After a bout of crazy baking — and yes, crazy is the right word when you’re waiting for bread dough to rise at midnight — it felt good to get Girish back into the kitchen making something traditional.
If you’ve seen his earlier recipes, you’ll know he’s very much a “Kuzhambu King.” Karuveppalai Kuzhambu, Vetha Kuzhambu, and Kaara Kuzhambu are all regulars in his repertoire. While the names may sound like tongue twisters to the uninitiated, any lover of South Indian cuisine knows that each kuzhambu is distinctly different, rooted in specific regional traditions.
Pachai Milagu Kuzhambu is similar to Karuveppalai Kuzhambu (a curry leaf and tamarind-based soup), but the use of fresh green peppercorns gives it a very different kind of heat. Not meant to sound intimidating to kuzhambu newcomers, but these dishes are meant to have that tangy spice — the perfect complement to plain white rice and ghee. One of our most loved combinations is yogurt rice with kuzhambu, affectionately called “Thachi Mammu” in our home.
As I’ve mentioned before, Singapore is truly a haven for fresh produce. Green peppercorns, though seasonal, are readily available here — something I would never have imagined finding so easily in the US. A quick trip to the local vegetable market at Tekka and a short hunt through a specialty Thai store yielded green peppercorns by the kilo. We picked up about 300 grams, which should last us a month or two. Green peppercorns have a sharper bite and a tangier flavor than black peppercorns, making them ideal for kuzhambu. Amma is already in the process of pickling the remaining peppercorns in brine, and I’ll be sharing that recipe soon.
Recipe for Pachai Milagu Kuzhambu
Ingredients
- Green peppercorns: 125 g (about 1 1/2 cups)
- Curry leaves: 1/2 cup
- Dry red chilies: 4–5
- Cumin seeds: 1 tbsp
- Tamarind: lemon-sized ball, soaked in warm water
- Salt, to taste
- Asafetida (hing): a pinch
- Gingelly oil (sesame oil): 2 tbsp
Method
1. Heat a kadai or heavy-bottomed pan and add half the green peppercorns along with the dry red chilies and cumin seeds. Dry roast for 3–4 minutes until the peppercorns begin to pop. Turn off the heat.
2. Transfer this roasted mixture to a blender. Add the remaining green peppercorns (reserving about 2 tablespoons), along with the soaked tamarind and curry leaves. Blend to a smooth paste, adding water gradually until you reach a thick, sauce-like consistency.
3. Heat another heavy-bottomed vessel or kachitti (stoneware pot). Add the gingelly oil and asafetida. Heat for 2–3 minutes until the oil begins to smoke lightly.
4. Add the blended paste to the hot oil and stir well.
Add 1/2 to 1 cup of water, depending on your preferred consistency, and mix thoroughly. Stir in the reserved 2 tablespoons of fresh green peppercorns.
5. Bring the mixture to a boil, then simmer for about 5 minutes, until the aroma of green peppercorns and curry leaves fills the kitchen.
6. Serve hot with rice and pappadums, or with Thachi Mammu.
