Small Onion Vethakuzhambu

Vethakuzhambu in Tamil means gravy that has been cooked and thickened seasoned with ground spices. The best way to have vethakuzhambu is steamed rice topped with ghee and mashed plain tur dal and apalam as an accompaniment.

Prep Time: 30 mins

Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 1 lemon-sized Tamarind, soaked in hot water

• Salt, to taste

• Curry leaves

• 6 Small onions or shallots

Roast and make a powder

• 1 tpsp Ghee

• 5 Red chillies

• 2 tbsp Coriander seeds

• 1 tbsp Tur dal

• 1 tsp Urad dal

• 1 tsp Chana dal

• 1/2 tsp Peppercorns

• 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

• 1/2 tsp Methi seeds

For tempering

• 2 tbsp Sesame oil

• 1 tsp Mustard seeds

• 6 Curry leaves

• 1 tsp Urad dal

• 1 tsp Chana dal

Instructions

1. To make the powder, in a pan take 1 tsp ghee and sauté red chillies, coriander seeds, tur dal, urad dal, chana dal, peppercorns, cumin seeds and methi seeds. Once roasted well, grind to a powder.

2. Soak small onions and remove the skin. If they are big, cut them into two.

3. In a pan take til oil, splutter mustard seeds and sauté urad dal, chana dal and curry leaves

4. Sauté the onions till light brown

5. Add the tamarind pulp, salt and boil till the raw smell of the shallots goes away

6. Add the ground powder and boil till thick

7. Serve hot with rice, plain cooked dal, ghee and South Indian roasted applam