Karuveppilai Poondu Kuzhambu | Curry Leaves Garlic Gravy

Tangy and spicy aromatic gravy infused with flavors of curry leaves and garlic.

Chef Damodaran’s ‘Suvaiyo Suvai’ is one cookery show that I love to watch. I like his country-style cooking and his way of preparing a dish makes you drooling. He made this spicy, tangy and flavorful gravy in one of the episodes.

Curry leaves and garlic are two of my favorite herbs that I try to incorporate in most of my dishes. They have several health benefits.

• Garlic has high anti-oxidants and helps in lowering blood pressure, cholesterol and regulate blood sugar. It’s a good anti-clotting herb and can prevent heart disease and cancer.
• Curry leaf helps for good digestion and is a good remedy for nausea. Curry leaves are also known to improve eyesight and good for hair growth and color.

Enjoy this gravy with plain rice and poriyal or parippu sadam. It serves as an side-dish for idli, dosa, appam, pongal etc.

Ingredients:

Curry leaves/Karuveppilai – 1 cup
Garlic – 15 big cloves
Tomato – 1 big
Tamarind – 1 lemon size
Onion – 1 big, sliced
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder – 3 tsp
Red chilly powder – 1 1/2 tsp
Ginger-garlic paste – 1 tsp
Green chilly – 2, slit
Gingelly oil – 3 tbsp + 1 tsp
Salt – to taste

Tempering/Tadka:
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Urad dal – 1/2 tsp
Whole red chillies – 2
Curry leaves – few

Method:

1. Heat 1 tsp oil and add curry leaves. Fry for 2-3 minutes.

2. Grind the curry leaves and tomato to a smooth puree.

3. Soak the tamarind in 1 cup hot water and extract the pulp. Keep aside.

4. Heat oil in a vessel and add the mustard seeds. When it pops, add urad dal, red chillies and curry leaves.

5. Add onions and fry till soft and translucent. Then add the ginger-garlic paste and fry for 2-3 minutes.

6. Lightly crush the garlic. Add the garlic and fry for 5-6 minutes.

7. Then add curry leaf- tomato puree, turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilly powder, green chilly, salt and mix well.

8. Bring to boil. Once it starts to boil, add the tamarind extract and boil for 5 minutes. Simmer and cook to a semi-thick consistency.