Nanjil Nattu Vendhaya Kuzhambu

Directions

• Begin by soaking tamarind in water and extracting the juice. Make sure to add enough water to obtain 2 cups of tamarind water.
• Next, roughly chop the onions and finely dice the tomatoes. Lengthwise slit the green chilies.
• In a kadai, dry fry the fenugreek and rice until they turn a light brown color. Remove them from the heat, let them cool, and then grind them into a powder.
• Using the same kadai, heat a teaspoon of oil and add coconut gratings, sambar onions, slit green chilies, and cumin. Fry until a delightful aroma emanates from the mixture. Add red chili powder, coriander powder, and turmeric powder, and mix well. Fry for a few more seconds. Once done, remove from heat, allow it to cool, and grind it into a fine paste.
• In a thick-bottomed kadai, heat the oil. When hot, add the mustard seeds. Once they start to pop, add the fenugreek seeds and fry until they turn light brown. Then, introduce the curry leaves and chopped onions, and continue frying until the onions become translucent.
• Add the diced tomatoes and fry until they are well mashed. Pour in the tamarind water and add salt. Stir well and bring it to a boil.
• Once it begins boiling, add the coconut paste and stir thoroughly. If needed, add a small amount of water and allow it to boil again. Once the kuzhambu (gravy) is boiling well, reduce the heat and sprinkle the fenugreek powder. Mix well and remove from the stove.