A creamy, fragrant South Indian stew made with mixed vegetables simmered in rich coconut milk and whole spices. This classic Kerala dish, known as Ishtu, is perfect with appam for a comforting and mild meal.
Perfectly fluffy, long-grained basmati rice with a delicate aroma. This simple, foolproof recipe gives you separate, non-sticky grains every time, making it the perfect base for any curry or dal.
A fiery and tangy South Indian ginger chutney that's a perfect digestive aid. Made by roasting ginger, lentils, and spices, this thogayal has a thick, coarse texture and pairs wonderfully with yogurt rice, idli, and dosa.
A simple yet flavorful South Indian stir-fry made with crumbled boiled potatoes, sautéed onions, and a classic tempering of spices. This comforting dish is the perfect side for sambar or rasam rice.
About Coconut Milk Stew, Steamed Basmati Rice, Inji Thogayal and Potato Podimas
Creamy, gut-friendly coconut stew with tangy ginger chutney. A unique, comforting homestyle meal for your soul!
This tamil dish is perfect for lunch. With 950.0299999999999 calories and 17.45g of protein per serving, it's a nutritious choice for your meal plan.
fat
Curry Leaves
(About 10-15 leaves)
1 pcs Potato (Large, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes)
1 pcs Carrot (Medium, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes)
100 g Green Beans (Trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces)
0.5 cup Green Peas (Fresh or frozen)
2 cup Thin Coconut Milk (Also known as second press coconut milk)
1 cup Thick Coconut Milk (Also known as first press coconut milk)
1 tsp Salt (Adjust to taste)
0.5 tsp Sugar (Optional, to balance flavors)
Instructions
1
Temper Whole Spices
Heat coconut oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
Once the oil is shimmering, add the cinnamon stick, cloves, crushed green cardamom pods, and black peppercorns.
Sauté for 30-40 seconds until the spices release a fragrant aroma.
2
Sauté Aromatics
Add the sliced onion, julienned ginger, sliced garlic, green chilies, and curry leaves to the pot.
Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions become soft and translucent. Do not let them brown.
3
Cook Vegetables in Thin Coconut Milk
Add the cubed potatoes, carrots, and green beans. Stir to coat with the aromatics and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
Pour in the thin coconut milk and add salt. Stir everything together.
Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
4
Simmer Until Tender
Once simmering, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and cook for about 15 minutes.
Check if the potatoes are almost tender by piercing one with a fork.
Add the green peas and continue to cook, covered, for another 3-5 minutes until all vegetables are fully cooked and tender.
5
Finish with Thick Coconut Milk
Reduce the heat to the absolute lowest setting.
Pour in the thick coconut milk and the optional sugar. Stir gently to combine.
Warm the stew for 1-2 minutes. It is crucial that you DO NOT let it boil, as this will cause the thick coconut milk to curdle.
Turn off the heat.
6
Rest and Serve
Let the stew rest, covered, for at least 5-10 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld and deepen.
Garnish with a few fresh curry leaves or a drizzle of coconut oil if desired.
Serve hot with appam (lacy rice pancakes), idiyappam (string hoppers), or crusty bread.
Servings
4
Serving size: 1 cup
262cal
5gprotein
55gcarbs
1gfat
Ingredients
1.5 cup Basmati Rice (Use good quality, aged basmati rice for best results)
2.25 cup Water (For the absorption cooking method)
0.75 tsp Salt (Adjust to taste)
1 tsp Ghee (Optional, for flavor and to prevent sticking)
Instructions
1
Rinse and Soak the Rice (35 minutes)
Place the basmati rice in a large bowl. Add cold water and gently swirl the rice with your fingers. Drain the cloudy water. Repeat this process 3-4 times until the water runs mostly clear. This removes excess starch and prevents stickiness.
Cover the rinsed rice with fresh water and let it soak for 30 minutes. Soaking allows the grains to absorb water, ensuring they cook evenly and elongate beautifully.
After 30 minutes, drain the rice completely using a fine-mesh sieve and set aside.
2
Cook the Rice (15 minutes)
In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, combine the drained rice, 2.25 cups of fresh water, salt, and ghee (if using).
Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, uncovered.
As soon as it boils, give it one gentle stir, then immediately reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting. Cover the saucepan tightly with the lid.
Let the rice simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until all the water has been absorbed. Do not lift the lid during this time to prevent steam from escaping.
3
Rest and Fluff (10 minutes)
Turn off the heat but leave the saucepan on the stove, still covered. Let the rice rest and steam for 10 minutes. This step is crucial for finishing the cooking process and achieving a perfect texture.
After resting, remove the lid. Use a fork to gently fluff the rice, separating the long, delicate grains.
Serve hot as a perfect accompaniment to curries, dals, or grilled dishes.
100 g Ginger (Peeled and roughly chopped, about a 4-inch piece)
2 tbsp Sesame Oil (Also known as Nallennai or Gingelly oil)
2 tbsp Urad Dal (Split and skinned black gram lentils)
1 tbsp Chana Dal (Split Bengal gram)
5 pcs Dried Red Chilies (Adjust to your preferred spice level)
1 tbsp Tamarind (Seedless, or a small lemon-sized ball soaked in warm water)
1 tbsp Jaggery (Powdered or grated, adjust to taste)
0.25 tsp Asafoetida (Also known as Hing)
0.75 tsp Salt (Adjust to taste)
2 tbsp Water (As needed for grinding)
0.5 tsp Mustard Seeds (For tempering)
1 sprig Curry Leaves (For tempering)
Instructions
1
Prepare the Ingredients
If using whole tamarind, soak it in 1/4 cup of warm water for 10-15 minutes. Squeeze to extract the thick pulp and discard the fibers. Set aside.
Peel the ginger and chop it into small, rough pieces.
2
Roast the Lentils and Chilies
Heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a heavy-bottomed pan or kadai over medium heat.
Add the urad dal and chana dal. Sauté continuously for 3-4 minutes until they turn golden brown and aromatic.
Add the dried red chilies and sauté for another 30 seconds until they puff up slightly. Be careful not to burn them.
Remove the roasted ingredients from the pan and set them aside on a plate to cool completely.
3
Sauté the Ginger
In the same pan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of sesame oil.
Add the chopped ginger and sauté on medium-low heat for 5-6 minutes. The ginger should become fragrant and lose its raw smell, with edges turning lightly golden.
3 pc Green Chili (slit lengthwise, adjust to taste)
1 tbsp Ginger (finely grated)
1 sprig Curry Leaves (about 10-12 leaves)
0.25 tsp Hing (asafoetida)
0.5 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Salt (or to taste)
2 tsp Lemon Juice (freshly squeezed)
2 tbsp Coriander Leaves (finely chopped, for garnish)
Instructions
1
Prepare the Potatoes: Place the potatoes in a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until fork-tender. Drain, let them cool slightly, then peel the skins. Using your hands or a fork, crumble the potatoes into coarse, bite-sized pieces. Do not mash them. Set aside.
2
Temper the Spices: Heat sesame oil in a wide pan or kadai over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and allow them to splutter, which takes about 30 seconds. Immediately add the urad dal and sauté for about 1 minute until it turns a light golden brown, being careful not to burn it.
3
Sauté Aromatics: To the same pan, add the slit green chilies, grated ginger, curry leaves, and hing. Sauté for 30-40 seconds until the curry leaves are crisp and the aromatics are fragrant. Then, add the finely chopped onions and sauté for 5-7 minutes until they become soft and translucent.
4
Combine and Cook: Add the turmeric powder and salt to the onions and mix well. Cook for 30 seconds. Now, add the crumbled potatoes to the pan. Gently toss everything together, ensuring the potatoes are evenly coated with the onion-spice mixture. Cook for 3-4 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together.
5
Garnish and Serve: Turn off the heat. Drizzle the fresh lemon juice over the potatoes and sprinkle with finely chopped coriander leaves. Give it a final gentle mix. Serve the Potato Podimas hot as a side dish with rice and sambar or rasam.
Turn off the heat and allow the ginger to cool down completely.
4
Grind the Thogayal
Once cooled, transfer the roasted dals, red chilies, and sautéed ginger to a grinder jar.
Add the tamarind pulp (or paste), jaggery, asafoetida, and salt.
Grind to a thick, coarse paste without adding any water first. Then, add 1-2 tablespoons of water as needed to facilitate grinding. The final consistency should be a thick, semi-dry paste.
5
Prepare the Tempering (Tadka)
Heat 1 teaspoon of sesame oil in a small tadka pan over medium heat.
Add the mustard seeds and wait for them to splutter completely.
Add the curry leaves and fry for a few seconds until they turn crisp.
Pour this hot tempering over the ground thogayal.
6
Serve
Mix the tempering into the thogayal. Serve with hot steamed rice mixed with ghee or sesame oil, or as a side for idli, dosa, or curd rice.
