Poricha Kulambu | Poricha Kuzhambu
Poricha kuzhambu recipe with step by step pics – poricha kuzhambu is a healthy and delicious mix veggie based lentil gravy made with coconut+spice paste. The lentils used are tuvar dal (pigeon pea lentils). Though even moong lentils can be used. This healthy dish is a specialty from the cuisine of Tamil Nadu in South India. Gets done within half an hour. A vegan dish.
The veggies added are potato, beans, carrots, cabbage, brinjal, snake gourd, drumsticks, chow chow, cauliflower, yellow pumpkin, white pumkin and green peas.
When I have mix veggies at home, poricha kuzhambu is one dish I often tend to make with them. I prepare poricha kulambu both with tuvar dal and moong dal. Both ways the kuzhambu tastes good.
A long time reader of the blog had shared her recipe of poricha kuzhambu with me last year. Thereafter I have made poricha kuzhambu many times whenever there are some spare mix veggies in the fridge.
A few more kuzhambu recipes which you can make at times are:
When making kuzhambu or even Sambar, where the veggies, dal and rice have to be cooked, I use the pans which are placed on top of the other and pressure cook everything together.
This way time, fuel and energy is saved. With this method you need to have a 5 to 6 litre pressure cooker. If you do not have a large cooker, then cook the veggies in a pan and cook the dal in a pressure cooker.
Poricha kulambu is best served with steamed rice. You can add a side of some fried or roasted pappadums.
How to make Poricha Kuzhambu
Pressure cooking veggies and dal:
1. Rinse and then chop the veggies first. I have used 1.5 cups of mix veggies like cauliflower, carrots, french beans and capsicum.
You can add veggies like potato, beans, carrots, cabbage, brinjal, snake gourd, drumsticks, chow chow, cauliflower, yellow pumpkin (kaddu), white pumkin and green peas.
2. Rinse ⅓ cup tuvar dal (pigeon pea lentils) a couple of times in water. Drain the water well and then add the lentils in a pan which we will place inside the stovetop pressure cooker.
Then add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder and ¾ cup water to the lentils.
3. Now in the second pan add 1.5 cups chopped mix veggies and ¼ cup green peas.
Fit the two pans (first one containing dal and the second one containing mix veggies) on top of each other. Do not add any water in the pan containing the vegetables.
4. Do use the holder as its easier to lift the pans with it. Add 2 cups water in the pressure cooker and place the pans inside it.
5. Cover and pressure cook for 16 to 18 minutes on medium to high heat.
6. Once the pressure settles down, then only open the lid and check if the veggies and dal are cooked. Remove the pans using the holder carefully. Below pic of steamed veggies.
7. Below pic of dal cooked well.
8. Now with a spoon mash the dal and keep it aside.
Making ground paste
9. When the dal and veggies are pressure cooking, you can make the coconut paste. Heat a small frying pan or skillet. Add 1 teaspoon urad dal.
10. On low heat roast the urad dal stirring often till the lentils becomes golden.
11. Once the urad dal starts becoming golden, then add 2 to 3 dry red chilies (halved and seeds removed).
12. Roast for a few seconds till the red chilies change their color and become crisp. Switch off the flame.
13. In a small grinder jar or chutney grinder, take ¼ cup tightly packed grated coconut. Add the roasted urad dal and red chilies. Also add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds. You can also add ¼ teaspoon black pepper (optional).
14. Add ¼ cup water and grind to a smooth paste. Do add water as required while grinding. Keep the ground paste aside.
Making Poricha Kulambu
15. Now take the mashed dal and steamed veggies in a pan.
16. Add the ground coconut paste.
17. Season with salt as per taste.
18. Add 1 cup water or add as required. For a slightly thick kuzhambu add less water.
19. Stir and mix very well.
20. Heat this mixture on a low to medium heat and let it come to a boil. Just let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Do stir at intervals. Then switch off the heat. Cover and keep aside.
Tempering for poricha kulambu
21. In a small frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of sesame oil (gingelly oil). When the oil becomes hot, keep the heat to a low and then add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds and ½ teaspoon urad dal.
22. Fry till the mustard seeds crackle and the urad dal turns golden.
23. Once the urad dal turns golden, then add 1 sprig curry leaves or 10 to 12 curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida (hing).
24. Fry till the curry leaves become crisp.
25. Pour the tempering in the poricha kulambu. Stir and cover. Let the tempering flavors infuse for a couple of minutes.
26. Serve poricha kuzhambu hot or warm with steamed rice.
More Veggie curry recipes
Step by Step Photo Guide Above
Ingredients
for pressure cooking
- ⅓ cup tuvar dal or arhar dal (pigeon pea lentils)
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¾ cup water for lentils
- 1.5 cups chopped mix veggies
- ¼ cup green peas, fresh or frozen
- 2 cups water added in the cooker
for ground paste
- 2 to 3 dry red chilies, halved and seeds removed
- 1 teaspoon urad dal (husked & split black gram)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper – optional
- ¼ cup tightly packed fresh grated coconut
- ¼ cup water for grinding or add as required
other ingredients
- salt as required
- 1 cup water to be added later or add as required
for tempering
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil (gingelly oil) can also use sunflower oil
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon urad dal (husked & split black gram)
- 1 sprig curry leaves or 10 to 12 curry leaves (kadi patta)
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
Instructions
pressure cooking veggies and dal
- Rinse and then chop the veggies first. I have used 1.5 cups of mix veggies like cauliflower, carrots, french beans and capsicum.
- Rinse ⅓ cup tuvar dal a couple of times in water. Drain well and add the lentils in a pan which we will place inside the pressure cooker. Then add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder and ¾ cup water to the lentils.
- Now in the second pan add 1.5 cups chopped mix veggies and ¼ cup green peas. Fit the two pans (first one containing dal and second one containing mix veggies) on top of each other. Do use the holder as its easier to lift the pans with it.
- Add 2 cups water in the pressure cooker and place the pans inside it.
- Cover and pressure cook for 16 to 18 minutes on medium to high flame.
- Once the pressure settles down, then open the lid and check if the veggies and dal are cooked. Remove the pans using the holder carefully.
- Now with a spoon mash the dal and keep aside.
making ground paste
- Heat a small frying pan or skillet. Add 1 teaspoon urad dal.
- On a low flame roast the urad dal stirring often till the lentils becomes golden.
- Once the urad dal starts becoming golden, then add 2 to 3 dry red chilies.
- Roast for a few seconds till the red chilies change their color and become crisp. Switch off the flame.
- In a small grinder jar or chutney grinder, take ¼ cup tightly packed grated coconut. Add the roasted urad dal and red chilies. Also add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds. You can also add ¼ teaspoon black pepper (optional).
- Add ¼ cup water and grind to a smooth paste. Do add water as required while grinding. Keep the ground paste aside.
making poricha kuzhambu
- Now take the mashed dal and steamed veggies in a pan.
- Add the ground coconut paste. Season with salt as per taste.
- Add 1 cup water or add as required. For a slightly thick kuzhambu add less water. Mix very well.
- Heat this mixture on a low to medium flame and let it come to a boil. Just let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Do stir at intervals. Then switch off the flame. Cover and keep aside.
tempering for poricha kulambu
- In a small frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons sesame oil. When the oil becomes hot, keep the flame to a low and then add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds and ½ teaspoon urad dal.
- Fry till the mustard seeds crackle and the urad dal turns golden.
- Once the urad dal turns golden, then add 1 sprig curry leaves or 10 to 12 curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida.
- Fry till the curry leaves become crisp.
- Pour the tempering in the poricha kulambu. Stir and cover. Let the tempering flavors infuse for a couple of minutes.
- Serve with steamed rice.
Nutrition
This Poricha Kuzhambu post from the archives, originally published in August 2017 has been updated and republished on January 2023.
Can I add some chana dal as well in this recipe?
Yes, you can add a little chana dal. It will give the poricha kulambu a nice texture and nutty flavor.
Also Kerala brahmins call this molaguttal and accompaniement can be any raitas, thugayal, or pachadi.
thanks for the info subhashini. i know. the reader who had shared this recipe also had told me that the recipe is called as molaguttal in kerala.