Parangikai puli kuzhambu, yellow pumpkin vatha kuzhambu

Parangikai puli kuzhambu, is the very perfectly balanced kuzhambu I would say. It lends slight sweet taste to the kuzhambu and balances all the tastes well.

I generally like my vatha kuzhambu with a tiny amount of jaggery, which won’t be prominently tasting in the gravy, but just added to balance the tastes. Mom always adds a little every single time. We skip adding jaggery if we are making parangikai/ yellow pumpkin/ manjal poosani kuzhambu.

Coconut is not added in the regular vatha kuzhambu amma makes. Not a big fan of ground coconut in my tamarind based gravy. Though once in a while ok if I had to eat out, I never make vatha kuzhambu with coconut. Vj also is not a big fan of coconut rich puli kuzhambu.

Though mami makes vatha kuzhambu with coconut, initially I was not liking it. Now when I go yearly, getting really bored of my own sambar and vatha kuzhambu, I could feel how yummy her cooking is. And this time vatha kuzhambu was really tasty though she had added coconut. Even Vj loved it. I see mami doesn’t add too much of coconut and spoil it. Coconut was just right and not even seen prominently, but it was added. And the fact that it was parangikai vatha kuzhambu (puli kuzhambu).

So when Essentials by Kayal sent me the kal chatti for review (soapstone vessel), everyone told vatha kuzhambu turns out really delicious in the kal chatti. I have heard about kalchatti cooking a lot, but never used or personally seen anyone use it in my close circle.

First time I made amma style vatha kuzhambu and it turned out really good. This time I made mami’s style with her sambar powder, just the way she would make.

Click here for cup measurements

Parangikai puli kuzhambu

Parangikai puli kuzhambu, is the very perfectly balanced kuzhambu I would say. It lends slight sweet taste to the kuzhambu and balances all the tastes well.

• 1 small lemon size Tamarind (1 tbsp)
• 1 whole Garlic
• 12 small onion (shallots)
• 1 tbsp sambar powder (heaped)
• 1/2 cup cubed yellow pumpkin (heaped)
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• Salt as needed

To grind

• 1/4 cup coconut (grated)
• Water a little

To temper

• 2 tbsp Oil
• 1/2 tsp Mustard
• 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1 sprig Curry leaves

1. Soak tamarind for 20 minutes in hot water. Extract juice, adjust water to make it total 2 cups.
2. Peel garlic, small onion. Cut onion into 2 or 3. Cube the yellow pumpkin.
3. Heat a heavy bottomed vessel with oil. Add fenugreek seeds, mustard, once splutter, add cumin seeds, lastly curry leaves.
4. In goes garlic, onion and fry till soft and turns golden here and there.
5. Add tamarind juice, turmeric, sambar powder and required salt.Bring to boil, meanwhile grind coconut to paste with little water.
6. Add to the boiling kuzhambu and add one more cup water along.
7. Boil for 7-10 mins until vegetable is cooked and the gravy is thick.
8. Switch off stove and garnish with few fresh torn curry leaves.

I usually slice the skin off yellow pumpkin. But my mom adds as such too. So up to you.

Other vegetables that can be used the same way in the recipe: Brinjal, drumstick, mango or even more garlic and onion itself.

We can use sesame oil too for tempering.

Parangikai vatha kuzhambu method:

1. Cube yellow pumpkin. Peel garlic, peel and cut small onion into 2 or 3. Take tamarind measured.
   
2. Soak tamarind for 20 minutes in hot water. Extract juice, adjust water to make it total 2 cups.
   
3. Heat a heavy bottomed vessel with oil. Add fenugreek seeds, mustard, once splutter, add cumin seeds, lastly curry leaves.
   
4. In goes garlic, onion and fry till soft and turns golden here and there.
   
5. Add tamarind juice, turmeric, sambar powder and required salt.
   
6. Bring to boil, meanwhile grind coconut to paste with little water.
   
7. Add to the boiling kuzhambu and add one more cup water along.
   
8. Boil for 7-10 mins until vegetable is cooked and the gravy is thick. Switch off stove and garnish with few fresh torn curry leaves.
   

Notes

• I usually slice the skin off yellow pumpkin. But my mom adds as such too. So up to you.
• Other vegetables that can be used the same way in the recipe: Brinjal, drumstick, mango or even more garlic and onion itself.
• We can use sesame oil too for tempering.

Mix with cooked rice, sesame oil or ghee and enjoy. We had it with mango pachadi, chow chow kootu.

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