Milagu kuzhambu | Pepper tamarind curry

These types of kuzhambu or curry will be little spicy. Black pepper is known to have a great amount of antioxidant properties. It also have benefits against bacterial growth, so when having severe cold try adding pepper in your daily food. It really helps to heal a little. Soup with black pepper on top is so comforting while having cold. Likewise this curry also tastes good to your taste buds when having cold.

I don't feel much difference between milagu/pepper kuzhambu, karuveppilai/curry leaves kuzhambu, both have the same spice to grind. May be when doing milagu kuzhambu you can avoid curry leaves, but it tastes good. So I added curry leaves. You can skip that.

Ingredients:

• Tomatoes -1, medium sized
• Tamarind - small lemon sized ball
• Garlic - 5 cloves
• Curry leaves - 1/4 cup
• Oil - 1 tbsp

Spice paste:

• Peppercorns - 1 tsp
• Coriander seeds - 2 tsp
• Toor dal - 1 tsp
• Rice - 1/2 tsp
• Red chilly - 2

To temper:

• Oil - 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida powder - 1/2 tsp

Method:

Microwave the tamarind in 1/4 of water and extract the Juice and keep aside. Chop the tomatoes and garlic.

Heat a pan with a tsp of oil and fry all the ingredients given in spice paste till golden brown. Combine fried spices with curry leaves and grind to a smooth consistency.

Heat a small wok with a tbsp of oil, add garlic and tomatoes. Cook till tomatoes are mushy. Add the spice paste and stir for 5 minutes in a medium heat.

Add the tamarind water and 2 cups of water. Place wok over high heat and bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, till kuzhambu is thick, but has to be in pouring consistency. Heat a tsp of oil in a small separate pan, add mustard seeds and asafoetida.

Transfer to the curry. Serve with hot rice.

Note:

• I added 2 tsp of pepper which was very spicy, so I have given 1 tsp of measurement, If you like it spicy add 2 tsp of pepper.