Kara kuzhambu means spicy gravy, and it is the dish Tamil homes make when they want something bold without dal. It is built on tamarind, gingelly oil and a generous amount of chilli, and is cooked down until the oil floats on top. Because of the tamarind and oil it keeps for two or three days without refrigeration, so it was a practical dish in villages.
Small onions and whole garlic cloves are the classic vegetables, often with brinjal, drumstick or ladies finger. The gravy is thick, glossy and sharply sour-hot, with sweetness from the shallots and a touch of jaggery. A small amount goes a long way, mixed into hot rice with a spoon of gingelly oil.
At a glance
| Region | Tamil Nadu |
|---|---|
| Cuisine | Tamil |
| Diet | Vegan |
| Course | Main course |
| Prep time | 15 minutes |
| Cook time | 30 minutes |
| Total time | 45 minutes |
| Serves | 4 |
| Spice level | Hot |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Gluten-free | Yes |
| Key ingredients | tamarind / shallots / garlic / brinjal / gingelly oil |
Ingredients
- lemon-sized ball of tamarind, soaked in 2 cups warm water
- 4 tbsp gingelly oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1 tsp chana dal
- 2 dry red chillies
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 15 shallots, peeled
- 12 garlic cloves, peeled
- 3 small brinjals, quartered
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tbsp sambar powder
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 tsp salt, or to taste
- 1 tsp grated jaggery
- 1 tsp rice flour mixed in 2 tbsp water (optional)
Method
- Extract thick tamarind water from the soaked tamarind, about 2 cups, and strain.
- Heat gingelly oil in a clay pot or heavy kadai on medium heat. Add mustard seeds, and when they splutter add fenugreek, chana dal and red chillies. Fry until the fenugreek turns reddish brown, about 30 seconds, but not black.
- Add curry leaves, shallots and garlic and fry for 5-6 minutes until the shallots are soft and golden.
- Add the brinjal and fry for 3 minutes, then add tomato and cook until mushy.
- Lower the heat, add turmeric, sambar powder and chilli powder and stir for 1 minute so the spices roast in the oil without burning.
- Pour in the tamarind water, add salt and bring to a boil. Simmer on low-medium heat uncovered for 15-20 minutes, until the brinjal is soft, the gravy thickens and oil separates and floats on top.
- Stir in jaggery. If the gravy is still thin, add the rice flour slurry and simmer 2 minutes more.
- Rest for at least 30 minutes before serving; kara kuzhambu tastes better a few hours later.
Tips
- Gingelly oil is essential for the authentic taste; groundnut oil is the only reasonable substitute.
- Do not rush the simmering; the raw tamarind taste must cook out completely.
- Sun-dried sundakkai or manathakkali vathal fried in the oil at the start turns this into vatha kuzhambu.
Serve with
Hot rice with a spoon of gingelly oil, appalam and keerai poriyal or a mild kootu.