Vatha kuzhambu

Step 1: Soak 1 ⅜ oz tamarind in 2 ½ cups hot water for 15 minutes, squeeze it hard with your fingers and strain the juice into a jug, pressing the pulp through the sieve. You should have about 550 ml of thin brown juice.

Step 2: Heat 4 tbsp sesame (gingelly) oil in a heavy pan or clay pot over a medium heat. Add 2 tbsp sun-dried sundakkai berries (sundakkai vathal) and fry for about 1 minute, stirring, until they puff up and turn dark brown. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Step 3: In the same oil add 1 tsp mustard seeds. When it crackles, add ½ tsp fenugreek seeds, 1 tsp toor dal and 2 dried red chillies and fry for 30–40 seconds until the fenugreek turns reddish-brown and the dal is golden. Common mistake: letting fenugreek go black; it turns the whole pot harshly bitter, so lower the heat if it colours fast.

Step 4: Add ¼ tsp gluten-free asafoetida and 15 curry leaves (stand back, they spit), then 10 small shallots and 8 garlic cloves if using. Sauté over a medium heat for 4–5 minutes until the shallots are soft and golden at the edges.

Step 5: Lower the heat and stir in 2 tbsp sambar powder and ¼ tsp ground turmeric. Cook for 30 seconds, just until the raw smell goes and the oil turns red; don't let it scorch.

Step 6: Pour in the tamarind juice, add 1 ¼ tsp salt and bring to the boil. Simmer uncovered over a medium-low heat for 15–18 minutes, stirring now and then, until the raw tamarind smell is gone and the gravy has reduced by about a third.

Step 7: Stir in 1 tbsp jaggery and the fried berries. If you like it thicker, stir in 1 tsp rice flour and simmer for 2 more minutes. It's ready when it coats the spoon and a film of oil floats on top.

Step 8: Serve hot with rice and a little extra sesame oil. It thickens as it cools and keeps in the fridge for a week; the flavour is best on day two.