Chettinadu style Poondu - chinna vengaya kara kozhambhu (Garlic and Shallots in a tangy gravy)

Ingredients

Set -1

Chillis - 2 nos.
Black pepper - 1 spoon
Cumin seeds - 1 spoon
Channa dhal - 1 spoon
Corriander seeds - 1 spoon
2-3 pods of garlic

Set - 2

Coconut - 2 tablespoons
Tomato - 1 medium sized

Set - 3

Garlic - 10-15 pods ( depending on the pungency)
Shallots - 10-15
Tamarind - lemon sized
Sambhar powder - 2 tea spoons
Turmeric powder - 1 tea spoon
Mustard Seeds
Channa dhal
Curry leaves
Asafoetida
Gingely oil
Handful of groundnuts (optional)
Jaggery - a small spoon
Salt to taste

Method

Gently fry the ingredients in set 1 . Add a little water grind them into a paste. Grind the ingredients in set - 2 without frying into a paste and keep both these aside. Soak the tamarind in water and make a thick extract out of it.

In a pan add some oil and crackle the mustard seeds . Add cury leaves, Channa dhal and the groundnuts and fry them for a bit. Add the garlic , small onions and fry them for a bit. Add some water for the garlic to get cooked. Once the garlic is cooked, add the tamarind water, sambhar powder, turmeric powder, salt,asafoetida and cook till the raw smell of tamarind goes. Now add both the pastes , required salt and let it cook together till the raw smell of the tomato, coconut and the paste goes. If the consistency is too thin, mix a tablespoon of rice floor in a couple of spoons of water and add to the gravy. This thickens it a bit. Bring everything to a boil and this is ready to be served with hot rice or dhosas!