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7 Sept 2011

Poondhu Puli Kuzhambhu : Chettinad Style

Garlic in Tamarind Gravy : Chettinad Style

Have you ever noticed that whenever Indian cuisine is mentioned anywhere in the world especially about the South Indian style the word "Chettinad" pops up immediately. Coming to think of it is one of the most popular styles of cooking both in my home state [Tamil Nadu] and else where in India and outside.


It is known for its spicy preparations both veg and non-veg, array of ingredients that are added both ground and whole, various breakfast items from kuzhi paniyarams to appams and elaborate cooking methods.

Almost half the curries and kuzhambhu varieties are tamarind based. The main reason is because tamarind is readily available from the road side trees and

1.Rich in dietary fiber which helps remove "bad" cholesterol and ease bowel movements.
2.Powerful anti oxidant.
3.Rich in iron, potassium, calcium and zinc.
4.Wonderful source of essential vitamins like A,C and thiamine.


We all know that tamarind is an excellent preservative which helps keep dishes edible for a long time especially in hot climate  as in South India.

In my opinion this dish holds wonderful healing properties especially for heart patients... it is very "Heart Friendly"...

Come on , think about it. All the ingredients : pearl onions, garlic, ginger, pepper corns, cumin, fenugreek seeds, asafoetida, tamarind and coriander seeds  are all bursting with good fiber, good cholesterol and blood cleansing properties.

After all "Food is Medicine" and I think our great grandparents and their great grand parents have understood this concept fully and this has what prompted them to include such wonderful ingredients in our daily menu.

Even now there are so many households where caring moms make spicy peppery rasams and chicken soups when their kids fall ill ... I am sure all my lovely friends can vote for me on this one:)

This is my favourite dish as it is spicy with a hint of sweetness from the onions in a sour tamarind base with pungent pearly garlic hitting the spot when I need the comfort of home cooked food.

This curry develops and deepens in flavour when prepared in a earthen ware pot [manchatti] and eaten the next day.


It is important to cook this kuzhambhu with gingelly oil [Nallaennai] ..

The best combo with this dish is fried colourful pappad..:)

For the Kuzhambhu:
Pearl onions: 8
Garlic pods [large ones]: 20
Tamarind: 100 gms
Warm water: 400ml.
Red chilli: 1
Salt: to taste.
Asafoetida powder [hing]: 1/2 tsp.


For making the paste:
Pearl onions: 5
Garlic pods: 4-5.
Ginger: 1 cm piece.
Cumin: 1 tsp.
Coriander seeds: 3 tbsp.
Fenugreek seeds: 1/4 tsp.
Pepper corns: 1 tsp
Red chillies: 2
Curry leaves: 1 sprig
Gingelly oil: 1 tsp.

Slice the onions and garlic to thin slices. Roast the spices, first from the cumin to the curry leaves and then add the onions and garlic until golden brown in colour. Cool and grind to a paste. Keep aside.


For tempering:
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp.
Fenugreek seeds: 1/4 tsp.
Curry leaves: 1 sprig.
Gingelly oil: 1 tsp.

Garnish:
Fresh coriander leaves


1.Soak the tamarind in the warm water for 15 minutes. Mix well with your fingers until it becomes all mushy. Strain and reserve the tamarind liquid. Discard the bits and bobs.
2.Heat oil on medium flame and add the mustard. Let it splutter.
3.Add the fenugreek and curry leaves and let it brown.
4.Add the red chilli, whole onions and garlic pods. Saute until the garlic pods are slightly cooked. This will take around 5 minutes.
5Add the ground paste along with 1/2 cup of water.


6.Mix well and cook in a low flame until oil floats on top which will take around 6-8 minutes. If the masala becomes too thick add a bit of water.
7. Add the tamarind liquid into the bubbling masala. Mix well and cover with a lid.
8.Simmer for 10-15 minutes in medium flame until the raw smell of the tamarind is replaced with the pleasant aroma of the curry.
9.Open the lid and mix well.
10.Sprinkle asafoetida powder and salt. Give one last stir.
11.Remove from flame and garnish with coriander leaves.


Serve with hot rice and fried pappad.


Note: Feel free to use coriander and cumin powder if the whole seeds are unavailable. Do not roast the powders. Just add the powders directly after step 4 in the recipe followed by the ground paste and cook as above.

If you are very health conscious then omit the fried pappad. Keep the oil addition to 1-2 tsp as given in the recipe and cook in a non stick pan. If not so health conscious like me, then eat this curry with lovely fried pappad. Don't forget to drizzle a tsp of gingelly oil on top of the curry when eating.

Sending this to "Flavours of South India" by Nayna


Herbs and Flowers : Garlic by Vardhini , an event originally by PJ


"My Favourite Dish" by Ammu of Ammaji Recipes




Enjoy....


Scribbled by Reva

57 comments:

  1. OMG!! this looks lip smacking good...I love chettinad cuisine..Bookmrked this one & will try it out soon..Thx for this wonderful recipe Reva :))
    Prathima Rao
    Prats Corner

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  2. Simply yummy. I love chettinad recipes very much.

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  3. Wonderful. I love garlic and i have never come across this recipe. love chettinad cuisine for its fiery taste and wonderful use of spices!

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  4. wonderful dishes Reva...

    two AWARDS waiting 4r u n my blog...CONGRATS reva

    http://nishaslifestyle.blogspot.com/2011/09/triple-delight-yahooooo-two-awards-and.html

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  5. Delicious and healthy recipe,looks so yummy.

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  6. Such a tangy and yummy dish.. Looks awesome.

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  7. Mind blowing pictures! Looks so so tempting! Just the way I like it,loads of whole onion and garlic...

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  8. Gravy looks wonderful..tangy and yummy curry

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  9. I love this kuzhambu Reva.And as u rightly said poondu kuzhambu and vatral are a match made in heaven. I am craving for this right now looking at your delicious clicks....

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  10. never knew of this curry. it looks lip smacking.

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  11. When I just see the pic, thought of grabbing and eat.:-) A mouth watering garlic gravy with steamed rice. I never say no for meal if it is given.

    Cheers,
    Uma

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  12. Love those pearl onions and the garlic in the kuzhambu Reva. Nice clicks.

    Vardhini
    Event: Herbs and Flowers - Garlic

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  13. Mouthwatering clicks.. nice to learn chettinad style.. I normally prepare pulikuzambu in a similar way but without the paste..

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  14. Poondu Kuzhambu with hot rice n fryums wat a yummy combination..this is def must try kuzhambu..too good esp the paste which is added..

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  15. Freshly ground Chettinad spices are always special, poondu kulambu looks very tempting and nice clicks.

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  16. wow...
    looks perfect and very tempting dear.
    lovely clicks :)

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  17. Beautiful clicks dear!!! looks so delicious ..i m sure it tastes heaven with rice..

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  18. Exactly this is the way we make except will not grind onion in the paste.. my very fav menu.. simply drooling seeing ur gorgeous pictures Reva.

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  19. lovely...i will try this soon..but i dont like the large chinese garlic that we get here...love to use the small indian ones

    ONGOING EVENT: ABC Series - A for Apple

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  20. I just loved this kulzhambu reva. So rustic and so full of flavour :)

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  21. Splurt, very flavorful and tempting recipe, bookmarked it.

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  22. wow....so spicy n flavorful Kuzhambu..love the chettinad version ..never tried this way..too tempting clicks Reva !!

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  23. Waoo,, you have a yummy blog :)
    i really enjoy your tempting pics and recipes!! Thanks for sharing
    Love ~

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  24. Curry looks super tempting yummy...
    Awesome clicks..

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  25. yummy looking flavourful combination
    do check out the event food palette series rainbow colours on my site hope you can join
    regards Akheela

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  26. omg,this really amazing recipe...wonderful combo with vadavam...Clicks are very tempting.

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  27. Looks delicious & temptong clicks .... Glad to follow u ....

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  28. chettinad style is always flavourful..yummy it looks and beautiful clicks

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  29. I'm a big time garlic fan and this kozhambu makes me simply drool :)

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  30. Very nice recipe dear...Nice clicks too...

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  31. Simply tempting and excellent write up to encourage indian cuisine cooking at home...

    http://panchamrutham.blogspot.com/

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  32. I love garlic. Curry looks really interesting and tempting...

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  33. hi reva, first time i have ever seen such a tamarind garlic dish.
    must be a great appetizer dish with rice. can try this out

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  34. Gorgeous clicks reva- You have an amazing blog and i loved all your aesthetic clicks! You have a new follower to your blog :) Your dish spells comfort and reminds me of my good old days when mom used to whip up amazing chettinad style cooking....

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  35. Looks too good. My mom makes similar to it. Will surley try soon

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  36. oh my mouth-watering reva!!!! we make it with bringal, so delicious n yummy!!!!! Want to pick those garlic and munch away!!!! u make me crave for some poondu kaara kuzambhu now

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  37. Never thought you can make curry out of garlic...woww.

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  38. Wow.. this looks so delicious. Perfect with rice na? :D Yummm

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  39. love pulikuzhambu..looks fab!!!

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  40. Desi, my Tamil husband, loves baby onion sambar. I love Chettinad food. For both our sakes, I have to make this asap! :)

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  41. Poondu kulambu is my favourite too. Loved your read up about the medicinal values stressing the point 'Unave marundhu'.

    I completely agree with you - poondu kulambu tastes better when prepared in man chatti and eaten the next day... :)

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  42. Wow, it looks delicious!! loved your clicks and presentation style.. also, thanks for leaving a wonderful comment on my blog :)

    Cheers!
    Vani

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  43. Truly healthy curry...and it's so new to me! Looks absolutely inviting :)

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  44. OMG! Reva, you will not believe this...I made it just yesterday to send this to Vardhini's event...you knw what I didn't take the final picture :(...before I could we ate it all!! :)

    Chk out my DIWALI Event
    September - ALMONDS Event & GIVEAWAY'
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  45. Omg, makes me hungry,just craving for some..

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  46. Reya, I'm certainly trying this recipe at home! I'm a gujju and trust me nobody in my house has ever tsted a Chettinad... It's time we did so!
    Thanks for the winderful recipe! :)

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  47. Thank you so much for stopping by my blog.Your blog is Awesome,Amazing pictures,kuzhambhu looks yummy and tempting.

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  48. Wow. Looks spicy and delicious

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  49. This dish sounds very delicious and healthy:)

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  50. garlic kizhamby looks inviting...nice clicks...first time here and happy to follow you

    -Aarthi @munchmunchcrunchcrunch
    New event - HLI-DATES

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  51. I too love chettinad cuisine but am only familiar with the chettinad chicken...so thanks for sharing a diff dish of this cuisine.

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  52. tried and was delicious...thx a lot...

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  53. My hubby loves this small onions in smabar... I should give a try with this recipe. Thanks for sharing to my event.

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  54. Hi Reva, made this kuzhambu sometime back and have now posted it in my blog. The gravy was awesome. Thanks for the delicious recipe :)

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