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  3. Thakkali Thella Pulusu-Thakkali Kuzhambu-Tomato Curry Recipe

Thakkali Thella Pulusu-Thakkali Kuzhambu-Tomato Curry Recipe

Updated: Dec 1, 2015 · Published: Apr 21, 2010 by nags · This post may contain affiliate links · 16 Comments

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Thella pulusu and vatti pulusu are the two most popular Reddiar curries (kozhambu / pulusu). While growing up, I definitely liked the milder thella pulusu but now, home food means a good thoran with vatti pulusu. Ah yumm. My aatha (amma's amma) used to make the best vatti pulusu (the recipe of which my sis has shared here).

This recipe is actually very similar to Arch's tomato saar recipe that I had posted pics of the other day. But there are some minor differences that  make them taste significantly different.

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Considering Reddiars are kinda going extinct, I really should have posted this long back but here goes anyway. I couldn't ask aatha for her exact recipe before she passed away but amma has a pretty good approximation of the recipe so sharing that here.

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You can add any vegetable of your choice, the most popular ones being tomatoes, drumsticks, brinjal, etc. I made my favourite, the tomato version with drumsticks. 

Thakkali Thella Pulusu 
Serves 4
What I Used:

1 big tomato, cubed
1 drumstick, cut into 4" pieces
1 cup tamarind water (from a small lime-sized ball of tamarind)
Salt to taste

Grind to a paste:
½ cup grated coconut
4-5 shallots / ulli
½ teaspoon jeera
2 dry red chillies
A pinch of turmeric
1 clove of garlic

For tempering:
2 teaspoon oil
A few fenugreek seeds / uluva / menthayam
¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
A few curry leaves
4-5 sliced shallots

How to Make Thakkali Kuzhambu

1. Take the tamarind water in a kadai and add the tomatoes and drumsticks to it along with salt. Bring to boil.

2. Add the ground masala paste to this and continue to boil on sim until the drumsticks are soft. This should take about 12-15mins. Add water as necessary to keep the consistency right (same consistency as sambar). Remove and set aside.

3. Heat oil and add all the ingredients for tempering. Once the mustard seeds have popped and the fenugreek seeds are roasted (take care not to burn them!), dunk them into the gravy. Mix well, adjust salt.

Serve hot with rice, mezhukkupuratti and pappadom.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Uma

    March 20, 2021 at 11:13 am

    My mom says these vegetables works well with thella pulusu. Potato, drumstick, brinjal, raw banana , tomato and mango

    Reply
  2. Rahul V Reddiar

    January 03, 2021 at 6:29 pm

    Good work, atleast someone Is doing something to keep the Reddiar tradition Alive. You would probably be my Athamma (by means of all Reddiar are related somehow)

    Reply
  3. 3kay

    November 06, 2012 at 2:49 pm

    In andhra cooking we make pulusu also... we tend to consume less of coconut and skip the garlic too. Pumpkin , bottle gourd and sweet potato pieces take the place of tomatoes. We also add jaggery (same quantity as tamarind - small lemon size). And, instead of the coconut to provide the thickness, we add rice flour or besan(mixed in cold water to a smooth paste)and bring to a boil at the very end once all the veggies are cooked. Same principle as corn flour.

    Reply
  4. Veggie Belly

    April 23, 2010 at 3:06 am

    Never had this before, sounds delicious with some hot rice and ghee!

    Reply
  5. Apu

    April 22, 2010 at 2:17 am

    Yummy!! Beautiful photo too.

    Reply
  6. Nags

    April 22, 2010 at 8:01 am

    Thanks Me 🙂

    Reply
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