Vathalkuzhambu with vegetables

Vathalkuzhambu is a versatile life saver in our palakkad households. 

The best part of vathalkuzhambu is it can be stored in glass bottle for a week's time and can be served as a side dish with curd rice.

Ingredients

Drum sticks - 2 (cut into 3 inch pieces)

Brinjal - 3 (cut into four pieces)

10 bhindi (trim edges, cut into two inch long)

vathal - 2 tbsp(chundakay/marthankkali)

tamarind pulp (extracted from a gooseberry size)

turmeric powder - 1/2 tablespoon 

red chilli powder (kashmiri chilli powder) 1 tablespoon 

salt as required

For dry roast powder 

Chana dal - 2 tablespoon 

fennel seeds 1 teaspoon

jaggery a small piece 

Tuvar dal -  2 tablespoon 

Black broken urad dal - 1 tablespoon 

raw rice - 1 tablespoon 

Peppercorns a few

kayam (hing) - a small  piece

Dry red chilly - 5

curry leaves - a few

For the tadka

gingly oil - 1 tsp

mustrd seeds - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves a few 

Method 

1. Pressure cook tamarind using a glass of water for two whistle, off stove and extract tamarind pulp. Keep aside.

2. In a small kadai dry roast rice,tuvar dal, chana dal, fennel seeds, black peppercorns, hing,black broken urad dal, curry leaves and red chilly till golden brown. Remove from stove cool and coarsely powder using mixer. 

3. In kalchatti pour a glass of hot water add drum sticks, brinjal, bhindi,  turmeric powder and salt allow it too cook till tender.  Now add tamarind pulp. Reduce the flame. Slow cook for a few minutes.

4. Now you can add roasted powder. Add more water if needed as we are going to allow the vathal kuzhambu to boil and reduce the quantity. Allow it to boil for another 10 minutes. Add crushed jaggery, kashmiri red chilli powder, Adjust salt.

5. Now keep a small pan pour gingly oil add mustard seeds allow it to splutter add on top of the prepared vathal kuzhambu. 

6  In the same small pan pour a tsp of ghee/gingly oil add vathal and roast till its crispy. Pour the vathal in prepared vathalkuzhambu. Serve hot with hot steaming rice, a tablespoon of gingly oil and enjoy. 

Variation

You can add a handfuls of peeled shallots ( baby onion/sambar onion) and garlic, but roast it very well before adding to vathalkuzhambu. it tastes very good.