Poondu Kozhambu - Debut with the Mann Chatti

This weekend I thought I will put the chatti to use by cooking some kozhambu. Kozhambu (or pulusu) is a red sauce typically made with tamarind, onions, tomato & chillipowder. Apart from these, there will be one ingredient that will make that kozhambu special - Garlic, in this case. I had got some beautiful vine ripe tomatoes and the moment I saw the vine ripe I knew I was going to put them to good use.


Poondu kolambu over curd rice mudha

Cooking in chatti ( clay pot ) as we all know enhances the taste and earthenware absorbs the acidic effects of the tamarind making it safe for the stomach.

The resulting honey-like consistency of the kozhambu along with the buttery garlic awakes even a sober palette. I love to enjoy this kozhambu with idli and with curd rice.


Ingredients

- half a medium sized onion chopped
- 6 cloves of garlic whole
- two medium sized vine ripe tomatoes
- 1 and half tsp sambar powder
( Use 1 tsp chilli powder and half tsp dhaniya powder if you dont have sambar powder )
- For tempering, 1 tsp cumin, half tsp mustard, half tsp fenugreek, 6 curry leaves
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- Puree extracted from tamarind which is size of a lime
- salt to taste
- 2 tsp gingely oil (Gingely oil adds a special flavour)



1. Heat the chatti, add oil and when the oil is hot, temper with cumin, mustard, fenugreek and curry leaves

2. After the mustard splatters, add whole garlic cloves and saute for a couple of minutes.

3. Add chopped onion and chopped tomato with a couple of minute intervals.

4. Now add the sambar powder (or chillipowder & coriander powder), turmeric and salt.

5. After all the water comes out from the tomato ( may be 5 minutes ) add the tamarind puree and continue to cook till the sauce thickens and the garlic become soft.

6. Njoy over curd rice, dhal rice, plain rice or even chappathis and idlis.