Appalam Vathakozhambu

This is another kozhambu I tried when we were in Chennai.  I got the recipe from a aunt who visits our place very often and she is a very good cook too. I just followed the same recipe.

Ingredients:-

• Tamarind -a medium lemon sized
• ulundhu Papad/appalam - 3 or 4 acc to the required quantity
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Sambar powder - 3/4 tsp (acc to taste)
• Salt to taste
• Hing -  a pinch
• Sesame Oil - 3 tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Urad dhall - 1/2 tsp
• Red chillies - 1
• curry Leaves - few for garnishing

  Ingredients required for roast and Grind:-

• Coriander seeds - 2 tsp
• Channa dhall - 1 tsp
• Uradh dhall - 1 tsp
• Pepper  - 1 tsp (acc to taste)
• Red chillies - 2 or 3 (acc to taste)
• Fenugreek seeds - 1 1/2 tsp

Soak tamarind in water for half hour. In the mean time, dry roast the ingredients given for roasting and let it cool. Squeeze out water from the tamarind and keep it aside. Grind the roasted ingredients and keep it aside. Now take a heavy bottomed pan, . preheat oil, splutter mustard seeds, add urad dhall & red chillies and fry it till it becomes red. Now add appalam pieces to it and fry it for few seconds. Now add the tamarind water, turmeric powder, sambar powder, salt and let it boil for five minutes. Now the ground powder to the boiling kozhambu and let it boil for another 7 to 10 minutes. A nice aroma will come after few minutes. Once you get the required consistency, switch off the stove.  Serve it hot with hot rice.

Excess roasted powder can be stored in an air tight container and can be used in future.