Kuruma kuzhambu

Kuruma kuzhambu is a south Indian dish which is served with rice.  We usually prepare kuruma for roti and puri's. The addition of tamarind and red chilly tastes good with rice. But no hard and fast rule you can have it with dosa or idli too. My MIL was the one who prepared this.

Ingredients:

• Brinjal - 3
• val lilva bean (Mochai) - 1 /2 cup
• Onion - 2
• Garlic - 5 pods
• Oil - 3 tsp
• Salt - as per taste

To grind:

• Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp
• Red chilly - 5
• Coconut - 1/4 cup
• Poppy seeds - 1 tsp
• Bengal gram - 1 tsp
• Tomato - 1
• Tamarind pulp - 1/2 tsp
• Cloves - 3
• Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
• Cinnamon sticks  - a small piece
• Cardamon - 1

To temper:

• Oil - 1 tsp 
• Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
• Cloves - 2
• Cinnamon sticks - a small stick

Method:

Heat a small fry pan with a tsp of oil and add all the ingredients given to grind, except tomato.  After it turns golden brown add the chopped tomatoes and fry for 5 minutes. Let it cool.  If need add water,  and grind to a smooth paste.

In a sauce pan, add 2 tsp of  oil and fry onion till pinkish, then add garlic. Transfer brinjal and val lilva bean(mochai) and fry for 10 minutes. Then add 1/4 cup of water and let it boil, then add the ground paste with 1/2 cup of water or more depending upon the consistency and turn the heat to low. Let it boil for 10 minutes.

Heat a tsp of oil in a small pan, and add all the ingredients given to temper. Switch it off  after it splutters.

Garnish with cilantro and add the tempering.