Senaikkezhangu kootu / Suran curry

This dish is from my m-i-l's kitchen. She used to make this awesome kootu/ curry and we would devour it and will fight for our portions like kids. It is a bit time consuming to prepare and cut senaikkezhangu/suran , but is well worth the effort!

Ingredients

Senaikezhangu/ Suran                                             200gms
Tamarind                                                                  1 lemon sized ball
Toor dal/ Thuvaram paruppu                                   1/4 cup
Turmeric powder                                                     1/4 tsp
Salt                                                                            To taste
Sambhar powder                                                       1.5 tsp


To powder

Kadalai paruppu/ Channa dal                                    1 tsp
Dhaniya/ Coriander seeds                                         1 tsp
Red chillies                                                                1 nos
Coconut shreds/ Dessicated coconut powder            1 tbsp/ 1 tsp

To temper

Canola Oil/ Refined sunflower oil                            1 tsp
Mustard seeds                                                            1/2 tsp
Asafoetida                                                                 1 pinch

Methi seeds / Vendhayam                                         1/2 tsp

Method:

1.) Pressure cook thuvaram paruppu/ toor dal by adding turmeric powder and water.
2.) Simultaneously, soak tamarind in hot water for 15 minutes.
3.) Dice Senaikkezhangu/ suran as small as you can.
4.) Extract 2 cups of tamarind syrup from soaked tamarind by adding enough water.
5.) Heat a saucepan on stove and add  oil. Add mustard seeds to splutter.  Bring the heat to low. Add  vendhayam/methi seeds and mix till golden brown. Add asafoetida.
6.) Add diced senaikkezhangu/ suran and mix well. Bring the heat to medium.  Leave it on for 2 mins.
7.) Add the extracted tamarind syrup, sambhar powder mix well and bring it to a boil. Let the mixture simmer for 10 mins until senaikkezhangu/suran gets completely cooked.
8.) Simultaneously, take a flat plan and dry roast the ingredients given in the 'to powder' section until channa dal turns golden brown. Pls note that coconut should be added in the last minute of dry roasting. It should have a stove time of not more than a minute. Bring it to room temperature and grind them to a powder.
9.) Add salt to the senaikkezhangu/ suran mixture and let it boil for 5 more minutes. If it needs a little water at this time, add excess water from the pressure cooked toor dal.
10.) Mash pressure cooked toor dal well and add it to the mixture, mix well and let it simmer for 3 more mins.
11.) Now add the ground powder to it, bring the heat to low,  mix it thoroughly and let it come to a boil in low heat.
12.) Switch off the stove and senaikkezhangu kootu/ suran curry is ready.

It can be had with hot rice and appalam as side dish. This can be had as a side to rasam rice. It is a very fulfilling, excellent tasting dish and will definitely leave you satiated.