Paruppu Urundai literally means balls of lentils. These are little balls of spiced lentils which are simmered in tamarind gravy. Urundai Kuzhambu has been a delicacy reserved to certain special days like sundays or festive occassions. The balls are also an excellent accompaniment with curd rice and an enricing source of protein. Normally when amma makes Urundai Kuzhambu, there would not be any left for the evening dinner!  This was our weekend lunch menu and I wanted to share it on my blog today.

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup of toor dhal.

1/4 cup of bengal gram.

1-2 spoons of raw rice.

3 red chillies.

A pinh of hing

1 spoon of sambar powder.

1 spoon of rice flour.

Curry Leaves.

2 cups of tamarind extract water.

PREPARATION:

• Soak the toor dhal, bengal gram, raw rice and red chillies in water for 1-1 1/2 hours. Then grind it with hing and a little salt to a thick  paste without adding too  much water. Try pulsing in the mixer so it helps in the easy grinding.
• You should be able to make balls with your hands. Keep the balls of dhal aside. Add 1/4 cup of water to this mixer jar, a spoon of rice flour and give it a good shake and set this water aside.
• In a kadai, add the 2 cups of tamarind water, sambar powder, hing, turmeric, salt, curry leaves and switch on the stove.
• Allow the tamarind base to cook and lose all the raw smells. Now add 2 spoons of oil.(We do this so that when we drop the lentil balls in to the kuzhambu, the balls dont break.)

• Now slowly drop the prepared raw lentil balls and allow them to cook well. As these are raw lentils, you must allow sufficient time for the flavours of the tamrind and spices etc to seep in to the balls.
• The kuzhambu will reduce and thicken slightly. When the balls are cooked pour the water from the mixer container in to the kuzhambu to bring it to a thick kuzhambu consistency.
• Season with mustard, curry leaves and pour over the kuzhambu and serve HOT with Vendekkai Fry.