Poricha kuzhambu is a variety of South Indian rice accompaniment prepared with mixed vegetables, toor dal and freshly ground spices. Kulambu is prepared without tamarind. This Poricha kuzhambu is Instant pot based south Indian recipe.
Offlate I have been posting lot of instant pot based Indian recipes. I like the way IP makes cooking super easy and less time consuming. Going forward you will be seeing many IP based recipes in TMF. This is my first South Indian kuzhambu variety post using IP. This is my son’s favorite kulambu, I took pictures of this kuzhambu and wanted to post it few months ago, but somehow I forgot. Today I made it again and thought of releasing in TMF before I would forget.
Poricha Kootu is very common in my Amma’s kitchen. Few years back I learnt that same combo works well with toor dal and veggies in kulambu form. I like easy recipes likes this which not only makes cooking fast, but also variation and taste it gives. Before my break I have been trying lot of fusion recipes well you will be still seeing those in TMF, but I realized traditional everyday cooking recipes like this need to be on the blog for my future reference
Amma makes this Kuzhambu in three steps – cooking dal separately, preparing the fresh paste, cooking vegetables; finally boil everything together. Lazy me wanted a quick version without any compromise in taste. I first tried cooking everything together like my Kootu recipes. Taste was good, but the problem was with vegetables. Veggies over cook and didn’t retain its shape. After few trial and error I finally found this method working for me.
Dal cooked with Poricha kulambu paste and finally veggies and everything cooking together. If you are looking for pressure cooker version pls refer notes.
When it comes to cooking time over all it takes less than 30 minutes, but one good thing about Electric pressure cooker recipes is less time baby sitting 🤣 no need to stir once in a while. Put everything into the Instant pot and it takes care of blending the flavors together😊how easy is that.
If you are interested for some tasty South Indian kuzhambu varieties check,
Kuzhambu varieties with tamarind
Kuzhambu varieties without tamarind

Instant Pot Poricha Kuzhambu | IP Poritha Kulambu
Ingredients
- Carrot -1 peeled and cut into big pieces
- Potato - 1 peeled and cut into big piecesa
- Toor dal - 1/2 cup
- Tumeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
- Asofetida - generous pinch
- Jaggery - pinch
- Salt - as needed
- To grind:
- Fenugreek - 4
- Coconut - 3 tbsp
- Urad Dal - 1 tsp
- Pepper - 1/2 tsp
- Red Chilli - 1 Adjust according to your spice level
- To temper:
- Coconut oil - 1 tsp
- Mustard seeds - 1/8 tsp
- Curry leaves - few
Instructions
- Soak toor dal in hot water for 1 hour
- Dry roast urad Dal, pepper, red chilli, pepper and fenugreek till they are golden brown and switch off the stove. Add coconut and quickly stir. Switch and let it cool down. Grind it with little water
- Turn on IP in saute mode add oil and when the oil is hot add mustard seeds and curry leaves; let it splutter
- Add dal, 1+ 1/2 cup of water, ground paste, 1/3 of mixie water, turmeric powder; mix everything well and cook in manual mode for 20 minutes, high temperature and let the pressure releases naturally
- Add veggies, salt, hing, jaggery, 1/2 cup of water; mix well and turn on IP in manual mode and cook in high temperature for 3 minutes and releases pressure immediately
Video
Notes
- For pressure cooker method cook dal and ground paste for 4 whistle and switch off. Add veggies and cook for a whistle and release the pressure immediately
- Any veggies of choice can be used
- Fenugreek seed was not in original recipe but I have added
- Cumin can be sauted along with other spices and used instead of cumin- pepper powder
- Adjust the spice according to your taste
- Color of the kuzhambu many vary depending on the red chilli
- kuzhambuthickens over time adjust the water accordingly
- Mix well before turning on IP. If something is sticking to the bottom then the kuzhambu might get browned in the bottom
- My stepwise picture/ YouTube video and final picture was taken on two different days using two different chilli so the kuzhambu color might vary slightly
Ingredients:
Carrot -1, peeled and cut into big pieces
Potato – 1, peeled and cut into big piecesa
Toor dal – 1/2 cup
Tumeric Powder – 1/4 tsp
Asofetida – generous pinch
Jaggery – pinch
Salt – as needed
To grind:
Fenugreek – 4
Coconut – 3 tbsp
Urad Dal – 1 tsp
Pepper – 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli – 1 (Adjust according to your spice level)
To temper:
Coconut oil – 1 tsp
Mustard seeds – 1/8 tsp
Curry leaves – few
How to make Instant pot Poricha Kuzhambu :
- Soak toor dal in hot water for 1 hour
- Dry roast urad Dal, pepper, red chilli, pepper and fenugreek till they are golden brown and switch off the stove. Add coconut and quickly stir. Switch and let it cool down. Grind it with little water
- Turn on IP in saute mode add oil and when the oil is hot add mustard seeds and curry leaves; let it splutter
- Add dal, 1+ 1/2 cup of water, ground paste, 1/3 of mixie water, turmeric powder; mix everything well and cook in manual mode for 20 minutes, high temperature and let the pressure releases naturally
- Add veggies, salt, hing, jaggery, 1/2 cup of water; mix well and turn on IP in manual mode and cook in high temperature for 3 minutes and releases pressure immediately
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