Oct. 19 - A Coconut Account

Sprouting onions sent me to a new favorite Indian recipe website; coconut curry for dinner!

Coconuts here are smaller...obviously fresh; you get nearly a cup of water out of them, even though they are half the size of ones in the US & the flesh oozes coconut milk when you slice it, like an aloe does when you break off a piece.

I haven't invested in household tools...off to my resourceful housekeeper for help!

She smiled, pantomimed to stay put, & headed off to the neighbors. Look at the great gizmo she brought back! (There's actually two sizes, depending on how long the coconut is. They reminded me of the sauerkraut cutter my parents own...a bit rusty, water warped wood with edges worn smooth over the years.)






First she used her ancient marble rolling bar to crack it in half, capturing the water.

Then she stood on the wood & scrapped the flesh out with an up & down motion, twisting it every few strokes, working around the perimeter first, then deeper.












The final product was "grated" coconut like I'd never seen...small, granular pieces, about half the size of a grain of arborio rice.






And the machine really did its job well!

Here's the recipe...you can buy everything there except fresh curry leaves...don't substitute our yellow curry...they are completely different.


Coconut Curry

Ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1 cup sliced onions
2 cups coconut milk
1 tablespoon butter
4-5 curry leaves
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder and salt to taste

For the paste:
1/2 cup grated coconut
1 to 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
Red chilies - I used three tiny ones they sell here...the size of a large kitchen match - very hot!
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
15- 20 raisins (You could substitute 1/4 C dates or dried figs, too. Craisins would be delicious, & add a bright color, but not sure if they are moist enough to make the type of thick paste this recipe creates.)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 tablespoons coriander powder
1 inch ginger piece

Method:
Mix all the ingredients for the masala paste and blend into a fine paste.
(As I've mentioned, Indian spice grinders rock. I've never seen a machine that would replicate the product from them in the US. I think if you put spices in a mortar & pestle, or a dry spice grinder, & then food process that mixture with the finely ground fresh coconut & raisins you may be able to get the consistency pretty close.)

Heat butter and add masala paste, curry leaves to it.
Fry till the oil separates.
Add tomatoes, onions, turmeric, salt and coconut milk.
Mix well and simmer till onions are cooked.
Serve with rice.
(It makes a family size...I'll have yummy leftovers for the next two days at least!)

It is extremely delicious; the trick to Indian cooking is sautéing the spices in fairly high heat, either whole or in a paste. Let me know what you think...