Ulli theeyal is a popular South Indian dish made with roasted coconut and spices. Theeyal is one of my favourite vegetarian side dishes. The making of theeyal requires a fine balancing of flavours. When I think of theeyal, the first thing that comes to my mind is the flavour of roasted coconut and tanginess from tamarind. Both flavours should go hand in hand and not overpowering the other.
There are different varieties of theeyal like pavekka theeyal, ulli theeyal, prawns theeyal, theeyal made with vegetables etc. Though I tend to make veggie theeyal more often, my favourite one is ulli theeyal. In an earlier post, I had shared my veggie theeyal recipe.
I do hope you will enjoy making this dish.
Ingredients
- 25-30 nos. Shallots / Pearl onion, sliced
- 2-3 Garlic pods
- 10 nos. Whole peppers
- 1 cup Dessicated coconut
- 1 ½ – 2 tsps. Chilli powder
- 2 tsps. Coriander powder
- ½ tsp. Turmeric powder
- Tamarind, size of a gooseberry
- ¼ tsp. Mustard seeds
- Salt, to taste
- Curry leaves, a sprig
- 2 tsps. Coconut oil
- 2 nos. Dry Red chillies, for tempering
Method
- In a pan, add coconut, garlic pods, pepper, some curry leaves.
- Fry the coconut till it turns a darker shade of brown (it should not be burnt). Make sure you stir it continuously.
- Remove the fried mix from fire and add all masala powders (chilli, coriander & turmeric). Bring back to fire and cook for a minute or until the raw smell vanishes.
- Remove from fire and let it cool completely.
- Grind the fried coconut mix with a little water to a smooth paste.
- Soak tamarind in ¼ cup of warm water and keep aside.
- Heat oil in a kadai and add the mustard seeds.
- After the mustard seeds splutter, add the sliced shallots, red chillies and curry leaves. Cook till the shallots begin to brown.
- Add ground coconut paste, soaked tamarind and salt. Mix well. Add half cup hot water and bring it to boil. Reduce flame and cook for 4-5 minutes till the theeyal starts to thicken. Remove from flame.
- Serve ulli theeyal with rice.
