Karuveppilai poondu kuzhambu recipe is a South Indian style spicy and tangy gravy using curry leaves and garlic. This is a flavorful and healthy gravy that is perfect for a South Indian lunch or to have as a side dish for breakfast dishes like idli and dosa.
Curry leaves and garlic are ingredients that are widely used in Indian cuisine. South Indian cooking almost always involves the use of curry leaves for seasoning.
Apart from the fact that they lovely flavor to any dish, these humble curry leaves are packed with health benefits. They are a great source of iron and folic acid. They improve digestion and they also help in reducing hair fall.
Garlic too is one of the ingredients used in most of the dishes in Indian cuisine for its medicinal properties and also for the flavor that they lend to a dish. It improves digestion and is also known for its antibacterial properties.
These two healthy main ingredients are used in this curry leaves garlic gravy recipe that is packed with flavor.
For other kuzhambu recipes do check out
- chettinad karamani kara kuzhambu
- cabbage kuzhambu
- chow chow mor kuzhambu
- murungai keerai poricha kuzhambu
When I have enough curry leaves with me, I prepare this gravy that is aromatic and healthy. I added grated coconut to reduce the strong flavor of curry leaves. This gravy goes very well with rice. It can also be served with idli, dosa or appam. Lets move on to the recipe for karuveppilai kuzhambu.
Karuveppilai Poondu Kuzhambu Recipe
Karuveppilai Poondu Kuzhambu recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (packed) karuveppilai ( curry leaves / kadi patta )
- 1 onion medium-sized
- 12 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup grated coconut
- Tamarind, small lemon-sized
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
- 3 tsp coriander powder
- Salt to taste
For Seasoning
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- A pinch of asafoetida
- 2 dry red chillies broken
- 1/2 tsp broken urad dal ( split black gram lentils (without skin) )
- A few curry leaves
- 1 1/2 tbsp oil
Instructions
- Finely chop onion. Peel the garlic cloves and crush them lightly.
- Soak tamarind in 1 cup of water. Then extract the tamarind juice and discard the pulp.
- Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan. Add curry leaves and fry for a couple of minutes till the leaves turn slightly crisp.
- Then grind the fried curry leaves to a fine paste by adding little water.
- For the seasoning, heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When mustard seeds splutter, add dry red chillies, urad dal and asafoetida. Fry till the dal changes color to brown.
- Then add the chopped onions and curry leaves. Saute till onions turn translucent.
- Then add the crushed garlic cloves and fry for a minute.
- Then add salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and coriander powder.
- Fry for a couple of seconds. Add the tamarind extract and ground curry leaves paste.
- Add 1/2 cup water and let the gravy come to a boil. Then lower the flame and cook the gravy for around 5-6 minutes or till it slightly thickens.
- Meanwhile grind the grated coconut to a fine paste by adding little water and set aside.
- When the gravy thickens slightly, finally add the ground coconut paste and stir. Let this simmer for 4-5 minutes or till it reaches desired consistency. Remove from heat.
- Karuveppilai poondu kuzhambu is ready to be served with rice or as a side dish for idli, dosa or appam.
Notes
- Sesame oil / gingelly oil works best for this recipe as it lends more flavor to the dish.
Sony's kitchen says
Love the garlic flavor …….. Looks tasty !!