Kitchen Tantra

Power Foods:

Ginger:

Inji Kara Kuzhambu: (Tamizhar Style)

Ginger in Tamarind Gravy. Adhrak Gravy.

This fresh ginger has a healing properties: its a powerful anti-inflamatory, anti-bacterial and anti-biotic! It helps to combat naseua, fatique and used in the treatments of constipation(its loaded with fibre)! It also works for acidity...its more how you take it! Constipation, fatique, naseua.....fix this curry. Acidity, Weakness, drink them as concoctions!

I will have to say something about ginger here....its not a root! Its actually a modified shoot!!! So never mention it as ginger-root! Say it Ginger!!!

Its one of the healthy and aromatic dish. Give a try.

Ingredients:

Ginger 1/4 kilo - peeled
Cricket ball size tamarind or 1 spoon of thick tamarind paste
Red onion 1 large finely chopped
Garlic 1 large peeled and semi crushed
Tomato 1 large chopped
Salt
Turmeric powder 1/2 spoon
Chili powder 1 spoon
Sesame oil 1 cup
Mustard seeds 1 spoon
Cumin seeds 1 spoon
Fenugreek seeds 1/2 spoon
Black pepper 1/2 spoon
Chana dal 1/2 spoon
Urad dal 1/2 spoon
Asafoetida 1/2 spoon
Dry red chilies 3-5
Curry leaves few.

Method:

Peel and wash ginger. Chop them. Fry them in few spoons of oil for 2-5 minutes.

In a blender....using limited water, wet grind this fried ginger. Set this puree aside.

In a deep pan heat few spoons of oil. Add garlic, fry till its raw smell goes off. Further add onions, fry till they turn to golden brown color. Now add tomatoes, fry them till they loose their water content.

Now add salt, turmeric and chili powder.

Then add tamarind paste and 2 cups of water. Cover and cook over medium flame.

Once it comes to gravy-like consistency. Stir in the ginger puree. Cover and cook over medium heat. Maybe until ginger blends well, oil shows up on top. It will be very fragrant.

In a separate pan, heat oil. Add mustard, cumin, asafoetida, fenugreek, chana dal, urad dal, dry red chilies, pepper and curry leaves. Let them pop and splutter well.

Run this sesonning over the gravy made.

Serve hot with plain steamed rice. Run a spoon full of ghee over it.....just before serving.

Labels: Veg Kuzhambu