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Home » Asian » Indian

Published: Dec 4, 2018 · Modified: Sep 25, 2020 by Sandhya Ramakrishnan · This post may contain affiliate links

Arachuvitta Vathal Kuzhambu With Sundakkai And Drumstick

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Arachuvitta Vathal Kuzhambu with Sundakkai and Drumstick, is a flavorful gravy made that is a South Indian specialty and is perfect for the weekend lunch spread.

Arachuvitta Vathal Kuzhambu with Sundakkai and Drumstick

Vathal Kuzhambu is my comfort food! Luckily my boy's have taken over me and they would eat Vathal Kuzhambu every day of the week. I loved my Mother's Vathal Kuzhambu and have eaten nothing better than hers.

Luckily I have seen her make it many times and I am quite comfortable making a pretty good Vathal Kuzhambu.Just a couple of months before my mother passed away, she told me that she made a different kind of Vathal Kuzhambu called the Arachuvitta Vathal Kuzhambu and it tasted really good.

She gave me the recipe over the phone, but I did not write it down then. This Arachuvitta Vathal Kuzhambu has been in the back of my head since then. I just vaguely remember the recipe and hence never made it.

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Arachuvitta Vathal Kuzhambu with Sundakkai and Drumstick

Few months back, one of the member from a cooking group that I am a part of on Facebook, posted this recipe. I immediately remembered my mother's recipe and I was so happy. Thanks to Jayanthi Nagarajan Madam for her recipe. This Arachuvitta Vathal Kuzhambu, tastes just like the kind of vathal kuzhambu we eat at weddings and in restaurants.

The flavors were amazing and it also gave me a chance to use my favorite Sundakkai Vathal / dried Turkey berry. In the past, I have used the Sundakkai usually only in More Kuzhambu, but now I have one another recipe that I could use it in.

I made this Arachuvitta Vathal Kuzhambu over the weekend with Beans curry and Tomato Juice rasam. I am working on 'Meal time dishes' theme this week in BM and the Arachuvitta Vathal Kuzhambu is my first recipe under the theme.

Arachuvitta Vathal Kuzhambu with Sundakkai and Drumstick

Preparation time - 10 minutes
Cooking time - 40 minutes
Difficulty level - easy

Ingredients to make Arachuvitta Vathal Kuzhambu - Serves 4 to 6

  • Tamarind - large lemon size piece
  • Nallennai / Gingelly oil - 3 TBSP
  • Murungakkai / Drumstick - 15 pieces (2 inch piece)
  • Curry leaves - few
  • Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
  • Tuvaram Paruppu / Toor dal - 1 TBSP
  • Red chilies - 2
  • Asafetida - ¼ tsp
  • Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
  • Jaggery / brown sugar - 1 TBSP
  • Salt - to taste

To roast and Grind -

  • Kadalai Paruppu / chana dal - 2 tsp
  • Ullutham Paruppu / Urad dal - 1 tsp
  • Red chilies - 6
  • Black pepper - ½ tsp
  • Rice - 1 tsp
  • Vendhayam / methi seeds - 1 tsp
  • Asafetida - ⅛ tsp
  • Oil - ½ tsp
Arachuvitta Vathal Kuzhambu with Sundakkai and Drumstick

Procedure to make Arachuvitta Vathal Kuzhambu -

  • In a small pan, heat ½ teaspoon of oil and fry all the ingredients mentioned under 'roast and grind' until aromatic.
  • Let it cool down and then grind it to a smooth powder.
spice powder fried and ground
  • Soak the tamarind in about 2 cups of hot water and extract the juice. If needed, add one more cup of hot water and extract that water as well.
  • In a heavy bottom pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil and fry the sundakkai / turkey berry until dark brown. Make sure that you fry it with enough ventilation and in low heat to avoid burning and excessive smoking.
  • Remove the turkey berry into a bowl.
roasted turkey berry (sundakkai) in a bowl
  • In the same pan, heat the rest of the oil. Add the mustard seeds, toor dal, red chilies and asafetida and let it fry.
  • Add the chopped murungakkai / drumstick and cook it for about 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Pour the extracted tamarind water to the pan along with turmeric powder and salt needed.
  • Let the kuzhambu come to a boil and then add the curry leaves. Simmer the kuzhambu for about 10 minutes or until the raw smell of the tamarind disappears and the vegetable cooks.
process shot to make vathal kuzhambu with drumstick
  • Dissolve the ground powder in water and add this to the boiling kuzhambu. Make sure you dissolve the powder in water otherwise it will clump up in the kuzhambu.
  • Let this boil for another 7 to 8 minutes. You will notice that the kuzhambu will thicken after we add the ground paste.
  • At the end add the fried sundakkai vathal / turkey berry to the kuzhambu and let it boil once more. Turn off the flame and serve it with hot rice and ghee / nei.
vathal kuzhambu cooking with turkey berry, drumstick and red chilies
Arachuvitta Vathal Kuzhambu with Sundakkai and Drumstick
Arachuvitta Vathal Kuzhambu with Sundakkai and Drumstick

Arachuvitta Vathal Kuzhambu with Sundakkai and Drumstick

Arachuvitta Vathal Kuzhambu with Sundakkai and Drumstick, is a flavorful gravy made that is a South Indian specialty and is perfect for the weekend lunch spread.
4.96 from 21 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Kuzhambu, Lunch Recipes, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian, South Indian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 124kcal
Author: Sandhya Ramakrishnan

Ingredients

  • large lemon size piece Tamarind
  • 3 tablespoon Nallennai / Gingelly oil
  • 15 pieces Murungakkai / Drumstick 2 inch piece
  • 10 Curry leaves
  • 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
  • 1 tablespoon Tuvaram Paruppu / Toor dal
  • 2 Red chilies
  • ¼ teaspoon Asafetida
  • ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
  • 1 tablespoon Jaggery / brown sugar
  • to taste Salt

To roast and Grind -

  • 2 teaspoon Kadalai Paruppu / chana dal
  • 1 teaspoon Ullutham Paruppu / Urad dal
  • 6 Red chilies
  • ½ teaspoon Black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Rice
  • 1 teaspoon Vendhayam / methi seeds
  • ⅛ teaspoon Asafetida
  • ½ teaspoon Oil

Instructions

  • In a small pan, heat ½ teaspoon of oil and fry all the ingredients mentioned under 'roast and grind' until aromatic.
  • Let it cool down and then grind it to a smooth powder.
  • Soak the tamarind in about 2 cups of hot water and extract the juice. If needed, add one more cup of hot water and extract that water as well.
  • In a heavy bottom pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil and fry the sundakkai / turkey berry until dark brown. Make sure that you fry it with enough ventilation and in low heat to avoid burning and excessive smoking.
  • Remove the turkey berry into a bowl.
  • In the same pan, heat the rest of the oil. Add the mustard seeds, toor dal, red chilies and asafetida and let it fry.
  • Add the chopped murungakkai / drumstick and cook it for about 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Pour the extracted tamarind water to the pan along with turmeric powder and salt needed.
  • Let the kuzhambu come to a boil and then add the curry leaves. Simmer the kuzhambu for about 10 minutes or until the raw smell of the tamarind disappears and the vegetable cooks.
  • Dissolve the ground powder in water and add this to the boiling kuzhambu. Make sure you dissolve the powder in water otherwise it will clump up in the kuzhambu.
  • Let this boil for another 7 to 8 minutes. You will notice that the kuzhambu will thicken after we add the ground paste.
  • At the end add the fried sundakkai vathal / turkey berry to the kuzhambu and let it boil once more. Turn off the flame and serve it with hot rice and ghee / nei.

Nutrition

Calories: 124kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 8mg | Potassium: 193mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 634IU | Vitamin C: 120mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @Sandhya.Ramakrishnan or tag #MyCookingJourney!
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. meera says

    January 15, 2022 at 9:27 pm

    5 stars
    Kindly tell me what can I use instead of drumsticks, in case I want to make this on a day when I do not have drumsticks. Also will you add drumstick leaves to this curry? Will that taste good? Thank you

    Reply
    • Sandhya Ramakrishnan says

      January 19, 2022 at 11:20 am

      Meera, you can use any vegetable that you use for kuzhambu. Onion, brinjal, radish, yellow pumpkin and so on. I usually don't add drumstick leaves to this.

      Reply
  2. Sasmita says

    August 01, 2020 at 8:59 am

    5 stars
    I love to add drumsticks along with pumpkin in my sambar recipe.Your turkey berries addition is a nice choice and unique !! I would love to try this delicious looking dish 🙂

    Reply
  3. Jayashree T.Rao says

    July 17, 2020 at 8:20 am

    I must try getting my hands on turkey berries. I make sambar with drumstick and it tastes good. Lovely recipe.

    Reply
  4. Seema Sriram says

    July 15, 2020 at 5:59 am

    5 stars
    I opened to check this recipe when I saw the image. I always go wrong with the podi and it ends up quite watery. I tried this immediately and it was a super suceess. Finally, I have a recipe for vattakozhambu that really works. Thanks to all those step by step images, they helped a lot.

    Reply
    • Sandhya Ramakrishnan says

      July 17, 2020 at 8:48 pm

      Seema, thanks for trying! I am so happy the recipe worked well 🙂

      Reply
  5. Priya Srinivasan says

    July 15, 2020 at 4:04 am

    5 stars
    OMG, i totally love this kuzhambu!Steaming hot rice and this kuzhambu, semme combo!!
    Those berries peeping on top, so inviting! You have presented it so well sandhya, makes me really hungry !

    Reply
  6. Padma Veeranki says

    July 10, 2020 at 5:27 pm

    5 stars
    Vatha kuzhambu is my most favourite one and that too with sudakkai & drumstick...super combo ...I'm totally drooling over this!!

    Reply
  7. sapana says

    July 10, 2020 at 3:28 pm

    5 stars
    I have never had kuzhambu and never even used turkey berries, every time I see these recipes with turkey berries I am always tempted to try it. Definitely bookmarking to try, if I ever get these berries.

    Reply
  8. Jagruti's Cooking Odyssey says

    July 10, 2020 at 2:44 am

    My mum adds drumsticks in sambar recipe but never seen turkey berries. Would love to try if we can find those berries here. Sambar looks so delicious.

    Reply
  9. Lathiya says

    July 09, 2020 at 4:37 pm

    5 stars
    Arachuvitta sambar is one of my favorite sambars. But never tried with turkey berry though. This looks delicious.

    Reply
  10. Uma Srinivas says

    July 08, 2020 at 1:01 pm

    5 stars
    Kuzhambu Looks Delicious! I love to use drumsticks in sambar, but never had in kuzhambu. I will try it next time when I get fresh drumsticks.

    Reply
  11. Vandana says

    July 08, 2020 at 11:38 am

    5 stars
    This looks so delicious. What is turkey berry, I have never heard of it before? I searched on google after reading your post. Is it added to pickles too? I see something similar in readymade mixed pickles. Not sure if it's the same thing. I really want to try this dish so need to hunt for turkey berries. Do you get it in any particular season?

    Reply
  12. Mayuri Patel says

    July 07, 2020 at 1:31 pm

    5 stars
    I've never used turkey berries and have no idea what they taste like. Having said that it now urges me even to try them out. At first I thought you had used kala chana with drumsticks.

    Reply
  13. Bless my food by Payal says

    July 07, 2020 at 1:03 pm

    5 stars
    Look at the very first image. That is just mesmerising. Never tried drumsticks but seeing this toothsome recipe, i think it is must try.

    Reply
  14. Lata Lala says

    July 07, 2020 at 1:02 pm

    5 stars
    Arachuvitta Vathal Kuzhambu with Sundakkai and Drumstick looks fingerlicking good. I could imagine the beautiful flavours of it. Fresh grounded spices always play a vital role to any dish.
    Lovely share from your mother's treasured memories.

    Reply
  15. Divya says

    July 05, 2020 at 1:00 am

    5 stars
    Hi .. I am really sorry about your mother. You must have missed her so much when trying to recollect this recipe. I have been there. I tried this recipe today came very tasty. Thanks to you and your mother for this authentic recipe.

    Reply
    • Sandhya Ramakrishnan says

      July 05, 2020 at 10:04 pm

      Thanks a lot Divya for trying the recipe. I am so happy that you liked it 🙂

      Reply
  16. Suma Gandlur says

    December 18, 2018 at 9:54 pm

    I must have some berries left from the stash I got from my India trip. I will try if this interesting kuzhambu for sure. The dal and the curry both look so inviting.

    Reply
  17. harini says

    December 15, 2018 at 6:47 am

    5 stars
    I have seen these berries in the Indian store shelves and am yet to explore these. I shall bookmark to try rhis lip smacking kuzhambu.

    Reply
  18. Swati says

    December 14, 2018 at 11:13 pm

    5 stars
    This looks like a comforting stew with tangy tamarind in it..I never tried this dish.. it's an interesting dish for me to try!! Loved the pics!!

    Reply
  19. Sushma Pinjala says

    December 14, 2018 at 11:13 am

    Recipe sounds like a very yummy dish. Would love to try this soon.

    Reply
  20. Ritu Tangri says

    December 09, 2018 at 7:53 am

    5 stars
    This sounds a very delicious recipe. Since drumsticks are scarcely available here, so I can just drool over the pics only 🙂

    Reply
    • Jayanthi says

      August 17, 2020 at 4:08 am

      5 stars
      Amazing...looks tempting

      Reply
      • Sandhya Ramakrishnan says

        August 18, 2020 at 1:14 pm

        Thanks Jayanthi!

        Reply
  21. Kalyani says

    December 07, 2018 at 9:50 am

    4 stars
    Sounds like a great recipe Sandhya as my husband is very fond of vathal kuzhambu ..
    By the way, inthink think the Sundakkai vathal is missing in the ingredient list

    Reply
  22. Chef Mireille says

    December 06, 2018 at 11:48 pm

    5 stars
    I am yet to try drumstick - as I have never seen it fresh though I have seen it frozen - maybe I will try it soon with this recipe

    Reply
  23. Veena Krishnakumar says

    December 06, 2018 at 12:13 am

    5 stars
    Naakkula jalam oorardhe. Brilliant capture sandhya. Love the presentation

    Reply
  24. Gayathri Kumar says

    December 04, 2018 at 9:40 pm

    5 stars
    I love sunda vathal in vathal kulambu. With the tang from tamarind, it tastes amazing. Looking at your freshly ground spiced vathal kulambu, I am drooling here.

    Reply
  25. Priya Suresh says

    December 04, 2018 at 2:06 pm

    Omg, am literally over that fingerlicking arachivitta vathal kuzhambu, wish i get a bowl of this kuzhambu with some rice and papads.. Makes me hungry already.

    Reply

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I am Sandhya Ramakrishnan, author, recipe developer and photographer in this journey! 'My Cooking Journey' is all about family friendly Vegetarian and Vegan recipes from around the World with focus on Indian cuisine.

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