Vengaya Vatha Kuzhambu is a flavorful South Indian rice accompaniment prepared with onion in tamarind base. Onion Kuzhambu stays good for at least 3 days, if refrigrated. Tastes yum with rice, tiffin varieties like kozhukattai, upma etc. Curd rice and onion Kara kulambu is yet another favorite combo. Last week my uncle, aunt and cousin visited us. Lots of fun family time, outing and late night chit chat so I took a break from TMF. Thanks to mama, after ages I enjoyed “Venkatramana mixture”. If you are from singara chennai and visited West mambalam, their mixture doesn’t need any introduction. I was munching it all day whenever I passed kitchen. Enjoyment was one side but for 4 days we had amazing food. Well I am not talking about my cooking. I prepared Masala vadai and Paal payasam with traditional South Indian spread. We visited my cousin’s house and there enjoyed Carrot payasam with a tasty North Indian spread. The highlight of day 2 was not only the lake we visited, but age old South Indian travel food, yes Puliyodarai, curd rice, chips, mixture and thakkali Thokku.
Not just the home food, Indo - Chinese restaurant and Indian we went also made me so full. Weeekend I hardly cooked. Leftover onion kuzhambu I prepared two days back was a saver. That’s when I realized I haven’t posted my favorite kuzhambu so today morning I was scanning my blog folder and seeing Vengaya Vatha Kuzhambu I took few weeks back decided to post it today.
Rice is our staple food - atleast once a day we prefer having rice. More than cooking, deciding rice accompaniment is my biggest problem. Ever since childhood days I like onion. When I have limited veggies onion is my saver. I am more than addicted for Onion sambar and Vengaya vatha kuzhambu.if you are running short of veggies this kuzhambu makes a great meal. Sesame oil gives nice flavor to the kulambu. For tamarind based kuzhambu I generally prepared sesame oil. One thing I like about puli kuzhambu is its shell life. Kuzhambu stays good for a week in fridge. This Vengaya Vatha kuzhambu is perfect bachelor recipe. Few sauté and boil, spirit once a while and kuzhambu is ready. Jaggery added gives nice flavour to the kuzhambu it blends well with onion sweetness and enhances the spice flavour. If you are interested for some tasty South Indian kuzhambu varieties in TMF, Kuzhambu varieties with tamarind Kuzhambu varieties without tamarind
Ingredients: Onion - 1 Green chilli - 1 Tamarind extract - 3 cup (I used lemon size tamarind and extracted) Sambar powder- 1/2 tablespoon + 1 tsp Salt - as needed Jaggery - 1 tbsp To temper: Sesame oil - 1 tbsp Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp Venthayam | fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp Curry leaves - few Asafoetida - generous pinch How to make Vengaya Vatha Kuzhambu with step by step pictures:
Soak tamarind in warm water for 10-15 minutes and extract tamarind water, discarding the pulp In a heavy bottomed pan, add oil and let it heat. Once when the oil is hot add the ingredients under to temper and let it crackle Add onion and green chilli saute till onion starts to caramelize
Add sambar powder and salt; give a quick stir Add the tamarind extract and let it boil for 18 - 20 minutes on medium flame, stirring occasionally Add jaggery and let it melt and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Switch off
