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 Ennai kathirikkai kuzhambu (Stuffed eggplant kuzhambu) | |
| Place of origin | Tamil Nadu, India |
|---|---|
| Region or state | South India andSri Lanka |
| Created by | / |
| Main ingredients | tamarind,vegetables |
Kuḻambu (Tamil:குழம்பு), is a tamarind-based curry inTamil cuisine popular inTamil Nadu andSri Lanka[1] that can include a variety of meat, vegetables, and in some cases,dal.
Kuḻambu is based on abroth made withtamarind, a blend of spices that include groundcoriander seeds,fenugreek, andtoor dal, and can include fresh or dried vegetables, blended freshcoconut, or dried lentil balls (vadagam,Tamil:வடகம்). It can be made watery like a broth or thick like a gravy. The dish is very popular as a side dish for rice in the northern regions ofSri Lanka and the southern regions ofIndia, especially in Tamil Nadu,Karnataka, andKerala. InTelangana andAndhra Pradesh, Kuḻambu is calledPulusu (పులుసు). InKarnataka, it is calledSaaru. The number of varieties of Kuḻambu are countless, with each region and community of Tamil Nadu preparing it with a typical variation, adapted to its taste and environment.
It is a common misconception that lentils (dal) is a staple ingredient in Kuḻambu. There are varieties of Kuḻambu, such as paruppu (Tamil:பருப்பு, meaning dal) Kuḻambu and pattani Kuḻambu that contain lentils, but the vast majority do not use dal beyond the small quantity used as a spice or during tempering.
The preparation of Kuḻambu vary greatly with the type of Kuḻambu to be made, but its basic preparation methods include first temperingcurry leaves, whole blackmustard seeds, wholecumin seeds, dry redchili pepper, and often splituraddal overvegetable oil on a heated stove. For Kuḻambu that includes vegetables, they are cut and then added to the fry, with shallots, and garlic being added first, and pureed or diced tomatoes going last. Salt and ground spices are added next (which are often pre-prepared), and finally tamarind juice (tamarind soaked in water), or tamarind concentrate and water. For meat or fish Kuḻambu vegetables are sauteed as described above, the meat or fish is then added and allowed to mix with the sauteed vegetables. Then a broth made of ground coconut, water and masala is added last. Meat Kuḻambu is usually thicker. The dish is then cooked for approximately 20 minutes and usually served with rice.
The following is a small list of the hundreds of varieties of Kuḻambu popular inTamil cuisine. These types of Kuḻambu all include a base of tamarind, urad and toor dals, and spices such as curry leaves, chili, and salt. Many of these varieties also include tomatoes or tomato juice as part of the base.
| Name | Distinguishing Ingredient(s) |
|---|---|
| Vathal Kuḻambu | turkey berry,shallots |
| Milagu Kuḻambu | black pepper |
| Kara Kuḻambu | onion,green chili,tomatoes |
| Mor Kuḻambu | thickbuttermilk,channa dal,ash gourd,okra,pumpkin |
| Poondu Kuḻambu | garlic |
| Kathirikkai Kulambu | Eggplant |
| Vazhakai Kuḻambu | plantain |
| Vendakai Kuḻambu | okra |
| Poricha Kuḻambu | mixed vegetables,black pepper, ample amounts ofdal |
| Thakkali Kuḻambu | more than usual proportions of Tomato puree |
| Muttai Kuḻambu | Egg |
| Meen Kuḻambu | Fish |
| Kozhi Kuḻambu | Chicken |
