Hema's Cuisine: Beetroot Tamarind Curry

This is one of the traditional Tamil Nadu curry (puli kulambu or vatha kulambu) altered to include beetroot. #Beetroot vatha kulambhu , #Beetroot Odiyalu chutney #Beetroot imalee chutney
The recipe includes ingredients having 6 different taste ( Sweet , Sour , Salty, Bitter, Pungent, Astringent) which makes it more special.

Ingredients

Beetroot - 2 medium sized (chopped length wise)
Garlic - 2 nos larger size (peeled)
Onions - 3 medium sized or Shallots - 10-15 nos. (finely chopped)
Tomatoes - 2 medium sized finely chopped
Tamarind - 1 big lemon size ( add required water to make sauce) [ taste : Sour ]
Fenugreek seeds - few (taste : astringent)
Dried turkey berry (Vathal) - 10-15 nos (taste: bitter)
Chilli powder - 1.5 teaspoon
Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon
Jaggery - few ( taste: sweet)
Oil - 7 teaspoon
Red chilies - 3 nos.(taste : spicy)
Mustard seeds - few
Asafoetida - required quantity

Array of ingredients:

Method

1. Add little oil and deep fry the vathal (Dried turkey berry) until crispy and until colour slightly changes - The turkey berry is added to give very lite bitter flavor to the recipe and if you do not want it - the steps involving turkey berry can be skipped.

2. In a wide bottomed pan, add 7-8 spoons of oil, preferably gingelly oil ,if not any other cooking oil would do., Make sure the flame is kept in low.
when the oil is hot ,add fenugreek seeds into it and gently fry until the seeds turn light brown. Too much frying would spoil the taste.

3. Add mustard seeds and once it starts splutters, add the red chillies. As I used gingelly oil the appearance is foamy..

4. Now add the peeled garlic pieces and fry for 2-3 minutes until the garlic is tender.

5. Add some asafoetida to it.

The consistency should be as below

7. Now, add finely chopped onions to it (Shallots preferable )

Add little salt to make the onions moisture which will help in quick frying. Fry the onions until they are glossy and transparent.

8.Now, add finely chopped tomatoes and fry really well. you could close the lid and allow the onion + tomato mixture to fry well until oil oozes out. It is important that we allow enough time to get the required consistency.

9. While waiting, extract the tamarind juice into a thick sauce as shown, filter and keep aside.

10. Frying of the mixture should be done within 10-15 minutes , once oil oozes out ,add 1.5 teaspoon of chilli powder, 1 teaspoon of coriander powder, required salt and mix well together.The quantity of chilli powder can be reduced according to the taste. ( The mentioned quantity is for medium to high spicy lovers).

11. Once mixed well, add chopped beetroot and mix well again

12. Allow the mixture in a lower flame for 3-4 minutes until the raw smell of the beetroot goes.

13. Now add water to a level that is required to boil the beetroot , here we do not require thinner gravy, water level should be just above the ingredients.

14. Allow them to boil by closing the lid, once beetroots are half cooked and becomes softer than before, add the dried fried turkey berries.

15. Mix well again, close the lid and allow it to boil until the water is almost absorbed.

16. When the mixture forms like a thicker paste (it is okay if we have some liquid) , add the tamarind sauce into it .

17. Allow them to boil well until oil oozes out and finally add grated jaggery into it.
The dishes involving tamarind becomes more delicious when we add jaggery.

18.Allow the gravy boil for few more minutes until the jaggery is completely dissolved, check for taste and add salt if required. Add curry leaves to give a finishing touch.