Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu

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.

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Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu

Author: Ushadevi Cooking Method: Boiling, Sauteing Cuisine: Tamil Courses: Curries & Side Dishes

Difficulty: Advanced Prep Time 1 hr Cook Time 25 mins Total Time 1 hr 25 mins

Servings: 6

Best Season: Suitable throughout the year

Description

Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu is a traditional Tamil Brahmin recipe that originated in Tamil Nadu. In Tamil, kuzhambu means curry, and paruppu urundai refers to lentil (dal) balls. These dal balls can also be used to make Mor Kuzhambu (buttermilk curry). So let’s begin!

Ingredients

Scale

1/2x 1x 2x 3x

• 1 cup Split Gram Lentil (Toor dal)
• 6 Dry Red Chillies
• 1 Green Chilly
• 1 pinch Asafoetida
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 lemon size Tamarind
• 2 teaspoon Coriander seeds
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon Fenugreek
• 1 teaspoon Bengal Gram Dal (Kadala Parippu)
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon Black pepper
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon Turmeric powder
• 3 teaspoon Oil
• 1 spring Curry leaves
• 1 teaspoon Coriander leaves (optional)

Instructions

1. Soak 1 cup of split gram dal (toor dal) in water for about 1 hour.
2. Drain and grind the soaked dal into a thick paste along with dry red chillies, green chilli, asafoetida, and enough salt.
3. Soak tamarind in warm water, extract the juice, and keep it aside.

4. In a small pan, heat a teaspoon of oil and sauté dry red chillies, coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, Bengal gram dal (kadala parippu), and black pepper for 1-2 minutes.

5. Let the mixture cool slightly, then grind it to a smooth paste with enough water. This is the masala paste.

6. In a pan, heat a teaspoon of oil. Add the lentil paste (from step 2) and sauté for 2-3 minutes over medium flame.

7. Once slightly cooled, shape the mixture into small balls and keep them aside.
8. Heat the tamarind extract in a deep pan. Add turmeric powder and bring it to a boil.
9. Add the prepared masala paste and mix well.
10. Once the curry starts boiling, check for salt and adjust if needed (remember, the lentil balls already contain salt).
11. Gently drop the lentil balls into the boiling curry.
    Do not stir at this stage, as the balls may break.

13. Cook until the lentil balls start to float - this means they are cooked and the kuzhambu is almost ready.

14. In a small pan, heat a teaspoon of oil. Add mustard seeds. When they start to splutter, add curry leaves and chopped coriander leaves.
15. Pour this tempering over the kuzhambu and switch off the flame.
16. Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu is ready! Serve hot with plain rice for a comforting and authentic Tamil meal.

Note

If you're making Paruppu Urundai Mor Kuzhambu, steam the lentil balls before adding them to the curry.