Chettinad style Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu / Lentil Dumplings in Tangy Gravy

Chettinad is a region in southern Tamil Nadu, with Karaikudi as its capital. It is well know for its spicy culinary delicacies. Chettinad food, now is one of many reasons why people get to know about chettinad. Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu means lentil dumplings cooked in a gravy. This recipe has different versions. When I usually make this paruppu urndai kuzhambu I used to follow my mom's recipe. My huband motivated me to try the Chettinad style and briefed me what are the modifications that has to be made from my usual style. I tried and it came out really well.

Ingredient:
For the dumplings:
Chenna dal- 1cup
Toor dal- 1/4 cup
red chillies- 3
Green chillies- 1
hing- 1/4 tsp
salt to taste
curry leaves- 2 string
fennel seeds- 1 tsp

For gravy
Coconut(shredded)- 2 tbsp
Poppy seeds- 1 tsp
Ginger- 1 inch
sambar powder- 1 tbsp
red chilli powder- 1/2 tsp
tamarind- small lemon sized
tomato- 1 (medium sized)
turmeric- 1/4 tsp
salt to taste
curry leaves- 1 string
mustard seeds- 1 tsp
cumin seeds- 1/4 tsp
fennel seeds- 1/2 tsp + 1/4 tsp
hing- a generous pinch
oil- 1 tbsp

Method:
Making the dumplings:
Wash and soak the chenna dal and toor dal for 2 hours. Strain the dals and grind them coarsely along with red chilliies, curry leaves, green chillies without adding water. Add salt, hing and 1 tsp fennel seeds to the coarsely ground paste and mix well. Make small balls out of it and steam them in a pressure cooker for 5 minutes or until the dumplings are half cooked. Do not cook it fully or over cook the dumplings. This might prevent the dumplings to get fully soaked in the gravy.
Making Gravy
Soak the tamarind in 1 cup of warm water for 10 minutres and make an extract. Finely chop the tomatoes. Grind the coconut, poppy seeds, ginger, 1/4 tsp fennel seeds into a smooth paste. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard, cumin seeds, 1/2 tsp fennel seeds. When the mustard crack add hing, curry leaves, chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder and saute them until the tomatoes become tender. Add the tamarind extract, ground paste, chilli powder, sambar powder, salt, 1 cup water and allow it to boil. Drop in the dumplings and cook in a medium to low flame for 15- 20 minutes. If the gravy is too thin then break two of the dumplings in the gravy and mix well to get the right consistency for the gravy. Serve hot with rice.

Thatta payir Kuzhambu (Black eyed beans gravy)

This is a typical South Indian dish. I got this recipe from a blog called Tamil recipes and made some modifications according to my taste and it turned out to be a hit.

Ingredients:
Black eyed beans- 3/4 cup
Tomatoes- 2
tamarind- small lemon sized ball
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
salt to taste

To grind:
coconut- 4 tsp
Split chick peas (Dalia)- 1 tsp
sambar powder- 1 tsp
red chilli powder- 1/2 tsp
whole black pepper- 1/4 tsp
corriander seeds- 1 tsp
cumin seeds- 1/2 tsp
Tomato- 1/2 of medium sized
curry leaves- 1 string
Grind the above ingredients to a smooth paste with 1/2 cup of water.

Seasoning
oil- 2 tsp
Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds- 1/4 tsp
asafoetida- a pinch

Method
Soak the black eyed beans overnite or you could soak it in hot water for 3 hours. Soak the tamarind in 1 cup of warm water for 10 mins and make a thick extract. Boil the beans with turmeric, chopped tomatoes and turmeric powder. Heat the oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds. When the mustard crack add a pinch of asafoetida and curry leaves. Add the ground paste and saute it for 5 mins Add the tamarind extract, the cooked beans, salt and a cup of water and allow them to cook for  10 -15 mins on medium flame. Serve hot with rice.

Nutritional facts:  Black eyed beans are rich source of soluble fibres, magnesium, iron, folate and proteins.

Vathal Kozhambu (Spicy Dried Vegetable Gravy)

Vathal Kozhambu is a  traditional spicy South Indian Brahmin recipe. Vathal is a sun dried vegetable and kozhambu refers to the spicy gravy. In my recipe I have used black night shade. Fresh vegetables like drumstick, potato, brinjal(eggplant) can also be add in the gravy along the dry ones. The other dry vegetable that could be used is turkey berry.

Ingredients:
Tamarind- small lemon sized
Sambar powder- 2 tsp
Corriander powder- 1 tsp
Tomato- 1
Manathakkali Vathal (Dried Black Night shade)- 1 tbsp
chilli powder- 1/2 tsp (optional)
salt to taste
ghee- 1 tsp


Seasoning
Gingely oil(sesame oil)- 4 tbsp
Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds- 1/4 tsp
Chenna dal- 1/2 tsp
Asefotida- 1/4 tsp
curry leaves- 1 string


Method:
Soak the tamarind in 3 cups of warm water for 10 minutes. Get a thick extract from the tamarind pulp. Chop the tomato finely. Heat a pan and add gingely oil(sesame oil), mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, chenna dal. When the mustard seeds cracks add asafoetida, curry leaves and the chopped tomato. Add sambar powder and corriander powder and fry them until the tomato becomes tender. Now pour the tamarind extract. Add chilli powder and salt and allow it to boil. Then simmer the flame and cook until the oil gets separated from the gravy. Heat one tsp of ghee in a small wok and  fry the manathakali vatal until brown and add it to the spicy gravy. This goes well with white rice and ghee/sesame oil.


Note:  Adding fried papad to the gravy also gives a nice taste.