Vengaya Vethal Kuzhambu/ Sutta Appalam

"Vethal Kuzhambu and Sutta Appalam" is a favorite combination in south India. Appalam (Pappad/Pappadam) is a crispy snack, usually taken as side dish with meals.

Ingredients

Tamarind (Puli) - 5-6 pieces of 50 cent size
Sambhar Powder - 2-3 teaspoons
Salt (uppu) - 1/4 teaspoon ( add to taste)
Turmeric powder (manjal podi) - less than 1/4 teaspoon
Fenugreek seeds (venthayam) - 1 teaspoon
Mustard seeds (kadugu) - 1 teaspoon
Red Chillies ( chaeppu milagai) - 2-3
Shallots/Onion (chinna vengayam/ vengayam)- 2 cups quartered shallots or 1.5 cups finely chopped onions
Curry leaves (karuveppillai) - 5-6 leaves
Gingely Oil (nalla ennai) - 2-3 tbsp
Asofoetida powder ( perungaya podi) - 1/4 teaspoon

Take the Tamarind and boil it in 2-3 cups of water, and let it cool down to luke-warm temperature. Squeeze the tamarind to get as much juice as you can from it, and then remove the tamarind remains(sakkai).

Heat the gingely oil in a saucepan. Add asofoetida, mustard, red chillies and let the mustard pop. Add the fenugreek seeds, onions, curry leaves, turmeric and saute it. When the onions look golden brown, add sambhar powder and mix it well. Reduce the heat to medium and stir the sambhar powder for few minutes. Now add the tamarind juice, 1 cup of water, salt and stir it well once. Let it boil for 5 -7 more minutes. When oil starts to float on top, it indicates that the "Kozhambu" is done.

If the consistency of the "Kozhambu" is watery, you can add 1 tsp rice flour(mixed in 1/2 to 3/4 cup of water), And let it boil for 5 more minutes. This will make the consistency thicker.

Mix with rice and serve with Sutta Appalam(Cooked Appalam/Papad).

Serving size: 4