Inji puli

Inji puli / Puli Inji is a popular dish made in Kerala during any festivals/ occasions as a part of Sadhya(lunch). This is prepared using ginger (inji in malayalam), tamarind, green chillies and jaggery. I am so fond of this, that I used to have as an accompaniment for anything and everything, like dosa, idli, chapathi, rice or just like that. It is more or less like a pickle. Tastes awesomely delicious with hot steamed rice, curd rice or with sambar rice. My ammama always used to say that it is very good for digestion. This is spicy, tangy and sweet and is a perfect treat for spice lovers. It is very easy to prepare with very limited ingredients. It can be refrigerated for about a month. Just give a try and I am sure you will love this preparation.

Ingredients

• Ginger - 1 cup, skin peeled and chopped very finely
• Green chillies - 1/4 cup , chopped very finely
• Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Oil - 2 tblspn
• Tamarind - pulp extracted from 1 lemon sized tamarind
• Jaggery powdered- 2 tblspn
• Chilli powder - 2 tsp (optional)
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Red chillies - 2 nos
• Curry leaves - 1 spring
• Asafoetida - a pinch
• Salt - to taste

Method

• Dry roast fenugreek seeds for a minute or two in a medium heat until it just starts to change the color. It will release its aroma. Turn off the heat and let it cool. Powder it very finely.
• In a pan, heat oil and crackle mustard seeds. Add curry leaves, asafoetida and red chillies, broken in to 2 each. Fry for few seconds
•  Add the finely chopped ginger and green chillies. Some people crush these both using a mortar and then add. But I prefer to have some chunks of ginger and green chillies in this.
• Saute them until both are cooked and browned. 
• Add the tamarind pulp and salt. Bring this to boil until the raw smell of tamarind leaves from it. 
• Reduce the heat to medium and allow it to thicken. This might take 8 to 10 minutes. 
• Once it is thickened, add the powdered jaggery and cook for another 5 minutes.
• Finally, add  the powdered fenugreek seeds (step 1) and give it a good mix. Switch off the heat.
• Serve with hot steamed rice or as an accompaniment with curd rice / sambar rice.

Kerala Kadala curry (black channa masala)

I was brought up in Kerala and I had this particular dish for the first time in my friend's house when I was young. I totally fell in love with this heavenly delicious dish served along with puttu. From then, I was behind my mom asking her to prepare that same dish. And now, my mom is an expert in preparing kadala curry. There are many variations in preparing this curry.You can also follow the same recipe for white chick peas, if you do not have the black ones.
After marriage, I tried this a couple of times but was not fully satisfied with the outcome. But this time, I can say that both myself and my hubby liked what I prepared with some tips and tricks given by my mom. So, I am posting my own style of kadala curry recipe which can be had with idiyappam / string hoppers, Appam or puttu.

Ingredients

To Roast and Grind

• Coriander seeds - 1 tblspn
• Red chillies - 3 nos
• Fennel seeds - 2 tsp
• Cinnamon - a very small piece ((1/2 inch)
• Cloves - 2 nos
• Cardamom - 2 nos
• Pepper corns - 5 - 6 nos
• Star anise - 1/2
• Shallots/ pearl onion - 4 nos
•  Tomato - 1, cubed
• Coconut - 1/2 cup
• Oil - 1 tsp

 Other Ingredients

• Black chick peas - 1 cup
• Onion- 1 , thinly sliced
• Shallots / pearl onion - 4 (Optional, but it adds taste)
• Oil -  2 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves - 1 spring
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Ginger - 1 inch, sliced thinly
• Salt - to taste
• Sugar - 1 tsp
• Kitchen king masala / garam masala - 1 tsp (Optional)
• Coriander leaves - to garnish
• Coconut milk - 1 tblspn (Optional)

Method

To Grind

•  Heat oil in a pan. Add coriander seeds , Red chillies, Cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, star anise and pepper corns. Saute for 1 min or till it releases nice aroma. 
• Add shallots and fry until it becomes transparent.
• Add the tomatoes. Saute everything together for a minute or two. Make sure the spices are not burnt. If it get burnt, you have to start the entire process from the beginning.
• Turn off the heat. Mix the grated coconut with this and allow the mixture to cool completely. 
• Blend it to a smooth paste by adding water. Do not make it too watery. It should be a thick paste. Keep this aside

How to Proceed

• Wash Black chick peas well and soak them in water for about 6 hours to 8 hours or over night. Pressure cook by adding enough water and salt, allowing it for 8 to 10 whistles.Do not throw away the water after cooking the chick peas.
• In a pan, heat oil and crackle mustard seeds and curry leaves. Add shallots/ pearl onion, sliced big onions, ginger, turmeric powder and salt. Fry them really well until it is transparent. 
• Add the water from boiled chick peas.Bring it to one boil and add the boiled chick peas.
• Let it cook for 2 minutes, then add the prepared coconut paste and kitchen king masala. Give it a good mix. Adjust the water consistency. Close the lid and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Turn off the heat. Add coconut milk and finely chopped coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with puttu/ idiyappam/ Appam.

We had this with Corn meal Idiyappam