Varutharacha Mutta Curry / Eggs in a Roasted Coconut Sauce

 

 

 

 

Ingredients (Serves 6)

1. Eggs(kozhi mutta or tharavu mutta) – 6

2. Onion – 1 medium, sliced and halved

   Ginger – 1/2 inch, thinly sliced

   Garlic – 3 – 4, chopped

   Green chilies – 2, slit

   Curry leaves – 1 sprig

3. Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp

4. Tomato – 1 small, sliced

5. Fennel powder – 1 tsp (You can use garam masala powder instead)

   Garam masala powder – 1/2 tsp

6. Salt – To taste

7. Oil – 1 tbsp

8. Mustard seeds – 1/4 – 1/2 tsp

   Dried red chilies – 2

To roast and grind

9. Grated coconut – 1 + 1/4 cup

10.Chilly powder – 3/4 tsp

    Coriander powder – 1 tsp heaped

    Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp

Heat a pan and add the grated coconut. Stir until it turns brown (it need not be dark brown like theeyal). Switch off. Add the spice powders and mix well. Cool down. Powder this roasted coconut mixture in a mixer. Add a little water and grind to a very fine paste. Set aside.

Method

1. Hard boil and shell the eggs and keep aside.

2. Heat oil in a cheena chatti / any pan at medium heat. Add onion, ginger, garlic, green chilies, little salt and curry leaves. Saute until onion turns light brown on the sides. Add turmeric powder and tomato pieces. Saute for 2- 3 minutes. Add the ground roasted coconut mixture, fennel powder, garam masala powder, around 1.5 cups of water and enough salt. Bring to a boil and cook for about 8 - 10 minutes at medium-low heat. Halve the eggs and add to the gravy. Mix gently. Bring to a boil and switch off.

3. Heat oil in a small pan. Splutter mustard seeds and fry dry red chilies. Pour over the curry. This goes really well with rice, chapatis, puttu, idiyappam, palappam etc.

Ghee Rice / Neychoru

 

Ingredients (Serves 2)

1. Basmati rice / biriyani rice - 1 cup
2. Thinly sliced onion - 1/4 cup + 1/4 cup
3. Ghee - 1.5 tbsp
4. Whole spices - Cinnamon -  2 half inch sticks, cardamom - 2 - 3, cloves - 6 - 7, fennels - 1 pinch, bay leaf - 1
5. Cashews, raisins - 2 tbsp each
6. Water - 2 cups

Method

1. Soak the rice in enough water for 30 mts. Drain and keep aside. Boil 2 cups of water with enough salt. The water should be slightly salty.

2. Heat ghee in a pan at medium heat. Fry the raisins until plump. Drain onto a paper towel. Fry the cashews until golden brown and drain. Add 1/4 cup thinly sliced onion and fry until brown. Drain on to a paper towel. Set aside.

3. Add more ghee to the pan if required. Fry the whole spices until fragrant. Add thinly sliced onion and saute until its raw smell is gone. Add the rice and fry for 1 - 2 minutes. Then add the boiled water. Cover and cook until the rice is done. Garnish with cashews, raisins and fried onion.

I usually follow the pressure cooker method - Heat ghee in a pressure cooker at medium heat.  Fry the whole spices until fragrant. Add thinly sliced onion and saute until its raw smell is gone. Add the rice and fry for 1 - 2 minutes. Then add boiled water (in which salt has been added), mix well and cover with the lid. Put on the pressure cooker weight/whistle when steam starts coming out continuously and profusely through the vent. Bring down the heat to low and cook for 5 mts. Remove from fire. Open the lid when the pressure releases or after 12 - 15 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and immediately transfer into a wide serving bowl in order to avoid clumping. Garnish with cashews, raisins and fried onion. Serve hot with mutton/chicken curry or any spicy veg/non-veg dish and raita/kachambar.

 

 

Chemmeen Mulakittathu - Malabar Style

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

1. Prawns - 20 - 25
2. Tomato - 2 large, chopped
3. Onion - 1/4 cup, thinly sliced
4. Ginger - 2 tsp, thinly sliced
5. Garlic - 3 - 4, sliced
6. Green chilies - 2, slit
7. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
8. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
9. Kashmiri chilly powder - 1 - 1.5 tsp
10. Tamarind - Goose-berry sized or to taste
11. Salt - To taste
12. Coconut oil - 1 tbsp

Method

1. Clean and wash the prawns. Soak the tamarind in 1/4 cup warm water for 15 mts and extract its juice.

2. Heat oil in a meen chatti/ claypot at medium heat. Add ginger, garlic, green chilies, curry leaves and sliced onion. Saute until onion becomes transparent. Add turmeric powder, chilly powder and saute until their raw smell is gone. Now add the chopped tomatoes. Cover and cook until tomato gets mashed up. Open the lid and saute until oil starts separating. Add  1 - 1.5 cups of water, prawns, tamarind extract and bring to a boil. Cook for 10 - 12 minutes or until the prawns are done and gravy thickens. Add 1 tbsp coconut oil and a few curry leaves. Set aside for 15 minutes. Serve with rice. This tastes better the next day.

 

 

 

 

Recipe Courtesy - Sunitha Murali