Feb 20, 2013

Vellarikka Parippu Curry / Cucumber Dal Curry



















Vellarikka Parippu Curry / Cucumber Dal Curry - A delicious main curry (ozhichu koottan) in Kerala cuisine, goes well with rice / rice - fish fry / meat dishes.

Serves: 3 

Ingredients

For parippu / dal:

Leftover 1 cup boiled turdal

or

1/3 cup / 80 g (Indian standard measuring cup of 80 ml / 6 oz capacity) tur dal / arhar dal

1 cup / 200 ml water

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

½ teaspoon oil

Wash and clean dal. Soak in a pressure cooker for half an hour with turmeric powder, oil and 1 cup / 200 ml water and cook for 15 minutes or till done ( reduce the heat to medium after 3 rd whistle (3 quick whistles) and cook for 10 minutes until done / soft. Allow the cooker to cool naturally. Reserve dal stock (cooked dal water).

For coconut paste:

5 tablespoon (50 – 60 g) grated coconut

5 shallots (chuvannulli / sambar onion / small onion), chopped

½ teaspoon jeera (cumin seeds)

1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

2 tablespoon water

Make a fine paste of above ingredients in a small mixer bowl. Sprinkle 2 tablespoon water when making the paste.

Other ingredients

½ piece vellarikka (yellow cucumber / mogge) gently peel off the outer skin, remove seeds , wash and cut into ½ - inch cubes

2 green chillies, slit lengthwise

¾ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Method

In a wide bowl , mix boiled dal (along with the stock / dal water), vellarikka  pieces, salt to taste and 2 slit green chillies. Mix all the ingredients well. Cover with a lid and cook on low to medium heat for 15 minutes or until 3/4 done / vellarikka  pieces almost transparent.

Add coconut paste, adjust the consistency of the gravy with extra ¼ cup (50 ml) water if required.  Gravy should of pouring consistency (Please do not make it too thin like moru curry / moru kachiyathu or rasam). Mix well and cook on a low heat for 8 - 10 minutes or until done / well cooked.

For seasoning:

2 teaspoon oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

½ teaspoon jeera (cumin seeds)

6 curry leaves

1 dried red chilli, halved

Method

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add jeera , halved red chilli and curry leaves and fry till crisp. Pour the seasoning over curry. Serve with rice / rice – fish fry / meat meat dishes ..

2 comments:

niyas meenkunnu said...

Instead of shallot, punched garlic( chadhacha vellulli) as seasoned with coconut oil, it will be more delitious..... try it...

niyas meenkunnu said...

chuvannullikku pakaram veluthulli upayokichu nokkoooo...super aakum