A very popular recipe from South India particularly Tamil nadu cuisine is the Vattal Kuzhambu, /Vattazh Kuzhambu , a deeply reduced aromatic tamrind sauce spiced with the Indian spices like cumin, fenugreek, red chillies.

And the star of the dish is the Sundakkai or the Manathakkali dried seeds , used to roast and simmer in the broth.

It lends a particularly sour, tangy spicy taste which is a great appetiser also. Even a sick person will not refuse a ladle of this sauce with plain rice and a dry roasted papad will suffice to satisfy the soul!.

Yes Soul food , that’s what it is!!

Ingredients to make the vatha kozhambu powder

1/3 cup coriander seeds

2 tbsp chana dal

2 tbsp toor dal

2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp udad dal

1/2 tsp asafoetida powder

red chillies

1 tsp methi seeds

Method

• Roast all above on a low heat , till fragrant , powder to a smooth texture .

• Store this for making delicious Vatha kozhambu or even for making flavorsome curries .

• To make the vatha kozhambu paste for making instant Vatha kozhambu

  Ingredients

• 1 small orange size tamrind ,

• extract juice to make 4-5 cups of tamrind water

• 1/4 cup gingelly oil

• 1tsp mustard seeds

• 2 tbsp dried black nightshade ( Manathakaali )

• 1 tsp cumin seeds

• asafoetida powder

• some broken red chillies

• 1 tsp methi seeds

• 1 tbsp toor dal

• some curry leaves

• salt as needed

• a pinch of jaggery about a tsp check video for method

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