Inji Curry

Another not- to- be- missed dish from a sadya menu and my favorite too.It is an exotic deviation from the other sadya dishes and comprises different taste sensations like hot,sweet and sour .Inji Curry can be substitued with another similar kind of ginger- sauce ‘PuliInji’,which is more popular in North Kerala.

Inji Curry

This is how my Amma prepares Inji curry..

Ingredients:-

Ginger grated – 2 cups
Small coconut pieces – 1/2 cup
Tamarind ball – gooseberry sized
Grated Jaggery(sharkkara) – 1-2 tsp or as per your taste
salt – to taste
Oil – as needed

For grinding:-
Grated coconut – 3/4 cup
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Red Chilly Powder – 1 tsp
Coriander powder -1 and 1/2 tsp
Cumin Powder – 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek powder – 1/4 tsp

For spluttering:-
Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
Curry leaves – a few
Red chillies – 4
shallots sliced -2

Method:-

Soak the grated ginger in water for 1/2 an hr.Drain,squeeze and remove all the water from the ginger.Deep fry the grated ginger and keep aside.If you think the ginger pieces are too big,grind it to a coarse powder after frying .In the same oil deep fry the coconut pieces.Be careful not to burn it.Strain it into a tissue paper.Soak the tamarind in 1 cup warm water for sometime.Squeeze it ,take the extract and reserve.

Heat 1/2 tsp of oil in a pan and brown the coconut as we do for ‘Theeyal‘.When it is almost brown,add in all the powders,mix well till it gives out an aroma .This should be done in medium heat,otherwise it can burn the masalas.Allow it to cool.Grind this to a smooth silky paste,adding tamarind extract.

Heat 2 tsp of oil in a pan and pop the mustard seeds.Add curry leaves,red chillies and shallots and fry till brown.Add the ground coconut paste and grated jaggery and allow it to boil.Now throw in fried ginger and coconut pieces and cook until it becomes thick.It will stay for atleast 1 month,if properly stored in a refrigerator.This goes very well with rice.

See a different PuliInji at Shaheen’s.

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