Vengaya Vatha Kuzhambu / Onion Vatha Kuzhambu ~ Day 80

This spicy, tangy and lip-smacking gravy is one of the authentic and traditional dish of Tambram household.  Onions cooked in tamarind gravy along with roasted peanuts and spices.  It is best paired with paruppu thogayal (toor dal chutney) or Keerai masiyal (mashed spinach) and sutta appalam (toasted papad).

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Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking rime: 25 minutes

Serves: 6

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Ingredients:

• Tamarind Juice - 1 cup (Soak golf ball sized tamarind in hot water for 15 minutes, squeeze the juice and discard the pulp)
• Onion (red or yellow) - 3, roughly chopped
• Sambar powder - 2 tbsp
• Red chili powder - 2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Jaggery - 1-inch piece
• Salt - to taste
• Curry leaves - few
• Water  2 cups

For tempering:

• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Ajwain / omam - 1 tsp
• Raw peanuts - 1/4 cup
• Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
• Sesame oil - 4 tbsp

Method:

1. Heat oil in a wide bottomed saucepan.  Splutter mustard seeds.  Add ajwain /omam, fenugreek seeds and peanuts. Fry until peanuts are roasted, about 2 minutes.
2. Add curry leaves, asafoetida and onions.  Fry the onions until soft and translucent.
3. Add the sambar powder, red chili powder, and turmeric powder.  Saute for 30 seconds, over low heat.
4. Add the tamarind juice along with 2 cups of water, jaggery, and salt.  Mix well and let it boil for 20 minutes, over medium low heat, until gravy thickens.  Gravy should be of a pouring consistency.
5. Remove from the heat and drizzle some sesame oil for extra flavor.  Add some more chopped curry leaves.
6. Serve with hot steamed rice, drizzled with ghee or sesame oil and sutta appalam / toasted papad.