Chembu Curry

Ingredients

• 500g colocasia peeled and cubed
• 1 cup grated coconut
• Tamarind
• 3 dried red chillies
• Coriander seeds
• Mustard seeds
• Coconut oil
• Curry leaves
• Turmeric
• Salt

Method

1. Prepare colocasia: Peel 300g colocasia (arbi/chembu). Cut into medium cubes. Parboil in salted water until just tender — about 10 minutes. Drain.
2. Make coconut paste: Blend 1 cup fresh grated coconut, 3 green chillies, 1 tsp cumin and half tsp turmeric with water to a smooth paste.
3. Thin the paste: Add 1.5 cups water to the coconut paste to make a thin gravy.
4. Cook coconut gravy: Pour thinned coconut paste into a pan. Heat on medium heat stirring.
5. Add chembu: Add parboiled colocasia. Mix gently.
6. Simmer: Cook on medium heat 8-10 minutes until gravy thickens slightly and chembu has absorbed the coconut flavour.
7. Make tempering: Heat 2 tbsp coconut oil. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds — when they splutter add half tsp fenugreek seeds, 2 dried red chillies and curry leaves.
8. Add yogurt: Pour tempering into chembu curry. Add 2 tbsp thick yogurt and stir gently on very low heat 2 minutes.
9. Adjust consistency: The curry should be creamy and flowing — add a splash of water if too thick.
10. Serve: Adjust salt. Chembu curry should be mildly spiced and creamy. Serve hot with rice and papadam.