Karunai Kizhangu Kuzhambu / Tamarind Yam Curry

Karunai Kizhangu Kuzhambu

Ingredients
Yam / Karunai Kizhangu - 150 gms
Shallots - 20 nos or Onion - 1 no
Garlic cloves - 4 nos
Tomato - 1 no
Curry leaves - few
Tamarind - small lemon or gooseberry sized
Red chilly powder - 1 and 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 3 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Water - 1/4 cup + 3/4 cup
Salt to taste
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds / vendhayam - pinch
Gingely oil / Nalennai - 3 tbsp

Yam Curry

Method
1. Mince onion, garlic and curry leaves together, chop tomato and set aside.
2. Soak tamarind in 1/4 cup water and extract pulp.
3. Peel yam skin, wash and dice into large cubes, pressure cook cubed yams in cooker for 2 or 3 whistles, allow to cool.
4. Heat gingely oil in a deep kadai, add mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds.
5. When mustard seeds splutter add minced onion, garlic and curry leaves, saute for a minute.
6. Add chopped tomatoes and stir fry for a minute. Now add tamarind extract to the kadai.
7. Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, salt and a 3/4 cup of water.
8. Bring the gravy to boil, add cooked yam to gravy, simmer gravy on low heat for 10 to 12 mins or until yam curry has thickened and oil floats on top.
Serve with hot
Steamed rice
Cabbage Poriyal

Chefs tip
1. You can use 1 and 1/2 tsp tamarind paste instead of tamarind.
Dilute tamarind paste in 1/4 cup water and use in the recipe.
2. I like yam to be very soft and mushy in the curry, if you want yam to be tender pressure cook for 2 whistles.

Chettinad Kulambu