This is my all time favourite dish! Served with hot hot rice and applams! Smack! Anyday ……anytime…………alll the time!
For those of you who don’t know this dish………..It’s a very famous South Indian dish which is sour from the tamarind and is balanced out with the sweetness from the jaggery/ palm sugar. It is thicker than the usual curries. There is no thickening agent used. It’s made thick with just simmering for a longer time. Thats how it gets its name. ‘Vatha’ meaning ‘simmered’.
INGREDIENTS:
manathakali vathal – 3 tbsps
sesame oil/nallenai – 1/4 cup
mustard seeds – 1 tsp
fenugreek seeds/ vendhayam – 1 tsp
small onions/ chinna vengayam – 15
garlic – 6
tomato, pureed – 1
curry leaves – 10
sambar powder – 1 tbsp
red chili powder – 3 tsps (depends on your spice level)
turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
hing/asafoetida powder – 1/4 tsp
tamarind – big lime size soaked in 1 cup water
jaggery 1 tbsp
salt to taste
PROCESS:
- In a wok, heat the oil.
- Add the manathakali vathal and fry for about 2 minutes on medium flame.
- Remove from the oil and keep aside.
- Next, add the mustard seeds. Let it splutter.
- Add in the small onions, half the curry leaves and garlic and fry in the oil for about 2 to 3 minutes.
- When the garlic is about to change colour, add in the sambar powder, turmeric and chili powder.
- Let it fry in the oil for about 30 seconds.
- Add in the tomato puree and stir. Add the salt.
- Next, strain the tamarind and add the tamarind water. You can add another cup of water to the tamarind pulp and add the second extract too. Bring it to boil.
- Add the manathakali vathal. After 3 to 4 minutes you can add in the jaggery and the asafoetida. Close the lid and let it simmer till it reduces to half the quantity.
- When you reach the desired consistency (slightly thick) you can add the remaining curry leaves, close the lid and switch off the flame.
