I don’t know if this a common Kerala recipe but ever since I can remember amma has been making this a quick side dish for Chicken Biryani. Her rationale is, biryani is intense and doesn’t have coconut and any Malayali should know that we always pair curries with coconut and without coconut together, to balance the flavours.
Amma sent me the recipe through my uncle who typed it out while she listed the things to be done. The picture was taken in Kottayam when I was there this August and amma made it, not me 🙂
Thakkali Muringakka Aviyal Recipe
Source: My mom
Preparation time: 30 mins
What Is Needed:
4 tomatoes, sliced into six long pieces
1 drumstick / muringakka, cut into 3″ pieces
1/2 cup grated coconut
12 peeled shallots / chinna vengaayam / cheriya ulli
2 flakes garlic
1/4 tsp jeera / cumin seeds / jeerakam
1 tsp red chilly powder
A few curry leaves
1/4 tsp mustard seeds / kaduku
1 tbsp oil (preferably coconut oil)
How Its Made:
1. Add the chopped drumstick to about 1 cup water with with some salt and the chilly powder. Keep on a medium flame and cook until soft. The mixture shouldn’t be too watery, so if it is, boil some more on a low flame.
2. To this, add the cut tomatoes and cook some more until the tomatoes begin to soften.
3. Grind together – coconut + jeera + garlic to a coarse paste.
4. Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. When they pop, add the shallots and curry leaves. Fry for about 2 mins, until the shallots soften.
5. Next, add the ground coconut paste and fry for another 1 min. To this, add the drumstick and tomatoes. Mix well. Simmer for 2-3 mins until well combined. Adjust salt.
Serve hot with steamed white rice or chicken biryani.
I've never seen this veg combo (or heard of tomatoes in aviyal) for aviyal so don't know if its common in Kerala. It sounds good though.
Happy Diwali wishes to you both.
your pics are getting better and better girl! the curry looks delicious:)
btw, I'm back to blogging after my motherhood break, and hope you can find some time to make some goodies for my Sweet celebration event
its obvious where your wonderful cooking talent come from…very very nice..
Aviyal looks so yummy! I love aviyal and would eat it with everything – adai, rice, dosa 🙂
Aviyal looks marvellous..
Such wonderful flavors in this delicious dish, excellent!
Very new to me,with awesome combination of ingredients,sure i wud love this,will try when I buy drumstick!
good one… looks wonderful too…
love all aviyal recipes… coconut oil takes the dish to the next level, doesn't it?
A perfect yummy click and dish 🙂