Directions
Take the ball of tamarind and soak in water for 30 minutes and squeze out the tamarind pulp with your fingers and take out a thick pulp. To this add one and a half cups of water. Chop onion lengthwise and chop tomatoes.
In a pan heat oil and add red dry chillis and mustard seeds, cumin seeds and urad dal and add curryleaves. When the mustard seeds splutter add the onions and fry till the onions become light brown in colour. Then add garlic and fry again for a minute. Add chopped tomatoes and fry and if you like mash the tomatoes with the ladle as you fry. Now add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt to taste. Fry for aonther minute and add half a cup of water and put a lid and allow it to simmer for 3-4 minutes. Pour tamarind juice in the pan and stir. Allow it to boil for sometime till the oil starts collecting at the top and the kulambu should start thickening a bit and then add a small (very little) piece of jaggery (optional)and simmer for another 2 minutes. Remove from fire.
Serve hot with white rice, idlis, dosas.