As we are counting over the last
days of the year to end, am just recollecting about the choices that I made
which brought out changes in my lifestyle along with courage of overcoming the
new set of challenges. I always feel recharged when it comes to the
end of the year - time to recollect and retrospect all the good and bad things
that surrounded me.
To me always, the new year has
been an exciting time where everything seems new and fresh - gearing up for a
fresh start to make better choices and decisions..
In the beginning of the year, I
embarked on a journey to a new land to meet the high standards and goals that
is set on me. In retrospect, I am facing
the truth that I am not in the place where I strived to be but with the piece
of sincerity and frankness I am happy that I am not at the same place where I
started the journey.
A lot had happened in one year -
thanks to the Almighty for every counted blessings on me. I am thrilled when my son outgrew me and I am
hoping to see him several inches taller than his Dad. I feel overjoyed to see DH trying to be
expressive. Feel excited when some
colleagues turned into good friends and my old friends turned into family. I am
blessed to be surrounded by great leaders and good bosses who guide at every
required time and push me to do better every day.
Moving to the recipe, those who
follow me or know me personally are very well familiar that most of my recipes
touches the traditional root.
Karuvepillai Kuzhambu (Curry leaves kuzhambu) is one such dish which
oozes out lot of medicinal benefits. I
usually prepare this once in a month to utilize the happy chance of making my
people eat a healthy food.
PREPARATION:
Tamarind water - 2 cups
(Extracted from soaked tamarind pulp)
Salt - to taste
Curry leaves - 1 cup
Jaggery - a small pinch
(optional)
Oil - 2 tsp
TO ROAST AND GRIND:
Urad dhal - 3 tsp
Red chillies - 6-8
Peppercorns - 1 TSP
Asafoetida - a small piece
To TEMPER:
Mustard seeds -1 tsp
PREPARATION:
1. Extract tamarind water from
soaked tamarind pulp and keep aside.
2. In a pan, roast the items
given under section roast and grind in half tsp of oil (Red chillies,
Peppercorns, asafoetida,urad dhal).
Grind this along with washed curry leaves adding necessary salt.
3. In the same pan, add oil,
throw in mustard seeds and when it sizzles, add tamarind water and little salt
as necessary and let it boil for 5 minutes.
Once the raw smell of tamarind is half gone, add the ground paste. Make sure to add it gently to avoid forming
lumps. Mix well and let the mixture boil
until the desired texture is found. This is the period the home would be surrounded with nice aroma and you would start to feel hungry. Lastly, add Jaggery and boil for a minute before once the consistency is reached. Adding jaggery is an optional step.
4. Curry leaves kuzhambu can be mixed with
cooked rice with a tsp of ghee.
.
