Sundakkai Vatral Kuzhambu

                                                                      Sundakkai or sundaikkai is a kind of berry which is used in our gravies(kozhambu)..Sundakkai vatral is prepared by soaking the berries in sour buttermilk,salt and dried in the sun till crisp and dry.They store it for a year.
This kozhambu is usually prepared after a feast because it is soft on the stomach.People  used to saute this vatral in a little ghee crush it on plain rice and eat when you have a stomach upset.so this is a special one in vatral kozhambu.coming to the recipe...

You will need

• One handful of Sundakkai vatral
• One gooseberry size Tamarind
• 2tbs of Sambhar Powder
• 3tbs of Gingelly Oil
• A pinch of Turmeric powder
• One tsp of Powdered Jaggery
• Salt to taste
• One tsp of Mustard seeds
• One tsp Tur dhal
• Half tsp Fenugreek seeds
• Few Curry Leaves
• Few Red Chillies
• One tsp of Rice Flour

How to

1. Soak Tamarind in hot water for half to one hour.Extract the pulp three times adding water.
2. Heat Oil in a Thick sauce pan crackle mustard seeds,add fenugreek,turdhal and red chillies.
3. Add curry leaves,asafoetida and the sundaikkai vatral and fry till crisp and dark in colour.
4. Add the Tamarind pulp and allow it to boil.Add salt,turmeric and sambhar powder.
5. Let it boil till it thickens.dissolve one tsp of rice flour in little water and add to the kozhambu.

Notes

• Adding jaggery is purely optional.If you are adding add it once it thickens.
• Using gingelly oil is important to get the best taste of the kozhambu.
• You can use vathakozhambu powder instead of sambhar powder.