Pidi Karunai Kizhangu Kuzhambu

I don't know the English name of Pidi Karunai Kizhangu. Many people confuse this with senai kizhangu which is also known as Elephant Yam. But no one in my family knows the English name for Pidi Karunai and google also doesn't seem to know!
But what we do know in my family is that, this is a very good vegetable and my mum makes this kuzhambu quite often at home. This veggie is supposed to be very good for people suffering from hemorrhoids. 

PIDI KARUNAI KIZHANGU KUZHAMBU
Preparation time 15 mins | Cooking time 25 mins | Serves 3

Ingredients

• Pidi Karunai - about 8 or 9
• Onion - 1, large or shallots 1/3 cup, chopped
• Tomato - 2 large, pureed
• Garlic - about 20 pearls
• Coriander powder - 2 tbsp
• Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin powder - 1 tsp
• Thick tamarind water - 1/3 cup
• Water - 1 cup

To Temper

• Oil - 3 tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Urad dal - 1/4 tsp
• Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Hing - 2 small balls 
• Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Method

1. Wash the pidi karanai well and transfer it to a pressure cooker. Add little water (about 1/2 cup) and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles. If you pressure cook for too long, it will become mushy. 

2. Once the pressure releases open the cooker and wait for the kizhangu to cool down and then peel them and chop them up into smaller chunks. 

3. In a pan, heat oil. Once the oil heats up, add the mustard seeds, urad dal, fenugreek seeds, hing and curry leaves.

4. When the mustard seeds splutter well, add the chopped onions. Saute for a minute and then add the garlic. Saute the onion until it turns translucent.

5. Add the tomato puree and cook in medium flame for about 3-5 minutes until the oil separates.

6. Then add the coriander powder, turmeric powder and red chilli powder. Mix well and cook for another 3 minutes.

7. Add the pidi karunai and mix in with the gravy. Add water and the tamarind water. Mix well. Cook for about 5 minutes until the raw smell of the masala goes away.

8.  Then add the cumin powder, cook for 2 minutes and then switch off.

Notes

1. You can crush the garlic and then add it along with the onion.

2. If you add shallots, the taste of the kuzhambu is great. 
3. We don't use a lot of tamarind in our kuzhambu. If you want to use more tamarind, then reduce the tomato and increase the tamarind.
4. You can use store bought kuzhambu masala too.

Until next time,

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