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Home » Side Dishes » Sambar, Rasam and Kuzhambu

Published: Jan 4, 2016 · Modified: Dec 6, 2020 by Sandhya Ramakrishnan · This post may contain affiliate links

Milagu Kuzhambu – Molagu Kuzhambu – Spicy Black Pepper Kuzhambu

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A weekend meal cannot get better than this family favorite traditional Milagu Kuzhambu / Black Pepper stew along with some steaming rice.

Milagu Kuzhambu with beans curry

2015 was a perfectly normal year with things going as smoothly as it can until I received a dreaded phone call one afternoon in early December. This phone call completely shattered my life and it is never going to be the same. I have lost my best friend, my guide, my mentor, my sister – My Mother.

She was the pillar for our small family and now we have lost her. I have acquired most of my skills, cooking and otherwise from her. It is almost a month now since she has left us, but the wound is still very fresh.

I am having a hard time doing any of the normal routine and that is when my husband insisted that I should start cooking and blogging as that is something that totally helps me calm down. My greatest critic was my mother, who would check my new blog entry as soon as I publish it.

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She would call me right after she sees the recipe and comment on how the picture looks, or how I could have altered the recipe. My mother loved to cook and eat. She was open to trying out any new recipe from any cuisine and that is how I was exposed to different cuisines right from my young age.

To continue the legacy and to keep her alive in my thoughts I am going to be cooking as much as I can and remember her in every step. My ever supportive group, Blogging Marathon steps into its 60th edition this month and I definitely did not want to miss being a part of it.

I had an ACL Replacement surgery end of November and hence I had asked Srivalli to choose some theme for January randomly as I was not in a position to do so myself. My theme for the first week that she had chosen is Family recipes, which has come in an apt time. This is a meal that my mother makes quite often on weekends after a good oil bath.

How to make it a meal -

I made Milagu kuzhambu, Paruppu Thuvayal and Thakkali pachadi along with some rasam and steaming hot rice this weekend. I have never made Milagu kuzhambu myself before and every time my mother would visit me here, she would make it as often as possible and also would make a big batch of it, to store for later.

The kuzhambu stores quite well outside for 2-3 days and for weeks when refrigerated. It is really refreshing to have it after a good oil bath and is very healthy. My mother always makes the pachadi to help calm down the spiciness.

Milagu Kuzhambu with beans curry, thuvayal and pachadi

Preparation time -10 minutes
Cooking time – 30 minutes
Difficulty level – easy

Ingredients to make Milagu Kuzhambu – Makes about 1 ½ cups of kuzhambu

  • Tamarind – a small lemon sized ball
  • Gingelly oil – 3 tbsp
  • Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
  • Asafetida – ⅛th tsp
  • Curry leaves – few
  • Jaggery – a tiny piece

To fry and grind –

  • Red chilies – 4
  • Coriander seeds / Dhania – 1 tsp
  • Channa dal / Kadalai paruppu – 2 tsp
  • Tuvar dal / Tuvaram paruppu – 2 tsp
  • Urad dal / Ullutham paruppu – 1 tsp
  • Whole black pepper / Milagu – 3 tsp
  • Cumin / Jeera – ½ tsp
  • Oil – 1 tsp
Ingredients to grind for Milagu Kuzhambu
Milagu Kuzhambu in a vessel

Procedure to make Milagu Kuzhambu –

  • Remove seeds, if any from the tamarind and soak it in half a cup of hot water to allow the tamarind to soften a bit.
Soaking Tamarind
  • In a small pan, heat 1 teaspoon of oil and fry the coriander seeds, channa dal, toor dal, urad dal and red chilies until light brown. At the end add the pepper and cumin and fry for about 15 seconds. Do not fry longer after you add the pepper and the cumin as it becomes bitter. Let the mixture cool down a bit.
Frying spices
  • Grind the cool mixture to a coarse powder and then add the soaked tamarind along with the water into the mixer and grind it into a smooth paste. Add about 2 cups of water and mix it well.
Ground spices
  • In a pan, heat 3 tablespoon of gingelly oil (or any cooking oil). Add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Now add the asafetida and curry leaves and let it fry for about 10 seconds.
Prepare seasoning
  • Slowly add the ground mixture and add salt needed. Let it come to a gentle boil and then add the jaggery.
Boiling Kuzhambu
  • Simmer the kuzhambu for about 20 to 30 minutes or until it thickens and the oil starts leaving the sides of the pan. Make sure you stir it every now and then so that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
Simmer kuzhambu
  • Serve the kuzhambu with hot rice and ghee. I made paruppu thuvayal and tomato pachadi along with Milagu kuzhambu to make it a meal.
Finished Milagu Kuzhambu with sides

 If you made this recipe and liked it, give a star rating on the recipe card or let me know in the comments below. You could also share it with me on Instagram using #MyCookingJourney and tagging me @sandhya.ramakrishnan. You could follow me and my recipes on Facebook |Instagram | Pinterest | twitter

Milagu kuzhambu

Milagu Kuzhambu

A weekend meal cannot get better than this family favorite traditional Milagu Kuzhambu / Black Pepper stew along with some steaming rice.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian, Tamil Nadu
Diet: Vegetarian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 75kcal
Author: Sandhya Ramakrishnan

Ingredients

  • Tamarind a small lemon sized ball
  • 3 tablespoon Gingelly oil
  • 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
  • ⅛ teaspoon Asafetida
  • few Curry leaves
  • Jaggery a tiny piece

To fry and grind –

  • 4 Red chilies
  • 1 teaspoon Coriander seeds / Dhania
  • 2 teaspoon Channa dal / Kadalai paruppu
  • 2 teaspoon Tuvar dal / Tuvaram paruppu
  • 1 teaspoon Urad dal / Ullutham paruppu
  • 3 teaspoon Whole black pepper / Milagu
  • ½ teaspoon Cumin / Jeera
  • 1 teaspoon Oil

Instructions

  • Remove seeds, if any from the tamarind and soak it in half a cup of hot water to allow the tamarind to soften a bit.
  • In a small pan, heat 1 teaspoon of oil and fry the coriander seeds, channa dal, toor dal, urad dal and red chilies until light brown. At the end add the pepper and cumin and fry for about 15 seconds. Do not fry longer after you add the pepper and the cumin as it becomes bitter. Let the mixture cool down a bit.
  • Grind the cool mixture to a coarse powder and then add the soaked tamarind along with the water into the mixer and grind it into a smooth paste. Add about 2 cups of water and mix it well.
  • In a pan, heat 3 tablespoon of gingelly oil (or any cooking oil). Add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Now add the asafetida and curry leaves and let it fry for about 10 seconds.
  • Slowly add the ground mixture and add salt needed. Let it come to a gentle boil and then add the jaggery.
  • Simmer the kuzhambu for about 20 to 30 minutes or until it thickens and the oil starts leaving the sides of the pan. Make sure you stir it every now and then so that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
  • Serve the kuzhambu with hot rice and ghee. I made paruppu thuvayal and tomato pachadi along with Milagu kuzhambu to make it a meal.

Nutrition

Calories: 75kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 94mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 223IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @Sandhya.Ramakrishnan or tag #MyCookingJourney!
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Viji says

    May 22, 2021 at 3:43 am

    Hey Sandhya,
    Loved the recipe, followed step by step instruction. It came out so well both milagu Kuzhambu and paruppu thogayal.
    Thank you and take care!!

    Reply
    • Sandhya Ramakrishnan says

      May 24, 2021 at 10:09 am

      Hello Viji, thanks a lot for trying the recipe and letting me know. Glad you liked it.

      Reply
  2. Sowmya says

    July 31, 2020 at 10:51 pm

    5 stars
    I love this recipe for milagu kuzhambu.. my family loves it!

    Reply
    • Sandhya Ramakrishnan says

      August 01, 2020 at 10:17 am

      Thanks a lot for your feedback. I am so happy that you all liked it.

      Reply
  3. Akhila says

    April 16, 2020 at 3:07 pm

    Such a beautiful recipe, it looks yummy
    I’m sure your mum would be proud of you, sending you hugs and love xx

    Reply
    • Sandhya Ramakrishnan says

      April 27, 2020 at 12:41 pm

      Akhila, thanks a lot for you sweet words. It means a lot 🙂

      Reply
  4. Seema says

    December 03, 2019 at 8:33 am

    Hello, such a beautiful and yummy post. Your mum will be so proud. I am surely going to try this tonight.

    Reply
    • Sandhya Ramakrishnan says

      December 03, 2019 at 6:38 pm

      Seema, Thanks a lot for your sweet words! Do let me know when you try the recipe 🙂

      Reply

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Sandhya

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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