Vendakkai Puli Kulambu/Ladies Finger Kara Kuzhambu

Vendakkai puli kulambu is a popular South Indian kulambu which is very easy to make. It goes well with rice. It can be made with or without coconut.

Ingredients

Ladies finger/Vendakkai -8-10    Small onion -10    Garlic crushed - 10 cloves    Tomato -2 Chilli powder - 1 1/2 tbsp

Coriander powder - 2 tbsp

Turmeric powder - 1 tbsp    Salt needed    Tamarind - small lemon sized ball

To Grind   

Coconut - 4 tbsp

Small onion - 3

For the seasoning

Sesame seed oil - 3 tbsp    Mustard seeds - 1 tsp    Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp    Hing - a pinch

Curryleaves a spring

Preparations 

• Wash and wipe ladies finger dry with a kitchen towel. Cut the tip and tail and discard it. Then cut it into 1 1/2 inch pieces.

• Peel pearl onions . If it is big, cut it into half.

• Soak tamarind in hot water for 20 minutes. Extract 2 cups of tamarind water by adding more water and discard the pulp.

• Grind coconut and onion to a fine paste and keep it aside.

• Heat oil in a kadai (sesame seed oil/nallennai preferable), add mustard seeds, when it splutters, add fenugreek seeds, hing and curry leaves.

• Add pearl onion and crushed garlic. Saute on medium heat until it turns transparent.

• Heat another 2 tsp of oil and saute ladies finger separately for 4-5 minutes in another pan. (You do not have to cook ladies finger fully as it will get cooked in the tamarind water.)

• Once the onion becomes transparent, add the ladies finger.

• Add the chopped tomato and mix well.

• Cook for 2-3 minutes. Add all masala powders as mentioned above and salt needed.

• Mix well and cook for a minute. Add tamarind extract , coconut paste and water as per required for kulambu.

• Boil on medium heat. Once the kulambu starts to thicken and the raw masala smell goes off remove it from heat.

• Serve with rice .

Note:

• This dish can be prepared using pressure cooker also follow the same method keep it for 4 to 5 whistle.

• This recepie is for serving upto 4 persons.