Oma Kuzhambu (Ajwain)

Ingredients:

Omam (Ajwain/Carom Seeds) – ½ teaspoon

Salt – 1 teaspoon

Hing- ¼ teaspoon

Tamarind – a lemon sized ball

Water - 1½ cups

Jaggery – ½ teaspoon

Sambar powder – 3 teaspoons

Rice flour – 1 teaspoon

Tempering:

Sesame oil – 2 tablespoons

Mustard seeds – 1teaspoon

Channa dal – 1 teaspoon

Curry leaves - 10 to 15

Fenugreek seeds – ¼ teaspoon

Red chilli – 1 (break into halves)

Method:

1. Soak tamarind in water for half hour.
2. Squeeze tamarind with hand & filter the water. (Throw away the squeezed tamarind)
3. Heat sesame oil in a non-stick deep pan.
4. Add mustard seeds & allow spluttering.
5. Add sambar powder and wait until it starts to get slightly browned.
6. Add fenugreek seeds, channa dal, carom seeds, red chilli, curry leaves.
7. Fry till ingredients turn dark brown in color.
8. Add the tamarind water, jaggery, hing & salt.
9. Allow boiling till oil separates. (takes approximately 7 to 8 mins)
10. Mix rice flour to ½ cup of water & mix well without lumps.
11. Add this to the kuzhambu & allow boiling for a further 2 to 3 minutes (you can notice the kuzhambu thickened by now & viscous)
12. Serve hot with rice & ghee.