Podicha Pulinkary / Puli curry without coconut

Pumpkin and other vegetables cooked in a sweet and tangy gravy. 

Almost all curries made in Kerala has coconut. Coconut grows aplenty and is used in all possible ways.

Kerala is got from the name Keralam...The land of kera or coconut.

This curry is a 'freak'! No dal, no coconut. 

And thus it's reputation is not too good. 

You make this curry only on those days when you are sure no guests will come! :D

My grandmother, (late) Mrs. Lakshmy Suryanarayanan, used to make this only as the curry of dinner. I make this often!! So easy, why not?

In this recipe, pumpkin and the ground masala powder are the stars. Take time to make the masala.

Ingredients:

Pumpkin, Potato, Drumstick, Carrot - 2 cups

Tamarind ball of 1-1/2 inch diameter

Salt

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Jaggery - 1/2 tbsp

Masala powder ingredients:

Raw rice - 1 tbsp (soaked in water for 1 hour)

Dry Red chilly - 6 or more

Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp

For the tadka / garnish:

Oil - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Dry Red chilly - 2, broken

Curry leaf - 1 sprig

Shallot / small onion - 4, cut into thin rounds (optional)

Method for making masala powder:

Take a heavy bottomed pan and fry the dry red chilli and fenugreek seeds, until the seeds start popping. Keep aside.

Reduce flame. In the same pan, add the soaked rice after draining the water and start frying. The rice will initially stick to the pan, but after some time will move around.

Fry till the rice turns golden brown. 

Turn off flame and add in the fried red chilli and fenugreek seeds.

Cool and powder. It will be quite coarse.

Method to make curry:

Cut the vegetables into slighly large chunks.

Start by boiling the potato in water.

When it gets half cooked, add the carrot, pumpkin and drumstick.

When the carrot gets half cooked, add the tamarind pulp, salt and turmeric powder.

Boil till all the vegetables soften.

Now add the powdered masala. The curry will immediately thicken.

Carefully add more water to dilute gravy.

Bring to a boil and add the jaggery.

Boil for one more minute.

Heat the oil and splutter the mustard seeds.

Then add the broken red chillies and curry leaf. (Add the shallots and fry till golden.)

Add this to the curry.

Serve hot with rice.