Vethal Kozhambu

Vethal Kozhambu, or simply called Vethakkozhambu is one of my favourite gravy. It is a spicy, sour, tangy gravy with a slight tinge of bitterness. It is best eaten with rice, but what I love to do is to store it over-night in the refrigerator and use it as a side dish with curd rice. It tastes absolutely delicious. So before I make you drool (myself included), here is the recipe

Ingredients

Tamarind - golf ball sized
2 tablespoon gingely oil.
1 spoon urad dal
1 spoon toor dal
3-4 medium sized brinjal or a few tindli
2 spoons vethal kozhambu powder
Salt to taste

Soak the tamarind in a bowl of water. It is good to heat the water slightly as it will soften the tamarind faster.
In a pan, add the gingely oil and fry the vegetable until it is almost turning black. Remove the vegetables and set it aside.
Fry the urad and toor dal in the remaining oil until brown. Add the tamarind water and let it boil till the smell of tamarind fades away completely.
Add the vegetable now.
Add two spoons of the vethal kozhambu powder and stir well to avoid lumps.
Reduce the flame to sim and let it blend and cook well.

Tip: If you do not have the vegetable, you can also add plain papad after it is fried. Fry the papad normally and break it into small pieces. Add the pieces finally after the vethal kozhambu powder is added.