Today’s post is Kathirikai Khara Kuzhambu Recipe / Hotel Style Kara Kuzhambu with step by step pics and a short YouTube video. This kuzhambu is served in most of the hotels in Tamilnadu, alongside with sambar, rasam and mor. It stays good for a week under refrigeration, if coconut is skipped. I just slit the brinjal slightly and cooked it whole, which adds an extra attraction to the gravy. It pairs well with carrot poriyal, arbi fry, raw banana fry …..
Find my other Kuzhambu / Gravy recipes like
1. Butter milk Kuzhambu / Mor Kuzhambu
2. Vathal Kuzhambu Recipe
3. Garlic Kuzhambu Recipe
4. Paruppu Urundai Kuhambu
5. Mango Sambar Recipe
Hotel Style Kara Kuzhambu Recipe
Kathirikai Khara Kuzhambu Recipe | Hotel Style Kara Kuzhambu
Kathirikai Khara Kuzhambu Recipe / Hotel Style Kara Kuzhambu is served in most of the hotels in Tamilnadu, alongside with sambar, rasam and mor. It stays good for a week under refrigeration, if coconut is skipped.
Ingredients
- 5 Shallots
- 8 Pods Garlic
- 1 Tomato
- 1 Small Lemon sized Tamarind
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
- 2 tbsp Sambar Powder Link for sambar powder
- Salt As Required
- 6 Brinjal
- 1 Small Jaggery piece
To Roast & Grind
- 2 tsp Oil
- 5 Shallots
- 1 Tomato
- 1/4 Cup Coconut
To Temper
- 2 tbsp Oil
- 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
- 1 tsp Jeera
- 1/4 tsp Methi Seeds
- 1 Red Chilli
- 1 Sprig Curry Leaves
- 1 Generous Pinch Hing
- 1 Small Piece Thalippu Vadagam (optional) Link for Thalippu Vadagam
Instructions
- Soak tamarind in 1 cup of warm water for 20 minutes. Squeeze the tamarind, extract tamarind water and discard the pulp. Chop shallots, tomato and garlic finely. Measure and keep all the other ingredients ready.
- Peel the skin of shallots, chop tomato and coconut roughly for grinding. In a pan, pour 2 tsp of oil, add shallots, tomato and saute a little.
- Switch off flame, add coconut bits and give a quick stir. Once it cools down, add the roasted ingredients to a mixer.
- Pour 1 cup of water and grind it to a smooth paste. To a pan, pour oil and temper with the ingredients listed in the table 'To Temper'.
- Then add shallots, garlic and saute till it turns translucent. Now add tomato and saute till mushy.
- Pour tamarind water, once it starts to boil, add turmeric powder and salt.
- Add sambar powder and mix well. Cook covered in low flame for 5 minutes.
- The oil separates now. To another pan, pour 1 tbsp of oil, add the slit brinjal (it can be chopped into cubes) and few curry leaves for flavour. You can skip this step and add the brinjal, while sauteing onion itself.
- Saute for 5 minutes in low flame, till the skin shrinks. Add the brinjal to the kuzhambu and give a boil for another 3 minutes. Finally add jaggery, mix well and switch off flame. Give a resting time for 1 hour and serve this kuzhambu.Serve this hotel style kara kuzhambu with drumstick leaves poriyal.
Video
Method
1. Soak tamarind in 1 cup of warm water for 20 minutes. Squeeze the tamarind, extract tamarind water and discard the pulp. Chop shallots, tomato and garlic finely. Measure and keep all the other ingredients ready.
2. Peel the skin of shallots, chop tomato and coconut roughly for grinding. In a pan, pour 2 tsp of oil, add shallots, tomato and saute a little.
3. Switch off flame, add coconut bits and give a quick stir. Once it cools down, add the roasted ingredients to a mixer.
4. Pour 1 cup of water and grind it to a smooth paste. To a pan, pour oil and temper with the ingredients listed in the table ‘To Temper’.
5. Then add shallots, garlic and saute till it turns translucent. Now add tomato and saute till mushy.
6. Pour tamarind water, once it starts to boil, add turmeric powder and salt.
7. Add sambar powder, grounded onion – tomato paste and mix well. Cook covered in low flame for 5 minutes.
8. The oil separates now. To another pan, pour 1 tbsp of oil, add the slit brinjal (it can be chopped into cubes) and few curry leaves for flavour. You can skip this step and add the brinjal, while sauteing onion itself.
9. Saute for 5 minutes in low flame, till the skin shrinks. Add the brinjal to the kuzhambu and give a boil for another 3 minutes. Finally add jaggery, mix well and switch off flame. Give a resting time for 1 hour and serve this kuzhambu.
Serve this hotel style kara kuzhambu with drumstick leaves poriyal.
2. Peel the skin of shallots, chop tomato and coconut roughly for grinding. In a pan, pour 2 tsp of oil, add shallots, tomato and saute a little.
3. Switch off flame, add coconut bits and give a quick stir. Once it cools down, add the roasted ingredients to a mixer.
4. Pour 1 cup of water and grind it to a smooth paste. To a pan, pour oil and temper with the ingredients listed in the table ‘To Temper’.
5. Then add shallots, garlic and saute till it turns translucent. Now add tomato and saute till mushy.
6. Pour tamarind water, once it starts to boil, add turmeric powder and salt.
7. Add sambar powder, grounded onion – tomato paste and mix well. Cook covered in low flame for 5 minutes.
8. The oil separates now. To another pan, pour 1 tbsp of oil, add the slit brinjal (it can be chopped into cubes) and few curry leaves for flavour. You can skip this step and add the brinjal, while sauteing onion itself.
9. Saute for 5 minutes in low flame, till the skin shrinks. Add the brinjal to the kuzhambu and give a boil for another 3 minutes. Finally add jaggery, mix well and switch off flame. Give a resting time for 1 hour and serve this kuzhambu.
Serve this hotel style kara kuzhambu with drumstick leaves poriyal.
Kathirikai Khara Kuzhambu Recipe
Tips for Kathirikai Khara Kuzhambu Recipe
1. For quick version, 2 tsp of ready made tamarind paste can be used.
2. For longer shelf life, skip coconut in the grinding part.
2. For longer shelf life, skip coconut in the grinding part.
3. Even 1 tsp of fennel seeds can be used in grinding, which lends a hotel style kara kuzhambu.
4. Use shallots only, for this kathirikai khara kuzhambu recipe, for good taste.
5. Use sesame oil only, which gives a nice taste and add it generously.
6. If you have ‘Thalippu vadagam‘ in hand, don’t skip to add, it gives for more flavour.
7. Even drumstick can be used along with brinjal, which adds a different flavour to the kuzhambu.
8. Don’t skip to add jaggery at last, it enhances the taste of the gravy.
4. Use shallots only, for this kathirikai khara kuzhambu recipe, for good taste.
5. Use sesame oil only, which gives a nice taste and add it generously.
6. If you have ‘Thalippu vadagam‘ in hand, don’t skip to add, it gives for more flavour.
7. Even drumstick can be used along with brinjal, which adds a different flavour to the kuzhambu.
8. Don’t skip to add jaggery at last, it enhances the taste of the gravy.
Hotel Style Kara Kuzhambu Recipe
Welcome to my blog www.asmallbite.com. Thanks for reading my blog! I hope you’re enjoying my recipes to make the taste forever. I am Priya Santhamohan, writer and photographer (with hubby’s help) of this blog. 
When do you add the shallots and tomato paste to the recipe. I’m a little confused. I’m trying it now and it smells amazing! Thanks for the recipe.
Hi Ahana, add the shallots – tomato after tempering (step 5 in pic) and tomato paste (step 7 in pic) after adding sambar powder. Once you try, let me know your feedback, Happy Cooking.
Hi
I made this recipe yesterday and it came out very well…infact I have tried so many of your recipes and they are just simple and tasty ….love trying out new from your blog!!
Thanks a ton!
Thanks a lot, Rubina for your feedback, keep visiting my blog, have a nice day.