VEGETABLE KARA KUZHAMBU

This is an aromatic and tasty kara kuzhambu without  onion and garlic, which can be mixed with rice and also served as a side dish for idli and dosas. Naattu karikaai, i.e., vegetables like broad beans, brinjal, ladysfinger, cluster beans, sweet potato, ash gourd, pumpkin, raw banana, potato, and colocassia are used for this kuzhambu. 

INGREDIENTS:

Mixed vegetables - 2 or 3 cups 
(any of the above said vegetables)

Tomato - 1
Tamarind - amla sized
Sambhar powder - 2 tsp.
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Hing - a generous pinch
Salt - to taste
Oil - 2 tsp.
Toor dhal - 1 tablespoon
Dry red chillies - 2 or 3
Black pepper - 1/8 tsp.
Scraped coconut - 1/2 cup
Black sesame seeds - 11/2 tsp. (dry roast)

To temper:
Gingelly oil - 1 tsp.
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs

METHOD:

Peel the skin of raw banana. If using colocassia, boil it separately and peel the skin. Chop all vegetables to medium-sized pieces. 

Soak tamarind in a cup of water and extract pulp.

In a kadai, dry roast sesame seeds until they splutter. Transfer to a plate. In the same kadai, add a spoon of oil and fry chillies, pepper and toor dhal until golden brown. Grind it alongwith roasted sesame seeds and scraped coconut to a fine powder.

Heat gingelly oil in the kadai, add the temperings and when they splutter add the chopped veggies, turmeric powder and hing. Saute for a minute, add a cup of water and cook it covered until half done. Now add the tamarind extract, sambhar powder and salt. Allow it to boil until the raw smell diffuses. Now add the ground powder, add water to get the desired consistency and allow it to boil until thick. Switch off the stove, add a spoon of gingelly oil to the kuzhambu and mix well. Tastes best when mixed with hot rice and a dollop of ghee. It can also be used as a side dish for idli, dosa and any south indian breakfast food.