Vatha Kuzhambu is one of those dishes one can hardly find not savoring it once in a while. It’s often-favorite pair is with fried potato or papad served during lunch.
The recipe of Shri Arusuvai Natarajan, a renowned cook in Tamil Nadu whose recipes aren’t just famous in the South but almost all over the world. The foremost expert event catering, who started small and with experience and phenomenal taste of his recipes created a catering empire. He started managing catering and cooking from a young age and in the 1940’s, he began catering events and his fame went on to increase as he bought quality food that had a blast of flavors which received the praises it deserved.
He has catered numerous celebrity events in which the President of India gave him the title V. V. Giri gave him the title of ‘Arusuvai Arasu’ King of all the six tastes of food.
Arusuvai Natarajan Recipes: Vatha Kuzhambu Recipe
One of the most loved Vatha Kuzhambu recipes ever made. Flavors of Manathakkali explode in your mouth. Tiny berries turn from green to an inky black that glistens, they although don’t have a taste but are rich in nutrition. With varieties of flavours like Tamarind, Coconut, Jaggery give a blast in one’s mouth it also provides all the essential nutrients that one should on a daily basis consume.
Making of Arusuvai Natarajan Recipe : Vatha Kuzhambu
Ingredients:
Tamarind- Lemon sized, soaked in 2 cups of water
Sambar powder- 5tsps
Appalam [Urad dal papad}- 5-6 mini papad or one big torn into pieces
Sesame oil- 3 tbsps.
Mustard – 1tsp
Fenugreek seeds- 1tsp
Curry leaves – few
Hing – 2 pinches
Grated Jaggery- 2tsps
Salt to taste
Grated coconut- ½ cup, tightly packed
Manathakkali- 2tbsps
Preparation of the Vatha Kuzhambu :
1.Squeeze well and take the tamarind extract,
2.Now heat oil in a heavy bottom pan, add mustard.
3. When it starts spluttering add fenugreek seeds, chana dal, curry leaves and Hing.
4. Sauté for a few seconds then add Manathakkali Vathal and sauté till it fries well.
5.Now add Sambar powder and sauté for a min. Keep the flame medium.
6. Add the tamarind extract, salt to taste and grated Jaggery.
7. Mix well and let it boil till the raw smell of tamarind fades away and the gravy gets thick.
8. Grind Coconut to paste adding a little water as needed.
9.Heat oil in another pan. Add the ground coconut paste and 1/4th cup of water and let it boil for a few minutes.
10.Add this to the Tamarind gravy, mix well and simmer till the oil starts floating on top.
Nataraja Iyer’s Vatha Kuzhambu is best served with steamed rice drizzled with Sesame oil or melted ghee.
Arusuvai Natarajan Rasam Recipe is also one of the renowned dish in south india. It is a good combo with this vatha kuzhambu.
The recipes of Nataraja Iyer live in the hearts of people; it’s his legacy that Arusuvai Arasu Caterers are dedicated towards. The knowledge that he has left us behind and the reputation he had for his catering services as well as for food we opt to carry it forward along with us in the journey.
