Kothumalli vidhai kuzhambu

If you enjoy the tangy tasting milagu kuzhambu or chettinad kara kuzhambu, you will certainly love this. It is one of my quick to cook kuzhambu that can be enjoyed with hot rice, idlis and dosais. It also has some shelf life like the pulikkaichchal and vattha kuzhambu which is an added advantage. I make karuveppilai kuzhambu too similarly. Just try this variation of the ever palate tickling kuzhambu too.

Ingredients:

2 table spoons (about 10 grams) coriander seeds

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

6 pieces hot, spicy variety red chillis

Tamarind the size of a small lemon

Salt to taste

3-4 tablespoons sesame seed oil ( any oil is optional, but sesame seeds oil tastes best in all these varieties)

1/4 teaspoon asafoetida powder

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

Few fresh curry leaves

Soak the tamarind in three teaspoons of water, just to soften it as you will be grinding the same unless you want the kuzhambu to be rarer.

If you prefer the kuzhambu thick, extract the pulp of the tamarind and boil the water until raw taste subsides before adding the spices that you have powdered.

Roast the coriander seeds, peppercorns and the redchillis without charring until very aromatic.

Blend all of the above to a thick smooth paste with the tamarind.

Wash the jar of the blender and add the water to the above extract. Add one more cup of water, salt and keep aside.

Heat the oil in a heavy kadai, temper the mustard seeds and curry leaves. Add the asafoetida powder and turmeric powder to the oil.

Reduce the heat and add the blended mix. Allow to boil and simmer until the extract reduces in volume to 1/3 rd of its volume and oil separates on the surface.

A very tangy tasting coriander seeds kuzhambu famously known as dhania kozhambu in Tamil homes is ready in approximately 20 minutes.

Store in stainless steel tiffin boxes or cool and store in bottles.

This recipe is specially made to be sent to my dear friend Priya's Think Spice Coriander event featured in Priya's Easy n' Tasty Recipes hosting this October the brainchild event of Sunita of Sunita's World.