Tomato Vetralkuzhambu

Vetral kuzhambu other wise Vethakuzhambu has dried marthangalikka and Chundakka in it. It can also be made with small onions,drumstiksbrinjal etc. This is usually considered to be a bachelor's recipe. This can be made thick and stored in air tight container in the freezer. Whenever necessary take it out and heat it. It stays for a month. I remember,
when we were small my grandmother would make us all sit in a round at 2pm in the afternoon ,give us thayir sadam in our hand with a small drizzle of vethakuzhambu on top of it. It used to be heaven after playing in the scorching sun of april/may.

Ingredients

Tomato – 2 (ripe)
Tamarind – small ball
Sambar pdr – 2 tsp
Rice flour – 1 tsp
asafoetida - a pinch

Seasoning

Oil – 2 tsp
Mustard seed – 1tsp
Channa dal – 1tsp
Urad dal – 1 tsp
Chundakka(dried) – 1 tsp/Marthangalikka (dried)- 1 tsp
Red Chillies – 1
Curry leaves – 5

Method

1. Make tamarind juice in 1 glass water. Grind the tomatoes adding tamarind juice.
2. In a pan add 2 tsp oil. Add all the seasoning items when it starts to splutter add sambar pdr and asafoetida.
3. Then add ground tomato. Boil it till the raw smell of tomatoes are gone.
4. Add 1 tsp rice flour in 1/2 glass water and pour to the mixture.
5. Boil it for another 3 mnts. Add 1 tsp of oil.

Eat it with hot rice.