Vatha Kuzhambu / Nellai District Vatha Kuzhambhu
Vatha Kuzhambu is my fav main dish for rice. Taste so good and pairs well with any variety of kootu like soorakai kootu(Bottle Gourd), beans kootu, cabbage kootu. I always make this on rainy days and store them for 2 days and enjoy the taste. They will stay good for 3-4 days, so you can always enjoy them when you feel lazy to cook everyday. This also goes well with dosa or Idly. I love adding this to my curd rice as side dish. Adding drumstick is must for this recipe. It brings out a very nice aroma to vatha kuzhambu.
My uncle has a hotel near nellai and this particular vatha kulambhu has been very very famous in that restaurant. He always use to say he had regular customers who even travelled from a long distance just to enjoy this vatha kuzhambu. I even remembering one person during my train travel mentioned about this vatha kulambhu and how tasty they make in a particular restaurant in chennai and when I asked him the name of the restaurant he mentioned my uncle restaurant name. I was so happy and I excitedly told him that its my uncle restaurant and we make this vatha kulambhu in our family too. He immediately wrote down the recipe from my mom. I still remember how happy his face was when he got the recipe details.
He told me he always went with his family and enjoyed the dish when they had craving for this and now he has it in his hands and can enjoy the recipe now at home too. My mom makes many variety in vatha kuzhambu. Each member in my family have their own fav and this one is my dad favorite. It’s little thick to see but when it tastes really good.
Side dish for Vatha Kuzhambu
Any fry like potato fry, cabbage fry, brinjal fry will pair well with this. I always make cabbage fry when this dish is made. There are many variety in cabbage but this plain white one goes very well with this.
Vatha Kuzhambu(Nellai District)
Ingredients
- Small onion - 1/2 cup
- Drumstick pieces - 6-7
- Garlic - 1/2 cup
- Tamarind pulp - 1/4 cup
- Asofaetida(hing) - 1 tsp
- Curry leaves - as per requirement
- Salt to taste - 1- 1/2 tsp
- Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
- To fry or Roast:
- Small onion - 5
- Garlic - 5
- Pepper - 10
- Jeera - 1 tsp
- Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
- toor dal - 2 tsp
- Channa dal/kadala paruppu - 1 tsp
- Urad dal(ulandham paruppu) - 1/2 tsp
- Moong dal/Pasiparupu - 1/2 tsp
- Raw Rice - 2 tsp
- Dry red chillies - 10-15
- Grated coconut - 1/4 cup
- Coriander seeds/dhania - 3 tsp
- For Seasoning:
- Oil - 1/4 cup
- Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
- Fenugreek seeds/Vendhayam - 1/4 tsp
Instructions
1. Fry all the above mentioned ingredients in a pan one by one and keep it separate. Then grind them well in a blender adding little water and kept it thick.
2. Then again in a pan add some oil and do the seasoning mentioned above to this add small onion,drumstick and garlic and fry it well. To this add the tamarind water and let it cook for few mins. Then add hing,salt and turmeric powder. Let it boil for 2 mins.
3. To this add the paste made before and mix it well and let it cook for 15-20 mins.
4. The oil should float on top that shows the dish is done. Let it boil till the oil oozes.
(4 votes, average: 4.25 out of 5)
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Vaththa Kulambhu looks creamy and spicy. Love to have this plain rice with papadoms.
I should try with cabbage fry too.
Ya I love it with cabbage rice this vatha kulambhu is different from other vatha kulambhu type do try it out.
wow… you got a nice space.. pics are amazing.
good work.
wow… you got a nice space.. pics are amazing.good work
following your site..
Looking yummy Janani….very different …..keep rocking….
Todays recipe:http://www.7aumsuvai.com/2013/04/ashoka-halwa-300th-post-with-video.html#.UX6vdbWG0YE
Thank you shanthi
I used to roast ingredients but never used the varieties of dhall u have used ,looks delicious,will try next time when making pulikulambu
ya they use dal variety a little bit more in Nellai side it gives that nice thickness to kuzhambhu. Do try out & let me know how you liked it meena
Hi,
I tired trice and it tastes awesome every time!! One thing though ..the oil never oozes out..any advice? I love the oily texture ..
PS: i am a friend of T.veli Gabby
Hello Arun,
Yes I have heard a lot abt u from gabs uncle so happy to hear you tried this recipe,well we add 3-4 tsp oil to this that’s the reason it oozes out if it doesn’t its fine or may be it still needs more boiling. When the kulambhu is quite nearing that dark brown shade, I get that oil floating on top and I switch it off.Either ur using less oil or it needs more boiling time. Thank you for trying hope the information was helpful
Delicious and so tempting. I am starving. I am so glad that you shared this to us. I am going to make it tonight.
Thank you Pooja
do try and let me know your feedback.
Why there is no vathal in vatha kuzhambu?
This vatha kulambu is different from the regular one. This is widely prepared in tirunelveli district and main ingredients are drumstick and garlic. Try it and let me know.
best site amazing work