Vendakkai Puli Kuzhambu/Vendakkai Kuzhambu/Vendakkai Puli Kuzhambu with Coconut/LadiesFinger Tamarind Gravy/Okra Puli Kuzhambu

Vendakkai Puli Kuzhambu is very popular spicy and tangy gravy served for lunch along with steam cooked white rice in South India. This puli kuzhambu is my favourite because it is made fresh ground masala paste, but if you are in a rush and running out of time, you can very well replace it with red chilli powder and coriander powder. Usually this vendakkai puli kuzhambu is done with shallots/sambar vengayam, but with sky rocketing prices of onions, I have used the regular onions to make the gravy. Do try out this tangy and delicious Vendakkai Puli Kuzhambu and post your comments here. Meanwhile do check out other interesting and tasty South Indian Kuzhambu/Gravy varieties here.

Here’s how to make Vendakkai Puli Kuzhambu with step by step photos…

Ingredients

Vendakkai/Okra/Ladies Finger	12-15
Onion	½ onion or one small onion finely chopped
Green Chillies	1 slit lengthwise
Garlic Cloves	12-15
Turmeric Powder	½ tsp
Tamarind/Puli	One small lemon size ball
Salt	As needed
Oil/Nallaennai	2 tsp

For Roasting & Grinding

Oil/Nallaennai	1 tsp
Dry Red Chillies	8-10
Dhaniya/Coriander Seeds	2 tbsp
Onion	½ onion finely chopped or one small onion
Tomatoes	2 small finely chopped
Coconut	10-12 pieces or ½ cup grated coconut

For Tempering

Oil/Nallaennai	1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds/Kadugu	½ tsp
Cumin Seeds/Jeeragam	½ tsp
Vendhayam/Fenugreek Seeds	¼ tsp
Curry Leaves	10-12

Or use Thalippu Vadagam/Vadagam 1 tbsp for tempering

Preparation Time: 10-12 minutes

Cooking Time: 25 -30minutes

Author: Priya Anandakumar

Method

Soak lemon sized tamarind in 1 cup warm water and extract the juice. Add another cup of water to the tamarind extract and keep it ready.

Wash and cut the ends of the vendakkai/ladies finger, chop them to 1 inch big pieces and keep it aside.

Chop onions, green chillies and tomatoes and keep it ready. Peel the garlic and keep it aside.

Heat 2 tsp of il in a kadai, add the chopped vendakkai/ladies finger, little salt and saute well for about 5 minutes until the stickiness is gone.

Transfer the vendakkai/okra to a plate and keep it aside.

Roasting and Grinding

In the same pan add 1tsp of oil, then add dry red chillies and fry well for about 20-30 seconds. Now add coriander seeds/dhaniya and fry well until you get a nice aroma.

Add finely chopped onions and fry until it turns to golden brown color.

Add chopped tomatoes and fry until they turn mushy.

Finally add coconut, stir well and switch off the stove.

Let it cool completely, add the mixture to the blender/mixer and grind it fine paste with little water.

To Make Gravy/Puli Kuzhambu

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a kadai/pan, splutter mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek/vendhayam, curry leaves and fry until it turns crispy. I have used ThallippuVengaya Vadagam, if you are using vengaya vadagam you can skip the tempering ingredients and just add curry leaves along with vengaya vadagam.

Add finely chopped onions, green chillies, garlic and fry well until it turns golden brown color.

Now add the tamarind extract and let it come to boil. Add the required salt at this stage.

Add the ground masala paste to the tamarind extract, turmeric powder and let it boil for about 5 minutes.

Now add the fried vendakkai/okra and let the gravy boil well for another 15-20 minutes or until done. Switch off the stove once the kuzhambu has become thick in consistency and oil separates in the edges of the pan.

Yes, delicious, spicy and tangy Vendakkai Puli Kuzhambu is ready to be enjoyed. Serve it hot with steam cooked white rice or as side dish for idlis, dosas or chapathis.

Thank you all for visiting my space, please come back again for more traditional andauthentic kuzhambu varieties from my kitchen.

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Have a great day and enjoy.

Until then I am signing off…