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    Home » Recipes » Gravies |Curries | Side Dishes

    Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu

    Published: Sep 25, 2020 · Modified: Oct 26, 2020 by Ramya · Leave a Comment

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    Lipsmacking delicious traditional Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu recipe with step by step pictures. Kadalai Paruppu Urundai Kulambu is best with hot rice and a dollop of ghee!

    Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu

    After a while, I am sharing a delicious accompaniment for rice – Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu. Paruppu Urundai means Roundels made with Dal (specifically Kadalai paruppu - Chana Dal) and Kuzhambu means gravy/curry. So as the name suggests, this is a South Indian gravy recipe with cooked dal roundels/balls. My earliest memory of this dish is from my childhood days, when our beloved neighbor Priya aunty used to make it and gracious share 2-3 paruppu urundai along with the extremely fragrant kuzhambu. Those days, amma stuck to her traditional Telugu cooking as my grandparents were very particular with their meals. More than tasting the kuzhambu, I used to be so fascinated about the gravy being cooked in that tiny kitchen and on some days, she even let me stir it. What good, beautiful days those were!

    Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu

    This Paruppu Uruandai Kuzhambu recipe is yet another tribute to my growing up days and the multiple cultural and regional experiences I was fortunate to have, thanks to multi-linguistic neighborhood. Amma and I discussed about the recipe fairly deeply, before fixing on this version. I used Kadalai paruppu – chana dal to make the urundais – balls. The beauty of this unda kuzhambu (just as Priya aunty called it) is that there is no deep-frying involved. The dal is soaked in enough water, ground with other spices, mixed with onions and coriander leaves, rolled into balls and cooked in the gravy. This is as healthy as it gets, without compromising on the taste!

    Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu

    Let me talk about the base gravy of the Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu. It is somewhat similar to the kara kuzhambu that my mother-in-law makes – both tomatoes and tamarind are used. It is tangy but it is much needed, as the paruppu urundai soak and cook in the gravy, absorbing all the flavors. As the urundai cook, they float on top and the gravy automatically thickens. It makes the best accompaniment with hot rice and you don’t even need any other side dish! I served it with some potato fry and sago pappad – it was bliss on plate, nothing less.

    Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu

    How to make Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu –

    📖 Recipe

    Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu

    Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu

    Ramya
    Lipsmacking delicious traditional Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu recipe with step by step pictures. Kadalai Paruppu Urundai Kulambu is best with hot rice and a dollop of ghee!
    No ratings yet
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    Soak Time 2 hours hrs
    Total Time 2 hours hrs 50 minutes mins
    Course Side Dishes
    Cuisine Tamilnadu Recipes
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 90 kcal

    Equipment

    • Blender
    • Thick Bottomed Kadai/Fry Pan

    MEASUREMENT

    1 cup = 250ml, 1 tablespoon = 15ml, 1 teaspoon = 5ml

    Ingredients
      

    To make Paruppu Urundai –

    • â…“ cup Chana Dal
    • 2 Dried Red Chillies
    • 3-4 Garlic Cloves
    • ½ teaspoon Fennel Seeds
    • 1 Medium Onion Finely Chopped
    • Few Coriander Leaves Finely Chopped
    • Salt as needed

    To make Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu

    • 2 Medium Onions Finely Chopped
    • 1 Medium Tomato Finely Chopped
    • 8-10 Garlic Cloves
    • 2 tablespoon Thick Tamarind Extract Extract Juice from Lemon sized Ball of Tamarind
    • 1 tablespoon Sambar Powder
    • ½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
    • 2 tablespoon Gingelly Oil/Sesame Oil
    • ½ teaspoon Mustard Seeds
    • ½ teaspoon Fennel Seeds
    • 8-10 Fresh Curry Leaves
    • Few Fresh Coriander Leaves
    • Salt as needed
    • Water as needed
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    Instructions
     

    • Soak â…“ cup Chana Dal and 2 Dried Red Chillies in enough water for 2 hours.
    • Drain off the water completely, add the chana dal and red chillies to a blender along with 3-4 Garlic Cloves, ½ teaspoon Fennel Seeds.
    • Grind into a coarse paste without adding any water.
    • Remove onto a bowl and add 1 medium onion finely chopped onions and few coriander leaves finely chopped. Mix well.
    • Add salt as needed and mix well again.
    • Divide the batter equally and make equal sized balls. Don’t roll the balls too tightly or too loose.
    • In a thick bottomed pan, heat 2 tablespoon gingelly oil/sesame oil. Add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds, ½ teaspoon fennel seeds. As they splutter, add 8-10 garlic cloves and few fresh curry leaves.
    • Next add 2 medium onions finely chopped.
    • As they onions turn golden brown, add 1 medium tomato finely chopped.
    • When the tomatoes are cooked and turn mushy, add 1 tablespoon Sambar Powder and ½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder.
    • Cook for 3-4 mins on low flame and then add 2 tablespoon Thick Tamarind Extract.
    • Add some water and cook the gravy for another 3-4 mins, letting the gravy come to a boil.
    • Now add about 2 cups of water, add salt as needed. Let it come to a boil.
    • As the gravy boils well, reduce the flame to low and gently drop the prepared urundai into it. Make sure all the balls are placed around the pan.
    • Keep it covered and cook on low flame for 12-15 mins.
    • As the gravy boils slowly, the balls begin to float on top and this indicates that they are cooked.
    • Cook it further if the gravy requires thickening. As the oil oozes out from the edges, garnish with fresh coriander leaves and remove from heat.
    • Serve hot with rice and fryums along with other side dishes.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    90
    % Daily Value*
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Keyword Side Dishes for Rice
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    Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu

    Detailed step-wise picture recipe of making Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu –

    Soak â…“ cup Chana Dal and 2 Dried Red Chillies in enough water for 2 hours.

    Drain off the water completely, add the chana dal and red chillies to a blender along with 3-4 Garlic Cloves, ½ teaspoon Fennel Seeds.

    Grind into a coarse paste without adding any water.

    Remove onto a bowl and add 1 medium onion finely chopped onions and few coriander leaves finely chopped. Mix well.

    Add salt as needed and mix well again.

    Divide the batter equally and make equal sized balls. Don’t roll the balls too tightly or too loose.

    In a thick bottomed pan, heat 2 tablespoon gingelly oil/sesame oil. Add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds, ½ teaspoon fennel seeds. As they splutter, add 8-10 garlic cloves and few fresh curry leaves.

    Next add 2 medium onions finely chopped.

    As they onions turn golden brown, add 1 medium tomato finely chopped.

    When the tomatoes are cooked and turn mushy, add 1 tablespoon Sambar Powder and ½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder.

    Cook for 3-4 mins on low flame and then add 2 tablespoon Thick Tamarind Extract.

    Add some water and cook the gravy for another 3-4 mins, letting the gravy come to a boil.

    Now add about 2 cups of water, add salt as needed. Let it come to a boil.

    As the gravy boils well, reduce the flame to low and gently drop the prepared urundai into it. Make sure all the balls are placed around the pan.

    Keep it covered and cook on low flame for 12-15 mins. As the gravy boils slowly, the balls begin to float on top and this indicates that they are cooked.

    Cook it further if the gravy requires thickening. As the oil oozes out from the edges, garnish with fresh coriander leaves and remove from heat.

    Serve hot with rice and fryums along with other side dishes.

    Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu

    Note –
    • It is essential to keep the gravy boiling on low flame and cooking it on low flame after adding the balls, else they might break.
    • Adjust spices as per preference.

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