PONGAL KULAMBU

PONGGAL KULAMBU

Ingredients:
½ cup of toor dal soaked and boiled till cooked
1 orange size tamarind soaked in water

To roast and grind into powder:
2 tsp channa dal
2 tsp raw rice
2 tbs coconut scrapings
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black pepper

½ tsp tumeric powder
3 tbs chillie powder
Salt to taste
1 sprig of curry leaves

Veges:
2 plantains cut into cubes
2 cups of yellow pumpkin cut into cubes
1 cup broad beans cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup of brinjals cut into cubes
1 cup of yam cut into cubes
1 cup of tomatoes cut
2 cups of motchai soaked and boiled till cooked
( Its customary to use fresh green motchai)

Method:
Squeeze about 2 cups of tamarind juice.
In a heavy bottomed big pot, add in all the vegetables, and cooked motchai.
Add enough water to cover the vegetables.
Add in the tumeric powder and salt, let the vegetables cook.
Cook on medium heat, when the veges are half cooked, add in the
tamarind juice and the chillie powder. Let it boil.

Now add in the cooked toor dal, mix well and boil again.
By now the vegetables would have fully cooked.
The pumkin and yam all should look a little smashed.
Add in water if you feel the gravy is very thick.
Normally the gravy should be neither watery nor very thick.
Add in the ground powder, mix nicely and let it boil once.
Remove and garnish with the curry leaves.
This kulambu has kaaram, pulippu and ennippu.
No oil and no seasonings. Tastes heaven with the paal ponggal.