Learn how to make a healthy and delicious tamarind-based curry with turkey berry (Sundakkai in Tamil, Bhurtain Hindi).
Turkey berries are naturally bitter, but in this recipe, I’ll show you how to cook them so they taste flavorful and enjoyable. This is a traditional South Indian kuzhambu recipe that pairs perfectly with hot steamed rice.

Try it at home and let me know how it turns out in the comments!

📌 Ingredients:

• Turkey berry (Sundakkai) – 1 cup
• Sesame oil – 1½ tbsp
• Mustard seeds – ¼ tsp
• Split black gram (urad dal) – ¼ tsp
• Fenugreek seeds – ⅛ tsp
• Small onions – 15–20, chopped
• Garlic – 10 cloves
• Curry leaves – few
• Tomato – 1, chopped
• Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
• Kashmiri red chili powder – 1 tsp
• Kuzhambu milagai podi or red chili powder – 1 tsp
• Coriander powder – 1½ tsp
• Tamarind – gooseberry-sized
• Water – as needed
• Salt – to taste
• Jaggery powder – ½ tsp
• Cumin powder – ½ tsp

📍 Perfect with: Hot steamed rice, papad, or any South Indian vegetable side dish.

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Step-by-Step Instructions (for video chapter markers)

• Crush turkey berries and roast them in 1½ tbsp sesame oil until aromatic. Remove and set aside.

• In the same oil, add ¼ tsp mustard seeds, ¼ tsp split black gram, ⅛ tsp fenugreek seeds.

• Add 15–20 chopped small onions, 10 cloves of garlic, and curry leaves. Sauté for 1 min.
• Add 1 chopped tomato, a little salt, mix, cover, and cook until mushy.

• Return roasted turkey berries to the pan.

• Add ¼ tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder, 1 tsp kuzhambu milagai podi (or red chili powder), 1½ tsp coriander powder. Sauté until the raw smell disappears.

• Add 1 cup plain water + 1 cup tamarind water (prepared from soaked tamarind).
• Add salt to taste + ½ tsp jaggery powder. Bring to a boil.

• Add ½ tsp cumin powder, simmer to desired consistency.

• Serve hot with rice and a side dish.