Chettinadu Kara Kozhambu

Chettinadu Kara Kozhambu

Recipe and Photo Cpurtesy: Priya (my friend)

Ingredients:

Oil 4-5 Tbsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Asafoetida 2-3 dashes
Tomato 2 medium sized
Onion 1/2 medium sized (or 10 pearl onions)
Garlic 5 pods
Fennel seeds 1/2 tsp
Shredded coconut 2 Tbsp (optional)
Cloves 2
Cinnamon 1 inch stick
Red Chilies 5 (or to taste)
Canned chick peas 1/4 cup (washed and drained) or any other kozhambu vegetable of choice
Tamarind (extract from one lemon sized)
Curry leaves 1 sprig
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Kozhambu powder 1 tsp
Salt (to taste)

Method of preparation

-Add oil in a kadai
-When hot,add mustard seeds.When it begins to splutter,add chick peas and piched curry leaves.
-Add tamarind powder, red chilly powder, kozhambu powder, asafoetida and saute for 2 min.
-Add tamarind extract and let the mixture boil for 7-8 min.
-Meanwhile grind together tomato, onion, garlic, fennel seeds, cinnamon, cloves, shredded coconut (optional) and red chilies.
-Add it to the boiling kozhambu mixture.
-Add salt.Lower the heat and continue boiling till the mixture thickens and reduces to a third of the original.
-Serve this spicy kozhambu with rice and a dollop of ghee!