Iru Puli Kuzhambu

This Iru puli kuzhambu had the sourness from tamarind and buttermilk, which makes this dish very interesting. A simple spice mixture with fenugreek seeds makes this very aromatic.

Being a South Indian, sambhar and kuzhambu are something that we make on a regular basis. Different sambhars and kuzhambu are what my family makes every day, but I am an exception in that.

I don’t just cook South Indian food, but we prefer to go on a good rotation around India and also the world before we come back to our cuisine.

Having said that, I must also admit that if I see a different kind of sambhar or kuzhambu, I have to try it out right away. This iru puli kuzhambu was absolutely mouthwatering when I first saw it in Nisha’s space.

The kuzhambu was something that you don’t come across often. The kuzhambu usually has the sourness from tamarind, except for Mor Kuzhambu, which gets its sourness from sour buttermilk.

This Iru puli kuzhambu had the sourness from both tamarind and buttermilk, which was very interesting. Also, the simple spice mixture with fenugreek seeds (vendhayam) was very aromatic.

I used drumsticks and eggplants as my vegetables for the kuzhambu, but you could use any other vegetable of your choice, or also a combination of mixed vegetables.

This is a specialty from the Tirunelveli region of Tamil Nadu, just like this Sodhi with Puli Inji and Tirunelveli Sambhar. This is my second recipe under the Bookmarked theme for the BM.

Preparation time - 10 minutes Cooking time - 40 minutes Difficulty level - easy Recipe adapted from - The Magic Saucepan

Ingredients to make Iru Puli Kuzhambu - Serves 4

Eggplant / Kathirikkai - 1 cup (cubed)
Drumstick / Murungaikai - 10 pieces
Tamarind - A lemon-sized ball soaked in 1 cup of hot water
Buttermilk (sour) - ½ cup
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Red chilies - 2 or 3
Curry leaves - few
Salt - to taste

For grinding together -

Oil - 1 tsp
Red chilies - 2 or 3
Fenugreek seeds / Vendhayam - ½ tsp
Coconut - ¼ cup (grated)
Raw rice - 2 tsp

Procedure -

In a small frying pan, heat 1 teaspoon of oil and fry the red chilies and fenugreek seeds until aromatic and lightly browned. Let it cool down a bit, and then add the raw rice and coconut to the mixture and grind it into a past,e adding a little water.

Soak the tamarind in hot water and squeeze the pulp out. Whisk the buttermilk well and keep it ready.
In a saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil and then add the mustard seeds, red chilies, and curry leaves.
Add the chopped vegetables and saute them fora couple of minutes.
Now add the extracted tamarind pulp and salt to the pan and let it boil until the vegetables are cooked and the smell of the tamarind goes away.
Next, add the ground paste and let it come to a boil. Let it simmer for 4 to 5 minutes.

Add the chopped vegetables in a ground paste - 4

Now turn the flame to the lowest and add the whisked buttermilk. Mix well and let it cook until the kuzhambu froths up on top. Do not let the kuzhambu boil too hard after adding the buttermilk, as it could split.
Serve hot with rice.

Curry That Pairs Well With This

Yard Long Beans Curry | Karamani (Payathangai) Poriyal
Kathirikai Kara Curry | Brinjal Poriyal
Okra Curry | Vendakkai Fry Recipe
Seppankizhangu Poriyal | Arbi Roast in Air Fryer

Recipe

Iru Puli Kuzhambu in stainless bowl - Feature Image - 6

Equipment

▢ Pot
▢ pan
▢ bowl
▢ Grinder
▢ Kadai
▢ spatula

Ingredients

▢ 1 cup Eggplant / Kathirikkai cubed
▢ 10 pieces Drumstick / Murungaikai
▢ 1 cup Tamarind A lemon size ball soaked in hot water
▢ ½ cup Buttermilk sour
▢ 1 tablespoon Oil
▢ 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
▢ 2-3 Red chilies
▢ few Curry leaves
▢ to taste Salt

For grinding together -

▢ 1 teaspoon Oil
▢ 2-3 Red chilies
▢ ½ teaspoon Fenugreek seeds / Vendhayam
▢ ¼ cup Coconut grated
▢ 2 teaspoon Raw rice

Instructions

In a small frying pan, heat 1 teaspoon of oil and fry the red chilies and fenugreek seeds until aromatic and light browned. Let it cool down a bit and then add the raw rice and coconut to the mixture and grind it into a paste adding little water.
Soak the tamarind in hot water and squeeze the pulp out. Whick the buttermilk well and keep it ready.
In a sauce pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil and then add the mustard seeds, red chilies and curry leaves.
Add the chopped vegetables and saute them for couple of minutes.
Now add the extracted tamarind pulp and salt to the pan and let it boil until the vegetables are cooked and the smell of the tamarind goes away.
Next add the ground paste and let it come to a boil. Let it simmer for 4 to 5 minutes.
Now turn the flame to the lowest and add the whisked buttermilk. Mix well and let it cook until the kuzhambu froths up on top. Do not let the kuzhambu boil too hard after adding the buttermilk as it could split.
Serve hot with rice.

Nutrition

More Sambar, Rasam and Kuzhambu

Kale Poricha Kuzhambu
Vendhaya Keerai Sambar | Methi Leaves Sambar
Mullangi Vatha Kuzhambu | Radish Kuzhambu
Milagu Jeera Rasam | Pepper And Cumin Rasam