Puli inji in northern Kerala has a distinctly sweet taste when compared to the one in south Kerala. Try this recipe to get that real Malabar flavour in your Onasadya.
Ingredients
1 ½ tbsp ginger (finely chopped)
1 ½ tbsp garlic (finely chopped)
1 ½ tbsp green chillies (finely chopped)
Coconut oil as required
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chilli powder
2 cups tamarind water (lemon sized ball of tamarind soaked in water)
Salt as required
2 tbsp crushed jaggery
½ tsp sesame seeds
½ tsp fenugreek seeds
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp raw rice
¼ tsp mustard seeds
¼ tsp fenugreek seeds
2 dried chillies (chopped)
Curry leaves
Preparation
Dry roast the sesame seeds, fenugreek, cumin and raw rice separately
Grind them into fine powder and keep it aside
Heat coconut oil in an earthen vessel and sauté ginger, garlic and green chillies on low flame
Into it add the turmeric and chilli powders. Mix well
Now pour the tamarind water. It must be noted that the mixture must not be stirred using a spoon until the tamarind water boils rapidly. Or else the tamarind may taste as if it has gone stale
Add salt and jaggery. Rotate the earthen vessel to mix the ingredients together
Add the previously powdered ingredients when the mixture boils and begin to reduce
Now add the curry leaves and mix well
Heat coconut oil and splutter mustard and fenugreek seeds
Roast the dried chillies and curry leaves
Pour this tempering over the dish and mix.