Verum Curry

Serves: 6-7 people

A recipe learnt in Nagercoil in the Kanyakumari District during my travels that is staple on the lunch tables of families here. This curry is so simple to make and requires only a few ingredients and very little time. Historically, this curry was made to moisten up your rice to eat with meat/fish/vegetable side dishes.

Ingredients List

• Freshly Grated Coconut - 71g

• Small Onions/Shallots - 4 ea

• Red Chilly Powder - 3 tsp

• Cumin Powder - 1 tsp

• Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp

• Garlic - 1 clove, sliced

• Tamarind Pulp - 10g

• Water - 1 liter

• Salt - To Taste

To Temper:

• Coconut Oil - 2 tbsp

• Fenugreek Seeds - 1/2 tsp

• Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp

• Dry Red Chilly - 2 ea

• Curry Leaves - 2 sprigs

Instructions

1. Grind the coconut, onions, red chilly powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, garlic and tamarind to a fine paste. Traditional this paste is stone ground in an "Ammi Kallu" but can also be done in a blender

2. Add the 1 liter of water to the ground paste and keep ready to cook.

3. In a pot/kadai, it's time temper the ingredients listed under "To Temper". Heat up the coconut oil in the pan on high heat. Add the mustard seeds and let it crackle. Add the fenugreek seeds, dry red chillies and curry leaves and let them all crackle together. Add the verum curry paste with water into the pot and let it come to a simmer. Add salt to taste in this step.

4. Once it has come to a simmer, taste to make sure the raw coconut flavor and spices have cooked off. Serve with hot rice.