Thursday, February 26, 2015

Coconut Milk & Vegetable Stew

I'm a die hard fan of the Cuisine of Kerala. Coconut milk and coconut oil are two of most favorites that I try including in my cooking a lot. Being a coastal state, there is a lot of sea food with mildly flavored spices. But their vegetarian dishes are equally amazing. 


Stew, is one particular dish I love and just love. Coconut milk combined with earthy spices make it a wonderful side for appams and idiappams. 


I learnt this from my friends mother (an excellent cook). Her recipes are to die for!!! Be it the simple thoran or the elaborate onam sadya, she is just amazing!!! This is her recipe and my husband and I love it!!


 What you need:

  1. Carrots, Beans, Potatoes - 1 1/2 cup (cut into small finger size)
  2. Onion - 1 medium (cut into julienne)
  3. Coconut oil - 1 tsp
  4. Pepper - 10 pods
  5. Cloves - 3
  6. Cinnamon - 1/4" stick
  7. Cardamom - 2
  8. Salt - to taste
  9. Green chilies - 2 (slit length wise)
  10. Ginger - 1/4" piece (minced) 
  11. Salt - to taste
  12. Grated coconut - 3/4 cup 
How to go about it:
  1. First, take the coconut milk. Add the grated coconut to a mixer jar and about 1/4 cup of warm water. Grind it to a fine paste (coconut chutney consistency). Squeeze out the milk. This should be thick and creamy. This is the first milk. Like wise, repeat the same process twice and you should have 3 different consistency milk. 
  2. Heat a pan, add coconut oil (if you don't like the flavor of coconut oil, you could add refined oil). 
  3. Once hot, add the spices (bayleaf, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, pepper), stir for 2 minutes and add the green chilies and ginger. Saute for a minute.
  4. Now add the onions, saute them until they turn soft and pink. 
  5. Add all the vegetables, (you could even add peas and cauliflower, I don't like both of them, so avoided)
  6. Saute for another 5 minutes, and add salt. 
  7. Now add about less than 1/4 of water and turn the flame to the lowest. Add the third consistency coconut milk. Let the vegetables cook in this. Do not increase the flame as the coconut milk might curdle.
  8. Once the vegetables are done, add the second consistency milk and boil for about 10 minutes.
  9. Now switch off the flame completely and add the first thick creamy milk. 
  10. Switch on the flame to the lowest just heat the stew and not boil it. It should not be too thick nor too thin.
  11. Serve hot with appams or idiappams.


Njoy with your loved ones...

Luv..

Champa

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