Sunda vathal kuzhambu

Sundakkai vathal / dried sundakkai / dried turkey berry kuzhambu is a tangy and delicious gravy prepared with dried sundakkai, small onions cooked in tamarind water. It goes well with white rice and appalam or vadagam.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 tbsp – Sunda vathal / dried turkey berry
• 5 nos – Sambar onion / small onion (chopped)
• 1 no – Tomato (chopped)
• 2 nos – Garlic (chopped)
• 1/4 tsp – Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp – Red chilli powder (as needed)
• 1 1/2 tsp – Coriander powder
• 1 no – Tamarind (gooseberry size)
• 1/2 cup – Coconut milk
• Salt as needed

Seasonings:

• 1 1/2 tbsp – Sesame oil
• 1/4 tsp – Mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp – Split black gram
• 2 pinch – Fenugreek seeds
• 4 or 5 nos – Curry leaves

Preparation method:

1. Soak tamarind in a cup of warm water and squeeze out the pulp. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan, season with items given for seasoning. Add sunda vathal, fry until it is slightly yellow color.
3. Add onion, garlic along with required salt and saute until translucent. Then add chopped tomatoes saute until mushy.
4. Next add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and coriander powder, saute until raw smell goes. Then add tamarind water and 1/2 to 1 cup of water, bring it to boil.
5. After 10 mins add coconut milk and cook for 5 more mins. Tasty sunda vathal kuzhambu is ready and serve hot with white rice, appalam or vadagam.

Notes:

• You can always replace coconut milk with coconut paste (ground coconut).
• Do not over fry sunda vathal otherwise you may feel burnt smell from your kuzhambu.