Milagu Kuzhambu (Pepper Sambar)

Special occasions call for special things. Some exotic, some comforting, but all special. This is one dish that is part of a trio that is very special to me. When I was in Madras, living at home, paneer was a special thing. And then I moved up north and worked at GE. I got lunch everyday and dinner as well depending on my work schedule. And I got paneer almost everyday. After 6 months, I was so sick of it that when I rang home to tell my folks I was going to visit home, I remembered to tell Amma, "No paneer Ma, please."

So, what should she make to make it special? I told her to make one of my all time favourite Iyengar dish and this is something that forms a classic combination with that.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp Urad Dal

1 tsp Pepper Corns

A Handful of Curry Leaves

2-3 Red Chillies

1 tsp Oil

2 tbsp Tamarind Paste (more or less according to taste)

Salt to taste

For the tempering:

1/2 tsp Urad Dal

7-8 Curry Leaves

1 tsp Oil

Heat the oil and fry the urad dal. When it begins to turn brown, add the pepper, curry leaves, red chillies and take it off the stove.

Grind this to a paste in a mixer.

Add water to this paste and bring it to a boil after adding the tamarind paste and salt.

Heat the teaspoon of oil in a small kadhai and add the urad dal. When it turns brown, add the curry leaves and add to the kuzhambu.

I love this preparation with rice and paruppu usli or the other dish which I am about to post. The combination of these three things and rice is like taking a Thalys to heaven.