Onam is here and so are the tasty preparations. Manjula Nair shares a traditional yoghurt and coconut based recipe from her mother's kitchen.
You can share yours too!
The festival of Onam is synonymous with elaborate flower carpet arrangements and a traditional feast.
In Vellarikka Moru Curry, the Indian cucumber is cooked in a spicy coconut and yoghurt gravy.
Here's the recipe:
Vellarikka Moru Curry
Ingredients
- 250 gm vellarikka (cucumber) diced 1 inch thick
- 1 cup grated coconut
- 1 tsp jeera
- 8 green chillies
- 1 cup yoghurt
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- A sprig of curry leaves with petiole
- Salt as required
For tempering
- 2 tsp coconut oil
- 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1-2 dry red chillies
- 4-5 curry leaves
Method
- In a deep-bottomed vessel, add cucumber, two cups of water, salt and turmeric powder and cook on slow to medium flame for 10 minutes till cucumber pieces are tender.
- Grind a mixture of coconut, cumin seeds, green chillies and yoghurt. Keep aside.
- Add this ground mixture to the cooked cucumber. Cook over low flame for 3 to 5 minutes. Do not cook over high flame or allow it to come to a boil.
- Add curry leaves with the petiole when you see a frothy layer.
- Turn off the heat and cover with a lid.
- In a tempering pan, heat some coconut oil, add fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, dry red chillies and curry leaves. Allow it to splutter.
- Add this to the curry and serve hot with rice or roti.
Image courtesy: s4's world/Creative Commons
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