Ingredients:
3/4 cup Toor Dal (Tuvaram Paruppu)
1 1/2 cups (250gms) colocasia (Cheppankizhangu)
1 medium lemon sized ball of tamarind
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp salt or to taste
1 tsp rice flour (if required)
Spice paste
2 tsp ghee
4-5 dried red chillies
3 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
1 tbsp grated dry coconut
1 tsp white sesame seeds
Tempering
2 tsp ghee
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp asafoetida powder
1 dried red chilli, halved
1 sprig curry leaves
Method:
1. Wash dal and drain. Place dal in a pressure cooker with 1 cup water and cook under pressure for 5 minutes.
2. Boil colocasia in enough water to cover till tender. Drain, cool and peel. Slice colocasia into 1/2 inch pieces.
3. Soak tamarind in 1 cup water for 10 minutes. Extract juice and discard pulp.
4. Heat ghee for spice paste in a wok/frying pan and add remaining ingredients for spice paste. Fry over low heat, tossing gently, till fragrant. Grind to a smooth consistency, gradually adding 2-3 tbsp water.
5. To the same frying pan, add tamarind juice, turmeric powder and salt. Place pan over high heat and bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer for atleast 10 minutes till the raw aroma of tamarind disappears.
6. Mix in dal, colocasia and spice paste. Simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. If kuzhambu is not thick enough, dissolve rice flour in 1/2 cup water and add to pan. Simmer for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
8. Heat ghee for tempering in a small pan over moderate heat. Add remaining ingredients for tempering in the order given. When mustard seeds splutter, stir contents of pan into kuzhambu.
9. Serve hot with plain rice.
