Sundakkai Vatha Kuzhambu || Usthikaya pulusu || Tamil Nadu sundakkai (Turkey berry) vatha kuzhambu ||

Today's recipe is Sundakkai vatha kuzhambu, it is Tamil Nadu popular recipe prepared using sundakkai vathal. Sundakkai means turkey berries in English, usthikaya in Telugu and kudanekayi in Kannada.  Vathal means sun dried vegetables, turkey berry is soaked in salted buttermilk for 2 days and dried in sun just like we prepare sun dried chillies (majjiga mirapakayallu). Kuzhambu is tamarind based recipe that includes variety of vegetables. Sundakkai taste bitter, but it has many health benifits, it controls diabetes, prevents gas trouble, strengthen bones and many more. Once my neighbor aunty gave me this sundakkai vatha kuzhambu, its really very aromatic and tasty. We use small onions to prepare this kuzhambu, all spices used in it are make this very sumptuous.  We had this sunakkai vatha kuzhambu with hot steamed rice, dollop of ghee, medhu vada and semiya payasam.

Taking this aromatic and healthy "Sundakkai vatha kuzhambu" to Shhhhh Secretly Cooking Challenge fb group started by Priya of Priyas Versatile Recipes and taken further till date by Mayuri she blogs at Mayuris jikoni.  Here admins will select one Indian state in alphabetical order. And they pick pairs for theme, pairs will share 2 ingredients, using that ingredients we will prepare recipe and post it in group album. Other group members will guess the secret ingredient.          

                                                                                                                                         


For this month september we bloggers preparing Tamil Nadu cuisines. My partner for this month is Seema DoraiSwamy Sriram, she blogs at "mildlyindian". Check out her space for wonderful and traditional recipes. I really loved her Gram flour sattu ladoo will try this Rajasthani ladoo's soon. She gave me salt and oil as secret ingredients, with that ingredients i prepared this sunakkai vatha kuzhambu recipes. In turn i gave turmeric and ginger to Seema, she prepared very tasty Lemon rice. 

Lets start recipe..

                          Sundakkai Vatha Kuzhambu

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time : 20  minutes
Serves : 1 bowl
Category : curries/ Regional
Recipe Cuisine: Tamil Nadu
Main ingredient: Sundakkai / turkey berry
Author : Aruna SarasChandra

Ingredients

For masala

oil - 2 tsp
urad dal - 1 tsp
chana dal - 1 tsp
cumin seeds - 1 tsp\
coriander seeds - 1 tsp
pepper - 1/4 tsp
fenugreek seeds - 1/8 tsp
red chilli - 3
curry leaves - 1 sprig
small onion - 7
tomato - 1
garlic - 4

others

Sundakkai  vathal /sun dried turkey berry - 1/4 cup
tamarind - small lemon size
oil - 3 tsp
mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
onions - 12
garlic  - 7
curry leaves - 1 sprig
turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp(if need)
jaggery - small piece
salt as per taste

Instructions

1) Sun dried turkey berries looks like below, i purchased it from market. Heat a pan with 1/2 tsp of oil fry the sundakkai vathal till it changes color then take it into plate. Also soak tamarind in 1/2 cup of water.

2) Now add urad dal, chana dal, coriander seeds, fry till it starts changing color then add cumin, fenugreek seeds, pepper, curry leaves and red chillies fry it well and take it into plate.

3) Now add 1/2 tsp of oil and fry onions, tomato, garlic and take it into plate. Let all the fried ingredients cool, later grind firstly grind spices to powder then add fried onions mixture and grind it to smooth paste by adding some water.

4) Now heat oil in pan add mustard, fenugreek seeds fry it for a second then add garlic and curry leaves, fry till you get nice aroma and garlic starts changing color.

5) Now add small onions, salt and turmeric powder fry till it changes color then add tamarind juice and cook it for 2 to 3 minutes. 

6) Now add freshly grinded masala to the above , add required amount of water and boil it on low to medium flames for 5 minutes by adding jaggery.

7) Check water consistency, salt and spicy taste. If you feel less spicy add red chilli powder and fried berries to the above along with a spoon of oil on low to medium flames for 5 minutes by closing lid.

That's it aromatic and lip smacking sundakkai vatha kuzhambu is ready, keep this kuzhambu for 15-30 minutes then serve as vathal soak in masala and gives good taste. Serve hot with hot steamed rice and dollop of ghee .

Tips

** As sun dried sundakkai vathal contains salt in it, add salt accordingly.

** Adjust red chilli quantity according to its spicy taste, i added only 3 red chillies. It is very spicy so i did not added red chilli powder , if need you can add red chilli powder.

** You can have this kuzhambu for next day also. 

Also check other related recipes by clicking the link below pic..

                                     

                                                  Lemon rasam

                         Miriyala Charu / pepper rasam

                                                        Drumstick Rasam

                         
                             Mamidikaya pappu

Menthi akku pappu  

rasam powder

Hope you like this aromatic, healthy,hot and piping pepper rasam / miriyala charu. Give it a try and drop your comments in inbox.

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You can also search recipe in BetterButter
in Indiblogger
in MyTaste

Thanks for visiting my blog,

ArunaSaraschandra :)