I have never been a major fan of kurma. I am referring to vegetable korma which is usually a side dish for 'Aapam' or 'Barotas' in south-Indian restaurants like the Saravana Bhavan or Ananda Bhavan or Vasantha Bhavan. I have found the kurma, even the superior navratna kurma to be complicated and over-spiced. As for preparing it, I thought it required patient cutting of atleast half a kilo of veggies, frying and grinding of so many ingredients.
Anyway, all this changed once I ate the coconut milk kurma that my mother-in-law prepared. It was simple,smooth, delicious and sumptuous. It didn't have oil floating over it or smell of an overdose of garam masala or Khas-khas. It seemed like a desi version of vegetable-au-gratin with coconut milk instead of cheese. Now that coconut and its various features have been given the 'good for health' certificate, you don't have to feel guilty about using it liberally.
I made this recently and hence the picture and the post. I think the only pain in preparing this dish is the grating of coconut and the extraction of coconut milk. Otherwise it is the usual, peeling and cutting of vegetables (I didn't say that can be skipped did I?). But one thing I will advicse is not to use beetroot in this. The colour of yellow or off-white of the coconut milk mixed with turmeric powder is beautiful and is not to be disturbed.
Here is how you make it, in case any one is interested. It takes about 1.5 hours to make the dish. This is assuming you are quick in cutting and peeling and grating and grinding (ha ha ha).
Ingredients:
Cut veggies : assorted, as per your taste, please omit beets. But knoo-khol or the Indian turnip can be used.
Onion: 1 big
Green chillies : 2 or 3
Ginger: one inch piece
Coconut : half of a large coconut, scraped.
Salt and turmeric powder
Coconut milk extraction:
If you have fresh grated coconut: Just add luke warm water and grind in a mixer. The quantity of water should be such that it isn't too watery while grinding. Strain and extract the milk with a strainer. Can also be strained with hand for satisfaction. You must be able to get 1 tumbler of extract. If not, increase the quantity of coconut.
If you have frozen grated coconut: wait until it thaws and then pour hot water over it. Then grind it in room temp to extract the milk.
Procedure:
Grind the same (the one squeezed out of its life) coconut along with some water (may be quarter or half tumbler) along with onions, ginger and green chillies. Strain, squeeze and extract all the water. You must get atleast 1 full tumbler of liquid. If not, increase the quantity of coconut.
Put the vegetables, the masala extract mentioned above, salt, turmeric powder and cook covered for about 10 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Check for water level. Wait until water level reduces to half its original. The veggies are better if they are cooked soft. If needed add more water.
Once the veggies are perfect, add the first extract of coconut milk and let it boil for a minute.
Sprinkle garam masala and crushed pepper for the added zest and its done.
Finally, you get the surprisingly sweet and smooth coconut milk kurma. I know one person who would be extremely surprised reading this post. My mother.
Quick fix: All the grating, grinding and extracting can be eliminated if a can of ready-made coconut milk is available.
Courtesy: My sincere thanks to my mother-in-law for having preserved, perfected and shared the recipe with her family. She learnt this from her cousin during the early part of her married life.
Anyway, all this changed once I ate the coconut milk kurma that my mother-in-law prepared. It was simple,smooth, delicious and sumptuous. It didn't have oil floating over it or smell of an overdose of garam masala or Khas-khas. It seemed like a desi version of vegetable-au-gratin with coconut milk instead of cheese. Now that coconut and its various features have been given the 'good for health' certificate, you don't have to feel guilty about using it liberally.
I made this recently and hence the picture and the post. I think the only pain in preparing this dish is the grating of coconut and the extraction of coconut milk. Otherwise it is the usual, peeling and cutting of vegetables (I didn't say that can be skipped did I?). But one thing I will advicse is not to use beetroot in this. The colour of yellow or off-white of the coconut milk mixed with turmeric powder is beautiful and is not to be disturbed.
Here is how you make it, in case any one is interested. It takes about 1.5 hours to make the dish. This is assuming you are quick in cutting and peeling and grating and grinding (ha ha ha).
Ingredients:
Cut veggies : assorted, as per your taste, please omit beets. But knoo-khol or the Indian turnip can be used.
Onion: 1 big
Green chillies : 2 or 3
Ginger: one inch piece
Coconut : half of a large coconut, scraped.
Salt and turmeric powder
Coconut milk extraction:
If you have fresh grated coconut: Just add luke warm water and grind in a mixer. The quantity of water should be such that it isn't too watery while grinding. Strain and extract the milk with a strainer. Can also be strained with hand for satisfaction. You must be able to get 1 tumbler of extract. If not, increase the quantity of coconut.
If you have frozen grated coconut: wait until it thaws and then pour hot water over it. Then grind it in room temp to extract the milk.
Procedure:
Grind the same (the one squeezed out of its life) coconut along with some water (may be quarter or half tumbler) along with onions, ginger and green chillies. Strain, squeeze and extract all the water. You must get atleast 1 full tumbler of liquid. If not, increase the quantity of coconut.
Put the vegetables, the masala extract mentioned above, salt, turmeric powder and cook covered for about 10 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Check for water level. Wait until water level reduces to half its original. The veggies are better if they are cooked soft. If needed add more water.
Once the veggies are perfect, add the first extract of coconut milk and let it boil for a minute.
Sprinkle garam masala and crushed pepper for the added zest and its done.
Finally, you get the surprisingly sweet and smooth coconut milk kurma. I know one person who would be extremely surprised reading this post. My mother.
Quick fix: All the grating, grinding and extracting can be eliminated if a can of ready-made coconut milk is available.
Courtesy: My sincere thanks to my mother-in-law for having preserved, perfected and shared the recipe with her family. She learnt this from her cousin during the early part of her married life.
No comments:
Post a Comment
I would love to know your thoughts on this ... Thank you for taking the time.