Pachai Sundakkai Kuzhambu | Turkey Berry Curry

Pachai Sundakkai Kuzhambu is a delicious, tangy South Indian style kara kuzhambu prepared with fresh turkey berries along with kuzhambu masala podi, tamarind, onion and tomatoes! #karakulambu #pachaisundakkaikulambu #kulambu

Fresh Turkey Berry / Solanum torvum

Turkey Berry known as Sundakkai in Tamil, ( பச்சை சுண்டைக்காய் ) is a berry green in color and spherical in shape. It also goes by as shoo bush, prickly nightshade or devil’s fig. It has slight bitter taste but when cooked the right way can lead to many scrumptious dishes. 

Turkey berries boost immunity and is very good for common ailments like cold, cough and flu. Very rich in Iron and helpful in the treatment of anemia. 

Print Recipe

Pachai Sundakkai Kuzhambu | பச்சை சுண்டக்காய் புளிக்குழம்பு

Spicy south Indian style tamarind gravy made using fresh turkey berries!

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: accompaniment, lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: Indian, south indian, tamil, Tamilnadu

Keyword: kara kuzhambu, pachai sundakkai kuzhambu, puli kulambu, sundakkai kulambu, turkey berry

Servings: 6

Author: Mullai Madavan

Ingredients

• 1 cup Sundakkai / Fresh Turkey Berry
• 1/2 cup Onion chopped
• 10 each Indian shallots `
• 10 cloves Garlic
• 1 each Green chili 1/2
• 1/2 cup Tomato
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp Kuzhambu Milagai Thool / All purpose curry powder ***read notes
• 1.5 tsp Salt or to taste
• 1 cup Water
• 1 lemon size Tamarind
• 1/2 tsp Jaggery
• 4 tbsp Oil preferably gingelly oil
• 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds
• 1/2 tsp Split black gram
• 1/2 tsp Fennel seeds
• 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
• 6 each Curry leaves

Instructions

Prep work

• Snap off the stem from fresh turkey berry. Wash and keep them soaked in water.
  
• Gently crush the berries using a mortar and pestle. Alternatively you may even chop them into halves. Make sure to soak them in water or buttermilk till use to avoid discoloration.
  
• Soak lemon size tamarind in 1 cup water. Extract the pulp and set aside.
  

For the Curry

• Heat oil in a deep sauce pan or kadai, preferably gingelly oil which gives a lot a flavor to this curry.
• Temper with mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, split black gram, fennel seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves.
  
• Add garlic cloves along with green chili, shallots and regular chopped onions.
  
• Saute these until soft and then add tomatoes. Cook them until mushy.
  
• Add turmeric powder, Kuzhambu Milagai thool and salt. Saute until the raw smell goes.
  
• Add the crushed turkey berries at this stage and saute along to coat the masala and to cook.
  
• Add a little jaggery at this stage to balance the heat.
• Cover with a lid and cook the berries for 5 minutes over low flame.
• Now add thick tamarind extract and bring it a boil.
  
• Simmer until it thickens or till the oil separates on top.
  
• Garnish with fresh curry leaves and turn it off.
  
• Serve hot topped over rice!
  

Optional

• For variation – try adding thick coconut extract to enhance flavor and to increase quantity.

Notes

Kuzhambu Milagai Thool – is a must for this gravy, alternate option is to use Sambar Powder. You can also substitute with 1 tsp red chili powder, 1 tbsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp black pepper powder and 1/4 tsp roasted cumin powder. 

 

Pachai Sundakkai Kuzhambu is a delicious, tangy South Indian style kara kuzhambu prepared with fresh turkey berries along with kuzhambu masala podi, tamarind, onion and tomatoes! #karakulambu #pachaisundakkaikulambu #kulambu

Fresh Turkey Berry / Solanum torvum

Turkey Berry known as Sundakkai in Tamil, ( பச்சை சுண்டைக்காய் ) is a berry green in color and spherical in shape. It also goes by as shoo bush, prickly nightshade or devil’s fig. It has slight bitter taste but when cooked the right way can lead to many scrumptious dishes. 

Turkey berries boost immunity and is very good for common ailments like cold, cough and flu. Very rich in Iron and helpful in the treatment of anemia.