Bonda Moru Kuzhambu

This is a popular south Indian dish made of curd/yogurt and is the counterpart of the North Indian Kadi. In the North Indian Kadi chickpea flour or besan is used to give body to the dish, whereas in Mor Kuzhambu, Chana dal and Tuvar dal( yellow lentils and gram) along with coconut and coriander seeds are used to give body. The masalas used in Kadi are in powdered form, whereas in the South Indian Mor Kuzhambu the whole masalas are ground to a paste.

The array of vegetables that can be used in making this dish is huge. Vegetables like Plantains, Brinjal, Colaccasia/Arbi, Ash gourd, Pumpkin, Mango(ripe), Bhindi/Vendakai can be used to make this dish. These vegetables are used in a combination or individually to make the Mor Kuzhambu. Sometimes lentil dumplings are also used. 

In this recipe, I am showing the method for the Bonda/Dumpling Moru Kuzhambu. This is a dish that I used to make so often in the past and then stopped making altogether for the past two years, for no specific reason ofcourse. Though the Moru Kuzhambu/Kadi is a weekly dish in my house, the Bonda Moru Kuzhambu I make only once in a while.

Usually, Urad dal/ Black lentils are soaked and ground to a fine batter and then deep-fried in oil. There is a popular south Indian snack called Mysore Bonda, so these Bondas are put in the Kadi. I make this in a much simpler fashion though. Idli/Dosa batter is a staple in all our homes, I have used that to make the Bondas with a little additional flours. That’s all. 

While you are here please check out other recipes by me like Vatha Kozhambu, Moru Kuzhambu with Bhindi, Gutti Vankaya Kura, Drumstick curry, Brinjal Pepper masala, Pachai Sundakkai Kuzhambu, and many more…

   Here is the recipe for Bonda Moru Kuzhambu-

 

 

 

 

 

 

   Ingredients:

   To Soak for 15 mins:

    Dhania/Coriander seeds 1 tbsp

   Jeera 1/2 tsp

   Chana dal 1.5 tsp

   Tuvar dal 1 tsp

   Dry red chilli  1

   Methi seeds a pinch(optional)

   To grind:

   Green chilli 1 big

   Ginger1/2 inch piece

   Coconut 2 tbsp +

    All soaked ingredients after draining water.

   Curd 300 ml or 2 cups(refer method) (1 cup=150ml)

    For the Bondas/lentil Dumplings:

    Idli/Dosa batter 1.5 cup

   Rice flour 1.5 tbsp

   Green chillies 2 chopped

   Ginger 1/2 inch piece chopped

   Cumin- pepper powder 1 tsp

   Curry leaves a few

   Oil for frying the dumplings

    For tempering:

    Oil 1 tbsp

   Mustard seeds 1 tsp

   Cumin seeds/Jeera 1/2 tsp

   Dry red chillies 2 broken 

   urad dal 1 tsp

   Chana dal 1/2 tsp

   Curry leaves a few

   salt to taste

 

   Directions: 

   Soak all ingredients mentioned under “to soak” for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, drain water and put the soaked ingredients into a blender. Add the ingredients mentioned under “to grind” except the curd and grind them to a coarse mixture. Now add 2 tbsp curd to the coarse mixture and grind again to a smooth paste.

While the above ingredients are soaking, let’s fry the Bondas. To the Idli/Dosa batter add the rice flour, green chillies, ginger, cumin-pepper powder, and curry leaves and mix nicely. Heat oil in a Kadai for deep frying the Bondas. Now drop a small amount of batter into the oil with your finger or one can use a tablespoon to do it. Drop tiny amounts of batter, because they fluff up in the oil. Repeat for all batter, drain in absorbent paper and keep aside.

Now put a Kadai on the flame and pour the ground paste into it. Reduce the flame and add 1 to 1.5 cups of water and simmer it. The paste has to cook well, for about 2 minutes or until the raw taste of the masalas is gone. Now smoothen the remaining curd(we used only 2 tbsp for the paste) with a whisk or give it a single spin in the blender and pour this curd into the cooking paste. Add turmeric powder and salt. The flame should be low throughout. Once the curd is poured, keep stirring constantly for a few minutes. This should take approximately 2 minutes and then switch off the flame. Once the curd is poured, it should not simmer for long. Now add the fried Bondas. Now in a small Kadai heat oil, add all the tempering ingredients, fry them and add to the Mor Kuzhambu.

 Let the Bondas soak for 10 minutes. The tasty Bonda Mor Kuzhambu is ready to relish.

Serving Suggestions: Hot rice and Parupu Usili on the sides. It is a match made in heaven with Coconut(Thengai ) Sevai(rice hoopers) or even with Coconut rice.

 

STEPWISE RECIPE FOLLOWS

1.  Assemble all ingredients. Soak all ingredients mentioned under “to soak” for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, drain water and put the soaked ingredients into a blender.

 

 

 

2. For the same reason once the curd is poured into the masala paste it has to be stirred constantly, to avoid separating of water and curd, which will turn the dish runny.

3. To fry the Bondas use a spoon to drop the batter, as it is safer. At a time a few Bondas can be fried. 

 

If you tried this recipe and liked it please comment below. I would love to hear from you. If you have a query about the recipe email us and ill respond as soon as I can.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pachai Sundakkai Kuzhambu (Chettinad Style)

Sundakkai/ Chundakkai in Tamil or Turkery Berry in English, as it is widely known, is a vegetable used in South Indian cooking to make a Kuzhambu or a  gravy in which these berries are simmered with spices. As tasty as the Kuzhambu tastes, the berries are slightly bitter and have many medicinal benefits. This Vegetable is also known as Kudenekayi in Kannada or Usthikaya in Telugu. In Hindi it is called Bankatiya. I am giving here different names so that if you know this vegetable, one must try out recipes made of it because of its medicinal properties.

In SouthIndia the berries are blanched and then dried in the sun for a few days until it changes colour and is completely dry. The dried berries are then stored in an airtight jar then used to make the Sundakkai Vathakuzhambu. The dried berries are also fried in ghee and make an yummy accompaniment for curd rice. The berries fried in ghee are also mixed with hot rice and eaten as it is believed that it helps in deworming.

Health benefits of Sundakkai/ Turkey Berry-  cures common cold, helps in treating kidney related issues, treats Anaemia, helps in treating cough and asthma, clears mucus, help in controlling diabetes, and they heal gastric ulcers.1Berry myriad benefits. 

In this recipe I am using the fresh Sundakkai and not the dried ones( Vathal).  Here the berries are cooked in tamarind sauce with a spicy, ground masala paste. The fresh berries are little bitter and so have to smashed using a pestle, so that as the Berry gets cooked in the tamarind pulp the bitterness is reduced. I am calling this a Chettinad style Kuzhambu because the masala paste used here is the Chettinad masala paste.

While you are here check out my other recipes like Vathakuzhambu, Rasam, Coriander rice, Karuvepilai Podi and rice, Mor Kuzhambu and more.

 

Here is the recipe of Pachai Sundakkai Kuzhambu for you-

 

Ingredients:

Sundakkai/ Turkey Berry (fresh) 150 gm

Tamarind paste  1.5 tbsp ( or pulp of lemon sized ball)

Onion 1 (medium) diced

Tomato 1 large chopped roughly

Garlic 10 to 12 cloves

Curry leaves a few leaves

Green chillies 2

Gingelly/Til/Sesame oil 1.5 tbsp

Asafoetida 1/2 tsp

To grind:

Coriander seeds 1 tbsp

Fennel seeds 1.5 tsp

Dry red chilli 2

Kashmiri dry red chilli 1(optional)

Coconut gratings 1.5 tbsp

To temper:

Mustard seeds 1 tsp

Chana dal(gram) 1 tsp

Dry red chilli 1 broken

Methi/ fenugreek seeds 1 pinch

Asafoetida 1/2 tsp

 

Method:

Wash and pat dry the Sundakkai/Turkey berry. Now with a mortar and pestle smash it lightly, such that it splits midway(refer picture). Now in a pan heat oil, add all ingredients under tempering followed by asafoetida and fry for 30 seconds. Now add the lightly crushed Sundakkai to the tempering and fry nicely for a minute.Now add the garlic cloves followed by onion, curry leaves and green chillies and continue to saute for 2 minutes. Now add the tomatoes and saute  until the tomatoes turn tender. Add the tamarind paste followed by 2.5 cups water (or) add the pulp extracted from lemon sized ball of tamarind. Stir nicely and begin boiling. Add turmeric powder and cook until the Sundakkai turns tender. Check for doneness of Sundakkai by crushing one with a spoon/ladle. If it mashes easily the berries are cooked. Now grind all the ingredients under “to grind” to a coarse mixture, then add 1/2 cup water and grind to a smooth paste. Add this paste to the Sundakkai simmering in the Tamarind pulp,stir well and allow to cook. Continue cooking until the gravy thickens and the raw small of the masala is gone. The tasty and healthy Chettinad style Sundakkai Kuzhambu is ready.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS: With hot rice, with Dosa, Idli, pongal,

and Curd rice.

STEPWISE RECIPE FOLLOWS:

1. Assemble all ingredients. Wash and pat dry the Sundakkai/Turkey berry. Now with a mortar and pestle smash it lightly, such that it splits midway.

 

2. Now in a pan heat oil, add all ingredients under tempering followed by asafoetida and fry for 30 seconds. Now add the lightly crushed Sundakkai to the tempering and fry nicely for a minute.

 

3. Add the garlic cloves followed by onion, curry leaves and green chillies and continue to saute for 2 minutes. Now add the tomatoes and saute  until the tomatoes turn tender.  

 

4. Add the tamarind paste followed by 2.5 cups water (or) add the pulp extracted from lemon sized ball of tamarind. Stir nicely and begin boiling. Add turmeric powder and cook until the Sundakkai turns tender.

 

5. Now grind all the ingredients under “to grind” to a coarse mixture, then add 1/2 cup water and grind to a smooth paste. Add this paste to the Sundakkai simmering in the Tamarind pulp,stir well and allow to cook. Continue cooking until the gravy thickens and the raw small of the masala is gone. 

 

 

 

NOTES:

1. Follow the precedure given to split open the berry midway. The kuzhambu will taste to bitter if the berries are not split.

2. After the berries cook in the tamarind sauce, check for doneness by pressing them with a ladle or soon. If they crush easily, they are cooked.

3. I have used Gingelly/Til oil as it adds extra flavour to the dish. Unless one is allergic to sesame oil or does not like the taste I recommend using the oil. Alternately refined oil can be used.

    

If you tried this recipe and liked it please comment below. I would love to hear from you. If you have a query about the recipe email us and ill respond as soon as I can.