Puli Inji

ONAM, the grand festival of Kerala, the festival of flowers, pookalam and Onasadhya. Onasadhya is a variety of pure vegetarian keralite dishes cooked and served on a banana leaf. The sadhya comprises of 21 items all unique and having its own prominence. Puli Inji, is my favourite. Easy to make, tangy, spicy and yummillicious. It is a combination of ginger, green chillies, tamarind and jaggery. Here's this simple recipe for all of you. I Have made this one by combining various other recipes received from friends and the internet.  "Wishing All A Very Happy And Prosperous Onam". Enjoy your Sadhya!!

Ingredients:

Servings: 200 gms

Ginger - finely chopped 1 Cup

Green Chillies - 5 nos finely chopped

Tamarind - gooseberry size

Jaggery syrup - 1/4 cup

Kashmiri red chilli powder - 1/4 tsp

Hing/ Asafoetida - A pinch

Fenugreek/Methi seeds - 1/4 tsp

Salt - as per taste

Seasoning:

Coconut Oil - 3 tsp

Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp

Red chillies - 2  nos

Curry Leaves - 1 sprig

Method:

• Wash, peel ginger and fine chop. Trim the edges of green chillies and fine chop them too.
• Soak tamarind in 1 cup hot water and keep aside.
• Dry roast fenugreek and pound it into fine powder and keep aside
• Make jaggery syrup, strain and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, when they crackle add the red chillies,hing and curry leaves.
• Add the chopped ginger,green chillies, and fry till the ginger gets browned.

• Sieve and add the tamarind juice and salt. Let it boil until the raw smell disappears.
• Once it starts boiling, simmer and allow it to thicken. It should become a thick paste or thokku consistency,
• When it thickens, add the strained jaggery syrup and let it boil for sometime.
• Finally add the pounded fenugreek seeds powder, red chilli powder and boil for 1- 2 mins. Switch off flame.
• Allow it to cool and store in airtight container.

Note:

• Fine chop ginger manually. Do not use the electric chopper, else it will become fibrous and difficult to cook and chew.
• Use tender ginger. Preferably the small Indian ones that are difficult to clean but taste best.
• You can alter the spice levels according to your taste.
• I have tried to use as minimal oil as possible.

HAPPY ONAM!!!