01
Vetha-Kozhambu
With Rice
Vatha Kuzhambu - a Tamil tangy tamarind gravy with sun-dried vegetables.
A thick tamarind kozhambu with fried vathal and roasted spices, lightly thickened with rice flour.
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AMMAMMA'S NOTES.
Tamarind
lemon-sized ball (or paste)
Oil
3 spoon
Chana dal
1 spoon
Methi
1/4 spoon
Red chilly
1
Mustard
1/2 spoon
Curry leaves
few
Vathal (sun-dried vegetable)
1/4 cup
Rice flour
2 spoon
Sambar powder
2 spoon
Asafetida
1/4 spoon
Salt
to taste
Turmeric
1/4 spoon
01
In a pan, add oil; when hot, add mustard, then red chilly and chana dal, and methi seeds.
02
When the chana dal turns red, add the vathal and fry for a few seconds.
03
Pour in the tamarind pulp, salt, turmeric, sambar powder, and asafetida.
04
Let it all boil for 5-10 minutes.
05
In a small bowl, mix rice flour with a little water and pour into the kuzhambu.
06
After a few minutes, switch off the stove.
Undai Kozhambu
The same tangy puli kozhambu as vetha kozhambu, but with steamed dal undais instead of vathal.
learn more
Sambar
Sambar - a Tamil tamarind-based lentil and vegetable stew.
learn more
VATHA KOZHAMBU WAS NEVER COMPLETE WITHOUT PAPPADAM. I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS A REAL RECIPE, OR SHE INVENTED IT- BUT SHE'D ALWAYS SOAK FRESH PAPADAMS IN THE KOZHAMBU, A LITTLE WHILE AFTER IT WAS MADE. WHEN I WAS YOUNGER I THOUGHT FRIED PAPAD SOAKED IN VATHA KOZHAMBU = VEGETABLES, AND I FELT REALLY HEALTHY HAVING IT EVERYTIME.
YAMINI VENKATESAN
WHAT'S FOR LUNCH, 2026