Vatha kuzhambu with steamed rice

Ingredients for 4 portions

• 40 gTamarind
• ≈ 500 mlWater, hot
• 4 tbspGingelly oil
• 1 tspMustard seeds
• 3 mlFenugreek seeds
• 1 tspToor dal
• 1 tspChana dal
• 2Dried red chillies
• 1 mlHing (asafoetida)
• 2 sprigsCurry leaves
• 2 tbspSundakkai vathal
• 2 tbspSambar powder
• 1 mlTurmeric
• 1 tspJaggery
• to tasteSalt
• 1 tspRice flour (optional)

On the side

• 350 gRice, sona masoori or ponni
• 4Papads (optional)

Method

1. Soak the tamarind in the hot water.
2. Wash the rice two or three times, put it in a pressure cooker with 2½ times its volume of water and cook for 3 whistles.
3. Let the rice cook, then leave it until the pressure drops by itself, about 20 minutes in all.
4. Squeeze the tamarind well in the water, strain the juice and throw away the fibres.
5. Heat the gingelly oil in a kadai and add the mustard seeds. When they splutter, add the fenugreek seeds, toor dal, chana dal, dried red chillies and hing and fry until the dals turn golden. Add the curry leaves and vathal and fry on a low flame until the vathal turns dark and puffs up, about a minute.
6. Stir in the sambar powder and turmeric for a few seconds without letting them burn. Pour in the tamarind water and add salt and the jaggery.
7. Boil on a medium flame without a lid for 15–20 minutes, until the kuzhambu has reduced by about a third, thickened, and the oil floats up at the edges.
8. Roast the appalams one at a time directly over the flame until blistered and crisp.
9. For a thicker kuzhambu, mix the rice flour with a splash of water, stir it in and boil for 2 more minutes.
10. Serve with the hot rice and appalams.

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