Sundakkai Kuzhambu: A Spicy-Tangy Gravy Dish From South India

South India has some unique and extremely beneficial eating traditions. And Tamil Nadu has its very own treasure trove of such dishes. One of these is Sundakkai Kuzhambu, where Sundakkai meaning Turkey berry is the focal ingredient used to cook up a Kuzhambu meaning a spicy gravy containing tamarind and dal. This Kuzhambu, however, excludes lentils but heavily banks upon the earthy and aromatic flavours of asafoetida, mustard seeds and red chillies. The dish lightly cooked in sesame oil, fused with the sourness of tamarind and the tropical taste of coconut milk is surely worth giving a go, given the numerous health benefits of the Sundakkai.

Turkey berries are fruits with amazing nutritional benefits but surprisingly were not cultivated as an individual and main crop earlier. Instead, these were used as foundation stock for eggplant because of their great ability to eliminate many root diseases. Thus, they are also called wild eggplant, pea eggplant and prickly nightshade and shoo shoo bush for serving as a pesticide for eggplants. These berries are rich in iron, and so used for treating anaemia and stimulating the production of red blood cells. Furthermore, they are also instrumental in curing indigestion, stomach aches and abdominal cramps.

Now coming to their place of origin, these are native to warmer regions of North, Central and South America, however, they have been propagated and are cultivated today in the tropical parts of Africa, Australia, and Asia. Turkey berries are used in Thai, Lao and Jamaican cuisine, among other cultures.

Turkey Berries or Sundakkai have been a part of  Tamil culture and cuisine since times immemorial, as is evident from the fact that they are mentioned in ancient Sangam literature. In Tamil Nadu, this fruit is either consumed directly or in the cooked form, by soaking in buttermilk and sun drying, which then becomes Sundakkai Vathal. Throughout the state, it is packed and sold in shrivelled form as a digestive aid.  Besides, it is cooked with piquant tamarind gravy and incorporated into traditional recipes of soups, dals, curries and sambars.

Here’s the recipe for Sundakkai Kuzhambu.

Preparation time: 25 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Servings: 1-2

Ingredients:

• 100 gm fresh turkey berry
• 2 tbsp sesame oil 
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 cups of water
• Tamarind
• ½ cup coconut milk
• 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp sambar powder
• ½ tsp asafoetida
• 2 red chillies

Method:

1. Crush the turkey berries using an iron pounder, keeping in mind that they don’t break in half.

2. Wash the turkey berries in water and clean well.

3. In a wok, heat sesame oil and add mustard seeds, asafoetida, red chillies and curry leaves for tempering.

4. Add the fresh turkey berries and sauté a little.

5. Then add turmeric and sambar powder and cook well.

6. Now, add tamarind water and cook with tamarind water until the raw smell fades away.

7. Pour the fresh coconut milk and turn off the heat immediately and stir as boiling will lead to curdling.

8. 1 tbsp of jaggery can also be added to sweeten and balance the flavour.