Urundai Kuzhambu(Bengal gram balls in spicy gravy)

Bengal gram / chana dal / lentil balls cooked in spicy tamarind sauce. Its very easy to make if you follow these simple steps:
Ingredients

For grinding: ( #1)

• bengal gram - 1 cup ( washed and soaked for 2 hours)
• ginger ( 1 inch)
• garlic ( 3-4 cloves)
• cumin seeds ( 1 tsp)
• cinnamon sticks ( 1 inch)
• fennel seeds/ saunf (1 tsp)
• salt 

For making the Bengal gram balls: (#2)

• Ground gram mixture
• onions - 2 ( medium sized)
• green chillies( chopped  ) - 4 ( add more or less as preferred)
• curry leaves ( few chopped)
• cilantro ( few chopped)
• coconut ( grated) - 1/2 cup
• turmeric

For seasoning: (#3)

• Oil ( 3-4 tablespoons)
• Fenugreek seeds (1 tsp)
• Vadagam ( is a seasoning ball which most of the indians use/ if not available you can alter with these: "mustard seeds, split urad dal, and cumin seeds" )
• curry leaves ( few)
• chopped onions ( 1 - small sized onion)

For Gravy: (#4)

• 4 cups of thin tamarind extract ( small lime sized ball of tamarind)
• Turmeric( 1/4 tsp)
• chilly powder ( 5 tablespoons / as per taste)
• salt

Method

1. Soak the tamarind in 4 cups of water, extract the juiceand set aside.
2. Soak the bengal gram for 2 hours and grind it with #1 ingredients (ginger, garlic, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, cinnamon and salt, and the mixture should be little coarser and not too smooth)
3. Add #2 ingredients (onions, green chillies, curry leaves, cilantro, turmeric, and coconut) to the ground mixture and knead well. 
4. Make into a medium sized balls and keep aside.
5. Mix all the #4 ingredients ( tamarind water , salt, turmeric, chilly powder ) and keep aside.
6. Heat oil in a deep non stick pan, add the seasonings #3 (fenugreek seeds, vadagam, curry leaves, chopped onions), fry them for few minutes until the onions are slightly golden.
7. Now add the tamarind mixture into the pan and let it cook on a medium flame.
8. Once the mixture comes to a boil, add half of the balls into it and wait for few minuted until the balls come up then add the remaining balls and let it cook covered for 20-25 minutes on a low flame until the balls are well cooked. (Tips: 1 Do not mix the curry after you drop the balls as there are chances for the balls to break, instead just lift the pot and rotate on a circular motion often so it doesn't stick to the bottom and the balls are evenly cooked. 2 check the onions inside the balls- "if you press the onions with your finger tip it should be soft")
9. Now garnish with cilantro and the authentic urundai kozhambu is ready to serve with hot steamed rice or soft idlis.