Today’s menu for lunch was from Chetinadu cuisine. It’s one of most favourite cuisine. I never miss a chance to try new recipes from this cuisine. I tried one new recipe today, Chetinadu Poondu Milagu Khuzhambu which came out really well. The garlic and pepper cooked with shallots and tamarind was indeed very delicious:)

Ingredients

Peeled garlic pods – 1/2 cup
Peeled shallots – 1/2 cup
Chopped tomatoes – 1/2 cup
Tamarind – lemon sized
Whole pepper – 1+1/2tsp
Pepper powder – 1 tsp
Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
Coriander powder ( dhania powder)- 1 tsp
Turmeric powder( haldi)- 1/4th tsp
Jaggery – 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Sesame oil – 2 tbsps
Mustard – 1 tsp
Fenugreek( methi/ vendhayam)- 1 tsp
Curry leaves – few

Method

Soak tamarind in a cup of water for 30 mins. Squeeze well and take the extract. Keep it aside.

Grind together chopped tomatoes, few garlic pods and some shallots to a coarse paste.

Grind the whole pepper coarsely.

Heat the sesame oil in a pan. Add mustard. When it starts spluttering add the fenugreek seeds and curry leaves and sauté for few seconds.

Add the garlic pods, shallots, coarsely ground pepper and sauté for few mins.

Then add the the tomato paste, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and coriander powder. Mix well and sauté for a min.
Now add the tamarind extract, salt to taste and jaggery. Mix well and check for the seasonings. Let it boil well till the Khuzhambu becomes thick and oil starts floating on top.

Serve the Khuzhambu with steamed rice drizzled with hot melted ghee:)