice.

vatha kuzhambu with sambar vadaam and onions

vatha kuzhambu with manathakkali and okra

Ingredients:

1. About 2 - 2.5 inches ball of tamarind (depending on how tart the tamarind is; 2" is usually sufficient). 
2. 1 medium-sized onion, sliced thin
3. A few dried preserves (if you have any) - sambar vadaams, manathakkali (a kind of fruit that is dried)
4. 1 tablespoon sesame oil
5. 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
6. 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
7. 1.5 teaspoons toor dal / tuvaram paruppu / yellow lentils
8. 1 tablespoon ghee / clarified butter (optional)
9. 1 teaspoon jaggery / brown sugar (optional)
10. 1 dried red chilli
11. 2  - 2.5 teaspoons sambar powder
12. 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
13. few curry leaves
14. 1 tablespoon rice flour/rice powder (sometimes besan is used instead of rice flour)
15. 1/8 teaspoon hing / asafoetida
16. 1 teaspoon salt (or as needed)

Preparation:

1. Soak the tamarind in 2 cups of hot water for 20 minutes. Squeeze the juice out of the pulp and drain the tamarind extract. Repeat the process by adding 1 more cup of lukewarm water to the remaining pulp and extract more juice. Repeat a third time with 1/2 cup warm water if you think the pulp can be juiced more. Discard the pulp.
2. Heat oil in a medium-size saucepan. When hot, splutter mustard seeds. Add fenugreek seeds, hing, curry leaves, red chilli, and toor dal and fry until fenugreek and dal begins to change color. 
3. Then, add onions/vegetables and the dried preserves (if adding) and saute on medium heat until the onion begins to turn translucent (about 5 minutes).
4. Add turmeric powder and sambar powder and mix in the spices for a couple of minutes.
5. Add the extracted tamarind juice, an additional 1-2 cups of water, jaggery/brown sugar (to balance the tartness) and salt, and let the whole thing boil on medium heat (uncovered) for 35-40 minutes until the mixture reduces in quantity and becomes concentrated. Add more water (if needed and as needed if there isn't enough liquid) and if you think it tastes too tart.
6. Mix the rice flour in 1.5-2 tablespoons water and mix well. Whisk into the kuzhambu to thicken it. Reduce the heat, and simmer the kuzhambu on low heat for 5-10 minutes until it thickens. Add more rice-flour-paste to thicken the kuzhambu more (if needed). 
7. Finally, mix in some ghee/clarified butter.

Remove from heat and serve hot with rice! Vatha kuzhambu and curd rice is to die for!