Milagu Kuzhambu | Pepper Kulambu

Milagu Kuzhambu /Pepper Kulambu is a rice accompaniment prepared with pepper, curry leaves and garlic. Milagu kuzhambu occupies a special place in pathiya samayal. Pepper Tamarind Gravy is a home remedy for cold. It also helps for digestion.

Specialty of our cooking is, “Food as a medicine”.  There are certain ingredients which has lot of health benefits.  Milagu(pepper) occupies one of the key role. Every since childhood days Milagu kuzhambu is one of my favorite dish. Whenever my Amma travels out of station she prepares a box of milahu Kuzhambu  and refrigerate. It stays good for weeks.

When I was in school, Amma was out of town, my sister felt sick. I called my mother to ask what medicine to give her, she said ask her to have milagu kuzhambu for lunch. I was wondering how a kara kuzhambu can be a cure for throat. I kept rice and warmed milagu kuzhambu; gave it to my sister. After having it she felt lot better in throat. I wouldn’t say it’s a cure for cold but pepper spicy is good and helps for fast recovery.

Milagu kuzhambu also occupies a special place in postpartum recipes. After delivery, it is good to include pepper spicy. This kuzhambu has lots of garlic which is also good to be included after having a baby. After vishvak’s delivery my Amma use to make this frequently.

Pepper kara kuzhambu is good for digestion. Whenever we have buffet in restaurant or heavy food in home, I cook milagu kuzhambu next day. Either Milagu rasam or milagu kuzhambu will be in my menu during such day. Lot of poondu (garlic) in this dish not only gives a nice taste to the dish but also adds some healthy element. It is pathiya sapadu ( cooked during sick days and post partum recipes)

Milagu Kuzhambu, paruppu thogayal and sutta appalam – what a combination!!! (Since I have an electric stove, I microwave the appalam for 20 sec). Milagu Kuzhambu can be stored in the fridge for a week.

Ingredients:

Tamarind – 1 (small lemon size)
Jaggery – 1/2 tsp
Salt – to taste
Asafoetida (hing) – a generous pinch
For Kuzhambu paste:
Pepper corns (Milagu) – 1 tsp + 1/4 tsp (Adjust according to your spice level)
Sesame seeds – 1/8 tsp
Coriander seeds – 1 tbsp
Channa dal – 1/2 tbsp
Fenugreek seeds- 1/4 tsp
Garlic – 5
Curry leaves – 1 spring
Sesame Oil – 1/4 tsp
To temper:
Sesame oil – 2 tbsp
Curry leaves – few
Fenugreek seed – 1/8 tsp

Method:

• Soak tamrind in warm water
• Add 1/4 tsp oil to a pan. Add the ingredients under ‘For Kuzhambu Paste’ and sauté over low flame to a golden brown color. Turn off the stove and add curry leaves, and allow them to cool

• Blend them along with the tamarind into a paste, adding little water
• Add 2 tbsp of oil to the pan, add the ingredients under ‘To temper’ and let them splutter
• Transfer the ground paste, salt, and add water (I prefer my Milagu Kuzhambu in thick consistency, so added around 1/2 cup of water). Cook on medium flame till it starts boiling. Once it boils, add the jaggery just before switching off

Milagu Kuzhambu

Milagu Kuzhambu/Pepper Kulambu is a rice accompaniment prepared with pepper, curry leaves and garlic. Milagu kuzhambu occupies a special place in pathiya samayal. Pepper Tamarind Gravy is a home remedy for cold. It also helps for digestion.

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Cuisine: Indian

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 2

Ingredients

• Tamarind - 1 small lemon size
• Jaggery - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Asafoetida hing - a generous pinch
• For Kuzhambu paste:
• Pepper corns Milagu - 1 tsp + 1/4 tsp (Adjust according to your spice level)
• Sesame seeds - 1/8 tsp
• Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp
• Channa dal - 1/2 tbsp
• Fenugreek seeds- 1/4 tsp
• Garlic - 5
• Curry leaves - 1 spring
• Sesame Oil - 1/4 tsp
• To temper:
• Sesame oil - 2 tbsp
• Curry leaves - few
• Fenugreek seed - 1/8 tsp

Instructions

• Soak tamarind in warm water
• Add 1/4 tsp oil to a pan. Add the ingredients under 'For Kuzhambu Paste' and sauté over low flame to a golden brown color. Turn off the stove and add curry leaves, and allow them to cool
• Blend them along with the tamarind into a paste, adding little water
• Add 2 tbsp of oil to the pan, add the ingredients under 'To temper' and let them splutter
• Transfer the ground paste, salt, and add water (I prefer my Milagu Kuzhambu in thick consistency, so added around 1/2 cup of water). Cook on medium flame till it starts boiling. Once it boils, add the jaggery just before switching off

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Notes

1.  If you are not using garlic, then you can dry roast the ingredients for Kuzhambu
2. Insead of grinding, you can add curry leaves directly but i prefer this way so that it cannot be omitted while eating
3. If you are keeping them for more days, add extra sesame oil
4. Adjust the pepper according to your spice level

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