Make sure you have the essential flavours of sadhya with this easy recipe. (Source: Chef Pillai/Instagram; designed by Gargi Singh)The season of festivities brings with it some distinct flavours and delicacies. While the celebrations may be low-key this time, you can always make up for it by indulging in good food. If you are all geared up to celebrate onam at home, it is time to look up classic recipes that can be prepared easily for the quintessential onam sadhya — the traditional and elaborate meal. One of the prominent dishes that lends a hot, sour and sweet flavour to the special Onam meal is the inji or ginger curry that makes one’s mouth watery at its sheer mention.
Don’t you agree?
Here is chef Suresh Pillai’s recipe that he recently shared on Instagram.
This is what he had to say: “Onam begins…an amazing Southern Kerala Sadya delicacy! The spirit of Onam is indeed complete with the very own mother’s love served on a banana leaf! We call it sadhya and indeed the fiesta begins with the touch of 101 Curry! Call it Inji Curry or Ginger curry! From Puranas till date…, we are proud to own the recipe of the majestic taste which add flavours both to taste and health!”
There is a saying in Kerala that inji curry is equivalent to having 101 curries. Check out the recipe below:
Ingredients
500g – Ginger, cleaned, peeled and cut in to thin round slices
200g – Shallots, finely chopped
20g – Green chillies, chopped
Tamarind – Lime sized (soaked in warm water)
Coconut oil – for frying and tempering
5g – Mustard seeds
3 – Whole dried red chillies
Curry leaves – few
30g – Kashmiri chilly powder
5g – Roasted fenugreek powder
2g – Asafoetida
20g – Jaggery
Salt to taste
Method
*In a frying pan, heat oil. Add sliced ginger and fry until crisp and slightly black in colour.
*Grind the fried ginger into a fine powder without adding any water, keep it aside.
*In a pot, heat the same oil used for frying ginger.
*Add mustard seeds, red chillies and curry leaves.
*Add shallots, green chillies and sauté till golden brown on slow heat. Add the spices and sauté for one minute.
*Add tamarind water, salt and cook for a few minutes.
*Add the fried ginger powder, jaggery and mix well. Check the seasoning.
Pro tips
*Can also grate ginger instead of chopping it. Squeeze out the juice, fry and coarsely grind them in a mixie.
*Instead of red chilly powder, can add more green chillies.
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