July 16, 2015

Betel Leaves Kuzhambu / Vetrilai Kuzhambu


Betel leaves / Vetrilai Kuzhambu is a tangy kuzhambu in which betel leaves are used to make it more healthy. Apart from these leaves, I have added pepper and Jeera powder too, which is good for digestion. When fresh pepper corns and jeera are used, just dry roast and grind it along with the onions. This is an excellent home remedy kuzhambu for cold and digestion. This is also an easy way to include betel in our kids meal to get rid of cold. This kuzhambu goes perfect with hot rice and stove roasted papad ( sutta appalam ) and parupu thogayal.


Ingredients :

8 - 10 Betel leaves, chopped into small strips 
2 Onions, medium sized, chopped
10 Garlic pods, peeled 
1 Tsp Chilli powder
1 Tsp Pepper powder
1 Tsp Coriander powder 
1 Tsp Jeera powder 
1/4 Tsp Turmeric powder 
Salt to taste
Lemon sized Tamarind ( soak for 10 mints and extract juice from it )
2 Tbsp Gingelly oil ( 1 Tbsp for frying and 1 Tbsp for kuzhambu )
1 Tbsp Vadagam 
2 Springs of curry leaves

Method :

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a pan and add chopped onions followed by garlic pods.

Fry it for a minute and remove from the flame.

Now add chilli powder, coriander powder, jeera powder, pepper powder and turmeric powder to the fried onions and garlic.

Grind into fine paste by adding little water and keep aside.

Now heat the remaining 1 Tbsp oil in a pan and add vadagam followed by curry leaves.

Add the ground paste and saute it for couple of minutes or till the oil separates from the masala.

Now add tamarind extract, required amount of water and salt.

Mix well and let it boil for 10 minutes in a medium flame.

Add vetrilai /  betel leaves strips and cook it for 5 mints.

Remove from the flame and serve hot.


Serving Options :

Serve with hot rice.






Notes :

Vadagam is nothing but Indian seasoning which contains onion, mustard, jeera, urad dal etc, so this can substituted with Mustard seeds, methi seeds and Jeera seeds.








5 comments:

  1. I have never tried betel leaves in curries,looks interesting :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I have never heard of these leaves before, but I am good with anything that makes something healthier.

    ReplyDelete