Kuzhambu (Sambar) variety

Kuzhambu (Sambar) which we Iyengars call it as Negizhcurryamudu, because it is a gravy preparation. It is prepared with tamarind (imli), lentils (dal), masalas, and vegetables like brinjal, lady’sfinger (okra), raddish, drumstick, white pumkin, yellow pumkin, capsicum, carrot, onion, sweet potato, spinach etc. There is slight difference between kuzhambu and sambar. Kuzhambu is prepared either with kuzhambu podi (sambar powder) or by tempering the ingredients. Sambar is prepared with freshly ground masala with coconut.

1. Pulikeerai: (Spinach with tamarind and dal)
Pulikeerai is prepared by tempering the below given ingredients. Sock tamarind (imli) in water for ½ an hour and extract the juice. Keep it aside. Cook tur dal about 100 g with ¼ tsp haldi. Wash and chop 250g of spinach. Wash and cut 50g of okra (lady’s finger) and 4 medium size brinjal into small cubes.

Ingredients:

• ½ tsp rai (mustard seeds)
• 2 tsp udar dal
• ½ tsp hing (asafoetida)
• 4-6 green chillies (chopped)
• ½ tsp fenugreek (methi)
• 4-6 tsp oil

Salt to taste.
2 tsp rice flour.
Method:
Heat the oil in a kadai. Add rai, udar dal, hing, methi and chopped green chillies. Let the rai splutter. Then add okra and brinjal and sauté them for 1 minute. Add spinach . Pour imli extract into the spinach mixture. Add salt to taste. Let it boil for sometime. Add cooked tur dal and let the whole thing boil for few more minutes. Stir it now and then. Take 2 tsp of rice flour in a cup .Make it a paste by adding little water and pour it into the boiling spinach. Stir it thoroughly and let it boil for 1 more minute. Now the pulikeerai is ready.
Take a spatula full of cooked rice in a plate and add 2-3 ladles full of pulikeerai, mix them with ½ tsp ghee (butter oil). Have it along with side dish Poricha kootu