Chettinadu Poondu Kuzhambu / Spicy Garlic Tamarind Curry | South Indian Curry Recipes

Chettinadu is a region in Tamilnadu, the Southern state of India. The recipes specializes in using freshly ground spices added to make tasty food. Most of the recipes are spicy and tangy with the liberal use of the flavorful spices and herbs native to India. Did you know that many south indian dishes taste better if pearl onions are used instead of the regular onions. Also no, we do not add curry leaves to every dish but there are certain dishes which just can't be made without the aroma of the curry leaves in it. This is one such kuzhambu which has simple ingredients but makes you want to go for another serving.

Ingredients:
In standard cup measurements
Garlic - 3 whole - 1/2 cup heaped
Pearl onions - 10
Tamarind - size of a lemon
Pepper corns - 1-1/2 tsp
Ghee - a few drops
Coriander powder - 1/4 tsp
Tomato - 2 (medium sized, about 1 cup chopped)
Onion - 1/2 cup (chopped) or 10 pearl onions
Sesame oil - 4 tbsp
Tempering:
Fenugreek seeds / vendhayam - 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - a few
Asafoetida - a pinch

Method:
Soak the tamarind in hot water and extract about 3 cups of juice. Roast the pepper corns in ghee. Make a fine powder. Grind the tomato and onion to make a paste. Heat sesame oil in a kadai and splutter the ingredients for temepring. Add the peeled garlic cloves and pearl onions and fry until it is almost cooked. Add the ground pepper powder, coriander powder and fry for another minute. Pour the ground paste and cook in medium heat until the raw smell disappears and the oil oozes out of the mixture. Mix the tamarind juice and salt. Allow it to come to a boil in med-high heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve hot over rice with a simple poriyal or fryums.
For the Carrot Beans Poriyal featured in the picture, click here.\
Linking this up to Flavor with Spices - #1.