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Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu | Lentil Ball Tamarind Gravy

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Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu | Urunda kara kuzhambu | Puli Kuzhambu with step by step pictures and video recipe. Check out the Urundai kara Kuzhambu in Tamil and Urundai kara kuzhambu in English.If you like the video pls SUBSCRIBE to my channel

Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu

Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu | Urunda kara kuzhambu | Puli Kuzhambu is a 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 demand fewer times in the kitchen, but there is certain food which is worth the extra effort spent. Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu definitely takes a special place on 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.

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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 

Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu

If you are interested for some tasty South Indian kuzhambu varieties in TMF,

Kuzhambu varieties  with tamarind

Kuzhambu varieties without tamarind 

Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu

Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu is traditional South Indian kuzhambu. Lentil balls are cooked in tangy flavorful kuzhambu. Kara Kulambu is so flavorful and filling.
5 from 1 vote
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Course: Kuzhambu
Cuisine: Indian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 4
Author: Vidya Srinivasan

Ingredients

  • For lentil Balls:
  • Toor dal - 1/2 cup
  • Channa dal - 1/2 cup
  • Fennel Seeds - 1/4 tsp
  • Red Chilli - 2 Adjust according to your taste
  • Garlic - 2
  • kuzhmabu Gravy:
  • Onion - 1
  • Garlic - 4 pods finely chopped
  • Tomato - 1
  • Tamarind - 1 lemon sized ball
  • Coconut grated - 3 tbsp
  • Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
  • Sambar powder/ chilli powder - 1 tbsp I used Sambar powder
  • Salt - to taste
  • To temper:
  • Sesame Oil - 3 tbsp
  • Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
  • Fenugreek seed- 1/4 tsp

Instructions

  • Soak the dal and red chilli for 2 hours and strain the water. Add garlic, fennel seeds and little salt 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 2 tbsp of 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
  • Grind the coconut with fennel seed and little water
  • Add little jaggery and 1 tbsp of oil to the Kuzhambu and Cook for 3-4 minutes and switch off
  •  Urundai kara Kuzhambu in Tamil 
     Urundai kara kuzhambu in English

Video

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Notes

  1. Avoid sauting the lentil balls till they are cooked, to prevent them from breaking
  2. Alternatively, you can steam cook lentil balls and add it to the kuzhambu
  3. Kuzhambu thickens overtime so adjust the water accordingly 
  4. Tamarind paste can be used instead of tamarind
  5. If you have many lentil balls, cook in batches. After one batch is cooked and floating, add remaining lentil balls and let it cook
  6. If you feel floating lentil balls top surface are bit dry, gently take Small amount Kuzhambu and put it over the lentil ball
Tried this recipe?Mention @traditionallymodernfood or tag #traditionallymodernfood!

Ingredients:

For lentil Balls:

Toor dal – 1/2 cup

Channa dal – 1/2 cup

Fennel Seeds – 1/4 tsp

Red Chilli – 2 (Adjust according to your taste)

Garlic – 2

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 tbsp ( I used Sambar powder)

Salt – to taste

To temper:

Sesame Oil – 3 tbsp

Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

Fenugreek seed- 1/4 tsp

Method:

  • Soak the dal and red chilli for 2 hours and strain the water. Add garlic,  fennel seeds and little salt  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.

IMG_9993IMG_9995IMG_9997

  • Soak tamarind in 1 cup of luke warm water and keep aside for 5 – 10 minutes, and extract the juice
  • Add 2 tbsp of 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

IMG_9998

  • 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

IMG_0001

  • Gently  add the Urundai (lentil balls)one by one. Lentil balls initially sink, but float after cooking

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  • Grind the coconut with fennel seed and little water
  • Add little jaggery and 1 tbsp of oil to the Kuzhambu and Cook for 3-4 minutes and switch off

Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu

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Comments

  1. Malar says

    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 🙂

    Reply

  4. Ranjani says

    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..

    Reply

  9. Charanya says

    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

    Reply

  13. My Kitchen Moments says

    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!!

    Reply

  17. platedujour says

    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!

    Reply

  31. Swayam says

    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

    Reply

  32. Swayam says

    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…
    🙂

    Reply

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