Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu is traditional South Indian kuzhambu. Lentil balls are cooked in tangy flavorful kuzhambu. Kara Kulambu is so tasty and filling.
Usually I prefer quick recipes which demands less times in kitchen, but their are certain food which is worth the extra effort spent.Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu definitely takes a special place in that list. Soaking, grinding cooking lentils make sounds like a lengthy process but with little planning Kara kuzhambu can be prepared within an hour.
Growing up Amma makes a version of Paruppu Urundai kuzhambu and Paruppu Urundai moor kuzhambu which doesn’t have onion ad garlic. It will a typical Tamil Brahmin style.
I have mentioned about my neighbour aunt in TMF before. Vendakkai Kara kulambu and potato thokku some of my favorites from Aunty’s preparation. Once when my Amma was out of town aunty gave this kuzhambu for lunch. I literarily llicked the bowl😋😂
I got addicted to that taste. From that day onward whenever aunty prepares kuzhambu she sent me a box. Even during my last India trip aunty remembered it and came home with all my favorites.
Seeing the way I enjoys Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu Amma learned the recipe from Aunty and started doing it on weekend. We prefer this kulambu for weekend lunch so that she will have enough time to cook also we can leisurely enjoy eating it.
Amma even wrote this Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu recipe in her handwritten notebook for me. I refer it while cooking. Protien rich lentil balls make this kuzhambu so filling. There are many version of paruppu urundai Kuzhambu, with whole channa dal/ combination of channa dal and toor dal. The tanginess from the tamarind makes this kuzhambu super yum. Moor kuzhambu can also be prepared with paruppu urundai.
For Paruppu Urundai Mor Kuzhambu
If you are interested for some tasty South Indian kuzhambu varieties in TMF,
Kuzhambu varieties with tamarind
Kuzhambu varieties without tamarind
Ingredients:
For lentil Balls:
Toor dal – 1/2 cup
Channa dal – 1/4 cup
Fennel Seeds – 1/4 tsp
Red Chilli – 2 (Adjust according to your taste)
Ginger – 1/4 tsp
kuzhmabu(Gravy):
Onion – 1
Garlic – 3 pods, finely chopped
Tomato – 1
Tamarind – 1 lemon sized ball
Coconut grated – 3 tbsp
Fennel seeds – 1/4 tsp
Sambar powder/ chilli powder – 1 tsp ( I used Sambar powder)
Salt – to taste
To temper:
Sesame Oil – 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds – 1/4 tsp
Fenugreek seed- 1/8 tsp
Method:
- Soak the dal and red chilli for 2 hours and strain the water. Add ginger and fennel seeds to the dal, and grind them into coarse mixture without adding water. Add onion and required salt to the mixture and combine well. Make marble sized balls out of it and keep aside.
- Soak tamarind in 1 cup of luke warm water and keep aside for 5 – 10 minutes, and extract the juice
- Add oil to the pan. When oil is hot add ‘to temper’ ingredients and let them splutter. Add garlic and onion and sauté till the onion is translucent. Add tomato and cook till becomes mushy
- Add sambar powder and give a quick stir. Add the tamrind juice, 2 cup of water, salt and cook till the raw smell goes off
Gently add the Urundai (lentil balls)one by one. Lentil balls initially sink, but float after cooking
Avoid sauting the lentil balls till they are cooked, to prevent them from breaking
If you have many lentil balls, cook in batches. After one batch is cooked and floating, add remaining lentil balls and let it cook
If you feel floating lentil balls top surface are bit dry, gently take Small amount Kuzhambu and put it over the lentil ball
- Grind the coconut with fennel seed and little water. Add it to the Kuzhambu and Cook for 3-4 minutes and switch off
Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu
Ingredients
- For lentil Balls:
- Toor dal - 1/2 cup
- Channa dal - 1/4 cup
- Fennel Seeds - 1/4 tsp
- Red Chilli - 2 Adjust according to your taste
- Ginger - 1/4 tsp
- Kuzhambu Gravy:
- Onion - 1
- Garlic - 3 pods finely chopped
- Tomato - 1
- Tamarind - 1 lemon sized ball
- Coconut grated optional - 3 tbsp
- Sambar powder/ chilli powder - 1 tsp I used Sambar powder
- Salt - to taste
- To temper:
- Sesame Oil - 1 tbsp
- Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
- Fenugreek - 1/8 tsp
Instructions
- Soak the dal and red chilli for 2 hours and strain the water. Add ginger and fennel seeds to the dal, and grind them into coarse mixture without adding water. Add onion and required salt to the mixture and combine well. Make marble sized balls out of it and keep aside.
- Soak tamarind in 1 cup of luke warm water and keep aside for 5 - 10 minutes, and extract the juice
- Add oil to the pan. When oil is hot add 'to temper' ingredients and let them splutter. Add garlic and onion and sauté till the onion is translucent. Add tomato and cook till becomes mushy
- Add sambar powder and give a quick stir. Add the tamrind juice, 2 cup of water, salt and cook till the raw smell goes off
- Gently add the Urundai (lentil balls)one by one. Lentil balls initially sink, but float after cooking
- Avoid sauting the lentil balls till they are cooked, to prevent them from breaking
- if you have many lentil balls, cook in batches. After one batch is cooked and floating, add remaining lentil balls and let it cook
- If you feel floating lentil balls top surface are bit dry, gently take Small amount Kuzhambu and put it over the lentil ball
- Grind the coconut with fennel seed and little water. Add it to the Kuzhambu and Cook for 3-4 minutes and switch off
Absolutely fabulous post for Swayam… Love this kuzhambhu any time and one of my favorite 🙂 mine is a little different from your version, we don’t add channa dal and tomato gotta try your version soon Vidya…looks so yummy 🙂
Thanku Malar:-)
Welcome back and my favorite 🙂
Thanku Sri:-)
I have been wanting to make this for a long long time and now I have the recipe!
And welcome back. 🙂
Thanku Aruna:-)
Vidya.. so traditional and flavourful recipe.. But if we add the lentils directly, is the raw smell leaves? because my mom used to fry the balls in oil for this kuzhambhu.. will try this version for sure..
Thanks Ranjini:-) Yes, lentil balls get cooked in tamrind water so won’t have raw flavour
thats great 🙂
yummy kolumbu! one of my fav too 🙂 <3
Thanks dear:-) mine as well
Vacation got over?
No vacation Deepa. Due to some personal commitment couldn’t be active for some days
oh! Have thinking of you, wondering why no post from you in my reader 🙂 Welcome back:)
So sweet of u Deepa thanks:-)
mouthwatering kuzhambu…
Thanku Kurinji:-)
Love this kuzhambhu …not sure I will be able to do them…but I will try. Francesca from Rome, Italy 🙂
Happy that you like our traditional delicacy:-)Thanku
🙂 i love your blog!!!
Thanks dear:-)
Yum <3. I so want to come over. Apparently, Sanju's granny makes an awesome version of this. She explained the process for 30 mins and I was like 'It's tiring to listen to it'. I will feature her recipe when I go to India next year <3
Thanks dear:-) I am waiting for your recipes. Granny’s recipes have a authentic touch I love it
And BTW, missed you here. Back with a bang <3
Charu<3<3
Never tired this before but looks delicious 🙂
Thanku Rekha:-) Glad you liked it
Vidya…very nice recipe…so much to make this is also on my to make list…missed you for sure….
Thanku Natasha:-) Do try I am sure you will love it:-) so sweet of you
Oh my goodness! I love Paruppu Urundai kozhambu and makes me go nostalgic. My grandma makes such yummy Paruppu urundai kozhambu and i as a kid used to eat the urundai as is or with curd rice. Simply yum!!
I can relate Aiswarya:-) Grandma’s recipes are always best
I love paruppu urundai kuzhambu! Your recipe has me drooling…
Thanku Apsara:-) I agree sush a comfort food
Looks delicious and thanks for sharing!
Thanks Liz:-)
Wow! This is so different! Looks tasty! Hey, happy come back 🙂 TC! Keep smiling 🙂 Happy cooking!
Thanku Sindhu:-)Missed you guys
Me too Vidya 🙂 Even I was away for a while…
Hope everything is fine at your end Sindhu:-) tc
Thank you for your concern Vidya 🙂 I am fine dear, it was that some tutorial posts require a lot of work and sometimes I get some ideas to input when everything is ready to be online… That’s crazy me 😀
Your stepwise tutorial is awesome:-) for the person like me its very useful Sindhu
I admit I didn’t ask where you’ve been but I was wondering 🙂 it felt like a loooog time! And this recipe seems to be easy enough to follow, I know most of the ingredients including the lentils so I will be able to follow it!
So sweet of you dear:-) thanku
wow its very tempting recipe…looks perfect
Thanku Vani:-)
This is completely new to me…We make dal dumplings and steam but in gravy never tried… looks luscious
btwn missed you around… hope all is well… 🙂
Thanks Chitra:-) do try this way.. Yes dear
These lentil balls sound wonderful!
Thanku Sarah:-)
This is a terrific recipe! I guess it is a Chennai special kuzhambu! I love such elaborate curries…just for the fun of it!
Thanku Sridevi:-) yes its flavorful kuzhambu
What a beautiful and delicious dish, so glad to see you back.
Thanku Suzanne:-)
Wow! Looks good Vidya! 🙂
Thanku Radhi:-)
this is absolutely fantastic! I’ve never eaten anything like this! I’d die to taste it!
Thanku:-) glad u liked it
I’m not so sure I’ve had this before….is it from a certain part of India? It looks oh so yummy though 🙂
Thanks Loretta:-)its commonly cooked in Tamil Nadu
Looks delish! Thanks for the recipe!
Thanku Nish:-)
This looks so good! 😀
Thanku:-)
my recipe notes is being filled with your delicious recipes…so tasty i will try this weekend!! Happy navaraatri!!
Thanku Swathi:-) wish you the same.. Do try waiting to hear from u
The whole dish & these tasty lentil balls look so delicious. I Will make this tomorrow for dinner,…Ooh yes! Xx
Glad you liked it:-) do try dear
I’ve never seen this… looks delicious.
Thanku Namrata:-)
This is soooo delicious darling!! Thank u ever so so so much for an amazing share for us here at Lapetitchef.. It just made my day!! 🙂
You give it your best, don’t you?? will have to try this instead of sambhar soon..
Thanks once again..
Much much love,
to u and darling Lo..
🙂 <3
Oh ya I wanted to give Sambar as I told but I couldn’t get fresh drumstick here so changed my mind and Gabe this dish dear
What an amazing share Vidya!! Muuuuaaahh… Thnx soo much darling… I asked for authentic Tam, and U gave me a gem of a recipe…and tht too from Amma’s cookbook..and everyone knows how much i love those moments of nostalgic cooking 🙂 Thank u sooo much for taking out the time darling.. .U hv made a fabulous dish for all of us at Lapetitchef…
Loads of love,
to u and Lo…
🙂
Pleasure is mine dear:-) glad you like it.. Waiting to c my post in your page
Looks so yummy.. But I doubt once those lentil balls are ready I could resist them, and how many of them would actually go into the gravy…:):D
I know Shikha:-) I always do that;-) thanks dear
Yummy Yummy! 🙂
Thanku Saritha:-)