Thakkali Kuzhambu / Thakkali Kuzhambu For Rice(With Coconut)

I have already shared a Thakkali Kuzhambu recipe which is served with tiffins items like idli, dosa, Appam, idiyappam. Today's recipe is an authentic version/country style thakkali kuzhambu which pairs well with rice & ragi kali. This is my Appa recipe..i have already mentioned about him in that Thakkali Kuzhambu post. Dads mother was expired when he was 7 or 8 yrs old. So he was brought up by his elder brothers & Appa. My dad used to cook at home for his brothers & Appa.
This thakkali kuzhambu is one of his signature dish which he learned from his neighbor aunts. I slightly tweaked the recipe to my taste. This is different from our regular version of thakkali kuzhambu. For this kuzhambu dad used to add boiled tomato puree. This kuzhambu was sitting in my draft for about six months and today its Tuesday - Tamizhar Samayal event of Nalini, but i did not have any post related to the event except this kuzhambu, so without further delay will get it into the recipe...

Preparation Time :  15 minutes

Cooking Time : 20-25 minutes

Serves   4

Ingredients

1. Onion   1 medium (chopped)
2. Tomato  3 no.
3. Ginger  1" piece(crushed)
4. Garlic   2 cloves(crushed)
5. Curry leaves    1 sprig
6. Turmeric Powder   1/4 tsp
7. Chilli Powder    1 tsp
8. Coriander Powder   1 and 1/2 tsp
9. Salt  to taste
10. Cilantro    5-7 sticks(chopped)

For Coconut Paste

1. Coconut   1/4 cup (shredded, fresh or frozen)
2. Poppy seeds   1/2 tsp

To Temper

1. Oil   2 tsp
2. Mustard seeds    1/4 tsp
3. Fennel seeds    1/4 tsp

Method

• Wash tomato and keep it in a sauce pan with enough water covering the tomato.
• Let it boil till the tomato skin peels off. Then switch off the stove and let it rest for few minutes.
• Then peel the skin and blend it and keep aside.

• And then heat oil in a kadai, add tempering ingredients and allow to pop mustard seeds.
• After that add crushed ginger and garlic and saute for few seconds.

• Then add finely chopped onions, curry leaves, sprinkle little salt and saute till turns soft and golden brown.
• And add chilli, coriander powder stir fry for a minute and add tomato puree mix well and add 1/2 cup water, turmeric powder and allow to boil.

• Once it starts boiling, add the coconut paste and add water to desired consistency(make it little thin).
• Cook in medium heat till coconut smell leaves, just a single boil is enough.

• Finally add some chopped cilantro and switch off the stove.
• That's it...Tangy & Tasty Thakkali Kuzhambu ready. Serve it with hot plain rice, i just love to add few drops of sesame oil on top. Give it a try!!