This recipe, like the previous ones, started with a question - How do I make SundakkaiVatta Kozhambu that could serve 3-4 persons?
General rules
Wash all vegetables before use.No Vegetables required for making Vatta KozhumbuCut fine; unless otherwise specified (when in doubt cut it even smaller).Same reason as above- Always add less salt, it is always easier to add more at the end.
- Lastly I prefer having all my ingredients in place before cooking to avoid looking for things in a hurry.
Ingredients
- 3 tsps of cooking oil
- 6 tblsps of Gingelly oil or Sesame oil.Vatta Kozhambu tastes better with more oil.
- 20-25 Sundakkai
- 1.5 tsps of Mustard seeds.
- 1.5 tsps of Methi seeds.
- 0.25 tsp of Hing (asafoetida).
- 4-5 Curry leaves.
- 2 dried Red Chili
- 2 Green Chili
- 2 spoonful Tamarind past
- 2 tsps of salt. *
- 2 tsps of Sambar Powder
- 3-4 cups of water.
Recipe
- Take a small pan. Pour 3 tblsps of cooking oil and heat it on a medium flame.
- Once the oil heats, Add Sundakkai and let is slow roast. When it very brown to slightly black in color set it aside (Near the end it tends to smoke).
- Pour 6 tblsps of Sesame oil in a flat bottom pan and set it on a medium flame.
- Once the oil heats, Add mustard and let it explode.
- Add Methi and let them roast
- Add Hing, Curry leaves, Red Chili, Green Chili. Heat till you see incipient signs of charring.
- Add roasted Sundakkai
- Add 2 tsps of Sambar powder. Make sure that the sambar powder does not get burnt.
- Take 2 tsps of Tamarind paste, add water, and make a solution.
- Pour Tamarind solution into pan.
- Add 2 tsps of salt (see rule about salt)
- Add extra water for consistency and extra salt to suit taste.
- Let it come to a boil.
- Take it off the fire and pour it into a serving dish.
* After adding water, taste to see if you need more salt.
This recipe can be tweaked to make Manathakkali Vatha Kozhambu. Just replace Sundakkai with Manathakkali and rest of the steps are same.
