To begin making the Kollu Puli Kuzhambu, soak horse gram dal in a sufficient amount of water for a couple of hours. 

After 2 hours, pressure cook horse gram along with 1 chopped tomato, salt and the required water.

Pressure cook for 4 whistles, turn the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat, allow the pressure to release naturally. 

Once the pressure has released naturally, open the pressure cooker and drain the horse gram and set aside. Reserve the water for the gravy. 

Place a heavy bottomed pan on low heat and add 1 teaspoon oil. 

Once the oil is hot, add peppercorns, cumin seeds, coriander seeds and 5 dry red chillies. 

Roast all the ingredients for 4 to 6 minutes, until you can smell the aroma of the spices. 

Once they are roasted, add few curry leaves, peeled shallots, grated coconut, garlic and continue to saute till the onions become soft. 

Add in the cooked horse gram with tomato. Stir all the ingredients well and turn off the flame. 

Allow the ingredients to cool and grind to chutney consistency with adequate salt.

Kollu chutney or horse gram chutney is ready. The process of making this to a puli kuzhambu starts from here. This chutney is the base for the Puli Kuzhambu. 

To make the Puli Kuzhambu, in a bowl, add the prepared tamarind water, the ground kollu tomato chutney along with the water it was cooked in. The kuzhambu should be thin.

Slice the remaining shallots and break the remaining chillies into pieces. 

In an earthenware pot, add 2 teaspoon of oil and add the shallots, broken red chillies, turmeric powder and asafoetida.

Alternatively if you do not have an earthenware pot, use can make it in a saucepan.  

Once the onion turns pink, add the tamarind horse gram kuzhambu mixture and simmer for 15 minutes till the gravy thickens and raw smell of tamarind goes. 

Meanwhile in a tadka or tempering pan, add a teaspoon of oil. Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds. Add 2 finely chopped shallots and fry till they are golden brown. 

Now add the curry leaves and turn off the tadka pan.

Pour the tempering over the Kollu Puli Kuzhambu and turn off the heat. Your tangy Kollu Puli Kuzhambu is ready to be served. 

Serve Kollu Puli Kuzhambu along with hot Steamed Rice, Carrot Poriyal and Elai Vadam for a comforting weekday lunch.

You can also serve Kollu Puli Kuzhambu along with Ragi Mudde for a super healthy lunch for Diabetics.