Green Sundakkai Kara Kuzhambu (Turkey Berry in spicy tangy sauce)

Green Sundakkai Kara Kuzhambu

Using rather unusual ingredients is something I love doing in my cuisine. It is a shame that many traditionally cooked ingredients have gradually lost their presence in dinner tables these days. For me, every time I come across such ingredients, I make it a point to buy them and may end up figuring out later what to do with it. This green turkey berry was no exception. Earlier I had posted a recipe using this little treasure and this time ‘googling’ did not quite help as most recipes suggested use of dried berries. I have written more about these goodies and also how to prepare it in this post. I decided to make something that I will enjoy eating and one of those is ‘kaara kozhambu’ i.e. a spicy tangy sauce with some vegetable in it. It was really good and the berry was no too bitter either. Here is the recipe...

1 onion, roughly chopped

1 tomato, roughly chopped

2-3 teaspoons coconut

1 cup turkey berry aka sundakkai, deseeded

1 teaspoon tamarind extract

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

Few curry leaves

Asafoetida and turmeric powder

1 teaspoon sambar powder

1 teaspoon chilly pwoder

Salt to taste

Cooking oil, preferably gingelly oil

Heat some oil, add mustard seeds, once it splutters, add turmeric powder, asafoetida and curry leaves

Add the turkey berries and sauté for a minute

Add tamarind extract, required water, salt and cook until berries are done

Add the sambar powder and chilly powder

Grind together the onion, tomato and coconut to a paste and add this paste. Boil until all raw smell goes off and thickness is as desired

Serve hot