Thalara Karamedu (Vegetables in Toor dal based Gravy)

Thalara Karamedu (kariamudu) is an iyengar recipe. Lady finger (Vendaikkai), Brinjal (Kathirikkai) and Raw plantain (Vazhaikkai) are the three vegetables that are used to make this gravy. This combination of vegetables is very important to this recipe. I’m sending this to Linda’s JFI- Toordal , Suganya’s Vegan Ventures and Easycrafts Powerless event! Since Sra has ruled out Lentil based Gravys I cannot send it to hers (though this was the initial plan).

I finally convinced Lakshmi (my boss) to send one recipe for three events. 😀

I prepared this while in Chennai as a side dish for Phulkas. This curry tastes great with rice also. Lakshmi and Satish loved the colour and flavour of the curry very much.

Ingredients

• Lady finger – 6 nos
• Brinjal – 1 medium sized
• Plantain – 1/2
• Toordal – 1/2 cup
• Tamarind – lemon sized
• Redchillies – 2 nos
• Mustard seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
• Turmeric powder – 1/2 tea spoon
• Hing – 1/4 teaspoon
• Oil – 2 teaspoons
• Curry leaves – 1 twig
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Wash and cut the vegetables to 1 inch slices.
2. Soak tamarind in warm water and take out 3 cups of thin water.
3. Wash and pressure cook the toor dal with 2 cups of water.
4. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan, add mustard seeds. When it crackles add redchilli pieces.
5. When redchillies are brown, add curry leaves and the vegetables.
6. Add turmeric and hing powder. Stir for a few minutes.
7. Add the tamarind water, cover and cook on a medium flame till the vegetables are soft.
8. Mash the toordal and add to the cooked vegetables. Add salt and simmer for 3 minutes.
9. Serve hot with rotis or rice.

I served it with puffed phulkas made by Lakshmi! 🙂

Update: Those of who who missed the weekend post with a cute pic of our babies, head here.

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