Milagu Kuzhambu (Pepper Curry) Recipe with Pepper Powder

Milagu kuzhambu is a step up from rasam — thicker, tangier, and more filling, built to be eaten with rice rather than sipped like a soup. It's a great dish to make when you want something warming and a little different from the usual sambar.

Ingredients

• 2-3 tsp SAFT Pepper Powder
• 1 lemon-sized ball of tamarind, soaked
• 1 tomato, chopped (optional, for extra tang)
• A few curry leaves, 2-3 crushed garlic cloves
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, salt to taste
• For tempering: 2 tbsp sesame oil, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds, a pinch of asafoetida, dried red chillies

Method

1. Extract the tamarind water and set aside.
2. Heat sesame oil in a pot and temper with mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, dried red chillies, and asafoetida.
3. Add curry leaves and crushed garlic, sauté briefly until fragrant.
4. Add the tamarind water, chopped tomato, turmeric, and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 8-10 minutes until the raw tamarind smell fades.
5. Add the pepper powder and simmer for another 5 minutes until the curry thickens slightly to a kuzhambu consistency (thicker than rasam, thinner than a gravy).
6. Serve hot with steamed rice and a spoon of ghee.

Pro tip: Milagu kuzhambu actually tastes better the next day, once the flavours have had time to sit — it's a good make-ahead dish.

Shop SAFT Pepper Powder, freshly ground from whole black peppercorns.