Sunday, March 18

Vatral Kuzhambu

Vatral kuzhambu is a famous dish in Tamilnadu. The word 'Vatral' means sun dried vegetable. Some veggies like brinjal, sundakkai,manathakkali and clusterbeans can be sundried.U can make this kuzhambu with any one of these vatrals .Vatral kuzhambu with rice , papad and keerai is a wonderful combination. I have tried vatral kuzhambu in different methods, many of them turned out watery, without much gravy.... this one was very good and so I thought I would share it with u all.

Ingredients

Sundakkai vatral or any type of vatral-1/4 cup
Tamarind - golf ball sized
Sambar powder/Vatral kuzhambu powder- 1- 1½ tsp(I used sakthi sambar powder)
Onion- 1 small cut tinto strips
Shallots /pearl onions- 6
Garlic- 6-8 cloves
Oil - 4 to 5 tsp
Coconut grated-little, approx 2 tsp
Curry leaves- 1 sprig
Methi powder-1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Method

Peal and cut the pearl onions to chunks. Soak the tamarind in water and get the juice. Keep aside.
Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan and add the pearl onions and fry till it turns transparent. Remove from fire. When cooled grind this with sambar powder and coconut into a fine paste.
Heat the remaining oil in the same pan and when it is hot add the vatrals and fry till it turns brown. Then add the onions , curryleaves and garlic. Fry for sometime and then add the tamarind juice. When it boils add the ground paste. Add ½ cup of water,methi powder and salt , simmer the flame and partly close it with a lid. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes till the oil separates on top.
Serve hot with rice and papad.

29 comments:

Sig said...

I love Vatral Kuzhambu, haven't had it in ages! Didn't know it can be made with Sambar powder! Thanks!

indosungod said...

Prema love this Vatral Kuzhambu, I tasted it at a restaurant once and have been hooked since. Yours looks exactly like the once I tasted

Latha said...

Hey Prema,
Vatral kuzhambu is perfect comfort food! Your meal looks so delicous!
Cheers
Latha

FH said...

I agree,perfect comfort food indeed.I love it Prema,thanks for the recipe.

USHA said...

Vatral Kuzhmbu looks good, you made me to remember my family weddings..becoz it use to be in menu sure...

I never tried at home, let me try your version, thanks.

Mishmash ! said...

This dish used to be a regular in our hostel but never realised it can be tasty too until I had it a from a friend's house! btw, what is sundakkai? Sorry, though I have stayed in Chennai for sometime, my proficiency in tamil is very bad :)

Shn

Bong Mom said...

Thats so interesting, didn't know you sun dried veggies and used them. How do you sun dry them here, or do you store them from summer ?
Thanks Prema, for this new and interesting recipe

Bong Mom said...

Thats so interesting, didn't know you sun dried veggies and used them. How do you sun dry them here, or do you store them from summer ?
Thanks Prema, for this new and interesting recipe

Syam said...

mouth watering recipe and the pictures as well :-)

Sia said...

never tried vartal kuzambu prema. thanks a lot for this recipe. i have been trying chettinadu cuisine since some time. will give it a shot very soon.
happy ugadi to u n ur family:)

swapna susarla said...

Hi Prema
looking good.tasty!!

Sharmi said...

hmmm yummy. I brought all the vatrals this time when i went to India. I too keep making it. Yours looks delicious. Like the ones we get in TN hotels with full meals.My cheeks are hurting.

cheers
sharmi

Sharmi said...

hmmm yummy. I brought all the vatrals this time when i went to India. I too keep making it. Yours looks delicious. Like the ones we get in TN hotels with full meals.My cheeks are hurting.

cheers
sharmi

Menu Today said...

Hi Prema,
Exactly it looks like Saravana Bhavan Vatral Kuzhambu... Ayyooooo vatral kuzhambu with sutta appalam great combo...
Thanks for sharing your version prema, I will try this for sure.

Viji said...

Oh, our comfort dish, with one fried veg. it is great. Nice post Prema. Viji

Mrs. K said...

I would love to see a new tomato recipe, prema. But if you have inconvenience, no problem, I will accept the old one. Thanks for participating.

Vatral kuzhambu looks good.

J said...

What a nice comfort food. I've had this at my friend's place, tastes yummy.
Prema, do participate in the safety moment. I've updated the post, pl check it out.

sunita said...

This is such a new recipe for me...I know only about sun-dried tomatoes...thanks for making me know better.

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Mandira said...

Prema - this looks great. My MIL was telling me about this, maybe she'll make it for us this time :)

Unknown said...

Prema, I love vetralkuzhambu. In fact thats my lunch today with pacchai kathrikkai than. I have also posted a pudina one. Good one!

Hema

http://vegconcoctions.wordpress.com/

Linda said...

This one will be totally new for me, Prema, and it sounds delicious! I will look for vatral at the store. Thanks for sharing your recipe :)

LERA said...

Vatral Kuzhambu,never tasted but, heard about it.now, that I've got a recipe, perhaps, I could try this one.Thanks prema for sharing this:)

musical said...

Sundakkai vatral kozhambu is my favorite. i usually add lots of berries.....it really helps me get rid of allergies and rashes.

Pdk said...

Hey Prema... i made vatral kuzhambu today.. followed ur recipe word to word and added just a tsp of chilly pwd to make it a little spicy, since my sambhar powder isnt that spicy... Turned out Great.. today is my hubby's baday adn this was a part of the large south indian menu..
thank u..

Ramki said...

Hi,

Have blogged your Vatral Kulambu as a model recipe in the 1001 Kulambu cookbook at http://ramkicooks.blogspot.com/

/Thanks for the recipe

priyavijay said...

hi prema,
want to try a recipe...can u suggest a place where to get vatral in NJ?

Prema Sundar said...

Hi priya ,
If u are in NJ u can get vatrals in subzi mandi or any Indian store close to u.

jasminesabi said...

hai prema,
first i ask to u thnkx.becoz my hubby like vatral kuzhambu very much.but i didn't know hw to prepare.so ur recipe help to me. taste is very very nice.