Marundhu kuzhambu recipe

Marundhu kuzhambu recipe is my ammas signature dish. Each family has its own version and this is how my mom makes it. Monthly once she will make sure to prepare this kuzhambu which goes well with appalam kootu. This is one of my favorite combo from my ammas kitchen. This Indian medicinal herbs and spice gravy works helps in indigestion, cough, cold, sore throat. Sometimes she adds long peppers (thippili) too to this gravy. Steaming hot rice with this marundhu kuzhambu recipe, drizzled with gingelly oil makes a perfect weekend detox meal.

I remember making this one often for my sister in law post her pregnancy. I used to add hand full of garlic pods in this gravy and she really loved it. Powder of the spices and herbs can be made and kept well in advance so that when necessary it can be used.

For lunch paired this marundhu kyzhambu recipe with keerai masiyal (greens with tadka) averakkai curry, appalam kootu, chakka payasam, butter milk, gooseberry pickle.

Ingredients:

Omam / ajwain

Sukku / dry ginger (crushed in mortar pestel)

Milagu / peppercorns

Jeeragam / Cumin seeds

Vendayam / Fenugreek seeds

Each of the above 1/2 teaspoon roasted in 1/4 tsp oil and made into fine powder.

Onion - 1 no

Garlic - 10 pods

Lemon sized tamarind

Kuzhambu / Sambar powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Salt - 1 tsp

Sesame oil - 4 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Jeera - 1/4 tsp

Vendayam / Fenugreek - 1/4 tsp

Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

Dry red chilies - 1 no

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

How to make:
Make onion and gralic in to smooth paste adding little water.

Soak tamarind in two cups warm water for 15 minutes and squeeze off the tamarind pulp.

In a Kadhai heat oil add mustard, jeera, asafoetida, fenugreek, red chiliy, curry leaves allow to splutter add onion, garlic paste and cook until raw smell goes off / until it become dry.

Add salt, turmeric, sambar / kuzhambu powder, tamarind water, cover and cook in medium heat.

Once it starts to thicken add the powder bring to boil and switch off the heat.

Serve with steaming hot rice and kootu or appalam.