Coconut Egg Curry - South Indian Style [Anda Curry]

Who doesn't enjoy a delicious lightly spiced flavorful coconut based egg curry? Egg is one quintessential breakfast food loaded with proteins- liked and consumed by all - good thing being a lot of vegetarians also consume it and are known as Eggetarians 😆  Eggs are the most nutritious food on the planet! There is no doubt about it! On top of everything else, they are also cheap, easy to prepare, go with almost any food and taste awesome.

Egg Curry from coastal southern regions of India is made using garam masala and coconut as its main ingredients. I have tried hard to get that exact taste like my mom's, but its tough 😊  I am close to it and have made my peace with it. ✊

I feel restless when I dont have eggs in my refrigerator. I have to stock it up as soon as I see around dozen left. Boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, puffs, egg burji, omelettes, french toast, cakes etc- thats how Eggs are consumed in a healthy and regular basis in my household. It comes to my rescue when I am short on meat at home or for that matter even veggies. There used to be this famous jingle in India- Sunday ho Ya Monday Roz Kaho Ande 🥚 ... a good one indeed :)

 Back home Eggs are treated like a second class citizen 😂. No kidding, when I am chatting with my Mom and if I ask her- "what did you cook for dinner?" There is a sigh in her tone when she says.. just made some egg curry- followed by WHY that decision was made ---like didn't have time to get chicken OR no good variety of fresh fish was available in the market OR due to bad weather she was not able to go get fresh veggies etc etc. So you see what I am saying- justification on why egg curry was made ... 😛

Where as for me here - Egg curry day is like a celebration :) My son is thrilled as he is an ardent and loyal fan of eggs. My husband is neutral - he doesn't enjoy coconut curries so much ...yeh go figure 🙄 ! and Me- full focus on getting the curry taste right just like my Mom's... so its a fun affair.

As a kid, my sister and Mom loved full boiled eggs in the curry whereas me and my Dad loved fresh broken eggs in the curry. Till this date that has not changed. Separate 2 broken eggs always go in my funky-licious Egg Curry/Anda Curry! 

I do not know anyone around me that dislikes eggs. I have a cousin who couldn't eat it due to allergies and I used to feel so bad for her. While growing up my younger cousins gang loved my version of  Plain Omelette. My mom and aunts used to make us omelette loaded with onion/tomatoes/veggies which most of them did not like it then 😁  The same ones that we relish like crazy on Cruises now- 😎

Anyways, Lets get started with the recipe:

Please feel free to modify ingredient quantity as per your taste for spiciness and thickness of curry!

Ingredients:

4 boiled eggs + 2 fresh eggs

3 tbsp oil

1 big onion finely chopped

1 tomato chopped

1 tsp each ginger and garlic paste

salt as per taste

Masala Paste:

1. 5 cloves
2. 1 cardamom
3. 3-4 black pepper
4. 1/2 inch cinnamon
5. 1/4th tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
6. 1/4th tsp sesame seeds 
7. 1/4th tsp poppy seeds
8. 3 tsp coriander seeds
9. 7-8 red dry chillies [adjust as per your taste]
10. 1/2 cup grated coconut + 3 tsp dry grated coconut
11. handful of cilantro leaves
12. 1/4th tsp turmeric

Preparation:

• Roast ingredients from 1-9 in a tsp of oil for few minutes till its fragrant and put it in a blender.
• In the same pan roast coconut  till it is slight brown in color on low heat and then add it to the blender. Add turmeric , cilantro and make a paste by adding water sparingly. Keep aside.
• In a wide mouth utensil heat oil, add finely chopped onions and saute till light brown. Add ginger garlic paste and saute further till the raw smell goes away. Add tomatoes and cook till everything comes together. 
• Now pour the ground masala paste and mix everything nicely. Bring it to a boil. Let it simmer for few minutes. Adjust water and add salt.
• Add the boiled eggs in the curry. You can lightly score the eggs from top to bottom with a knife or you can even lightly roast it in oil with garam masala powder [or chili pwd and turmeric pwd] before adding to the curry, or cut in halves and slide it in the curry- choice is yours! 
• Once the curry starts to simmer again - slowly break the remaining 2 fresh eggs and slide it in the curry. Leave it alone for 5-8 mins on low-med flame till the eggs are done. You can give it a light handed stir in between.
• Enjoy it with rotis or just plain rice or jeera rice. It super yum!

njoY! happY cookinG!!

Your feedback is important to me. If you have tried any recipes from Pinch of Swad, feel free to share with us.

You may also like Egg Biryani, Halloween Pizza Mummies, Chicken biryani

Health Benefits:

Incredibly nutritious food! In fact, eggs are pretty much the perfect food. They contain a little bit of almost every nutrient you need. Whole eggs are among the most nutritious foods on the planet, containing a little bit of almost every nutrient you need. Omega-3 enriched and/or pastured eggs are even healthier. Eggs are high in cholesterol, but eating eggs does not adversely affect cholesterol in the blood for the majority of people. Eating eggs consistently leads to elevated levels of HDL (the "good") cholesterol, which is linked to a lower risk of many diseases. Eggs are among the best dietary sources of choline, a nutrient that is incredibly important but most people aren’t getting enough of.

Source: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-proven-health-benefits-of-eggs#section11

Set Dosa with Saagu

Dosa is a versatile dish. Set Dosa with Saagu dish is like a couple made in heaven. They complement each other just perfectly. Set dosa is very spongy and soft in texture and is also known as Aval Dosa or Poha Dosa. The batter you get and the method to cook/roast is just like how we make the pancakes. While Saagu is a mixture of vegetables cooked in a thick textured curry where a blend of some interesting spices come together. It is one yummy curry!

Set dosa is similar to mushti pola (another Konkani style dosas) which is very soft and fluffy and has grated coconut ingredient in it. At home, my mom made it once in a while, as everyone loved Plain Dosas. My husband loves this combo so much that I am forced to make it and I prefer to have it for dinner instead of breakfast. It fits perfectly in the dinner menu. Filling and Yumilicious!!

So let us take a look at the Set Dosa Recipe and Saagu Recipe as well.

Set Dosa
Ingredients:

• 2 cups rice ( I use basmati because that is my staple rice)
• 1 cup parboiled rice of any kind
• 3/4 cup urad dal
• 3/4 cup thin poha (flattened rice)
• 1 tsp methi seeds
• salt as per taste
• 1/2 - 1tsp sugar (optional)
• oil for frying

Preparation:

 

• Soak all the ingredients (preferably separately) except salt and sugar (duhh :)) for 6-8 hours or overnight. Drain the water and transfer to the blender.
• Blend urad dal first by adding just enough water till it is immersed. Make a smooth paste and transfer it into a big bowl.
• Then in 2 parts add rice and soaked poha, grind and transfer to the urad dal paste. Mix everything nicely.
• Make the batter of pouring consistency not too thick nor running. Keep it in a warm place to ferment for good 8-12 hours.
• Just before you are ready to make set dosas, add salt and sugar to the batter. Mix properly.Pre-heat a tawa till it's really hot, pour 2 ladles of batter (do not spread the batter like we do for plain dosas) and leave it to cook gradually over medium heat. 
• Drizzle some oil along the edges and let it cook for 2 more minutes or till nicely roasted. You will notice bubbles formation on it(see pictures) just like pancakes.
• Flip the set dosa over (this is optional) and let it cook further for less than a minute or so till it is slightly roasted. 
• Serve hot with Coriander Chutney and Saagu or Sambar etc.

Saagu:

Ingredients:

• 2-3 cups cubed mixed vegetables (carrots, beans, peas, potatoes, capsicum)
• 1 onion chopped roughly (or cubed)
• few curry leaves
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tbsp oil
• chopped coriander leaves for garnish

For the wet masala:

• 2 tbsp grated coconut
• 2 inch piece of ginger
• 1-2 tbsp coriander leaves
• 3-4 green chillis

For the dry masala:

• 1 tbsp poppy seeds
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1″ cinnamon stick
• 2 cloves
• 1 1/2 tbsps roasted channa dal

Preparation:

• In a blender make a smooth paste by adding the ingredients under wet masala. Keep aside.
• Then in a coffee grinder(maybe), make the powder using ingredients under dry masala. 
• Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add the onions and curry leaves and saute till transparent, just for a couple of minutes.
• Add the mixed vegetables and combine well. Add salt and turmeric pwd and cook on medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Pour the wet ground masala paste, powdered dry spices masala and mix everything quickly. Add 1-1 1/2 cups of water, stir everything and pressure cook for 1 whistle, then simmer the gas and cook for 6-7 minutes. *
• Switch off the gas, and wait for the steam to be released.  Open the lid and your hot saagu is ready to be devoured. 
• Garnish it with cilantro leaves and serve with set dosa, poori, roti etc.

You may also like Idli Sambar, Rava Thalipeeth (Rava Bhakri), Tomato Omelette(Besan Chilla), Tomato Poori

njoY!! happY cookinG!!

Notes:* You can cook it in a regular pan too. First, cook the vegetables till 3/4th done, then add all the masalas, water and cook till done.

Health Benefits:
Dosa is a great source of complete protein for vegetarians as it is made of rice batter and urad dal (black gram lentil) Dosa contains healthy carbs which provide our body with the energy needed to carry out different functions. It is a good option for people on a weight loss diet as well. Cutting out carbs from your diet can make you lethargic, low on energy and also lead to depression in some cases. Protein is another essential nutrient required by our body. It keeps us full for longer as it slowly releases energy and also helps make our hair, bones, and muscles stronger. Lentils used in the Dosa helps us with that. It is a low-calorie dish. Saagu is a dish with healthy vegetables providing all adequate nutreints, minerals, and vitamins.

Saagu recipe adapted from Sailus Kitchen.

Konkani Fish Curry (Kandya Ambat)

Fish curry preparations from the Coastal areas are hands down the best curries in the whole wide world. Reason, fresh fish, fresh coconuts and fresh stock of dry red chillies...:) My ancestors are from coastal region and have known to survive on rice and seafood for their whole lives.:) My grandmother made the best fish dishes ever, she added just those 2-3 fresh ingredients like coconut, dry red chillies and tamarind to freshly caught and cleaned fish by using her signature eyeballing method(:)) to make a fingerlicking gooooood curry!! Since she was an expert, everybody simply loved it!

The highlight of our visit to my grandparents house was mostly "FOOD" and all that simple life around the house. She loved pets so much that all the dogs and cats of the neighborhood used to be at her house :) She loved feeding and talking to them. Wonder none of her kids got those genes passed down hhehehe :(

Few years back my youngest cousin (was 8 yrs then) had visited my grandmother and even he gave her the certificate of excellence :) saying that it was the best fish curry he had in his life (it was actually so cute that it is now a must to be mentioned story whenever we talk about my grandma)....so we all remember her with these loving memories that she has left behind.

Coming to the fish preparation, we have various kinds of fish curries that are very prominent amongst Konkani clan. Northern Karnataka is known for Teppal ambat (schezwan peppers/coconut curry) and Kandya ambat (onion/coconut curry) and in the south of Karnataka they make Phanna ambat (onion tempered curry), Alle piyav ambat/ghashi (onion/ginger curry).. so these are the few variations one will see. Goan preparation is again little different where they use garam masala (whole spices) in the curry. As we move to the north east side of India, one can see the fish preparation in mustard oil and mustard paste etc. So it's unlimited variety :)

Once you get a hang of making these coconut curries, there is no going back- I am telling ya :)

Let us take a look at this Konkani Fish Curry of Kandya Ambat recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh grated coconut (or frozen coconut)
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 2 big size pomfret/pompano (makes 8-9 pieces/fillet)
• 1/2 tea spn tamarind extract or kokum or small marble size ball of tamarind
• 1 green chili slit optional
• 7-8 red chilies (byadgi/kumti chillies preferably)
• 2 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 2 tbsp oil
• salt to taste

Preparation:

• Clean the fish, apply 1/2 tsp turmeric, salt and keep aside.
• Lightly roast dry red chillies in 1/2 tsp oil, transfer to a blender. Then in the same pan roast coriander seeds and transfer to the blender. Then add grated coconut and roast it very lightly (do not brown it) before you put it into the blender. Add tamarind, turmeric and make a fine paste by adding little water. 
• Adjust the taste if need be, sometimes the chillies may not be very spicy, so depending on how spicy you want adjust accordingly. Color of the curry also depends on the quality of the chillies you are using.
• Take a wide mouth pan, heat oil and add chopped onions. Saute till it turns just light brown. 
• Now add the ground paste and stir everything nicely. Add slit green chili, salt. Bring the curry to a boil and then simmer for 5 minutes. 
• Add water sparingly to get a nice flowy consistency of the curry. Do not make it too thin. Now add fish fillet gently into the curry and let it simmer further for another 5-6 minutes. 
• Don't keep stirring the fish, as it will break, gently move around so that the curry also breathes :) Switch off the gas once the fish is cooked and you see nice red color on the curry. 
• Serve hot with Rice, parboiled Rice, Roti etc. Curry tastes even better after few hours or the next day!

njoY!! happY cookinG!!

Note: This method of curry preparation is used mostly for lean and bland fish , also shrimp can be used. Vegetarians can make it by adding potatoes in it. Tastes delish.

You may also like

Baked Salmon

Coastal Fish Fry

Coastal Fish Curry (Alle Piyav Teppal Ambat)

Goan Recheado Stuffed Fish

Health Benefits:

Pomfret is a delicious, lean white fish that has a wide variety of associated health benefits, including its ability to help reduce weight, boost overall metabolism, speed up repair and growth throughout the body, build strong bones, reduce the risk of various chronic diseases, lower triglyceride levels, prevent arthritis, protect against cognitive decline, prevent various types of cancer, reduce signs of aging, boost the health of your hair, and strengthen your immune system. It is a very good source of protein. It's no coincidence that fish-eating Inuit populations in the Arctic have low levels of heart disease; seafood is low in saturated fat and high in omega-3, (which can both) protect the heart from disease and lower the amount of cholesterol in the blood. One study has even suggested that an extra portion of fish every week can cut risk of heart disease in half. Eating oil-rich fish regularly can help to keep the eyes bright and healthy.

Chana Ghashi (Black Chickpeas cooked in coconut gravy using Instant Pot and traditional way)

Chana Ghashi (ChaNya Ghashi or ChaNe Ghashi) is a very staple and beloved dish of the konkani clan :) This quintessential yummy ghashi is usually eaten with rice, parboiled rice, papad, sandige, pickles etc. A slurpicious curry where you literally keep licking your fingers even after your plate is wiped off clean :) The addition of either kadagi (young/raw jackfruit) or plantain pieces or potato makes it even more yummY!

I got this Instant Pot Cooker(IP) :) after the rage on the internet :), it's been a month now and I keep experimenting with it on and off. Have tried Khandvi, Chole, Oats, Fish curry etc which comes out excellent, will upload those recipe also! (eventually :)) Today I cooked my husband's favorite chana ghashi in IP and it came out perfect! 2 thumbs up! I couldn't be more happy.

I will write the recipe for both Instant Pot as well as traditional method here, so not to worry :)

Legumes when cooked with coconut masala tastes simply awesome. I don't know what it is but the taste is exquisite. It is funny how my cooking trait keeps changing! Few years back coconut was hailed as the villain in the food industry because of the oil content in it which eventually led to cholesterol disease. So I restricted myself from using coconut with just few must recipes up my sleeve. But now in the past couple of years, coconut has taken the spot of a healthy ingredient and the experts say that it must be incorporated in your diet! So yay to that! I have started using it a little bit more and am happy to cook without much guilt! Just a FYI:  anything in excess is bad for health :):)

Let us take a look at Chana Ghashi recipe cooked in IP and traditional way.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chana (black chickpeas)
• 1/2 cup fresh grated coconut
• 5-6 dry red chillies
• 1 small marble shaped tamarind ball
• 1 can young jackfruit (raw jackfruit)
• 2 tsp coconut oil
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• pinch asafoetida (optional)
• salt to taste

Preparation:

Instant Pressure Cooking Method:

• Soak the chana overnight or atleast 6-8 hours. Drain the water.  Dump the chana in IP container.
• Add enough water to soak the chana (should be immersed in water with approx 1 inch water showing on top of chana) Add salt to taste.
• Close and lock the lid, press manual mode and set to 15 minutes pressure cooking time. When time is up NPR. ( Note: I have also tried it on bean/chili mode--- takes 30 minutes of cooking)
• In the meantime, prepare your coconut masala (known as masol in konkani). In a blender,  add coconut, dry chillies and tamarind and make a fine paste by adding little water.
• Also drain the water from young jackfruit tin, rinse it nicely, cut into pieces and keep aside.
• Open the lid of the IP once you get the indication, your chana should be nicely cooked.
• Using a masher gently mash the chana to get the creaminess/thickness in the curry.
• Now pour the coconut paste in the cooked chana, add chopped young jackfruit (kadagi) pieces, adjust salt.
• Close the lid, on sealing, press manual mode for 3 minutes. Open the lid when pressure releases. Your Chana Ghashi is done!! You can transfer it to a serving bowl.
• Now you can give a tadka by heating oil in a tadka pan, add mustard seeds, let it splutter, then add curry leaves and hing.
• Pour this over the chana ghashi and enjoy!!

Traditional Method:

• Soak the chana overnight or atleast 6-8 hours. Drain the water.  Dump the chana, add enuf water, salt in a pressure cooker and cook for 4-5 whistles.
• Let the cooker cool off, open the lid. Your chana should be nicely cooked.
• In the meantime, prepare your coconut masala (known as masol in konkani). In a blender,  add coconut, dry chillies and tamarind and make a fine paste by adding little water.
• Also drain the water from young jackfruit tin, rinse it nicely, cut into pieces and keep aside.
• Using a masher gently mash the chana to get the creaminess/thickness in the curry. Now pour the coconut paste in the cooked chana, add chopped young jackfruit (kadagi) pieces, adjust salt.
• Bring the curry to a boil, then simmer for 6-8 minutes while stirring in between. Adjust water and salt as per your liking of thickness. Switch off the gas.
• Now you can give a tadka by heating oil in a tadka pan, add mustard seeds, let it splutter, then add curry leaves and hing.
• Pour this over the chana ghashi and serve hot with rice or roti.

njoY!! happY cookinG!!

You may also like

Kala Chana Dry Sabji
Kala Chana Masala (Curry)
Tomato Poori
Val Dal Sabji (Dalimbi)

Health Benefits: Chana is loaded with proteins. The fact that chickpeas have low glycemic index (GI) makes this legume good for diabetics. It causes a slow and steady release of glucose into the bloodstream and thus, maintains your blood sugar levels. Chickpeas also help in relieving mood changes during menstruation and post-menopausal symptoms in women. The high fibre content in chickpeas helps in promoting a healthy digestive system and intestine by lowering the risk of digestive disorders.

Soppina Huli (Spinach in Coconut Sambar Gravy)

  Soppina Huli (tangy and spicy curry of greens) is a karnataka favorite coconut based sambar curry. It is that kind of a curry where you want to lick off the whole plate and then continue doing so off your fingers :):) before you give out a burp :):) Soul satisfying indeed.

The blend of whole spices with grated coconut along with tamarind pulp and jaggery makes this a unique dish. Lastly the ultimate stupendo- fantabulous tempering acts like a showstopper to take this curry's taste to another level. It goes very well with rice, roti, idlis, dosa etc. Beautiful part of this preparation is you can use any major green leafy vegetable or a combination of it. You can also makes use of squashes, potatoes, pumpkin, turnips etc!

I have used spinach in my curry preparation. Traditionally this is made with amaranth leaves (lal bhaji, keera), or mix of amaranth leaves, dill leaves, spinach etc. So feel free to use whatever you have at hand and make this delicious curry.

One morning as I was getting out of my bed, I thought of making spinach curry using coconut (something different than usual) with rice and plantain sabji. I was sipping on my tea while browsing through my instagram pics, came across Sia's recipe of harive soppina huli from monsoon spice blog. I couldn't think beyond that, I had to make the curry. Eyes set, mind set all I had to do was execute it.

I have also purchased this Instant Pressure Pot an Electric Multi-functional pressure cooker, during black friday sale and I was in a mood to start experimenting with it. So that was that... droolicious curry in IP pot :) Came out fantastic.....:)

I have mentioned how to make this dish in both ways, Stove top and IP way.

Without any further delay, let us take a look at this Soppina Huli Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 lb frozen spinach (or fresh)
• 1/2 cup yellow moong dal soaked for 15 minutes (1 cup if already cooked) - Originally toovar dal is used but I use yellow moong dal in most of my cooking.
• 15 cherry tomatoes or  (3 medium tomatoes)
• 4-5 large cloves of garlic, peeled and slightly crushed
• 1/2 tbsp jaggery (adjust as per taste)
• 1 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing) (Optional)
• salt to taste

For Coconut Paste:

• 3/4 cup grated coconut (fresh or frozen)
• 1 large marble sized tamarind pulp or ¾ tsp tamarind paste
• 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds (dhania)
• 3-5 dry red chillies
• 1/4 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 1/2 tsp urad dal (split blackgram dal)
• 1 1/2 tsp chana dal (split chickpeas)
• 1 inch cinnamon stick 
• 3-4 cloves
• 1/2 tbsp oil (optional coconut oil)

For Tadka/Tempering: (to bring that authentic taste)- one can skip it to keep it simple and subtle.

• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 4-6 large cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
• 1 tsp mustard seeds (rai)
• 2 dry red chillies broken into pieces
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• few curry leaves
• pinch of asafoetida (hing)
• 1 tbsp oil (preferably coconut oil)

Preparation:

Method 1: Using Instant Pot:

 

• Keep yellow moong dal soaked for 30 minutes, drain out the water and keep aside.
• Keep frozen spinach aside (ready to use). If you have fresh spinach, clean, wash, chop roughly and keep aside.
• Get your wet coconut curry paste ready by heating 1/2 tbsp of coconut oil in a pan and add cinnamon stick, cloves, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, urad dal, chana dal, black pepper and dry red chillies. Roast them on medium flame for about a minute or two until the spices are nicely roasted and change color. 
• Transfer the roasted spices to the mixer or food processor jar and add freshly grated or frozen coconut and tamarind pulp. Add about 1/4 -1/2 cup of water and grind it to a smooth thick paste. Keep it aside.
• Start your Instant pot and put it on saute mode. 
• Once the indicator turns on, add oil, add garlic cloves, stir quickly, add tomatoes and stir again for a minute, add turmeric, jaggery, hing, saute quickly for few seconds.
• Now dump the frozen spinach into it. Also add the yellow moong dal and pour the wet coconut masala into it. Add 1-2 cups of water to thin it out, mix everything and add salt. 
• Close the lid. Change the setting from saute to Manual mode. And set it for 10 minutes. ( If you have moong dal that is already cooked, then set the timing to 5 minutes)
• Let it release the steam by natural process (NPR). It will take about 15 minutes.
• Open the lid, stir everything again and your curry is ready. Adjust water and salt accordingly.
• If you want to keep the curry simple, there is no need for additional tadka. 
• But to get that authentic taste and extra flavors you will have to add this fantastic tadka to it.
• Prepare the tadka by heating oil in a pan. Once hot, add the sliced garlic and fry them until they turn golden brown. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dry red chilli. As the mustard seeds pop and splutter, add hing and curry leaves and fry them for 15-20 seconds. Next add the thinly sliced onion and sauté until they turn golden brown, about 2-3 minutes, on medium flame. 
• Turn off the flame and transfer the tadka to the spinach gravy and cover with the pot so that the flavors stay in. 
• Enjoy this fantastic soul comforting Soppina Huli gravy with rice or any kind of flat bread. Add a dollop of ghee over it for ultimate pleasure :):)

Method 2: On the stove top

• Wash the spinach bunch thoroughly and separate the leaves from stems. Chop it roughly and keep aside. Place the chopped leaves and stems in a pressure cooker pan along with washed tomatoes, turmeric, jaggery, peeled garlic cloves and salt to taste.
• Wash the moong dal, add the dal to pressure cooker pan along with spinach leaves. Add about 5 cups of water, close the lid and pressure cook on medium flame for 3-4 whistles.
• Peel and slice the onion and garlic cloves for tadka and keep them aside until needed.
• Prepare the coconut paste. Heat 1/2 tbsp of coconut oil in a pan and add cinnamon stick, cloves, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, urad dal, chana dal, black pepper and dry red chillies. Roast them on medium flame for about a minute or two until the spices are nicely roasted and change colour.
• Transfer the roasted spices to mixer or food processor jar and add freshly grated or frozen coconut and tamarind pulp. Add about 1/4 -1/2 cup of water and grind it to smooth thick paste. Keep it aside.
• Once the dal is cooked, gently open the lid once the pressure is released completely. Mash the dal and tomatoes with a help of a masher or with the back of ladle. Place the pan on the gas and bring the dal to gentle boil on medium heat.
• Add the coconut paste and about 2-3 cups of water depending on how thick you prefer the gravy to be. Adjust the seasonings and reduce the heat to low to let the gravy simmer for 8-10 mins.
• As the gravy is simmering, prepare the tadka by heating oil in a pan. Once hot, add the sliced garlic and fry them until they turn golden brown. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dry red chilli. As the mustard seeds pop and splutter, add hing and curry leaves and fry them for 15-20 seconds. Next add the thinly sliced onion and sauté until they turn golden brown, about 2-3 minutes, on medium flame.
• Turn off the flame and transfer the tadka to the simmering gravy. Mix well and turn off the flame. Cover and let the gravy rest for 10-15 minutes for the flavours to blend well.
• Enjoy this fantastic soul comforting Soppina Huli gravy with rice or any kind of flat bread. Add a dollop of ghee over it for ultimate pleasure :):)

njoY!! happY cookinG!!

You may also enjoy other greens and leafy vegetable curries like:

Lal Bhaji (Amaranth leaves curry), 

Methichi bhaji, 

Mooli pachadi, 

Palak Paneer,

Vali Bhaji (Vietnamese Spinach Coconut Curry) etc

Health Benefits: 

Spinach has a high content of vitamin K and is useful for protein modification and plays an important role in protecting bones from osteoporosis. Spinach is also high in fiber, which helps break down food and keeps your digestive system moving.One cup of spinach is all you need to get a full day’s requirement of vitamin A. That’s good news for your tired eyes. Very rich in iron content, that’s why vegetarians and anemics are encouraged to eat lots of spinach for healthy blood and proper red blood cell production.If you are prone to asthma attacks or have difficulty breathing, include spinach in your diet. The beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, potassium and magnesium in spinach all have anti-asthmatic properties.

Eggless Coconut Cookies

I am in a baking mood these past few days as my house is set up for holiday season with a Christmas tree (we celebrate it for the holiday spirit) stockings, lights, wreaths etc. Peppermint goodies, hot chocolate box stuffed and stored, only thing remaining is to get gifts and gift wraps :)

Cold wind and air is slowly creeping in, my yard is going all dry and can view naked trees all around the neighborhood. Waiting for a light snow shower to get that magical moment during holidays! (Many may not agree with me, but I am all that oh so predictable cheeeesy gal out there :))

 So my son comes up with a request of wanting freshly baked cookies for him. Now my motherly instincts instantly kicked in big time:) Had to tell my husband like 10 times, my son has asked me to bake him some cookies :) and as usual he nods his head and brushes off my enthusiasm :).  I frantically start looking for some cookie recipes.
Came across these lovely eggless coconut cookies from blend with spices blog. I had to try it and I am glad I did. Just tweaked a little. They taste awesome. Goes perfect with your hot cup of tea or coffee and yes milk for my kiddo.

Let us take a look at these eggless coconut cookies.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup wheat flour
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup Sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened dessicated coconut
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and at room temperature
• a pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 tbsp milk or as needed
• 1 & 1/2 tbsp unsweetened dessicated coconut for garnish
• 2 tbsp crystal sugar (optional)

Yields around a dozen cookies. Double the measurements to get more...

  

Preparation:

• In a mixing bowl, add the butter and powdered sugar and mix it until light and creamy.
• Add the vanilla and salt and combine.
• Now add the wheat flour, all purpose flour, and dessicated coconut to it and mix everything.
• Then sprinkle the milk little by little over it and mix well to make smooth dough. The dough should be very soft.
• Preheat the oven to 350F/180C.
• Divide the cookie dough into 10 -12 round balls and flatten them with your palms to give the shape of your liking.
• Sprinkle the top of the cookies with coconut and crystal sugar and place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper spacing about 1 inch apart.
• Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for anywhere between 16-18 minutes.
• Remove them from the oven and let them cool down for 5 minutes. Place them on a wire rack and allow them to cool.
• They will be soft when taken out, but will firm up once they cool.
• Store in an airtight container.

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njoY!! happY bakinG!!