Paruppu Urundai Kulambu/Dhal Balls

Ingredients:

FOR MAKING THE BALLS

Channa dal - Kadalai paruppu - 1/4 of a cup
Toor dal / Thuvaram paruppu - 3/4 of a cup
Chopped red onion - one handful
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
Green chilly - 1
Curry leaves - few
Garlic - 1 crushed
Coconut - 2 tbsp
salt

Soak the dals in water for one hour and grind (drain all the excess water completely) coarsley along with fennel and green chilly. (as for masala vada). combine all the ingredients together and make small balls.
Boil 3 cups of water in the Idli Vessel, drop the balls in the idli pots and steam it for 8 minutes and keep it aside.

Note: Dont add water while grinding. It should be dry. If you feel it is little watery , after grinding fry it in a tawa for few minutes so the water will be evaporate.

FOR THE GRAVY / KULAMBU

Shallot onions - 10
Tomato - 2
Fennel seeds / sombu- 1 tsp
Fenu greek / vendayam- 1 tsp
Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 1/2tsp
Tamarind - 1/4 tsp
Coconut - 3 tbsp

Start:

1. Slice the Shallot onions and tomato. Fry the fennel seeds and the fenu greek and coarsely powder it.

2. Heat 2tbsp of gingelly/sesame oil (any vegetable oil is good, but gingelly oil gives a better taste) and saute the onions until transparent and add the tomatoes.

2. Once the tomatoes are mashed well add fennel fenugreek , turmeric, chilly and corriander powders and fry the masala until oil seperates from it. Now add the tamarind extract.

3. Now drop the steamed dhal balls one by one and close it with a lid and cook for few minutes. Don’t stir the kulambu after you add the balls otherwise the balls will break.
4. Grind coconut into a smooth paste and add it to the gravy.
5. Finally add salt.