Milagu Kuzhambu is a traditional south Indian gravy that uses black peppercorns, garlic and cumin seeds among other spices. This classic Kuzhambu from Tamil Nadu has digestive qualities and tastes heavenly with hot rice.
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Pepper Kuzhambu
,called Milagu Kuzhambu is Tamil, is a tangy tamarind based gravy that uses whole black peppercorns as its star ingredient.
There are many ways to make this recipe. Today, I am sharing a version that I learned from a small cookbook that I purchased when I was newly married.
While this Kuzhambu can be made without onions and garlic, my recipe has both. It also uses sun dried chilis. Mor Milagai or sun dried chilis are a common sight in many Tamil homes.
We fry them in sesame oil or ghee and serve it with porridge, gruel or curd rice. This recipe uses it in place of regular dry red chilis. The result is a peppery concoction that is mildly spicy and flavor packed.
Milagu or Milahu
– whole black peppercorns are an amazing. They have so many medicinal properties and are a prominent ingredient in Tamil recipes.
For instance, it is the backbone of Rasam, a tangy south Indian broth. And for the right reasons, if I may say so. They have digestive qualities, help relieve flatulence and gas. It also improves appetite.
This bold and spicy Kuzhambu is a dish that is regularly served to post partum moms. Since this also has garlic, other spices like cumin and sesame oil, it is fantastic for lactating moms.
Ingredients
- Sesame oil – has a nutty aroma and helps tone down the heat here. Please do not skip this or replace it with another oil.
- Whole spices – cumin seeds, whole black peppercorns, fenugreek seeds
- Chana Dal and broken white Urad dal- for thickening the Kuzhambu
- Sun dried curd chilis – Mor Milagai can be easily bought from any Indian store.
- Sambar onions, garlic and tomatoes – shallots or pearl onions are a good substitute for sambar onions here.
- Salt and jaggery
- Ground turmeric , ground coriander and red chili powder
- Tamarind extract
- Mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves for tempering
Substitutes
Almost everything in the ingredient list mentioned here is pantry staples. The only exception being
- the Mor Milagai. If you do not have them on hand, use 3 whole dry red chilis instead. I recommend using round red chilis or the regular dry red chilis. While the Kashmiri and Byadagi varieties lend a lovely color to any recipe, the flavors here don’t work well.
Make ahead, shelf life and storage
- This pepper gravy keeps well in the fridge for 6 to 7 days when you store it in a clean and air tight container.
- You can prep this over the weekend and enjoy it through the week.
- Reheat gently only the quantity you require and serve it hot.
Recipe Notes
- Sesame oil is indispensable in this recipe. It helps balance the heat from the pepper and also increases shelf life.
- Since we are using sun dried chilis, go easy on the salt. Mor Milagai often have salt added to them. So, adjust the salt towards the end if needed.
- Tomatoes are optional. My family likes them. Feel free to skip them if you prefer.
- The flavors in this dish deepen overnight. We love this the next day!
Serving suggestions
There are many ways in which this dish is served. Traditionally, we eat this with hot rice, a drizzle of ghee and some Appalam. Here are some classic Tamil style meal combinations that you will love-
- Serve this with hot rice, Paruppu Thogayal and beans Poriyal
- Enjoy it with some Paruppu Usili and rice alongside some fried Vadams (fryums) or rice Appalams.
- This Kuzhambu tastes divine with idli, Dosa, Upma and Pongal. Give it a shot.
As this dish is spicy and bold, I recommend that the accompaniments that you pair it with are either slightly sweet like this Beetroot Thoran. To make it a wholesome meal, serve it with some Kootu.
Method
Soak tamarind in warm water for 20 minutes. This helps soften it up.
Once it has softened up, mash it well and make tamarind extract. Peel shallots and garlic. Assemble all the other ingredients you need.
Heat a pan with 1 tbsp oil and fry the Mor Milagai until golden. Drain and set aside. To the same pan, add urad dal, chana dal, whole pepper corns and cumin seeds.
Fry till dal turns golden. Now, add shallots and garlic and fry till shallots turn translucent. Once done, add tomato and fry till mushy.
Add fried mor milaga to the mixture and mix well. Let cool. Place this mixture in a blender and blend to a smooth paste. Set aside.
Heat the same pan with 2 tbsp oil. Add 4 shallots and 4 garlic cloves and fry till light brown. Add coriander powder and red chili powder to the tamarind extract and mix well.
Pour this to the pan along with the ground paste and add salt and turmeric powder. Let this simmer till the raw smell of tamarind goes away. This takes about 5 mins on high flame.
Now, add jaggery and continue to simmer the Kuzhambu until it thickens and the oil begins to float to the top.
Heat a small pan with sesame oil. Add mustard seeds and once they pop, add curry leaves and urad dal. Pour tempering over kuzhambu and mix well.
Mor Milagai Milagu Kuzhambu Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Heavy bottomed pan
- 1 high speed blender
Ingredients
- 5 Shallots peeled
- 5 Garlic cloves peeled
- 2 tbsp Sesame oil
- 1/2 cup Tomato chopped finely
- 1 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tsp Red chili powder
- 1.25 tsp Coriander powder
- 20 grams Tamarind a small lemon sized ball
- 2.5 cups water
- 1.25 tsp Salt or to taste
- 1 tsp jaggery
For the spice paste
- 5 Mor Milagai south Indian sun dried curd chilis
- 5 Garlic peeled
- 5 Shallots peeled
- 1 tsp Chana dal
- 1.5 tsp Urad dal
- 1 tbsp Whole black pepper corns
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 1.5 tbsp Sesame oil
For Tempering
- 1 tsp Mustard seeds
- 1 tsp Fenugreek seeds
- 10 Curry leaves a sprig
- 2 tsp Sesame oil
Instructions
- Soak tamarind in warm water for 20 minutes. This helps soften it up.
- Once it has softened up, mash it well and make tamarind extract. Peel shallots and garlic. Assemble all the other ingredients you need.
Making the spice paste
- Heat a pan with 1 tbsp oil and fry the Mor Milagai until golden. Drain and set aside.
- To the same pan, add urad dal, chana dal, whole pepper corns and cumin seeds.
- Fry till dal turns golden. Now, add shallots and garlic and fry till shallots turn translucent. Once done, add tomato and fry till mushy.
- Add fried Mor Milagai to the mixture and mix well. Transfer to a plate.
- Let cool. Place this mixture in a blender and blend to a smooth paste. Set aside.
How to make Milagu Kuzhambu?
- Heat the same pan with 2 tbsp oil. Add 4 shallots and 4 garlic cloves and fry till light brown.
- Add coriander powder and red chili powder to the tamarind extract and mix well.
- Pour this to the pan along with the ground paste and add salt and turmeric powder.
- Let this simmer till the raw smell of tamarind goes away. This takes about 5 mins on high flame.
- Now, add jaggery and continue to simmer the Kuzhambu until it thickens and the oil begins to float to the top.
- Heat a small pan with sesame oil. Add mustard seeds and once they pop, add curry leaves and urad dal.
- Pour tempering over kuzhambu and mix well.
Notes
Since we are using sun dried chilis, go easy on the salt. Mor Milagai often have salt added to them. So, adjust the salt towards the end if needed.
Tomatoes are optional. My family likes them. Feel free to skip them if you prefer.
The flavors in this dish deepen overnight. We love this the next day!
For Instant Pot & Air Fryer Recipes
Instant Pot timings may vary based on your geographic location. Air fryer settings and timings may vary based on the capacity and the model of the Air fryer.
Disclaimer
Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.
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