Iru puli kuzhambu recipe – Yervuli kuzhambu as it is called in Tirunelveli slang. No onion no garlic kuzhambu recipe with full video and step-by-step pictures.
Irupuli kuzhambu is a traditional heirloom gravy made using native veggies. It is cooked in tamarind gravy and also sour curd is added in the last. Since 2 sour things are involved, we call it iru puli kuzhambu. Traditionally Drumstick, ladies finger, white pumpkin, raw banana, avarakkai and brinjals are added to this kuzhambu. You can add anything as per your availability. I used white pumpkin ( ash gourd) and drumstick for this kuzhambu.
We are not adding any cooked dal or sambar powder for this gravy. So if you think, about what gives thickness and volume to the gravy, it is the soaked rice and coconut which gives the thickness to the iru puli kuzhambu. The red chilis give spiciness to this gravy and we are not any sambar powder to this. This is a no onion no garlic recipe, so you can make this on festival days, amavasai, and other auspicious days.
I have posted some interesting Tirunelveli brahmin recipes which I learnt from my relatives and friends. This recipe I learned from my friend Radhu and her recipe is always a super hit at my place. She cooks all the traditional items so well. Try out this recipe and let me know how it turned out.
Also, check out, Puli itta keerai, Thalagam kuzhambu, mambazha mor kuzhambu, Tirubagam sweet and Thengai kuzhambu
Iru puli kuzhambu
Ingredients
- 1 drumstick
- 1 cup cubed white pumpkin
- 4 tsp coconut oil
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- Few curry leaves
- 1 cup tamarind water from a small gooseberry sized lemon
- 1 cup whisked curd
- Salt as needed
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 2 pinches asafoetida
- Water as needed
To grind
- 1 tsp fenugreek seeds | vendayam
- 6-7 red chilis
- 1 tbsp raw rice
- ½ cup coconut
Instructions
- Soak the raw rice for 15 mins and keep this aside.
- Keep the tamarind extract and whisked curd ready.
- In a pan add 1 tsp of oil and add the fenugreek seeds (vendayam) and red chilis.
- Saute till the vendayam turns golden brown.
- Take out and transfer this to a mixie jar.
- Drain the water from the rice and add to the mixie jar and add the coconut too.
- Grind this into a fine paste by adding necessary water.
- In the same pan, add 3 tsp of coconut oil and add the mustard seeds and curry leaves.
- Once it splutters, add the drumstick and ashgourd | white pumpkin.
- Now add 1 cup water and cook the veggies.
- Add the turmeric powder, salt and asafoetida.
- Once the veggies becomes soft, add the tamarind water.
- Cook for 5 minutes and add the ground paste.
- Mix well and add water if the kuzhambu is thick.
- Let this boil nicely for 2-3 minutes.
- Now add the whisked curd to this.
- Mix well and once it is about to boil switch off the flame.
- Delicious iru puli kuzhambu is ready.
- Pair this with hot rice and a curry of your choice.
- We had with cluster beans stir fry.
Notes
- Soak the raw rice for 15 mins and keep this aside.
- Keep the tamarind extract and whisked curd ready.
- In a pan add 1 tsp of oil and add the fenugreek seeds (vendayam) and red chilis.
- Saute till the vendayam turns golden brown.
- Take out and transfer this to a mixie jar.
- Drain the water from the rice and add to the mixie jar and add the coconut too.
- Grind this into a fine paste by adding the necessary water.
- In the same pan, add 3 tsp of coconut oil and add the mustard seeds and curry leaves.
- Once it splutters, add the drumstick and ash gourd | white pumpkin.
- Now add 1 cup of water and cook the veggies.
- Add the turmeric powder, salt, and asafoetida.
- Once the veggies become soft, add the tamarind water.
- Cook for 5 minutes till the raw smell of the tamarind goes off.
- Now add the ground coconut paste.
- Mix well and add water if the kuzhambu is thick.
- Let this boil nicely for 2-3 minutes.
- Now add the whisked curd to this.
- Mix well and once it is about to boil switch off the flame.
- Delicious iru puli kuzhambu is ready.
- Pair this with hot rice and a curry of your choice.
- We had with cluster beans stir fry.
1. Do not add rice more than the quantity mentioned, else it will spoil the taste.
2. Since we are adding tamarind and curd, add the red chilis accordingly. Else it will taste sour.
3. Use coconut oil for iru puli kuzhambu for best taste.
