As the name indicates this kuzhambu will be watery but with the full taste of a good sambar. In consistency it will be in the midst of sambar and rasam.This kuzhambu is very famous in chettinad. I used to wonder why it is so. In olden days chettiar men used to be overseas in pursuit of wealth. Only the ladies used to be at home and they used to spend the money given to them strictly in such a way that it lasts till the chettiar comes home the next time. This made them conscious of money matters.Because of this the chettiar ladies even if not educated became very good at accounts. They gave money for interest to the less privileged people in that village. They were able to calculate the interest exactly and were very just in everything. These things made them very calculative also. I know what is running in everybody’s mind now. Why is achi telling all these now? I also from my childhood used to think why the achi’s are very stringent while the chettiars are lavish and was trying to find out the reason. The reason was the ladies wanted to spend only a less portion of the money they had and save more for the number of children they had those days(especially for the girls,getting the girls married is a big affair in chettinad from those days). Coming back to the thanni kuzhambu, this became famous because only half the amount of Thoor dhal used for sambar is used for this kuzhambu and the achi’s specialized in bringing the exact taste with less dhal. So when the chettiar is away sambar will rarely find its way in the menu however rich the family may be. Moreover it will be very mild for the stomach. After a non veg day, this will be good for health. All chettiar people are addicted to this taste that even now in chettinad during all functions thanni kuzhambu will be served before sambar. Beans is the most commonly used vegetable for this kuzhambu. Now those days has gone and many don’t know the difference between a thanni kuzhambu and sambar.I also belong to this category. Once after tasting this kuzhambu wanted to find out the difference and tried. The main difference that I noted is
1. Less usage of thoor dhal.
2. Very little oil used
3. Seasoning first itself

4. Sauting the kuzhambu milagai thool and turmeric powder in the oil after seasoning

Ingredients
Thoordhal-a handful (100 Gms)
Beans-10 to 15 or 2 Drum sticks
Small onion-10
Garlic-6 pods
Coriander leaves-little
Curry leaves-little
Kuzhambu milagai thool-2 teaspoons
Tomato-1
Tamarind paste-1 teaspoons (qty used for sambar)
For seasoning
Mustard seed-1 teaspoon
Fennel seed-1/2 teaspoon
Fenugreek seed-1/2 teaspoon
Small jeera- 1 teaspoon

Procedure
Cook the dhal with extra water nicely in the cooker and keep aside. Keep the kadai in the stove. In 1 teaspoon oil season the kuzhambu with the items given in ‘to season’. Once the mustard seed cracks add the onion, garlic and tomato pieces nicely. Smash the tomatoes nicely with the ladle in such a way that there is little water content in the mixture. Now add the kuzhambu milagai thool and turmeric powder and saute nicely. If there is no water content before adding the powder it will get burnt. So be careful. Now add the vegetable used and sauté that also nicely. Add the water that is there on top of the cooked dhal and keep the stove to medium. Soak the tamarind and the salt needed also. When the vegetable is almost cooked add the tamarind water and the dhal mixed in a cup of water also. Make sure that the salt and hot taste is perfect. Let the kuzhambu boil for 5 to 7 minutes. Before switching off the stove add the chopped coriander also. Even for a 10 month baby this can be given mixed with rice or idly.

I rarely make this because I think that the only way I can give more protiens to my daughter is through the hot sambar rice with sambar made with a good quantity of dhal, I send to school through the carrier lady.But today immediately after entering the house from school she told me'Amma the sambar rice you sent today was awesome'.