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Home / Dal & Curry Recipes / Vathal kuzhambu recipe | How to make vatha kuzhambu | kuzhambu recipes

Published: January 29, 2018 | Updated October 12, 2020 | By Harini

Vathal kuzhambu recipe | How to make vatha kuzhambu | kuzhambu recipes

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Vathal Kuzhambu Recipe

Vathal kuzhambu recipe with step by step photos. Vathal kuzhambu also known as vatha kuzhambu is a popular south Indian gravy made with tamarind base. Vathal means sun dried items in Tamil. Vathal kuzhambu is made with various sun dried vegetables. It is a comfort food for many people including me 🙂

Vathal kuzhambu with sun dried vegetables

Vathal kuzhambu is easy to make spicy tangy gravy. It is made in Tamil homes at least once in a week. There are some famous vathal kuzhambu recipe variations like Iyengar vathal kuzhambu, kalyana vatha kuzhambu, chettinad vathal kuzhambu. Usually sundakkai vathal kuzhambu made with sun dried turkey berries is the most popular one. I personally prefer manathakkali vathal kuzhambu too.

This is a basic vathal kuzhambu recipe I am adding here. I have used a mix of vathal for this kuzhambu recipe. I have used sun dried eggplants, broad beans, cluster beans and turkey berries in this vatha kuzhambu. You can use any one vathal or a mix of many too.

To make best vathal kuzhambu recipe use aged tamarind. Aged tamarind is not overly sore and it gives a deep color to the vathal kuzhambu. You can use regular homemade sambar powder o vathal kuzhambu podi to make vatha kuzhambu. I use homemade vatha kuzhambu podi for kuzhambu.

Always use gingely oil to make vathal kuzhambu. Gingely oil is used generously in this recipe. Use very good quality oil. I used wood pressed gingely oil in my recipes for its flavor and nutrition. If gingely oil is not available you can use sesame oil or ground nut oil. Be generous with gingely oil. Vatha kuzhambu should have a layer of oil floating atop. A well made vatha kuzhambu keeps well for a week at room temperature. Vathal kuzhambu for travel is a ideal choice.

We add small onions in vathal kuzhambu apart from sun dried vegetables. Small onions lend wonderful taste and flavor to this kuzhambu. For making no onion garlic vathal kuzhambu you can skip onion. You can use generous quantity of asafoetida in place of onion. I use a teaspoon of jaggery in this kuzhambu to round off the flavors. A small amount of jaggery makes a world of difference in this kuzhambu.

You can serve vatha kuzhambu with keerai masiyal, cabbage kootu, potato fry or vendakkai poriyal. Even tomato or okra raita goes well with this kuzhambu.

If you are looking for more kuzhambu recipes do check kara kuzhambu, arapuli kuzhambu, vendakkai puli kuzhambu, ennai kathrikai kuzhambu, milagu kuzhambu, poondu kuzhambu recipes.

Vatha kuzhambu Tamil recipe

Vathal kuzhambu recipe with step by step photos.

1. Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup warm water for 15 minutes and extract thick juice. You can use 3 tablespoons readymade tamarind pulp too.

2. Heat oil in a thick pan. Temper with mustard seeds, methi seeds and curry leaves.

3. Add peeled small onions and saute well for 2 minutes. Add the sundried vathal and mix well.

Onions for vathal kuzhambu recipe

vathal for vathal kuzhambu recipe

4. Add turmeric powder, sambar powder or vatha kuzhambu powder and mix very well.

seasoning for vathal kuzhambu recipe

vathal-kuzhambu-recipe4

5. Add the tamarind pulp and mix well. Bring to a boil.

tamarind pulp for vathal kuzhambu recipe

6. Add 2 cups water. Season with salt. Let the kuzhambu boil for 7-8 minutes. Then simmer for 6-7 minutes. The kuzhambu will thicken well.

making of vathal kuzhambu recipe

7. Once the gravy reaches the desired consistency, add 2 tablespoons gingely oil and remove from flame. Mix well. Serve vathal kuzhambu hot with steamed rice.

Vathal kuzhambu recipe card below:

 

Vathal kuzhambu with sun dried vegetables

Vathal kuzhambu recipe | How to make vatha kuzhambu

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Vathal kuzhambu recipe-south Indian style spicy tangy gravy with sun dried vegetables and tamarind.
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 35 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4
Calories 462 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 small lemon sized tamarnd OR 3 tablespoons tamarind pulp
  • 4 tablespoons gingely oil 2 more tablespoons
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon methi seeds
  • 10 curry leaves
  • 10 small onions
  • 1/4 cup sun dried turkey berries OR mix of sun dried vegetables
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 3 tablespoons sambar powder or vathal kuzhambu powder
  • 1 teaspoon jaggery
  • Salt to taste

Instructions
 

  • Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup warm water for 15 minutes and extract thick juice. You can use 3 tablespoons ready made tamarind pulp too.
  • Heat oil in a thick pan. Temper with mustard seeds, methi seeds and curry leaves. 
  • Add peeled small onions and saute well for 2 minutes. Add the sundried vathal and mix well. 
  • Add turmeric powder, sambar powder or vatha kuzhambu powder and mix very well.
  • Add the tamarind pulp and mix well. Bring to a boil. 
  • Add 2 cups water. Season with salt. Let the kuzhambu boil for 7-8 minutes. Then simmer for 6-7 minutes. The kuzhambu will thicken well. Add jaggery and mix well.
  • Once the gravy reaches the desired consistency, add 2 tablespoons gingely oil and remove from flame. Mix well. Serve vathal kuzhambu hot with steamed rice.

Nutrition

Calories: 462kcal
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Shared by Harini

About Harini

I am Harini. The recipe developer, food photographer and chef behind cook click n devour. My aim behind this blog is to provide easy, tried and tested recipes that beginners can cook with confidence. I took keen interest in cooking and took courses on cooking, baking during teens purely out of passion. With a decade of cooking experience I am glad to share my recipes and culinary knowledge with you all here. Stay tuned and happy cooking!
Harini :)

Comments

  1. Dharunya says

    January 31, 2018 at 7:35 pm

    5 stars
    Tried this vathal kuzhambu yesterday and loved it to the core. It was so tangy and comforting.

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Hello, I am Harini


The chef, author and photograper of cook click n devour.Here I bring to you tried and tested vegetarian recipes with step by step photos and videos to make cooking a pleasure and fulfilling experience. Happy cooking!
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