onion kulambu recipe | vengaya kuzhambu | chinna vengaya kulambu | onion puli kulambu with detailed photo and video recipe. an easy and simple baby onion curry or sour and sweet thick sambar made with a special sambar powder. it is basically a multipurpose onion gravy that can be served with roti, chapati, idli, dosa and any choice of rice. it is typically prepared as an additional side dish with different choices of rasam or sambar to make a complete lunch or dinner meal.
onion kulambu recipe | vengaya kuzhambu | chinna vengaya kulambu | onion puli kulambu with step by step photo and video recipe. kulambu or a spicy, sweet and sour sambar recipe is a popular choice in south indian cuisine. it is perhaps one of the premium curries which is typically made as an additional side dish and used as a multipurpose curry. it can be prepared with different types of vegetables, but the baby onion or chinna vengaya kulambu is a special gravy curry.
as i was explaining earlier, this is an extension to the baby onion sambar recipe. yet it is completely different from any typical sambar recipe. in other words, i can say it is a concentrated curry with strong flavour and taste. it is a mixture of sour, sweet and spicy flavours in a curry and hence it may also be served as a taste enhancer in some celebrations and feasts. obviously, if you are preparing for some auspicious occasions, you may have to skip the onion and garlic. you may use other types of vegetables like okra, brinjal, ridge gourd, pineapple, sour mangoes or any other sour taste vegetables. if you do not wish to serve the curry with rice, you may very well serve it with idli or dosa variants.
furthermore, some more additional tips, suggestions and variants to the onion kuzhambu recipe. firstly, i have specifically chosen small or baby onions also known as shallots. you may prepare with red or white onions but you may not get the same taste or flavour as shallots though. secondly, the masala powder prepared for this curry is multipurpose and can be used to prepare any type of sambar. yet, you need to be cautious as it can be spicy when compared to traditional sambar powder. lastly, the consistency of this gravy has to be slightly thicker and concentrated when compared to sambar. yet we do not add lentil to it and has to get that consistency with masala powder and tomato paste.
finally, i request you to check my other related sambar recipes collection with this post of onion kulambu recipe. it mainly includes my other related recipes like arachuvitta sambar, temple style sambar, vendakkai mor kulambu, bendekai gojju, onion sambar, drumstick sambar, ulli theeyal, avial, mini idli sambar, idli sambar. further to these i would also like to add some more additional recipe categories like,
onion kulambu video recipe:
recipe card for vengaya kuzhambu recipe:
onion kulambu recipe | vengaya kuzhambu | chinna vengaya kulambu | onion puli kulambu
Ingredients
for masala powder:
- 1 tsp oil
- ½ cup coriander seeds
- ¼ cup toor dal
- 2 tbsp pepper
- 2 tbsp cumin
- ¼ tsp methi
- 20 dried red chilli
- few curry leaves
- ¼ tsp hing
- ½ tsp turmeric
for curry:
- 2 tbsp oil
- ¼ tsp methi
- 1 tsp mustard
- ½ tsp cumin
- pinch hing
- 10 small onions / shallots
- 10 cloves garlic
- 1½ cup tomato puree
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 2 tsp masala powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp jaggery
- ½ cup tamarind extract
- 1 cup water
- few curry leaves
- 2 tbsp coriander, finely chopped
Instructions
how to make masala powder:
- firstly, in a pan heat 1 tsp oil. add ½ cup coriander seeds, ¼ cup toor dal, 2 tbsp pepper, 2 tbsp cumin and ¼ tsp methi.
- roast on low flame until the spices turn aromatic.
- now add 20 dried red chilli and a few curry leaves.
- roast until the chilli turns crisp.
- cool completely, and transfer to the mixer jar.
- further, add ¼ tsp hing and ½ tsp turmeric.
- grind to a fine powder and homemade masala powder.
how to make spicy onion curry or chinna vengaya kulambu:
- firstly, in large kadai heat 2 tbsp oil. add ¼ tsp methi, 1 tsp mustard, ½ tsp cumin and pinch hing. splutter tempering.
- now add 10 small onions, 10 cloves garlic and saute on medium flame.
- further, add 1½ cup tomato puree and mix well combining everything well.
- add ½ tsp turmeric, 1 tsp chilli powder, 2 tsp masala powder, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp jaggery. mix well.
- also add ½ cup tamarind extract, 1 cup water and a few curry leaves.
- cover and boil for 10 minutes or until everything is cooked well and oil separates.
- add 2 tbsp coriander and mix well making sure the flavours are balanced.
- finally, enjoy vengaya kulambu or spicy onion curry with rice, dosa or idli.
Nutrition
how to make onion kulambu with step by step photo:
how to make masala powder:
- firstly, in a pan heat 1 tsp oil. add ½ cup coriander seeds, ¼ cup toor dal, 2 tbsp pepper, 2 tbsp cumin and ¼ tsp methi.
- roast on low flame until the spices turn aromatic.
- now add 20 dried red chilli and a few curry leaves.
- roast until the chilli turns crisp.
- cool completely, and transfer to the mixer jar.
- further, add ¼ tsp hing and ½ tsp turmeric.
- grind to a fine powder and homemade masala powder.
how to make spicy onion curry or chinna vengaya kulambu:
- firstly, in large kadai heat 2 tbsp oil. add ¼ tsp methi, 1 tsp mustard, ½ tsp cumin and pinch hing. splutter tempering.
- now add 10 small onions, 10 cloves garlic and saute on medium flame.
- further, add 1½ cup tomato puree and mix well combining everything well.
- add ½ tsp turmeric, 1 tsp chilli powder, 2 tsp masala powder, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp jaggery. mix well.
- also add ½ cup tamarind extract, 1 cup water and a few curry leaves.
- cover and boil for 10 minutes or until everything is cooked well and oil separates.
- add 2 tbsp coriander and mix well making sure the flavours are balanced.
- finally, enjoy vengaya kulambu or spicy onion curry with rice, dosa or idli.
notes:
- firstly, make sure to use small onions if possible. else you may have to cut it into half and use it.
- also, you can use sambar powder in place of preparing spice mix.
- additionally, you can also add potato, okra or brinjal for variation.
- finally, vengaya kulambu or spicy onion curry recipe tastes great when prepared slightly spicy.