Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu is one of those timeless recipes that feels like a warm embrace. It’s not made in a hurry. It takes its own time – soaking the dal, shaping the urundais, preparing the kuzhambu – and that’s exactly what makes it special. For me, it’s not just a dish; it’s a moment of stillness in the kitchen, a throwback to the way food was made in our homes for generations.
The heart of this dish lies in the paruppu urundais – lentil dumplings made from soaked toor dal, red chillies, a little coconut, and jeera. I follow the Tamil Brahmin tradition – so no onion, no garlic – and the result is clean, pure flavors that let the lentils shine. The mixture is ground coarsely and shaped into firm balls. For this tamarind kuzhambu version, the urundais are gently steamed before being simmered in the kuzhambu. This step helps them hold their shape and gives them the perfect soft-yet-textured bite.
The kuzhambu base is made with tamarind, ground coconut, and just the right amount of spice. As the urundais bubble away in it, they absorb all that tangy warmth and become melt-in-the-mouth soft. Paired with hot rice and a spoon of ghee – it’s the kind of meal that satisfies something deep inside you.
Here’s something I personally love about this dish – you can use the same paruppu urundais for Mor Kuzhambu too. But with one important difference: in Mor Kuzhambu, the urundais must be steamed first. You can’t drop them in raw, as the buttermilk base is delicate and doesn’t allow the dumplings to cook through. When steamed and then gently added to the mor kuzhambu, the result is equally beautiful – soft, slightly tangy dumplings soaking up the yogurt-coconut curry.
I often make extra urundais and enjoy both versions over two days – tamarind kuzhambu one day, mor kuzhambu the next. It’s a lovely way to stretch a traditional preparation into multiple meals, each one feeling fresh and comforting.
This dish is not showy, but it holds generations of home cooking in every bite. Whether you’re making it for a quiet weekend lunch or as part of a festival meal, Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu always delivers the taste of home.
Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu
Ingredients
Instructions
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Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu is a typical Tamil Brahmin recipe originated in Tamilnadu . In Tamil Kuzhambu means curry . Paruppu Urundai means lentil dal balls. These balls can also use to make Mor Kuzhambu. So let’s start.
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First of all we will soak one cup of Split Gram lentil or Toor Dal for one hour
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Next we will grind Dal to make a thick paste with Dry red chillies, Asafoetida, Green chilly and enough salt
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Soak Tamarind in warm water and extract juice, and keep it aside
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In a pan heat a teaspoon Oil, add Dry Red Chillies, Coriander seeds, Fenugreek seeds, Bengal Gram Dal (Kadala Parippu) , Black pepper, and saute it for 1-2 minutes
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Let it cool for some time, and grind it with enough water to a paste
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In a pan heat a teaspoon Oil and add Lentil paste and saute it for 2-3 minutes in medium flame
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Make small balls with it .
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Heat Tamarind juice in a pan, add Turmeric powder and let it boil.
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Add Masala Paste and mix well
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When the mixture start to boil, Check the salt level, If required add some salt and mix well.( Remember Lentil balls contain some salt)
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Add Lentil balls. Let’s cook the balls .
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At this time do dot stir the curry. The balls will break
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When the balls start to float over the curry, it’s the right time to tempering it and finish .
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Heat a teaspoon Oil, add Mustard seeds. When it start to spurts add Curry leaves and Coriander leaves.
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Pour the Mixture over the curry .
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(If you are making Paruppu Urundai Mor Kuzhambu, You need to steam the balls and add it to curry directly)
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Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu is ready. Serve hot with Plain rice .