lemon size tamarind soaked in about a cup of water
pearl onions/shallots peeled
2 dried red chilli pods
1 1/2 tspn sambar powder
1 1/2 tspn rice flour mixed with a little water for thickening
salt to taste
mustard, chana dal, curry leaves for seasoning
a pinch asafoetida
2 tbspn oil
o Warm oil. Season with mustard , chana dal and curry powder. Sauté peeled onions till translucent. Add squeezed out extract of tamarind. Throw the sambar powder, salt and asafoetida in. Let simmer till onions are cooked. Add dissolved rice flour water for thickening. Stir and wait till it simmers again a couple of minutes. Remove
o Variations: Tomatoes with chick peas makes a delicious vatha kozhambu. Add some slit green chillies if you would like to spike it up. Other suggestions are diced sweet potato, diced butternut squash, daikon (Chinese radish), drumsticks (available fresh in Indian stores or canned, pre-cooked) all on their own.