Poricha Kuzhambu

Poricha kuzhambu is one of my favorites, as it is a simple, soothing meal that goes well with rice and also rotis .For rice it can be served with a spicy potato fry or just sutta appalam. It is a comforting meal for soul and stomach and it is mildly spiced.

Ingredients:

Split moong dal-3/4 cup

Tomatoes-2 medium

Brinjal-4 small, slit in cross section

Drumstick- 4, 1 inch pieces

Sambar powder-1tbsp

Salt –To taste

To Grind:

Rice-1 tbsp

Cumin seeds-1 tsp

Coconut-1/4 cup

Dry roast the rice first then add cumin and coconut until golden brown .Cool and grind it water into a smooth paste

To temper:

Mustard seeds- 1tsp

Urad dal-1tsp

Cumin seeds-1tsp

Oil-1tbsp

How It Happened:

1. Wash and add the dal with enough water in a pan and cook covered in medium flame for 10 minutes.

2. When the dal is par boiled, add the veggies and salt and cook covered for 5 minutes or until the veggies are cooked. Keep stirring now and then.

3. Then add sambar powder, some water if needed and cook for 5 minutes in low flame or until the raw smell goes off.

4. Add the coconut paste, mix well and cook for  2  minutes  and switch off the flame.

5. Do the tadka with the ingredients given under the “to temper” list and add to the kuzhambu.

Notes:

1. Amma roasts the dal before cooking it. But I skipped it b’coz of laziness and there wasn’t much difference in taste. But you can always try itJ

2. Do keep an eye on the dal while cooking because it easily tends to get burnt, so use a heavy bottomed pan.

3. You can clearly see that I didn’t have any curry leaves or drumsticks. I don’t get it easily here in ChandigarhL.

4. You can adjust the consistency of the kuzhambu by adding water. I like mine to be thick.