Allergens in Ulli Theeyal: mustard.
Ingredients
Quantities for 4.
- 300g, peeled and left whole Shallotsmall ones; halve any larger than a walnut
- 1 cup grated, fresh or thawed frozen Coconutthe whole dish depends on roasting this properly
- 2 tbsp Coriander Powder
- 1.5 tsp Kashmiri Chillifor colour without heat
- 1/2 tsp Chilli Powder
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric
- 1/4 tsp Fenugreek Seedsmore than this turns the gravy bitter
- 1/2 tsp, coarsely cracked Black Pepperoptional
- lime-sized ball, soaked in 200ml warm water Tamarind
- 2 sprigs Curry Leaves
- 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
- 2, broken Dried Red Chilli
- 1 tsp, grated Jaggeryrounds off the tamarindoptional
- 3 tbsp Coconut Oil
- 500ml Water
- 1 tsp, or to taste Salt
Cookware
stovetop, kadhai, blender
Checked against the ingredient list for ten allergens: milk, egg, fish, crustaceans, tree nuts, peanuts, sesame, mustard, soy and gluten. Brands vary, so read the label on anything new to you.
Before you start
- Soak the tamarind in 200ml warm water for 20 minutes, then squeeze and strain; discard the fibres.
- Peel the shallots ahead, 300g takes a good 15 minutes and this is the slow part of the recipe.
- Have the ground spices measured into one bowl before you start roasting the coconut; it goes from brown to burnt in seconds.
Method
- Heat 1 tbsp of the coconut oil in a heavy pan and roast the grated coconut over medium-low heat, stirring almost constantly, for 12-15 minutes until it is a deep even brown and smells nutty.Do not walk away. The coconut sits pale for eight minutes and then colours all at once.
- Add the fenugreek seeds and roast 30 seconds more, then take the pan off the heat.
- Stir the coriander powder, kashmiri chilli, chilli powder and turmeric into the hot coconut off the heat and let the residual warmth cook them for 1 minute.
- Cool completely, then grind with 150ml water to a very smooth, dark paste. A full 3-4 minutes in the blender.Any grit left in the paste stays grit in the finished curry. Grind longer than you think you need to.
- Heat the remaining 2 tbsp coconut oil in the same pan and fry the whole shallots over medium heat for 8 minutes until browned at the edges and softened.
- Pour in the strained tamarind water and 350ml water, add the salt, and simmer uncovered 10 minutes until the shallots are tender to a knife tip.
- Stir in the ground coconut paste, rinse the blender with a splash of water and add that too.
- Simmer gently 12-15 minutes, uncovered, until the gravy darkens and thickens enough to coat a spoon and oil beads at the surface.The oil separating at the edges is the sign it is done. Rushing this leaves a raw, chalky taste.
- Stir in the jaggery and cracked pepper, taste, and correct salt and sourness.
- In a small pan heat a teaspoon of coconut oil, crackle the mustard seeds, add the dried chillies and curry leaves, and pour the tempering over the curry.Cover the pan for a second as the curry leaves go in, they spit hard.
- Rest 10 minutes off the heat before serving with rice.
Storage
Keeps 4 days refrigerated and genuinely improves on the second day. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of water; do not boil hard or the coconut paste splits.
Nutrition Good estimate
One serving of Ulli Theeyal (208 g) is about 237 calories, or 114 calories per 100 g.
Low protein: 3 g a serving, 6% of the calories
| Per serving208 g | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 237 kcal | 114 kcal |
| Protein | 3.3 g | 2 g |
| Carbohydrate | 19.6 g | 9 g |
| of which sugars | 8.4 g | 4 g |
| Fibre | 6.0 g | 3 g |
| Fat | 17.7 g | 8 g |
| of which saturated | 14.4 g | 7 g |
| of which unsaturated | 1.9 g | 1 g |
Ingredients given to taste count as zero, so the real figures run a little higher. Nearest database match used for curry leaves, jaggery. Estimated from raw ingredients using USDA FoodData Central.
More like this: Vegan Indian recipes · Vegetarian Indian recipes · Gluten-free Indian recipes · Dairy-free Indian recipes · Kerala recipes
Times, yields, allergens and nutrition are guidance. Use your own judgement on doneness and on storing. More in About.