Poricha Kuzhambu
- 44 min
- mild
- Serves 4
Poricha kuzhambu made with moong dal, chow chow and a coconut, cumin and pepper paste, then finished with a tempering. Mild, serves 4, about 55 minutes.
You’ll need: Pressure Cooker
Good for: Rainy Day
Ingredients
Moong Dal½ cup
Drumstick250 grams
Turmeric Powder0.8 grams
Salt1¼ tsp
Water, For Cooking300 ml
Urad Dal (split)1¼ tsp
Dry Red Chilli3 grams
Black Peppercorns0.5 grams
Cumin½ tsp
Coconut (Grated), Grated25 grams
Water, For Grinding60 ml
Water, For Adjusting Consistency20 ml
Gingelly Oil1½ tbsp
Mustard Seeds½ tsp
Asafoetida0.6 grams
Curry leaves1 grams
Contains: wheat, sesame.
Nutrition
Per 1 person, and for all 4 people. Worked out from the ingredients, so treat it as a close guide.
| Nutrient | Per 1 person | All 4 people |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 206kcal | 824kcal |
| Protein | 8.8g | 35g |
| Carbohydrate | 24g | 98g |
| Fat | 8.8g | 35g |
| Fibre | 7.7g | 31g |
| Sugar | 1.1g | 4.4g |
Method
Get ready by rinsing the moong dal well. Wash the drumstick, cut it into 5 cm pieces, and keep aside. Wash the curry leaves and pat them fully dry.
Pressure cook the moong dal, drumstick, turmeric, salt and water for 2 whistles on medium flame, about 8 minutes. Let the pressure settle naturally for about 8 minutes before opening. The dal should be soft enough to mash, while the drumstick pieces should be tender but not broken.
Roast the urad dal and dry red chillies in a small kadai on low flame for 2 to 3 minutes until the dal is golden and the chillies turn crisp. Add peppercorns and cumin in the last 30 seconds, then switch off. Cool for 3 minutes, then grind with grated coconut and water into a smooth paste.
Mash the cooked dal lightly, keeping the drumstick pieces whole. Add the coconut paste, salt and up to 20 ml water only if needed. Simmer on low flame for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the gravy is smooth and the raw coconut smell goes.
Heat gingelly oil in a small kadai on medium flame for 1 minute. Add mustard seeds and let them crackle, then add urad dal, asafoetida and patted-dry curry leaves. Fry for 2 minutes until the dal is golden and the curry leaves are crisp.
Pour the tempering over the poricha kuzhambu and cover it at once. Rest for 2 minutes so the seasoning mixes into the gravy, then serve hot.
Before you start
- How long does Poricha Kuzhambu take?
- 44 minutes from start to finish. That is 12 minutes of preparation and 32 minutes of cooking.
- How many people does Poricha Kuzhambu serve?
- 4. The ingredient quantities on this page rescale if you are cooking for a different number.
- Is Poricha Kuzhambu vegetarian?
- Yes. No meat, no fish and no egg.
- Is Poricha Kuzhambu spicy?
- It is mild: 1 on our scale of 3. Chilli scales gently when you change the servings, so doubling the recipe does not double the heat.
- What do I need to make Poricha Kuzhambu?
- ½ cup Moong Dal, 250 grams Drumstick, 0.8 grams Turmeric Powder, 3 grams Dry Red Chilli, 0.5 grams Black Peppercorns, 25 grams Coconut (Grated), and a few more listed on this page.
- Do I need a pressure cooker for Poricha Kuzhambu?
- Yes, this one is cooked under pressure.
- How many calories are in Poricha Kuzhambu?
- About 206 a serving. The full nutrition table is on this page, per serving and for the whole batch.
Tips from other cooks
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