Milagu Kozhambu | Pepper Kuzhambu ~How to make Milagu Kuzhambu
Milagu Kuzhambu or Pepper Kuzhambu is a tangy spicy Gravy with Black Pepper shining through. Served with Curd rice, steamed rice or Breakfast in Tamilnadu Cuisine
Equipment
- Thick Bottomed Pan Preferably Cast iron / Stone ware / clayware
- Spice Grinder
Ingredients
- 50 grams Tamarind Puli or 1 large gooseberry sized tamarind
- 2 cups Warm water
- 1.5 tsp Black Pepper
- 1/4 tsp Methi seeds
- 1 tsp split pigeon pea Thuvaram paruppu / Toor dal
- 1 tsp Bengal dal Kadalai paruppu / Channa dal
- 4 red chillies adjust spice
- 1 TBSP Jaggery Vellam, optional but recommended
- 1.5 tsp Salt or to taste
- 1.5 tsp Rice Powder Arisi Maavu
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 5 TBSP Gingelly Oil Sesame Oil/ Nallennai - divided use
- 1/2 tsp asafoetida Hing,skip for Gluten free version
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
Instructions
- Wash and soak tamarind in warm water for 10 mins. Squeeze the tamarind well, and extract pulp (approx 1500 ml).
- In a pan, roast Channa dal, chillies, black pepper, red chillies and curry leaves in 2 tsp of oil one by one. Let the curry leaves shrivel a bit. Cool, powder it slightly smooth. Keep aside.
- In a deep bottomed pan (or kadai), add 3 TBSP of oil.
- Splutter mustard seeds, toor dal, asafoetida, turmeric , and methi seeds. Let the methi seeds not burn else will give a bitter taste.
- Now add the tamarind pulp, salt, jaggery, 2 cups of water and bring it to rolling boil.
- Now add the powdered spice mix and saute for 2 mins on low flame)
- If its thick on its own, then no need to worry. If its too watery and you need to thicken it, make a slurry of rice flour in 2 tsp of water and add to the boiling mixture. It will thicken in 3-4 mins.
- Now transfer to serving bowl, add 3 tsp more of sesame oil. cover and use after 2 hours (it tastes better after 3-4 hours).
- Serve with Arisi Upma (broken rice savoury Upma / Pudding) or steamed rice and any dry curry.
Video
Notes
FAQs / Tips and Tricks to make the best Milagu Kuzhambu
- Keep the heat from the black pepper higher than the red chillies - this is the real deal.
- Roast the spices for the milagu Kuzhambu on low / medium heat. Cool and then powder.
- Don't skip / sub the sesame oil or its quantity here. That gives the authentic mouthfeel and taste
- Prepare the kuzhambu ahead of serving. The more it sits, the better the flavour.
- You can store this in the refrigerator for upto 15 days (as long as it lasts that much). I prefer to make a larger quantity especially before a trip / travel so it sits nicely till we come back and we can right away enjoy it with basic curd rice.
- The quantity / quality of the black pepper also might vary as does the tamarind. Use fresh spices as possible.
- Some folks add garlic to this kuzhambu. We prefer to make this without onion or garlic. Feel free to add these if you wish, at the time of sauteeing.
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