This blog is an attempt to explain the general steps for making Tamil Nadu curry (குழம்பு). You can grasp the general principle and play with your imagination cook different varieties.
Most of the curry making can be divided into the following steps in Tamil cuisine
Tempering - Thaalithal (தாளித்தல்):
Usually this step is performed at the beginning of the cooking or at the end of cooking. If its done at the beginning we continue cooking by adding more ingredients in the same pan. if done at the end tempering is done in a separated pan and add to the curry.Ingredients for tempering varies according to the choice of the recipes. The basic ingredients for tempering are some fat (oil, butter, ghee), mustard seed, split black gram, curry leaves. For non-vegetarian cooking some of the ingredients are cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, fennel seeds.
Sample Steps:
- Heat fat (oil, butter, ghee) in a pan.
- Now add mustard seeds, split black gram, curry leaves. Once the splattering of mustard seeds are done the process of tempering is done.
The best way to master is to read about many recipes, ask your friends and experiment.
Sautéing (வதக்கல்):
This step usually followed by tempering or in some cases starts by heating oil and sautéing ingredients. Basic ingredients are chopped onion, tomato, ginger paste, garlic paste, green chili, masala powders (i.e chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder) or wet masala which is ground into paste. you will see many other ingredients are used.
One important thing you have to learn and master is the order in which you sauté the ingredients. for example if you start with onion, garlic paste, ginger paste, tomato will give different taste than if you add garlic paste, ginger paste, onion, tomato you will get a different taste. Some times meat, vegetables are sautéed before they are cooked as well.
Sample Steps
- Heat oil or after tempering.
- Add chopped onion or shallots and sauté until they become translucent.
- Now add garlic, ginger paste and sauté until the raw smell is gone.
- Now add chopped tomato and sauté until they become mushy or oil separates.
- Now add the masala powder (based on the recipe choice) or wet masala and sauté until the raw smell is gone or oil separates. be careful you don't want to burn the masala powders.
Cooking (வேகவைத்தல்):
Once the sautéing is done this step starts. Usually in this step you add water, broth, tamarind juice, wet masala, meat or vegetables and cook the curry to right thickness and serve. This is pretty straight forward step.
Some time to get thick curry you add ground coconut or flour or ground cashew paste. if you want dry curry you cook this until the oil separates and all the liquid evaporates.
One thing to keep in mind is the liquid meat will release when adding extra water.
Serving (பரிமாறல்):
This is the last and my favorite step why time to enjoy what you have cooked. Most cases the curry are garnished with coriander leaves and served with rice, etc...
Summary:
Making curry is simple if you master the steps above. To master these steps we recommend to read as many recipes as possible and cook them. What I usually do is to break down a recipe into these steps and cook them.
For Tamil Nadu curry loves we have apps for your reference.
Android App: Tamil Nadu Non-Vegetarian Kuzhambu Recipes
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