PARUPPU URUNDAI KUZHAMBU

Soak a small orange sized tamarind for ½ hour and then extract the thick juice out of it. Soak 1 cup of lentils with a handful of Bengal gram for 2 hours and then grind with 1sp fennel seeds, 3 red chillies and 2 green chillies coarsely like we grind for ‘Masal vadai’. Add enough salt when grinding the dhals. Add 1 cup of chopped onions, 2tbsp chopped garlic flakes, curry leaves and ½ cup shredded coconut. Mix well. Make lime sized balls. In a deep vessel. pour gingelly oil. Add one cup of chopped sambar onions and 2 cups of crushed tomatoes. Cook on moderate fire until they are well mashed and the oil floats on the surface. Powder 1sp fennel seed and 1sp fenugreek seed coarsely. Add the powders and some curry leaves to the tomatoes and fry for a few minutes. Pour the tamarind extract. Add 1sp turmeric powder, 2tbsp chilli powder and 3tbsp coriander powder. Add enough salt. Let the kuzhambu simmer for a few minutes. Now add the balls 5 at a time and when they come on the surface, then add the balls again. Thus complete all the balls. When dropping the balls in the kuzhambu, the consistency of it must be watery. The fire should not be high. After completing the balls the kuzhambu must simmer for a few minutes. The kuzhambu will thicken when we finish the cooking. You can add pieces of drumstick and it will enhance the taste and the flavour. It must be added and cooked well before dropping the balls.