Name: Poricha Kulambu Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup Yellow Moong Dal; 1 Brinjal; 1 Drumstick; 1 Raw Mango; 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder; 1/2 tsp Rice flour; Salt to taste; 1/4 cup Coconut (freshly grated); 3 Green chillies; 1/4 tsp Cumin seeds; 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds; 1/2 tsp Urad dal; 1 Curry leaf sprig; 2 tsp Coconut oil

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Poricha Kulambu or Poricha Kootu is a mildly spiced, flavorful, and aromatic gravy that is served with rice for lunch across South India. It is usually either made with a single vegetable or a combination of 2 or more vegetables.

There are several ways of making poricha kulambu across various communities and this method below is the most often followed procedure.

As this recipe is a no onion no garlic recipe, this poricha kootu is very to make on fasting days when you eat only sattvic foods by using vegetables that fulfill the requirements of the fast day.

Table of Contents:

About Poricha Kulambu
Ingredients
Instructions
Expert Tips
FAQ
Related Recipes
Recipe

About Poricha Kulambu

Poricha Kulambu or Poricha Kootu is one of the main dishes that form a lunch platter. It is made by cooking the vegetables to a soft consistency to which a fresh ground paste of coconut & other ingredients and cooked moong dal is added.

Finally, seasoning is done in coconut oil which is added to the kulambu to add more flavor and aroma.

Unlike other kulambu varieties, there is no tamarind pulp or any spice powder added to this recipe. This makes it very apt to eat during hot summer days.

Ingredients

Dal: Favored choice of dal to make poricha kulambu is always yellow moong dal. But you can also use tur dal or a combination of both tur dal and moong dal in equal ratio.

Vegetables: You can use either a single vegetable or a combination of 2 or more. I have used raw mango, drumstick, and brinjal. You can find a list of other veggies to use in the FAQ section below.

Freshly ground paste: To bring more depth and flavor to the kulambu, a paste of freshly grated coconut, cumin seeds and green chillies for the heat is ground and added toward the end.

Seasoning: Everything smells and tastes better and is wonderful with seasoning especially when it is done in coconut oil.

Instructions

Let's make Poricha Kulambu by following these step-wise photos.

Pressure cook Moong dal, mash well, and set aside.

2. Add the ingredients for the paste to a mixie jar. Add 3 to 4 tablespoon water, grind to a smooth paste, and set aside.

3. Heat water in a pan. Add the vegetables, salt and bring to a boil.

4. Add turmeric powder and let it cook for 7 to 8 mins till 90% cooked.

5. Add ground coconut paste.

6. Add cooked moong dal.

7. Add rice flour slurry. Cook for 2 mins and switch off the stove.

8. Make the seasoning, add it to the kulambu and mix well.

Expert Tips

Tempering in coconut oil, adds more flavor to the kulambu. If you feel that it will be heavy, then use any other cooking oil.

FAQ

What other vegetables can be used?

Other than the vegetables that I have used here, you can use either one of the following or a combination of 2 or 3 vegetables

Fresh Turkey berries (sundakkai)
Cluster beans (kothavarangai)
Snake gourd (podalangai)
Chayote (chow-chow)
Flat beans (avarakai)
Ridge Gourd (peerkangai)
Raw Green Tomato (pacha thakkali)

If you get 'Thandu Keerai', those thick stems can also be used.

Substitutions

If you do not have rice flour readily on hand, then you can soak ½ teaspoon raw rice in water for 10 to 15 mins or before you begin cooking. Add it to the mixie jar, grind it along with the coconut, and add it to the pan.

Variations

No spice powders like sambar powder are used to make this kulambu. There is another version that uses sambar powder as I have used in this Kathirikkai Palakottai Poricha Kulambu. You can follow the same method to cook this one.

How long can I store it?

Consume it on the same day it is cooked while the flavors are still fresh. If there are leftovers, refrigerate them and use them by the next day itself.

How to serve this kulambu?

This kulambu can be served as a main dish along with hot rice to be mixed with it. Serve any dry vegetable curry of your choices like this potato podi curry and appalams or vadams for a side dish.

Alternatively, you can serve this as a kootu side dish as it pairs along with any spicy tamarind based kulambu like this Malli Kulambu, Seeraga Kulambu, or Manathakkali Vatha Kulambu.

See more Kulambu Recipes

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