Chinna Vengaya Kuzhambu is a traditional dish from Tamil Nadu made with shallots and in a tamarind base. There are different recipes or ingredients that are added to the basic recipe that gives a specific flavour to the final dish.
Tamarind is the main ingredient for the tangy taste in this gravy. Of course, we add tomatoes as well. The final taste changes as per the vegetable added to it. Shallots are the main ingredient in this gravy. In such gravies, we use shallots more.
Along with the shallots, if we use more of Manathakkali in the same gravy, we call it Manathakkali Puli Kuzhambu. Manathakkali is called 'black nightshade', 'sunberry' and 'wonder cherry' with the botanical name is Solanum nigrum. We use these berries as dried ones in the gravies.
In today's gravy, we have just added 1 tsp of it, while the gravy with this as main would use more. This gravy stays good and normally we preserve it for a couple of days. Raw Banana Stir saute is a good combination for this gravy and you can always serve appalam as well.
This is the second day in Simple everyday lunch meals. On SYL, check what's shared today!
Thalis & Platters
Week 1 - Platters for Elders
Indo Chinese Platter for Day 1
Idli Platter for Day 2
Pakoda Platter for Day 3
Colourful Rangoli Food Thali for Day 4
Week 2 - Thalis featuring Non-Veg Regional Cuisines - Non-Veg Thali
Chicken Donne Biryani - Non-Veg Thali 1 for Day 1
Raju gari Kodi Pulao - Non Veg Thali 2 for Day 2
Mutton Biryani - Non-Veg Thali 3 for Day 3
Mutton Dum Biryani - Non-Veg Thali 4 for Day 4
Fish Curry - Non-Veg Thali 5 for Day 5
Prawns Curry - Non-Veg Thali 5 for Day 6
Week 3 - Thalis featuring Indian Flatbreads
Banarasi Kachori aur Sabzi Thali for Day 1
Bengali Dhakai Paratha Nasta Thali for Day 2
Bihari Chana Dal Puri aur Sabji Nasta Thali for Day 3
Gujarati Dhebra aur Sabzi Thali for Day 4
Punjabi Amritsari Kulcha Thali for Day 5
Rajasthani Tikkar aur Sabzi Thali for Day 6
Week 4 - Thalis featuring Breakfast from the different Indian States
Goan Breakfast Thali for Day 1
Coorg Breakfast Thali for Day 2
Kerala Breakfast Thali for Day 3
Odia Breakfast Thali for Day 4
Punjabi Breakfast Thali for Day 5
No Rice Tamil Nadu Breakfast Thali for Day 6
Week 5 - Simple every day assembled mini thalis
Aviyal for Day 1
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Ingredients Used to make Chinna Vengaya Kuzhambu
The shallots taste wonderful in this tangy gravy. WE roast the berries, remove and keep them aside to add them finally. We only cook in the gravy for just a few minutes. Else it will turn bitter.
These berries are very healthy, and we use the leaves as well in the cooking.
Recipe
Chinna Vengaya Kuzhambu
Ingredients
- 3 tsp Cooking Oil
- 1 tsp Manathakali
- 10 nos Shallots / Small Onions
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
- 1/2 tsp Urad Dal
- 4 to 5 nos Dry Red Chillies
- 1/4 tsp Fenugreek Seeds
- 2 medium Tomatoes approx 1 cup chopped
- 6 to 7 nos Garlic
- 1 big Tamarind Extract 1 big lemon size
- 1.5 tsp Red Chili Powder
- 1 tsp Coriander Powder
- A Pinch Turmeric Powder
- 1/4 cup Cashew paste
- Water as required
Instructions
- Wash and peel the small onions, chopped into pieces.
- Soak the tamarind and extract thick pulp.
- Heat a pan with oil, saute the manathakkali and when it is fried for a couple of minutes, removed and keep it aside in a bowl.
- Next add the cumin, urad dal, mustard, dry chilies, methi seeds, small onions. Saute well till the onion is done.
- Then add the chopped tomato, garlic and fry again. Cook till the tomato is mushy.
- Add tamarind extract and salt to taste. Let it cook for 5 mins.
- Now add red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder. Combine again and add water.
- Bring it to a boil. After 5 mins, add cashew paste, combine and bring to a boil.
- When the gravy is almost done, add roasted manathakali.
- Simmer for 2 minutes and switch off.
- Serve with hot steamed rice and ghee.
For more party menu ideas, check out the Thalis and Platters that would appeal to Elders, and Thalis & Platters that Kids would love!
Vaishali says
This meal looks like a comfort meal . Manathakali Is something I don’t know about - and wonder about its taste . Shallots are a favourite , I love to cook with them , their flavour is so good - just that I hate peeling them .
Suma Gandlur says
This kuzhambu preparation is new to me. I had no idea that coriander powder and cashew paste are used in this kind of kuzhambu. I was expecting to see the usual south Indian style spicy powder / ground paste in the preparation though it sounds flavorful.
Harini Rupanagudi says
A very unique masala for the kuzhambu. Sounds very flavorful and the whole thali is screaming my name 🙂
Rajani says
I am eyeing the vazhakka fry right next to the kuzhambu. The meal all together looks so good and delicious!though it’s a pain to peel the small onions, it definitely adds a great flavor and is totally worth that extra effort.
srividhya says
Kuzhambu and poriyal with suda suda sadam - deivamritham. I can eat kuzhambu for all the three meals. More than sambar I love kuzhambu. This is my favorite combo.
Renu says
For me, this is a completely new recipe and something different to try with rice. A different flavour and taste this would be for us.
Narmadha says
We call it as vendhaya kuzhambu. It is more flavorful with small onions. Hot hot rice with kuzhambu and omelette is our favorite combo. Mouthwatering.