Garlic Kuzhambu - Poondu Kuzhambu

Ingredients:

Garlic - Poondu - 10 nos. Tamarind - Puli - Lemon size Onion - Vengayam - 1 no. Tomatoe - Thakkali - 1 no. Ginger - Inji - small quantity Grated/Shredded coconut - Thuriviya thengai - 2 table spoons Black pepper - Milagu - 1 table spoon Cumin seeds - Jeeragam - 1 table spoon Fenugreek - Vendayam - 1 table spoon Red chilly - Kaintha milagai - 2 nos. Red chilly powder - Kaintha milagai thul - 2 table spoons Coriander powder - Dhania thul - 3 table spoons Bengal gram dal - Kadalai parupu - 1 table spoon Black gram dal - Ulutham parupu - 1 table spoon Asafoetida - Perungayam - a pinch Mustard - Kadugu - 1 tea spoon Curry leaves - Karuvepilai - small quantity Salt to taste Oil for frying

Method:

1. Fry the following items and grind them in a mixie:Heat 1 tea spoon of oil in a pan/kadai and fry ginger, black gram dal, bengal gram dal, fenugreek seeds, red chilly, grated coconut, black pepper and cumin seeds.
2. Peel off the skin from garlic and keep them ready. Chopp onions and tomatoes and keep them along with garlic.
3. Soak tamarind in hot water, make them to a paste, filter all the dust particles using filter.
4. Heat oil in pan/kadai, splutter mustard, cumin seeds, fenugreek, curry leaves, garlic, onions followed by tomatoes. Add a pinch of asafoetida, salt, red chilly powder, coriander powder and mix them well. Allow it to boil for some 30 minutes. Remember that it should become half of the quantity to become thick.
5. Then finally add the masala powder which is grinded in mixie. Allow it to boil for some 5 minutes.

Hot and tasty Poondu kuzhambu is ready to be served. This is called as poondu kuzhambu because the core ingredient here is garlic. It can be served along with white rice, idly, dosa. Serve with ghee. It can be served for 4 people. It requires 40 minutes to cook.

Note: Always filter the dust particles from tamarind using filter.

Optional: Ingredients can be added/removed. Any vegetables like brinjal, ladies finger can be fried and added to this kuzhambu.

Ask not what you can do for your country. Ask what's for lunch.
Orson Welles.