Garlic Tamarind Gravy(Poondu Kara-Kuzhambu)

Kara-kuzhambu roughly translates into sour and spicy gravy, and a famous dish in Karaikudi, a village that belongs to Chettinad region in Tamilnadu.The three elements that describes Tamil cuisine are uppu (salt), puli (tamarind) and milagai (chilli) and kara kuzhambu is the best example that brings out all the 3 individual flavours.Coming to garlic , it has lot of medicinal values.It helps lower cholesterol too.See here for herbal remedies of garlic.

INGREDIENTS:

Garlic large(peeled) - 4 whole heads
Tamarind Juice – 1/2cup
Chopped red onion – 1cup
Garlic cloves(grated) - 6
Chopped tomato - 1
Jaggery or brown sugar -1tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Chili powder - 1tsp
Sesame oil -1 cup
Mustard seeds –1tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
Channa dal - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Dry red chilies 3-5
Curry leaves – 1spring
Hing

To grind:

Red chili – 2
Grated Coconut – 2tsp
Cumin seeds – 1/2tsp
Pepper corns – 1tsp
Dhania seeds – 1/2tsp

METHOD:

In a pan heat oil and fry the garlic (whole cloves) for few minutes till oil coats on them and keep aside. In a deep pan, heat few spoons of oil. Add garlic (grated), fry till its raw smell goes off. Add onions and fry till they turn to golden brown color. Now add tomatoes, fry them till they loose their water content.

Now add turmeric, chili powder, sugar and saute well.Grind all the ingredients above into fine paste. Mix the paste and chili powder with tamarind juice. Add salt and adjust for your taste.Add the tamarind juice and 2 cups of water into the pan. Cover and cook over medium flame.

Once the gravy started boiling add the fried garlic cloves.Allow it to boil till the gravy consolidated.In a separate pan, heat oil. Add mustard, cumin,hing, fenugreek, channa dal, urad dal, dry red chilies and curry leaves. Let them pop and splutter well. Pour this seasoning over the gravy.Serve this along with plain steamed rice and pappad.

This spicy gravy goes to this month's JFI hosted by Mathy with the theme of garlic.

Bitter Gourd With Egg

This is one kind of bitter gourd dishes made by my mom. This dish is for bitter gourd lovers and those who doesn't like this vegetable can also try this recipe to start liking it. We(me and my sister) eat this atleast for the egg bits.Bitter gourd also tastes good stir fried with turmeric. Normally, I like to add an egg or two to the vegetable because the eggs counter the tartness of the bitter gourd. Though its extremely bitter, it has tons of nutritional values to it. It stimulates digestion and is also very good for diabetes people.Easy to make yet so delicious,can be had as it is or goes well with sambhar and rasam rice.

INGREDIENTS:

Egg (beaten) – 3
Pavakkai (bitter melon or bitter gourd) – 2
Green Chilli - 2(optional)
Scallion – 1bunch
Medium-sized onions - 1
Minced garlic – 4 cloves
Chopped tomatoes – 2

METHOD:

Trim away the two pointed ends of the pavakkai and cut them in half lengthwise. Remove the pale, seeded section with a spoon and discard it. Cut the darker green outer shells into wide strips.

Prepare a solution of 2 cups water and 1 tbsp salt in a bowl. Put the pavakkai strips into this bowl and set aside for 10 mins.Drain the pavakkai and rinse the strips under running water. Drain again and pat dry. Cut the scallion,onions and green chilli.

Heat the oil in a pan over a medium flame. When hot, put in the garlic and fry until garlic is light brown. Add the green chilli,onions and fry for 2 minutes. Then add tomatoes and fry 2 minutes. Now add pavakkai and turn down the heat. Stir occasionally and fry around 10 minutes or until it is tender. Add beaten eggs and the salt.

Stir and cook until eggs have reached a consistency you like. Remove from heat, add scallion strips and serve.

Sending this to pooja who is hosting Vegetable Of the Week - "Bitter Gourd".