Pachai Payaru Kuzhambu | Siru Payiru Kuzhambu | Green Gram Curry

This is a healthier and tastier kuzhambu. The process may look longer but it is a very simple recipe like sambar. So don't get afraid looking at the long steps. Once done you will feel those steps are very simple at the end. I learned this recipe from my brother who makes it perfectly. My hubby loves this a lot and ask me to make this frequently.

For better taste try to use whole green gram instead of split dal. There are several key components to this sirupayiru kuzhambu - raw plaintain, pumpkin, potato, brinjal, green gram dal alongside ground onion, green chilli paste. If you are interested, check my Siru Kizhangu Kootu which is made using green gram.

Sirupayiru Kuzhambu

Recipe Cuisine: Tamil Nadu / South Indian | Recipe Category: Kuzhambu

Prep Time: 10 mins | Cooking Time: 30 mins | Serves: 6

Ingredients:

Sirupayiru / Whole Greengram - 1 cup

Pumpkin - 1 cup

Raw plaintain - 1

Potato - 1

Brinjal - 4

Onion - 1, sliced
Tamarind - small ball sized

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - 3 sprigs

Salt - to taste

To roast and grind 1:

Coriander seeds - 3 tsp

Toor dal - 1 tsp

Cumin - 1/2 tsp

Rice - 1 tsp

Fenugreek - 1/2 tsp

Channa dal / Kadalai Paruppu - 1/2 tsp

Dry Chilli - 4

To grind2:

Small onion - 8 to 10

Green chilli - 6

To grind3:

Coconut - 2 tblspn

Cumin - 1/2 tsp

Method:

Take a pan, drizzle little oil. In low flame, roast the green gram till it changes colour. Transfer it to a plate and allow it to cool down.

Now with the help of a mortar, split the green gram by rolling over it. Blow off the unwanted skin that you got by rolling.

Adding enough water, pressure cook the split dal for 5 whistle or till cooked. Mash it well and keep aside.

In a pan, dry roast ingredients listed above to "to roast and grind". Grind them into a smooth powder. Also grind 2nd and 3rd list separately without adding water.

Meanwhile, chop the vegetables(do not peel skins of pumpkin and potato).

Take a vessel, take the chopped vegetables, ground masala, turmeric and curry leaves.

After 5 mins, add in sliced onion.

When the vegetables are cooked, add the mashed green gram dal, salt, onion chilli paste(paste2), coconut cumin paste(paste3) and tamarind extract. Mix them well and check for salt.

Cook for 10 mins stirring in between because the dal may settle down and burn on the bottom.

Serve with rice and citron pachadi.

Notes:

• Addition of pumpkin is a must.
• In addition, you can add 2 tsp of chopped citron.
• You can add some ghee to this while serving. But this is optional.
• It was not very spicy. If you want a spicy kuzhambu, you can increase the green chilli.

Pictorial:

Keep all your ingredients ready

Drizzle little oil and roast green gram till it changes color. Transfer it to a plate and cool down a bit

In the same pan, add the ingredients listed under "to roast and grind" and roast till coriander becomes golden brown. Do not let it turn dark

Cool them and grind it to a smooth powder

Split the green gram with the help of a mortar by rolling over it. Blow off the excess skin from it

After blowing away the excess skin, take it in a pressure cooker and add enough water to cook it

Pressure cook the green gram for 5 whistles as it will be not easily cooked

Chop the vegetables and clean them. Do not remove the skin of pumpkin, potato

Take the vegetables in a vessel. Add enough water to cook them

followed by turmeric, salt and curry leaves

Immediately, add the ground masala.

Cover and cook them for 5 mins

After 5 mins, add in sliced onion

Before the vegetables get cooked, grind onion and green chilli into a coarse paste. Also grind coconut and cumin without adding water

Once the pressure subsides, mash the cooked green gram

Check the vegetables if it is cooked

Once the vegetables got cooked add the mashed green gram

Add some tamarind extract which is extracted from a small gooseberry sized ball

Immediately  add the ground onion chilli paste

Add some coconut cumin paste. All the 4 items are added at the same time

Add enough water and boil for 15 mins

The consistency of this kuzhambu is not too thick and not very watery. Once done, put off the flame

Serve with citron pickle