Tirunelveli Special Poricha Kuzhambu - From Sai’s Kitchen

Very special Poricha Kuzhambu from Tirunelveli recipe is loaded with vegetables that kids try and avoid for weekend lunch along-with dry flamed (Sutta) Ulludhu (Urad Dal) Appalam (Papad) / mix of Vaadam (Fryums) and hot steamed rice on a Sunday afternoon is divine.  My mother also used to make azhigina mango pachadi (just about to rot Mango :-) )

It is a must in most Tirunelveli Native folks at least once a week because of its unique flavour & nutrition elements because of the vegetables for a delicious  wholesome lunch.

Ingredients:  (Serves 6 odd) 

• Vegetables 
• Bengaluru Kathirikkai (Chow Chow or Chayote) - 2
• Note: If Cho-Chow is not available you can also use Mangalore Cucumber or normal cucumber - But don't cook them in cooker when the other vegetables are cooked
• Carrot - 2
• Yam - Quarter or less
• Drumstick - 2
• Potato - 1 big  
• Urad Dal - 1 1/2 spoon
• Jeera - 1 1/2 spoon
• Black Pepper - 2 Spoon
• Red Chilly 3-5 depending on spice needed
• Toor Dal 2 1/2 Protein Cup (Like for Sambar) 
• Scrapped Coconut 1/2
• Curry Leaves 
• Mustard, Jeera for Tempering 
• Coconut oil 2 spoons (for frying and tempering) 

Preparation:

• Cut Chow Chow, Carrot, Potato Yam in a squarish size and drum stick as normal 3/4th of index finger size
• Cook the toor dal like normal with water and the cut vegetable without water in cooker for 4-5 whistle 
• Fry Urad Dal, Jeera, Red Chilly, Pepper in a spoon of coconut oil 
• Grind the above along with scrapped coconut to a coarse consistency (Coconut is not fried) 
• NOTE:  You can also make Poricha Kuzhambu without frying anything but just grinding all the above together
• Add the cooked vegetables with toor dal in a vessel and once it boils, add the curry leaves and the grind paste from above  
• Add Salt as appropriate for the quantity made
• Once it boils and mixed well, add water based on consistency needed & switch it off.
• But ideally the Poricha Kuzhambu is thick with all the vegetables 
• Do tadka (Tempering) with Jeera & Mustard

Very Special Tirunelveli Poricha Kuzhambu is done