Vendakkai Kara Kuzhambu (Spicy Bendi Gravy)

Vendakkai Kara Kuzhambu (Spicy Bendi Gravy)

Recently I'm experimenting cooking methods in preparing South Indian Cuisines to the taste bud of my hubby's. My hubby likes to have a lots of ginger,garlic and green chillies in any food. Sometime he ask me too much question whether I have added enough ginger,garlic,green chillie and the list goes on and on. At times I would be tempted to add add them to his cup of coffee or tea or even cold beverage. I wanted to share my another success in preparing Vendakkai Kuzhambu- something which differs from the ones prepared by my MIL .

Ingredients
Serving Size:4

To be roasted and grind Paste:
1 cup chopped shallots
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
3 garlic cloves minced
1tbsp fenugreek
1tbsp coriander seeds
3 dried chillies
1/2 cup tamarind pulp juice
1tbsp vathal kulambu powder
1tbsp roasted groundnuts
1tbsp white sesame seeds
1tsp chillie powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
few curry leaves

Add 1tbsp oil and roast all the ingredients mentioned above really well-once cooled grind them into a super fine paste and keep aside.

Marinted for Vendakkai
15 medium size vendakkai washed
1tbsp chillie powder
1/4tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste
1tsp oil

In a large bowl add all ingredients and leave aside for 4 hours or so. then preheat the oven to 350 and arrange the vendakkai in a greased tray until they becomes tender making sure they don't get burned. Remove and once cool-slit to half without cutting off the top.

1 large onion sliced thinly
few curry leaves
2 dried chiilie broken
1/2tsp mustard seeds
1/4tsp fenugreek
chopped coriander leaves
a pinch of hing
salt to taste

Preparation Methods:
Coat a wok with 2tbsp oil and splutter frengeek seeds ,dried chillie and mustard seeds.Add curry leaves and chopped onions -saute till translucent.Next add the grilled vendakkai with salt and saute. Keep the pan covered and cook on low flame for around 8-10 minutes till the vegetables are tender followed by grind paste and 1 cup of water and bring it to boil, stirring occasionally, until the gravy thickens. Adjust the level of salt and add the chopped coriander leaves and sprinkle some hing powder-remove from flame and serve with steamed white rice.