Vendakkai Puli Kuzhambu
- 52 min
- medium
- Serves 4
Vendakkai puli kuzhambu, a Tamil Nadu tamarind gravy of fried ladies finger, shallots and garlic. Medium-spicy, vegetarian, serves 4, 50 minutes plus soaking.
Ingredients
Tamarind, For Soaking25 grams
Water, For Soaking150 ml
Coconut, Grated30 grams
Oil3 tbsp
Ladies Finger, Cleaned300 grams
Mustard Seeds1 tsp
Fenugreek Seeds1 grams
Dry Red Chilli2 grams
Curry leaves2 grams
Small Onion (Shallots), Peeled150 grams
Garlic, Peeled24 grams
Turmeric Powder1 grams
Red Chilli Powder1.5 grams
Cookd Kulambu Chilli MasalaTomato, Chopped1
Salt1¾ tsp
Jaggery, Powdered5 grams
Coriander Leaves, Chopped4 grams
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 | 233kcal | 932kcal |
| Protein | 4.1g | 16g |
| Carbohydrate | 23g | 93g |
| Fat | 15g | 60g |
| Fibre | 5.9g | 24g |
| Sugar | 10g | 40g |
Method
Get ready: Soak the tamarind in 150 ml warm water for 15 minutes. Wash and fully dry the ladies finger, trim the ends and cut it into 2-inch pieces. Peel the shallots and garlic, break the dry chillies, wash and chop the tomato, and wash the curry leaves and coriander leaves; chop the coriander leaves. Squeeze the tamarind well and strain the water into a bowl. Grind the grated coconut with 50 ml water to a smooth paste.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a kadai on medium flame for 1 minute until hot. Add the ladies finger and fry for 6 to 8 minutes until it is slightly browned and no longer sticky. Transfer it to a plate and keep aside.
Heat the remaining oil in the same kadai on medium flame for 1 minute until hot. Add the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, dry red chilli and curry leaves, and fry for 1 minute until the mustard splutters. Add the shallots and garlic and fry for 5 to 6 minutes until the shallots turn light golden.
Add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder, Cookd Kulambu Chilli Masala, tomato and 1.5 tsp salt. Fry on medium flame for 4 to 5 minutes until the tomato is soft and the raw smell goes.
Pour in the tamarind water, 350 ml water and the coconut paste. Add the jaggery and the remaining 0.25 tsp salt, then mix well. Boil on medium flame for 10 minutes until the gravy thickens and oil starts to show on top.
Add the fried ladies finger and simmer on low flame for 5 minutes. The ladies finger should be cooked but hold its shape, and the gravy should coat the pieces.
Add the chopped coriander leaves and switch off the flame. Serve the kuzhambu hot with rice.
Before you start
- How long does Vendakkai Puli Kuzhambu take?
- 52 minutes from start to finish. That is 15 minutes of preparation and 37 minutes of cooking.
- How many people does Vendakkai Puli Kuzhambu serve?
- 4. The ingredient quantities on this page rescale if you are cooking for a different number.
- Is Vendakkai Puli Kuzhambu vegetarian?
- Yes. No meat, no fish and no egg.
- Is Vendakkai Puli Kuzhambu spicy?
- It is medium: 2 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 Vendakkai Puli Kuzhambu?
- 25 grams Tamarind, 30 grams Coconut, 300 grams Ladies Finger, 1 grams Fenugreek Seeds, 2 grams Dry Red Chilli, 2 grams Curry leaves, and a few more listed on this page.
- Do I need a pressure cooker for Vendakkai Puli Kuzhambu?
- No, it is cooked in an open pot.
- How many calories are in Vendakkai Puli Kuzhambu?
- About 233 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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