Parangikai Puli Kuzhambu | Pongal Recipes | Kuzhambhu Recipes

    Pumpkin aka parangikkai is a vegetable famous in Tamilnadu during the pongal festival season and is harvested during this time.A small piece of pumpkin like 1/2 kg gives around 20 pieces can serve around 4-5 members.

      Kuzhambhu is nothing but a gravy prepared without any (or much) Dal with more spice and tamarind and is made in southern states of India.A mild curry like papaya kootu,palakai kootu,valaithandu kootu,keerai poriyal,keerai masiyal goes very well with plain white rice.Even appalam is enough to finish off the lunch.
    During this thai month comes the big festival for lord muruga (in Tamil 'murugu' means beautiful) the Tamil god as we say.This kulambhu is served during the poosai( a gathering where lord muruga is prayed) festival and  large gathering .It is also prepared during our(chettinad) pongal feast on the first day of pongal and is served along with other 6 different curries.

    The sweetness from the parangikkai makes this kuzhambhu unique and entirely different from other puli kuzhambu.Shallots give more sweet taste while gingelly oil adds a unique flavor and reduces the heat caused by tamarind chili powder.The mild sweetness from the vegetable ,the spiciness from sambhar powder and tanginess from tamarind  makes the kulambhu heavenly when served along with other veggies.Lets see how to make ..

Step by step picture recipe for making Spicy South Indian pumpkin curry:

• Wash and peel the skin off the pumpkin.Some people don't remove the skin.If you wish you can keep the skin,there is no harm.Chop them in to edible size pieces.Soak tamarind in water and extract the juice.Add coriander and chili powder to the juice and make it to thick paste.

• Chop onion ,garlic and tomato as well.
• Add gingelly oil to the tava.When its hot, add fennel seeds and fenugreek seeds to the tava.When the oil got the aroma of the seeds,add curry leaves.It will burst so take care not to put your face near the tava.Add onion,garlic and saute it until translucent.

• Add tomatoes and cook them through.Now add pumpkin pieces and give a saute for 4-5 minutes.By this time it will almost be cooked.Add enough water .Don't add too much then the kulambhu will become watery.

• Add enough salt.After 5 min when the pumpkin is cooked, add the paste.Let the gravy boil until its thick and oil floats on top.Parangikai puli kuzhambhu ready.Prepare this for pongal and enjoy .

                                 

                                            How to make parangikai puli kuzhambu

                           parangikai puli kuzhambu for rice  

 Cuisine: Indian   Category:Side Dish   Prep time:10 minutes
Cook time:30 minutes Total Time:40 minutes Serves:3-4 people 

Ingredients:

• 15-20 pieces of pumpkin/parangikai.
• 1 small onion/10 shallots/chinna vengayam.
• 1/2 tangy /ripe big tomato.(If its small ripe tomato then use one).
• 4-5 garlic/poondu 
• salt required.

To make paste:

•  small lemon size  tamarind soaked in 1/4 cup water.
• 1/2 tsp chili powder.
• 1 tsp coriander powder.

To temper:

• 2 tbsp oil(i used gingelly oil).
• 1 tsp fennel seeds/sombu.
• 1 tsp fenugreek seeds/vendhayam.
• few curry leaves.

Method:

• Wash and peel the skin off the pumpkin.Some people don't remove the skin.If you wish you can keep the skin,there is no harm.
• Chop in to edible size pieces.
• Soak tamarind in water and extract the juice.
• Add coriander and chili powder to the juice and make it to thick paste.
• Chop onion ,garlic and tomato as well.
• Add gingelly oil to the tava.When its hot,add fennel seeds and fenugreek seeds to the tava.
• When the oil got the aroma of the seeds,add curry leaves.It will burst so take care not to put your face near the tava.
• Add onion,garlic and saute it until translucent.
• Add tomatoes and cook them through.
• Now add pumpkin pieces and give a saute for 4-5 minutes.By this time it will almost be cooked.
• Add enough water .Don't add too much then the kulambhu will become watery.
• Add enough salt.After 5 min when the pumpkin is cooked add the paste.
• Let the gravy boil until its thick and oil floats on top.
• Parangikai puli kuzhambhu ready.Prepare this for pongal and enjoy .

Notes:

• Adjust the spice,tamarind level according to your taste buds.
• If the kulambhu is not becoming thick add 1 tbsp rice flour and add 2 tbsp water and make it to thick paste.Adding this paste will make the gravy thick.
• Adding of gingelly oil is preferred.If you don't have add regular oil.
• You can prepare this gravy with other vegetable also.