Kerala-style roasted coconut vegetarian curry…
Kerala-style roasted coconut vegetarian curry is a popular dish from the southern Indian state of Kerala. This dish is made with roasted coconut and a variety of vegetables, making it a flavorful and healthy meal.
Kerala-style cuisine is known for its bold flavors and the use of coconut in many dishes.
For making this curry, I’ve added moringa or drumsticks & lady’s finger- okra to the ground coconut & cooked them in it.
Other kinds of veggies like bitter gourd and potatoes can also be added or make the non-vegetarian version by adding fish or shrimp.
This curry can be enjoyed with rice, appam, idiyappam & chapati.
Drumsticks & Lady's Finger In Roasted Coconut Gravy | Kerala Varutharacha Vegetarian Recipe
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Author: Thasneen
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Indian
Serves: 5 People
Ingredients
For roasting coconut
- Coconut, grated- 1½ cups
- Small onions or pearl onions- 5
- Dried red chilies- 2
- Curry leaves- 8 leaves
- Kashmiri Chili powder- ½ to 1 tbsp
- Coriander powder- 1 tbsp
- Whole peppercorns- 1 tsp
- Water- 1 cup while grinding
For making gravy
- Drumsticks or Moringa cut into 3-inch slices- 10 pieces
- Lady's finger or okra, cut into round slices- 1 cup
- Pearl onions- 5
- Tamarind extract- ½ cup (2-inch slice, soaked in ½ cup warm water)
- Curry leaves- 1 sprig
- Salt- 1½ tsp
Instructions
- Fresh or frozen drumsticks or moringa are available in most Indian stores.
- If using fresh drumsticks, cut them into 3-inch long pieces.
- In a small bowl, soak fresh tamarind in ½ cup of lukewarm water for 5 minutes.
- Squeeze the soaked tamarind in water to extract the juice, strain the juice & discard the skin & seeds.
- Place a large pan over medium heat.
- Add grated coconut, small onions, dried red chilies & curry leaves, roast over medium heat till the coconut turns golden brown in color.
- Keep stirring for even roasting and to avoid the coconut from burning.
- When the coconut turns golden brown, add Kashmiri chili powder (for less spice add ½ tbsp), coriander powder & whole black peppercorns.
- If you want this less spicy, add less whole peppercorns.
- Combine everything well, saute for 2 minutes.
- Take the pan off the heat, let cool down.
- In a blender, grind the roasted coconut along with 1 cup water to a smooth paste.
- If the mixture is too thick add some more water while grinding.
- Use a claypan or non-stick saucepan: add the drumsticks, okra, pearl onions and curry leaves; combine well.
- Add the ground coconut paste & rinse the blender jar with ½ cup water & add that as well.
- Add ½ cup of the tamarind extract to the gravy, combine well.
- Add salt & combine well.
- Place the pan over medium heat & close with a lid, cook covered for 20 minutes till the drumsticks & okra have turned soft.
- If the gravy is too thick, add some water to thin it down and cook further for a few minutes.
- Taste the gravy, adjust salt according to your needs.
- Take the pan off the heat, keep it covered for a few minutes.
- Enjoy this roasted coconut curry with rice, chapati, appam, idiyappam or pathiri.
