White/ Vellai Kuruma

I am doing an A-Z Tamil cuisine recipe marathon this month and we have reached the alphabet W. For W, I couldn’t get any recipe with the authentic Tamil name and so decided to use an English word white. This dish is called as Vellai Kurma, as this is normally white in colour because there is no chilly powder or tomatoes to make the gravy reddish. The recipe is so much like the usual kurma, and it includes a spice paste with coconut, ginger, garlic and green chillies. I paired it up with Nei Choru / Ghee Rice I made for this month. It tasted so yum.

When I made it first, I used only green peas for the veggies and so the gravy had a greenish tint to it. And the spice paste was ground in mixer grinder. The next time I made it (unfortunately no photos), I ground it in mortar and pestle and used potatoes, cauliflower and carrot. The gravy turned out white as it has to be and was so delicious that it was over in a day ( no left over in the fridge). So use a combination of vegetables and if possible, use a mortar and pestle to enhance the flavour.

Ingredients:

For The Spice Paste:

Grated Coconut – 3/4 cup

Green Chillies- 7-8 (depending on the size)

Ginger – 1″ piece

Garlic – 4-5 cloves

Cashew Nuts – 5-6

Fennel Seeds – 1/2 tsp

For The Gravy:

Oil- 2 tbs

Cinnamon -1 small piece

Clove-2

Bay leaf -1

Kal Paasi – 1 small piece

Onion – 1

Mixed Vegetables – 2 cups

Salt – to taste

Procedure:

Grind together all the ingredients given for the spice paste to a smooth mixture.

In a pressure cooker, heat oil and add the spices.

Once they crackle, add in onions and sauté until golden.

Add the vegetables and sauté for a minute or two.

Add the spice paste, enough water to cook the gravy and salt.

Cover and pressure cook for 2 minutes.

Serve it hot with roti, poori or pulao.

White/ Vellai Kurma Recipe

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Ingredients

  

For The Spice Paste

• Grated Coconut - 3/4 cup
• Green Chillies- 7-8 depending on the size
• Ginger - 1" piece
• Garlic - 4-5 cloves
• Cashew Nuts - 5-6
• Fennel Seeds - 1/2 tsp

For The Gravy

• Oil- 2 tbs
• Cinnamon -1 small piece
• Clove-2
• Bay leaf -1
• Kal Paasi - 1 small piece
• Onion - 1
• Mixed Vegetables - 2 cups
• Salt - to taste

Instructions

 

Procedure

• Grind together all the ingredients given for the spice paste to a smooth mixture.
• In a pressure cooker, heat oil and add the spices.
• Once they crackle, add in onions and sauté until golden.
• Add the vegetables and sauté for a minute or two.
• Add the spice paste, enough water to cook the gravy and salt.
• Cover and pressure cook for 2 minutes.
• Serve it hot with roti, poori or pulao.