Ulli Theeyal or Shallot Theeyal, a traditional preparation made with shallots in roasted coconut curry.
Ulli Theeyal (Shallot Curry)
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♦Prep time:10min ♦Cook time:15min ♦Yield:46Servings.
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Ulli Theeyal (Shallot Curry)
Description
In Malayalam, "Ulli" means shallots and "Theeyal" means "burnt dish," referring to the deep, dark, almost chocolate-colored gravy achieved by painstakingly roasting fresh coconut. It is a masterful balance of four distinct flavors: the sweetness of caramelized shallots, the sourness of tamarind, the heat of chilies, and the smoky richness of toasted coconut. Ulli Theeyal is traditionally served as part of a Sadhya (feast) or as a centerpiece for a simple lunch. It pairs perfectly with hot steamed red rice (Matta rice) .
Ingredients:
Instructions
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Soak the Tamarind pulp (lime-sized) in a small bowl with 1/2 cup boiled (hot) water.
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Peel shallots(1cup), and leave them whole. Crush the garlic(3cloves) and ginger(a small piece), on a stone and set aside.
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Prepare the roasted coconut paste (Varuthara paste): Add 1tsp of coconut oil (optional) to a heavy-based, wide pan and add the cumin seeds(1/8 tsp), fenugreek seeds(1/8 tsp), as well as grated coconut to this (See notes). Keep stirring on medium heat, stirring continuously for 8-12 minutes, till you get a deep-reddish brown colour. Do not step away at any point!
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As soon as you get the deep-dark-reddish-brown colour, remove it from the pan to prevent the colour from going black. Add to the grinder, without adding any liquid and grind to a smooth paste. Traditionally, stone grinding is followed here. The Varuthara paste is beautiful coconut butter, which gives the Theeyal an almost smoky deliciousness.
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Heat coconut oil(3Tbsp) in an earthen pot and first add the sliced green chilli(2-3Nos) and fry till fragrant. Next, add the ginger and garlic and fry again till you can smell the ginger. Before changing colour, add the whole shallots. Sauté till they become translucent.
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Now, add the finely chopped tomato(1Nos) and continue till the tomatoes are softened.
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Add the spice powders: coriander powder(1tsp), chilli powder(1tsp), turmeric powder(1/2tsp) and stir briefly.
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Strain the water from the tamarind pulp and add this also. Add sufficient water and bring to a boil
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Once boiled, add the Varuthara paste and salt to taste. Bring to a boil once again. Simmer for 5 minutes.
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Tempering: Heat coconut oil(1Tbsp)in a small pan, and add the mustard seeds. Once popped, add the dried chilli and curry leaves. Add over the curry. Serve Ulli Theeyal with rice!
Note
- Varuthara paste: is made by dry roasting the coconut till a reddish brown colour, slowly, stirring continuously without fail. For freshly grated coconut, there is no need for any oil, but when using frozen, thawed grated coconut, I find that adding a teaspoon of coconut oil to the pan helps.
- 250 gms of grated coconut yields about 4-5 Tbsp of Varuthara paste. You can make this in larger batches and freeze in an ice cube tray, freeze, and then store in Ziploc bags. This way, you can just use one for these types of dishes, and it stays good for months in the fridge!
- To see how the Varuthara paste is made, you can check out the video on Grandma's Kannur Varutharacha Chicken Curry recipe.
- Key Ingredients: Shallots, Coconut, Garlic, Ginger, Green chilli,Tomato, Tamarind, Curry leaves, Spices, Coconut oil, Salt.
