This is an important item in Kerala Sadhya. It is a Thottukootan which means it is served liked pickle in small quantity. It goes very well with almost all the vegetarian preparations in the Sadhya (Kerala meal served for wedding and special occasions). The spiciness of the ginger and green chilly, the sourness of the tamarind together with the sweetness of jaggery all contribute to the unique flavor of this special dish. It can be stored in Refrigerator for almost a week without losing its freshness.
This dish can be made with minimum ingredients without adding any vegetables , but here I have added Ladies finger and Small Red Onions also which according to me is a wonderful combination to go with the flavors.
There is another reason behind the posting of the recipe- its the first dish I prepared from my husband's house as its not so popular in that side . My mother in law loved it and now she makes it often for which I feel great.
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS:
- Tamarind- one lemon sized ball.
- Green chillies- 3 finely chopped
- Ginger- a two inch piece finely chopped
- Pearl onions/shallots/cheriya ulli- 1 big or 2 small chopped
- Ladies finger/okra- 4 small chopped .If big take 2- chop to thin round pieces
- Turmeric powder- 1/2 teaspoon
- Red chilly powder- 2 teaspoon
- Jaggery- 2 pieces
- Curry leaves- 5
- Salt as needed
How to Prepare:
Step1: Clean the tamarind and soak in warm water for 30 minutes. Extract the juice from the tamarind in 2 cups water.
Step2: Heat oil in a kadai, splutter mustard , add ginger and green chillies, saute till it is cooked. add onions and curry leaves and saute till done. Add the ladies finger and saute till the stickiness goes. Add the tamarind juice along with the water and mix well. Add required salt, turmeric powder and red chilly powder. Boil the gravy till it incorporates all the flavors. Add the jaggery pieces and boil till the gravy becomes thick. Remove from flame .
Step3: Serve hot with boiled rice as an accompaniment to other vegetarian curries.
Did not know that puli inji had okra in it.. Looks very tempting
ReplyDeleteYeah , its just a modified version of the authentic puliinji in which there are mainly ginger, tamarind and green chilly together with the seasoning mix. Thought this would be a change.
ReplyDelete