Milagu (pepper) Kuzhambu (Stew)

Introduction: Wikipedia entry on Kuzhambu.
Ingredients:
Tamarind - lemon-sized ball or use 1/4 tsp of concentrate
Water - 3 cups
Salt - to taste
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Asafoetida - a pinch

Dry roast and grind the following into a coarse powder:
Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
Udad dal - 1 tsp
Peppercorns - 8-10
Dried red chilies - 2

For tempering:
Ghee - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Dried red chilies - 2-3
Curry leaves - 6-7

Time: (Prep+cooking) 15 min
Servings: 4-6

Method:
Soak the tamarind in 3 cup of hot water and squeeze out the juice, throwing away the leftover pulp. It is much easier to use tamarind concentrate, in which case just mix with hot water. Fry the seasoning ingredients above in 1 tsp of ghee. When the mustard seeds start to sputter, mix in the ground powder. Add the tamarind water, salt, turmeric, asafoetida and stir well. Bring to a boil and keep stirring until the raw smell of tamarind is gone (about 10 min). 1 tsp of rice or corn flour mixed into a little bit of water can be added to thicken the soup. Bring to a boil and turn off the gas.

Author: Shrinkingsodacan
Source: Mom's recipe
Tip: For a more "instant" recipe, grind the tamarind, some curry leaves and salt along with the other ingredients into a powder. Once the seasoning ingredients have been fried (i.e., the mustard seeds start to sputter), add water and the ground powder and cook.