Parangikkai Vathakuzhambu - Tambrahm Special (Vegan)

Pumpkin is a versatile vegetable and is widely used in the Indian cuisine .Various names of pumpkin in different languages, Parangikkai /Thadiyangai (Tamil) , Mathan (Malayalam) , Kaddhu (Hindi) , Laal Bhopla (Marathi) , Sihi Kumbalkkai (kannada) ,Kumdo /Kumro (Bengali) and so on.

In India, pumpkins are available through the year unlike the western world wherein it is a Fall produce and available only during Autumn .

Having said that, in India we use pumpkin a lot across the length and breadth of various cuisines from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Gujarat to Assam . 

Parangikkai Vethakuzhambu is a classic recipe from Tambrahm kitchen and makes for a yummy main course . Vathakuzhambu is a tamarind based gravy without the lentils and is paired with rice and a simple vegetable stir fry or keerai  masiyal.

"Vathakuzhambum Sutta appalam um" is an eternal favorite combination in most households and our home is not an exception either .Certain terminologies lose the charm when translated, but for the ease of my readers let me translate it .. the term means Vathakuzhambu and roasted papad is the best combination when  served hot .

Vethakuzhambu has a good shelf life and can stay well upto 4 or 5 days when refrigerated provided your family doesn't polish off this yumm gravy.  Vathakuzhambu certainly tickles and rejuvenates our taste buds and appetite especially after heavy festive indulgence or even post traveling. 

I have quite a few variants of Vethakuzhambu and tamarind based gravy which I am linking below for your easy reference 

Appalam Vethakuzhambu 

Kondakadalai (chick peas) Vethakuzhambu 

Karvepillai (curry leaves) kuzhambu 

Milagu (pepper) Kuzhambu 

Vendhiya (fenugreek) kuzhambu 

Verkadalai (peanuts) Vethakuzhambu 

Preparation Time 10 mins
Cooking Time - 30 mins
Complexity- simple
Serves - 2 to 3

Ingredients 

1.5 cups chopped pumpkin 
Small lemon sized tamarind soaked in hot water 
1.5 tbsp sambar powder 
1tsp thoor dhall
1/2 tsp mustard 
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp sesame oil /til oil
Salt as needed 
Few curry leaves 
Chopped corriander 
Pinch of asafoetida 

Method 

• Extract the puree from the soaked tamarind, strain it.Add 1 cup water to it and set aside.
• Heat oil in a thick bottomed kadai and splutter the mustard seeds followed by curry leaves, corriander, thoor dhall and asafoetida. 
• Saute the chopped pumpkin cubes with sambar powder and add 1/2 cup water .let the pumpkin cook well .It should be well cooked, but firm at the same time 
• Add the tamarind extract, required salt and let it boil well and the raw flavor of tamarind is lost .Continue to simmer the vathakuzhambu until it reduces and becomes slightly thick in consistency like tomato puree. The kuzhambu shouldn't be very runny. 
• Turn off the stove and drizzle the sesame oil all over and a delicious Vethakuzhambu is ready to be enjoyed .

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Vendakkai Podi Potta Sambar | Lady's finger Sambar - Vegan & Coconut free

 Moment we say Sambar ,many people think and see it only as an accompaniment for idlis  ,vadas, dosas etc . Undoubtedly it is that but there is a lot more to it. 

In a South Indian household, Sambar is a staple menu and a perfect accompaniment with steaming hot rice . Though we make various types of gravy or curry like kootu , morekuzhambu , vethakolambu etc as a part of our daily menu , Sambar will definitely feature atleast 2 to 3 times a week or at times daily in many homes .

There are so many variations in way Sambar is prepared even though the basic ingredients remain the same .  Each family has an heirloom recipe for making the Sambar powder which forms the heart and soul of the dish .

In our home we make Sambar in 2 ways viz;

1. by grinding coconut with freshly made sambar masala which is also called as "Araichu Vitta Sambar " where "Araichu Vitta" means "using freshly ground coconut masala" 
2. by just using the sambar masala without any coconut and this is called "Podi Potta Sambar" which translates to "Sambar prepared using Sambar Masala" 

Today we shall see how to prepare lip smacking Podi Potta Sambar using Bhindi / lady's finger . You can use store bought sambar masala or quickly prepare it at home.  Check my video link below to prepare Sambar powder in less than 3 mins 

Preparation Time - 15 mins
Cooking Time - 30 mins
Serves - 3 to 4
Complexity - Medium   

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Ingredients 

3 tbsp sambar powder

10 to 12 bhindi/okra/lady finger 

1 medium tomato 

Medium lemon sized tamarind soaked in hot water 

3/4th cup thoor dhall (1 cup = 200ml )

Pinch of turmeric/haldi

Salt as needed

2 tsp oil

1 tsp mustard seeds 

Pinch of asafoetida 

Fresh curry leaves 

Method 

• Wash and pressure cook the thoor dhall until soft and mushy.  Add haldi /turmeric while cooking the dhall.

• Extract the tamarind water and filter it using a strainer .

• Chop the okra into 1 inch long pieces .

• Chop the tomato into big cubes 

• In a thick bottomed vessel , add the tamarind extract , chopped bhindi and tomatoes with a little salt and cook until the raw flavor of tamarind is lost . The veggies will get cooked in this tamarind water so don't worry about it. The sliminess in the lady finger won't be there when cooked in tamarind water.

• After the raw flavor of tamarind is lost, add sambar powder, cooked dhall and some salt if needed . You may add a tsp of jaggery powder to enhance the taste .

• Adjust water if you find the sambar too thick.

• Let it come to a rolling boil and will appear frothy .

• Turn it off at this stage and prepare a tempering of mustard seeds and asafoetida in hot oil with some curry leaves and pour it over the sambar .

• Enjoy it with steamed rice and some pappadums  

Some other Sambar variants on the blog that you must try 

Drumstick Sambar 

Potato Sambar 

Greens (Palak) Sambar 

Karamani (lobia) Sambar 

Tiffin Sambar for Idli Dosa Vada  (restaurant style)

Tiffin Sambar | Idli Sambar - Restaurant style

 Idli Sambar & Medhu Vada Sambar are two such delicacies which are made for each other.  Dunk the soft spongy idlis or crisp vadas in sambar by pouring sambar over it or sophisticatedly  cut a slice of idli or vada using a knife and fork and then dip the fork pricked piece  into sambar , the taste is absolutely heavenly.  The way you eat is purely your choice , but the hero is always the piping hot flavorful sambar commonly called as Tiffin Sambar and there is no other much to this delectable combination. 

Click here to make the perfect batter for Idli

➡️ Idli Batter Using Wet Grinder

➡️ Idli Batter in a Mixie /Blender 

You may ask, what is so special about this tiffin sambar and in what way is it different from the regular sambar ?

There's not one,but many answers  to this question ; interesting isn't it ??

• This sambar is called Tiffin Sambar as it is generally served with all South indian breakfast items like Idli, Vada, Dosa , Upma , Oothappam  ,Pongal etc. which are referred to as "Tiffin" in Tamil.
• Tiffin sambar is made using a freshly ground sambar masala .
• Lots of fresh tomatoes are used along with cooked thoor dhall + moong dhall and simmered in tamarind extract  to prepare this delicious sambar .
• Vegetables like drumstick, red pumpkin and small onions are used for added flavor and taste. Onion can be skipped if preparing the saatvik or jain version. 
• Unlike the regular sambar , tiffin sambar will not be very thick and little diluted as we need to pour ladles over ladles  on the idlis and vadas to immerse them well until they seem floating.

All of us at home love this yummy sambar and the idlis just vanish off when served with this piping hot sambar . Hubby loves to have some coconut chutney also poured over the sambar and says it is just wow and one must eat it to understand the emotion behind it 😀. I personally like Rava Idli with this sambar . The other day I had prepared variety idlis , Ghee roast Dosa and Podi Oothappam and we all enjoyed with piping hot sambar and fresh coconut chutney. 

I must thank Poonam , who suggested we share any lentil based recipe (Luscious Lentils) for the 267th week's  Foodie Monday Bloghop and this gave me a chance to blog our favorite sambar.  Poonam's blog Annapurna has so many recipes but her thaali collection is amazing . She celebrates every festival with so much devotion and dedication ; prepares traditional recipes as per customs and offers it to the God as prasad for pooja . You must check out her Sarva Pithru Amavasya thaali to understand how devoted she is .

Lentils, as we all know are a rich source of protein and we need to include them in our diet to get the daily dose of protein for our metabolic activities. As vegetarians , we have to solely rely on lentils , pulses and legumes for dietary protein .Hence, it is important to use them while judiciously while planning our menu . I wouldn't get into the depths of Nutrition facts as most of us know the benefits of eating protein rich food .  

We shall now see how to prepare this yummy tiffin sambar and dunk piping hot vadas and idlis into them and savor the taste .

Preparation Time - 20 mins

Cooking Time - 30 to 40 mins

Serves- 3 to 4 

Complexity - medium

Ingredients 

For the sambar powder  (roast and grind)

2 tsp channa dhall /bengal gram 

2 tbsp dhaniya seeds /corriander seeds

1/4 tsp jeera/cumin

1/4 tsp methi/fenugreek seeds

4 to 5 byadgi /kashmiri red chillies

3 to 4 dry red chillies (gunturu /paandi variety)

Pinch of asafoetida

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Few fresh curry leaves 

For the sambar 

1/4 cup moongdhall /split gram 

1/4 cup thoor dhall / pigeon peas 

2 green chillies slit length wise 

Lemon sized tamarind soaked in hot water 

2 to 4 tomatoes roughly chopped

1 small piece red pumpkin cut into cubes

1 medium onion chopped roughly (optional)

2 tsp oil 

1/2 tsp mustard seeds 

Few curry leaves /karvepillai

Fresh corriander/kothmir chopped 

Method 

• Heat 1 tsp oil in a wok/kadai and start roasting the ingredients mentioned under Sambar powder one by one .
• Start roasting the channa dhall first, when it turns light brown add in the methi seeds followed by dhaniya and jeera and continue roasting till the dhall turns golden brown and crisp . Let it cool on a plate.
• In the same kadai add a few drops of oil and roast the curry leaves and red chillies till they turn crisp .
• Blend all these roasted ingredients in a blender along with the asafoetida and turmeric powder to a fine powder .

Sambar Preparation 

• Wash the thoor dhall & moong dhall to clean all the impurities and pressure cook with enough water till the dhall turns soft and mushy.
• Squeeze the soaked tamarind and prepare the extract . Filter the tamarind extract through a strainer to keep it clean.  
• In a deep thick bottom vessel , heat oil and splutter the mustard seeds , curry leaves and the green chillies 
• Saute the onions till they turn pink .Skip if not using onions and proceed to next step.
• Saute the tomatoes with turmeric and asafoetida followed by the red pumpkin cubes . If using drumstick you can add them at this stage.
• Add 1 cup (200ml) water with a little salt and cook till the tomatoes turn soft and the pumpkin cubes are 3/4th done.
• Add the tamarind extract with 1.5 cups (300ml) water and boil till the raw flavor of tamarind is lost . 
• Add 1.5 tbsp fresh sambar powder , the cooked and mashed dhall and stir the sambar without any dhal lumps . Adjust water if the sambar appears too thick.
• Adjust salt if needed , add a tsp of jaggery powder for added taste and turn off when the sambar reaches a rolling boil stage .
• Add a few drops of fresh ghee and garnish with lots of fresh corriander. Donot add the ghee if you are  vegan.

Tips to keep in mind

1. Ensure that the sambar is piping hot before you pour it on the idlis/ vadas . 
2. If you are going to have vada sambar , the vadas have to be crisp and hot to absorb the sambar into the vada ,only then can you relish . Never attempt preparing vada sambar with vadas that are cold or have been fried long time ago.  
3. The idlis too have to be warm , so prepare the idlis just before serving so they remain fresh, spongy and soft .

Some special and authentic South Indian Breakfast delights on my blog . 

Click the images for detailed recipe.

Haagalkaai Gojju | Pavakkai Gojju | Bitter gourd curry - Video Post

Presenting to you another speciality from Karnataka, Haagalkaai Gojju. Bitter gourd is known as Haagal kaai in Kannada.

Gojju is a sweet and sour gravy made from  tamarind base and some jaggery along with various other spices  bringing about an aromatic and a flavorful gravy. 

This delicacy is also called a Menaskkai in some parts of Karnataka . The bittergourd can be replaced with Pineapple or Lady's finger as well with the preparation process remaining the same.

This bitter gourd gojju is like a palate cleanser and leaves a fresh feeling in the mouth. Hot rice with a little ghee and this gojju tastes heavenly.

Diabetics who are bored of having normal stir fries or boiled bitter gourd can definitely prepare this gojju and have. Goes well with rotis or puris as well.

Preparation Time : 10 mins

Cooking Time : 20-30 mins

Serves : 2-3

Video Method

(Play to watch the video) 

Ingredients
1 medium sized bitter gourd / pavakkai / karela
1/2 cup tamarind pulp
1 tablespoon sambar powder (recipe click here)
1 tablespoon rasam powder (recipe click here)
2-3 teaspoons grated coconut
few curry leaves
asafoetida - a pinch
salt as needed
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp  powdered jaggery - optional ( diabetics can omit this)
1 tsp mustard seeds
1-2 tablespoon cooking oil. ( I used til oil , you can also use regular oil)

Method
Cut the head and tail end of the bitter gourd. De -seed it and cut into small pieces and keep aside.

Grind the coconut , sambar powder and rasam powder in a mixie jar with little water to a smooth paste.

Heat oil in a wok/kadai, crackle the mustard seeds and curry leaves.

Saute the bitter gourd pieces with haldi, some salt and asafoetida and cook it in tamarind pulp until the raw flavor of the tamarind is lost. Add some jaggery while the tamarind pulp is boiling.

Slowly add the ground paste and mix it thoroughly so that no lumps are formed. You can adjust salt and some spice powder is you need at this stage.

Let the mixture simmer well on a medium flame until it reaches a thick sauce like consistency . Keep stirring at intervals to avoid burning or sticking to the underside of the pan. You can drizzle some til oil in the end for an extra added flavor.

Serve it with piping hot rice with a dash of ghee and some roasted papads .

Iru Puli Kuzhambu

This is called as Iru Puli Kuzhambu as there is use of tamarind as well as slightly sour curd to bring about the tanginess in the gravy . Iru means "2" in tamil and Puli means " Tanginess"

Iru Puli kuzhambu / Iru Puli Kulambu, this name always fascinated me , but I was not sure of how this is made as whomever I asked said they have heard but have not tried . This recipe seems to be famous in the Thirunelveli - Kanyakumari belt of Tamil Nadu in India.

One fine day, when casually talking to a neighbor in my building she told me that she has prepared this Kuzhambu for lunch and then it immediately struck to me to ask her for the recipe and I made it immediately.
There are various recipes followed for the same depending on the individual family taste as well as the family recipe, I am penning down the recipe as told to me by my friend as everyone in our family have developed a liking to this gravy .

Preparation Time : 10 mins
Cooking time : 20-30 mins
Complexity : Medium
Serves : 3-4

Kondakadalai Vethakuzhambu | Chickpeas in Spicy tamarind gravy-vegan Tambrahm special Detox Meal

Presenting to you ,yet another treasure from my grandmom's kitchen. I have already explained in my earlier posts as to what is Vethakuzhambu / Vethakolambu .. this is another variation to the same recipe.

This recipe makes use of boiled chick peas / kabuli channa / kondakadalai in the gravy . Days when we are out of veggies in our pantry or there is no proper vegetable to cook up a meal, these kind off recipes come really handy and useful. Vathakuzhambu is kind off detox meal and helps lighten up a heavy stomach after binge eating during vacation or marriage season.

The blog already has other variants of vethakuzhambu / Tamarind based gravies  , whose links are mentioned below.

• Appalam Vethakuzhambu  (Papads in tamarind gravy)
• Parangikkai (pumpkin) Vathakuzhambu 
• Milagu Kuzhambu (Pepper based tamarind gravy)
• Vendhiya (fenugreek) Kuzhambu 
• Verkadalai VethaKuzhambu  (Peanut based tamarind gravy)

Vathakuzhambu and paruppu thogayal (lentil based chutney) served along with roasted and fried papad is an evergreen classic combination. At home we often pair it with some cooked thoor dhall and also rasam . Chilled curd rice at the end of the meal is a complete soul satisfying lunch menu on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.  A glimpse of one such lunch menu from my kitchen . The Sunday menu was a humble attempt to make a platter totally sans veggies and purely Vegan . Such a menu comes handy on days when we have exhausted vegetables in our pantry .

 

On the platter ,

Paruppu /Cooked Thoor dhall 

Kondakadalai Vethakolambu

Paruppu Thogayal / Lentil chutney 

Jeera Milagu Rasam / Cumin Pepper Rasam

Chunks of Sweet Ripe Mango

Plain steamed rice 

Fried papad 

Photos and write up updated on 18/5/2023 as a part of Redoing Old posts activity on my Facebook group . We like minded bloggers, come together every fortnight and redo one of our old posts by way of editing the text and or images . This way we give face-lift to our old posts which have been dormant for over time . 

Preparation Time : 10 mins
Cooking Time : 20-25 mins
Serves : 3-4
Complexity : Medium

Ingredients

100ml thick tamarind pulp
100 ml water
2-3 tablespoons sambar powder (click here for recipe)
2 tablespoon gingelly oil / til oil / nallennai
25-50gms boiled chickpeas / kondakadalai/kabuli channa
freshly chopped corriander leaves
freshly chopped curry leaves
1 tsp mustard seeds
pinch of asafoetida
1/2 tsp turmeric
salt to taste
1 tsp jaggery powder

Method

• Heat the oil in a kadai and splutter the mustard seeds, followed by the boiled chick peas and toss them well.
• Add the curry leaves, corriander leaves,asafoetida,haldi and sambar powder and fry them until you get a nice flavor of the spices. Do it on low flame taking care not to burn the masalas.
• Pour the tamarind pulp,water,salt and jaggery and boil the concoction until it starts to thicken and the oil starts separating. you can adjust the water content through the boiling process in case you feel it is too tangy.Likewise salt and spice can also be adjusted as per your taste requirements.
• Serve it with piping hot steamed rice with some ghee . Thogayal and any coconut based curry are an excellent accompaniment for this rice. 
• I personally like it with Inji karvepillai thuvayal and Thenga arachavitta curry. 

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Verkadalai Vethakuzhambu | Peanuts in spicy Tamarind Gravy

VathalKuzhambu / Vethakuzhambu is prepared by reducing tamarind concoction with the right amount of spices to form a nice gravy. This kind of gravy is generally made when we want to go easy on the stomach or just want to pep up our taste buds. This is my go to recipe when I am almost run out of veggies or want a mild detox mid week .
The blog already has two other variants of this kind , whose links are mentioned below.

Appalam Vethakuzhambu  (Papads in tamarind gravy)
and
Milagu Kuzhambu (Pepper based tamarind gravy)

Preparation Time : 10 mins
Cooking Time : 20-25 mins
Serves : 3-4
Complexity : Medium

Puli Inji | Tamarind Ginger Preserve -Kerala Sadhya Menu

My memories with Kerala feasts-Sadhya goes a long way because of the close Malayali friends that I have. It was always a sharing and caring fesival luncheon we would self invite ourselves to. An unwritten rule that it was;Onam and Vishu lunch will be at D's place while Diwali,Ugadi or any other festival will be at my place. As a kid I did not have much liking towards this Puli Inji as I had an aversion towards spicy food but recently I got to taste this at another friend's place and developed a liking towards it instantly and have been meaning to try it from then.

Thanks to Valli for letting me post under the Preserves and Sauces theme for Blogging Marathon #74.

Puli Inji is a sweet and tangy pickle made out of tamarind and ginger served as a part of Sadhya (feast) Menu in Kerala during Onam,Vishu and any other special occassion. This is generally served as an appetiser.It can be enjoyed everyday with idlis,dosas or even chappatis.  Those is made mainly out of jaggery,fresh ginger,tamarind and green chillies and can be stored for a long period if stored in a dry container and used carefully with a dry spoon.
Its an ideal food for long travel where we cannot carry any perishable gravy or sides during the journey.
Note: Do not compromise on the oil quantity if you want to store it for longer period.Since there are no added preservatives,it is the oil and tamarind that helps in preserving the puli inji.

Preparation Time : 5 mins
Cooking Time : 20-30 mins
Complexity : Medium

Appalam Vatha Kuzhambu (Vathakolambu)/Papad in Spicy Tamarind gravy

Tamilians need no introduction to Vatha Kuzhambu/Kulambu and for others who are wondering as to what is this..let me tell you,its a spicy ,tangy tamarind gravy with home ground spices which is boiled and reduced to a slightly thicker consistency in comparison to sambar.

This new version of using Papads/Appalam in the vatha kuzhambu was introduced to me after marriage and I was really intrigued as to how papads would taste in tamarind gravy and needless to say I was floored and it became my favorite like any other vethakuzhambu variant.

If you seek similarity , there is a papad based curry in Rajasthani cuisine too known as Papad ki sabji in tomato base curry or even Dal Dhokli from Gujarati cuisine is a close cousin .

Appalam vethakuzhambu comes to our rescue when we are out of veggies or look forward to a gut friendly meal soon after a festive spread or travel plans . 

Appalam vethakuzhambu is made quit frequently at my home and is relished with steaming hot rice and ghee .

The best combination for Vethakolambu is 

• Paruppu usili  (lentil based stir fry)
• Keerai masiyal 
• Coconut based Vegeable stir fry 
• Potato roast 

This post was a very old one published in 2013 and needed some clean up by way of adding new photos and small video snippet . (Updated in sep 2024) after almost 10 years... 

Just after festive binge eating during Janmashtami, I prepared a simple yet wholesome and balamced meal comprising off

• Appalam Vethakolambu
• Kothukadalai sundal (kala channa).
• Tomato Rasam
• Paruppu podi with hot rice 
• Roasted papads

Preparation Time : 10 mins

Cooking Time : 30-40 mins

Serves : 3-4

Ingredients 

1 cup tamarind pulp

2 tbsp sambar powder - Recipe

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp dhania / corriander powder

2-3 dry red chillies

1 tsp toor dhall / thuvaram paruppu/split yellow pigeon peas

1/2 tsp mustard seeds/kadugu

few no curry leaves

pinch of turmeric

pinch of asafoetida

salt

2-3 appalams /papad (south indian udad dhall papad )

2-3 tbsp cooking oil ( gingelly oil if u like the taste)

Method

• In a kadai /wok,heat the oil,splutter the mustard seeds.
• Slowly,add the red chillies,toor dhall,curry leaves,asafoetida and turmeric.Saute lightly.
• Add the sambar powder,chilli powder,dhania powder and saute well until you get a nice aroma.Ensure you don't burn the spice powder while sauteing. Roast the spices on low flame .
• Slowly add the tamarind water,1/2 cup water,required amount of salt and boil well.
• Let it boil until the mixture is reduced to 3/4.Adjust salt accordingly and add about 2tsp of jaggery powder. This enhances the taste of the Vethakolambu. 
• Break the papads into halves and fry them or microwave each papad for about 20 sec.
• I prefer the latter rather than frying,as it reduces the addition of oil content in the kuzhambu.
• Do not Roast the papad over direct flame,they tend to turn black and the taste is lost.
• Add these papads into the gravy ,garnish with corriander and wait for about 10 mins before serving.
• Serve hot with rice and ghee.

Notes:

• In case you find the Vethakolambu too runny , make a slurry of rice flour and add it to the boiling vethakuzhambu until the gravy thickens up. 
• If you find the tangy taste of tamarind on the higher side,add a teaspoon of grated jaggery.
• Do not add too much salt initially,as the tamarind extract reduces on boiling,saltiness tends to increase ,also the papad has salt in it, so keep the salt a little low .