Oragne Peel Kuzhambu

Prep Time: 10 mins | Cook Time: 20 mins | Serves: 4

Orange peel kuzhambu is a spicy, tangy gravy made with tamarind juice. Most of us just throw away the orange peel after eating the orange. But the orange peel tastes amazing in this spicy and tangy gravy. Orange peels are a source of health-promoting carbohydrates. I learnt this recipe from my mom, who is a great cook.

Orange peel kuzhambu can be served with hot plain rice, keerai kootu or any vegetable kootu as an accompaniment. It can also be served as side dish for Pongal, Dosa, Idly and Upma.

Ingredients

Chopped orange peel – 1/3 cup
Thinly sliced ginger – an inch
Slit green chilli – 1
Tamarind extract or juice – 1 cup
Sambar Powder – 2 tbsp
Jaggery – 2 tbsp
Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida – a generous pinch
Water – 1 cup
Salt – as needed

To Temper

Gingely oil – 2 tbsp
Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Method

1. Heat oil in a Sauce pan over medium heat and add mustard seed. Allow it to spultter.
2. Now add slit green chillies, sliced ginger and curry leaves. Stir well for 2 minutes.
3. Then add the chopped Orange peel and saute in for 2 to 4 minutes.
4. Add salt, sambar powder, turmeric powder, asafoetida and stir everything well until the sambar powder gets coated well with the orange peel.
5. Once done, stir in the tamarind juice and add jaggery to it. Allow it to boil for 5 mins and add 1 cup of water.
6. Now allow the mixture to thicken in medium flame or low flame. Once the water has reduced to half the quantity and the gravy is thickened, you can switch off the flame. This would take 15 – 20 minutes.

I served this kuzhambu with steaming hot rice and yellow squash, zucchini kootu. This recipe serves 4 people.

Notes

1. Use generous amount of oil for this kuzhambu. It stays good for upto a week in fridge and taste better with days.
2. You can also include onion and tomato along with orange peel and it tastes yum as well. First saute onion and tomatoes and add orange peel to it. No compromise in taste!!
3. The jaggery is added to bring in a slight sweet taste amidst all spiciness.