Onion Garlic Kara Kuzhambu

Onion garlic kara kuzhambu is a flavourful kuzhambu which is our family favourite. It is very easy to prepare and it can be paired up with any kootu variety or curries or even simply with vadam or pappad. It can even be prepared the previous day night as it tastes great the next day. Though it tastes best with small onions, we can use big onions too. Here I have used big onions only. Also you can make it just with onions by skipping garlic also.

Onion Garlic Kara Kuzhambu Recipe

Serves  :  3 - 4 people

Ingredients

• Onion  -  2 medium sized (or) small onion -  8
• Garlic  -  4 to 5 medium sized pods
• Tamarind  -  a small gooseberry sized
• Sambar powder  -  4 tsp
• Red chilli powder  -  1 tsp
• Turmeric powder  -  1/2 tsp
• Salt  -  as required
• Mustard  -  1 tsp
• Fenugreek seeds  -  1/2 tsp
• Channa dal  -  1/2 tsp
• Red chilly(long variety)  - 1
• Asafoetida  -  a generous pinch
• Gingelly Oil  -  2 tbsp
• Curry leaves  -  few

Method

1. Soak tamarind in water and extract the juice. For this kuzhambu, we need to extract thick juice. So use water accordingly.
2. If using big onions, cut them into thin slices. Peel and chop the garlic into two, if they are big.
3. In a pan, add oil and add mustard. Once mustard crackles, add fenugreek seeds, channa dal, red chilly, asafoetida and half of the curry leaves.
4. Once the dal turns golden brown, add the onions and garlic and fry well.
5. Once onions turn transparent, add sambar powder, chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt and mix well. 
6. Add the tamarind juice and mix everything well. Add water if required.
7. Let the kuzhambu boil in low to medium flame. It has to be cooked till the raw smell of the powders and tamarind leave.
8. Once the kuzhambu thickens and the oil floats on top, add little curry leaves and switch off the stove.
9. Serve with hot rice topped with gingelly oil.
10. This can be refrigerated and stored for up to a day.

Notes

• Use gingelly oil for best flavour. If unavailable, use regular cooking oil.
• Always cook the kuzhambu in low flame so that the flavours are incorporated well and the thickness is achieved.
• The kuzhambu has to be thick and hence extract thick tamarind juice.
• You can adjust the quanities of sambar and red chilli powder according to your preference. I always use more of sambar powder and less red chilli powder.