In the southern region of Tamil Nadu especially in Virudhunagar, once can see this white kurma or parotta kurma or vellai kuruma is served as one of the main dishes during marriages or any function for breakfast/dinner.
It is generally served with chapathi or Parotta. It is been fondly called as vellai kurma in that region. back at my home, we used to eat this with idiyappam as well.
The ingredients which are used for grinding would be differing from person to person. Some would use only coconut and cashews. I prefer to add roasted channa dal(Pori Kadalai) which gives the creamy texture to this gravy. For bright white colour, you can skip this porikadalai and use rice flour/maida as a thickening agent.
This kurma tastes exactly like what is served in street side hotels of Virudhunagar. It is an easy hotel or restaurant style vellai kurma that can be prepared by anyone at home.
Basic Information:
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4
Video Recipe:
Watch the vellai kurma making in the below video.
Ingredients:
For Grinding:
Poppy seeds – 1 tbsp
Cashew nuts – 5
Coconut – ¼ cup
Roasted channa dal – 1 tbsp
Hot water – ¼ cup
For Kurma:
Oil – 1 tbsp
Cloves – 2
Cinnamon – 1 stick
Bay leaf – 1
Fennel seeds – ½ tsp
Green chilies – 3, slit
Curry leaves – 10
Onion – 1 cup, finely chopped
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp
Mixed vegetables – 3 cups (Carrot, Beans, Potato and Cauliflower etc)
Salt – to taste
Method:
For Grinding:
1) In a small bowl, take poppy seeds and cashew nuts. Add 1/4 cup of hot water.
2) Let it soak for 15 minutes.
3) After 15 minutes, add grated coconut and roasted channa dal.
4) Grind it to a smooth paste.
5) Keep it aside.
For Kurma:
1) In a pressure cooker, add 1 tbsp oil.
2) Add cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf and fennel seeds. Once everything turned brown, add 3 slit green chillies and curry leaves. Give a quick fry.
3) Add a cup of finely chopped onion. Saute it, till it becomes soft and translucent.
4) Add a tablespoon of ginger and garlic paste. Mix well and continue stirring until there is no raw smell.
5) Add mixed vegetables of your choice. I added carrot, beans, cauliflower and potato.
6) Add a cup of water and salt to taste.
7) Close the lid and pressure cook it for 1 whistle. The vegetables have to be cooked and at the same time it should stay firm.
8) Open the lid, add the ground paste and required water.
9) Let it boil till it becomes thick. once it is boiled and reached desired consistency, turn off the flame.
10) Serve hot.
Serving Suggestions:
1) This kurma can be served as a side dish to any roti, chapathi, parotta and poori as a morning breakfast or as a dinner.
2) It can also be served with Idiyappam.
Notes:
1) Adjust the green chillies according to its spicy level.
2) As we have added roasted channa dal(Pottu/Pori kadalai) the gravy tend to become very thick. so add water accordingly and boil for a moment. DO NOT BOIL FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
