Race Kuzhambu

Popularity: This is a very famous Thanjavur (Tanjore) Iyer dish and is popular with people from Trichy, Kumbakonam, etc.. This is a variation of Vathal Kuzhambu infact but with much lesser tamarind and all dal varieties.. I don’t know about why this name came in but this is how it is popularly referred to..

Ingredients:

1.       Tamarind: Size of a small lemon

2.       All dal: each 1.5 tsp (Toor Dal, Gram Dal, Moong Dal & Orid dal each)

3.       Coriander seeds (Dhaniya): 2 tsp

4.       Pepper: 8 to 10

5.       Red Chillies: 10 (Medium Sized)

6.       Fenugreek (Venthayam) : ½ tsp

7.       Rice (Raw rice): ½ tsp

8.       Curry leaves

9.       Green Chillies: 3 or 4

10.   Asafoedita: A pinch

11.   Turmeric Powder: A pinch

12.   Vegetable for Thaan: usually it is Brinjal / Ladys finger

13.   Water

14.   Salt

15.   Mustard : 1 tsp

16.   Gingeley oil

Preparation Procedure:

1.       In warm water, soak tamarind and extract tamarind juice

2.       In a kadai, add vendhayam and rice and dry roast them till golden brown colour and keep it aside

3.       Add Gingeley oil to the kadai (2 tsps) and roast all dal, pepper, red chillies and coriander seeds till golden brown and mix this along with the earlier roasted vendhayam and rice and allow this to cool for few minutes

4.       Grind this in a mixer to a fine paste by adding 2 or 3 curry leaves and asafoedita

5.       You can reuse the same kadai to make this kuzhambu

6.       Add 4 tsps gingely oil and mustard, once it starts spluttering, add asafoedita, vertically slit green chillies and ladys finger/brinjal (one by one) and fry them for a few minutes.

7.       Now add the taramind juice – water and some curry leaves and salt and let it boil for 5 minutes

8.       Add the grinded paste and keep stirring occasionally such that no lumps are formed.

9.       You can switch off the stove once the kuzhambu thickens.

Tasty Race kuzhambu is ready. Tastes excellent with rice and ghee and also as a side dish for curd rice…