Apparently the "Syrian Christians" in India are referred to as such because when they were converted to Christianity nearly 2000 years ago, Syrian and Aramaic were the languages of choice for their sermons. They are apparently markedly distinct -- in both religious and dietary customs -- from the Latin-based Christians who were converted some 1500 years later.

I will admit, I don't really know anything about either sect beyond what Iyer has written about them in his book. But I do like this vinegary curry. The acidity puts me in mind of a vindaloo, but it has far less heat and more black pepper and other spices. The inclusion of the potatoes with the meat also puts me a bit in mind of a Goan gosht curry. And that one also includes vinegar and not too much heat, but the vinegar doesn't come through nearly as strongly in that one due to the inclusion of tomatoes and coconut milk, so the flavour profile feels quite different, even if it has several elements in common. Either way, it's delicious. Not a favourite, I think, but very good nonetheless.

Syrian Christian Lamb Curry

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 2 tsp. coriander seeds
• 2 tsp. fennel seeds
• 2 tsp. black peppercorns
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 (~7cm/3") cinnamon stick, broken into smaller pieces
• 500g boneless leg of lamb, cut into 2cm pieces
• 1/2 c. vinegar
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground Kashmiri chilies¹
• 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1 onion, coarsely chopped
• 4-5 cloves garlic
• 4 tsp. ginger paste
• 1/4 c. oil and/or ghee, divided²
• 500g potatoes, cut into 2cm pieces
• 1 c. water
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 20 fresh (or frozen) curry leaves

Directions

1. Combine the coriander seeds, fennel seeds, peppercorns, cumin seeds, and cinnamon in a spice grinder and grind to a fine powder.
2. Add the ground spices to a bowl along with the lamb, vinegar, salt, ground chilies, and turmeric. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour (and up to overnight).
3. Meanwhile, place the onion and garlic in a food processor and process until finely chopped. (Or mince both by hand.) Add the ginger paste.
4. Heat 2 Tbsp. of the oil over medium heat.
5. Add the potatoes and stir-fry until nicely browned and almost cooked through (~15 minutes). Remove from heat and set aside.
6. In a new pan, heat another Tbsp. of oil over medium heat.
7. Add the onion mixture and stir-fry for ~5 minutes.
8. Add the lamb, along with its marinade, and cook until oil begins to separate (~15 minutes).
9. Add the water and bring to a boil.
10. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until lamb is tender (~30 minutes).
11. Add the cilantro and potatoes and simmer for another 5-10 minutes.
12. Meanwhile, heat the remaining Tbsp. of oil (or ghee) over medium to medium-high heat.
13. Add the mustard seeds, cover, and cook until they've stopped popping (30-60 seconds).
14. Add the curry leaves and immediately remove from heat.
15. Stir-fry in the residual heat for a few seconds to allow the curry leaves to crisp up a bit.
16. Once the potatoes are cooked through, pour the tadka into the curry and stir to combine.
17. Serve over rice and/or with your favourite flatbread.

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¹ The original recipe calls for 1 tsp. of ground cayenne, but I decided that I wanted a slightly milder curry, so I swapped out the cayenne for half the amount of Kashmiri chilies. I was quite happy with the result, the curry had a bit of warmth to it without being spicy/hot. ^Back
2 The original recipe simply calls for 5 Tbsp. of oil: 2 Tbsp. to stir-fry the potatoes, 2 Tbsp. to cook the lamb, and a final Tbsp. for the tadka at the end. I opted to use the full 2 Tbsp. of oil for the potatoes, but only 1 Tbsp. for the lamb, and then switched it up and used a Tbsp. of ghee to make the tadka. Either approach will work just fine. Use whatever's convenient. ^Back

Rajmah Mutter (Kidney Bean and Green Pea Curry)

Here's another curry that I made while in NZ. I have to admit, it's been long enough that I don't really remember how it came out. But I assume it was good. (Since Iyer's recipes usually are.) But not remarkable. (Since I don't remember it.)

Rajmah Mutter

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 2 tsp. coriander seeds
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns
• 1/2 tsp. fenugreek seeds
• 25 fresh or frozen curry leaves
• 2 Tbsp. ginger paste
• 1-2 fresh green Thai, serrano, or finger chilies
• 2 Tbsp. ghee
• 2 c. cooked kidney beans
• 2 c. frozen green peas
• 1 c. water
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 c. plain yogurt
• 1/2 c. half-and-half (10% MF)
• 2 tsp. cornstarch (cornflour)
• 2 Tbsp. cold water

Directions

1. Combine the coriander, cumin, peppercorns, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves, ginger paste, and chilies and grind to a paste with a mortar and pestle.
2. Melt ghee over medium heat.
3. Add the paste and stir-fry for 30-60 seconds.
4. Stir in the kidney beans followed by the green peas.
5. Add the water and the salt.
6. Bring to a boil and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
7. Combine the yogurt and half-and-half and add to the pan.
8. Continue cooking for another 8-10 minutes.
9. Mix the cornstarch into the cold water.
10. Stir the cornstarch slurry into the curry, cook until thickened, and serve.

Thengai Muttaikose (Coconut Cabbage)

I made this one a while ago. Back in May, I think. So some of the details are a little fuzzy. I think, though, that I made this when I had some fresh coconut on hand. (Although it can also be made with reconstituted dried.) It was... alright. But not spectacular. Probably not one I'll bother revisiting, personally. But it was nice to try it out.

Photo goes here.

Thengai Muttaikose

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 1 c. water
• 1 c. shredded fresh coconut (or 1/2 c. dried, reconstituted¹)
• 2-4 fresh green Thai, serrano, or finger chilies
• 1-2 Tbsp. canola oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 Tbsp. skinned split black lentils (mapte beans/white lentils/urad dal)
• 4 c. shredded cabbage
• 2 c. frozen green peas
• 1/2 Tbsp. coarse sea salt
• 12 fresh curry leaves

Directions

1. Add the water, coconut, and chilies to a blender and purée.
2. Heat oil over medium-high heat.
3. Add the mustard seeds, cover, and cook until seeds have stopped popping (30-60 seconds).
4. Add the lentils and stir-fry until golden (15-30 seconds).
5. Add the cabbage, peas, salt, and curry leaves.
6. Pour in the sauce from the blender.
7. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until cabbage is tender (~10 minutes).

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¹ To reconstitute, pour an equal volume of boiling water over the dried coconut and soak for 15 minutes, then drain. ^Back

This is really meant to be done with lamb rib chops. But those are expensive. I've never seen a rack of lamb go on sale for a price that I'd be willing to pay. So, instead of doing that, I found some shoulder chops on sale and just used those. Were they as tender and succulent as rib chops? Probably not. But did $10 worth of lamb feed all three of us + lunch for the Kidlet the next day? Yes. Yes, it did. So I am very okay with that trade-off.

Iyer comments that one should be judicious with the marinade application. I thought about doing that. But then I decided that I'd rather just double the marinade quantity and not have to worry about judicious application.

East Indian-Style Lamb Chops

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 1/4 c. garlic paste
• 1/4 c. ginger paste
• 1 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1 tsp. groud Kashmiri chilies or ground cayenne
• 1/2 Tbsp. coarse sea salt, divided
• ~700g lamb chops (rib or shoulder)
• 2 Tbsp. canola (or other neutral) oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 12 fresh or frozen curry leaves
• 2-3 tsp. bottle masala¹
• 1/2 c. water
• 1 c. shredded fresh coconut (or 1/2 c. dried coconut, rehydrated)
• 1 tsp. tamarind concentrate
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint

Directions

1. Combine the garlic paste, ginger paste, turmeric, ground chilies, and 3/4 tsp. of the salt and mix well.
2. Smear the paste on both sides of the lamb chops and set aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes (or chill overnight).
3. Heat the oil over medium heat.
4. Add the onion and curry leaves and cook until onion begins to brown (10-12 minutes).
5. Stir in the masala and cook for another 30 seconds or so.
6. Pour the water into a blender jar and add the onion mixture, coconut, and tamarind.
7. Purée.
8. Pour the sauce back into the pot and stir in the remaining 3/4 tsp. of salt. Keep warm until while lamb cooks.
9. Preheat a grill or broiler to high heat.
10. Brush grill or rack of a broiler pan with a bit of oil.
11. Arrange the lamb chops on the grill or broiler pan and cook over direct heat for 4-5 minutes per side. (You may need slightly longer for shoulder chops or if you like your lamb more well-done.)
12. Serve lamb topped with the sauce and sprinkled with mint.
13. Serve with rice, a vegetable curry, and/or your favourite flatbreads.

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¹ The original recipe only calls for 2 tsp. of masala, but mine is a bit old and slightly stale, so I bumped it up to 1 Tbsp. (3 tsp.) to compensate. ^Back

Cochin Jhinga (Kerala Shrimp Curry)

I made this tasty shrimp curry on Easter to go with the fish and dal when we had Reiver's parents over for dinner. The kahawai was definitely the standout of the night, but the shrimp seemed to be thoroughly enjoyed as well.

Photo goes here.

Cochin Jhinga

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. coconut oil
• 1/2 c. chopped shallots
• 10 fresh or frozen curry leaves
• 1-2 fresh green Thai, jalapeño, or serrano chiles, halved lengthwise
• 200mL diced tomatoes
• 2 Tbsp. vinegar
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1 tsp. ground Kashmiri chilies¹
• 500g peeled and deveined shrimp
• 3 slices of fresh ginger² (each 6x2.5x0.3cm), julienned

Directions

1. Heat oil over medium-high heat.
2. Add the shallots, curry leaves, and chilies and sauté for 2 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes, vinegar, salt, and ground chilies and bring to a boil.
4. Add the shrimp and stir to coat.
5. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and poach, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are cooked through (~5 minutes).
6. Sprinkle with the ginger and serve.

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¹ As I was trying to make this curry extra mild, I used only half of a fresh jalape&ntile;o with its seeds removed and 1/2 tsp. of Kashmiri chiles. This produced a flavourful curry and, more importantly, everyone was happy with the spice level. That said, if I were making it again, in a situation where the spice level didn't matter, I would probably put 1 fresh chile and a whole teaspoon of ground chiles in. ^Back
2 I didn't have any fresh ginger on hand when making this, so I ended up just tossing a few Tbsp. of ginger paste into the sauce. Obviously, that is not ideal and produces a different effect, but the overall result was still quite tasty so I'm not upset about that! ^Back

Meen Thenga Paal Kari (Fish and Coconut Milk Curry)

Hooray for discount fish! We found some tarakihi fillets reduced for quick sale at the grocery store and tossed them into this amazing curry. It was fantastic! Definitely a new favourite.

Photo goes here.

Meen Thenga Paal Kari

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
• 450g halibut, tarakihi, or gurnard fillets
• 2 Tbsp. mustard oil, divided
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 Tbsp. skinned split black lentils (mapte beans/white lentils/urad dal)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 c. coconut milk
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tsp. sambhar masala
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 12 large fresh or frozen curry leaves
• 1/2 c. diced tomato

Directions

1. Rub the turmeric into the fish, cover, and chill for 30-60 minutes.
2. Heat 1 Tbsp. of the oil over medium heat.
3. Add the mustard seeds, cover, and cook until they've stopped popping (30-60 seconds).
4. Add the lentils and cook until lightly browned (15-30 seconds).
5. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened (5-10 minutes).
6. Add the coconut milk, cilantro, sambhar masala, salt, and curry leaves and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens (5-10 minutes longer).
7. Stir in the tomato and cook until heated through (2-3 minutes).
8. Heat the remaining oil over medium heat in a large pan.
9. Add the fish to the pan and sear on both sides.
10. Pour the sauce over the fish, cover, and poach until fish is just cooked through.
11. Serve immediately.

Makkai Parangikai Kari (Corn Curry)

This curry is meant to be made with corn and white pumpkin, but Iyer suggests the using the inner rind of a watermelon as an alternative to the pumpkin, so I decided to give that a go. We had lots of watermelon that needed to be used anyway, so I figured that saved me going out and trying to find another ingredient.

Makkai Parangikai Kari

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh ginger
• 1/4 tsp. black peppercorns
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom seeds (from green pods)
• 2 fresh green¹ Thai, finger, or serrano chilies, stems removed
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1 Tbsp. canola (or other neutral) oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 c. coconut milk
• 2 c. fresh or frozen corn kernels
• 450g white pumpkin (or inner watermelon rind), peeled and seeded and cut into 2cm cubes
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
• 12 fresh or frozen curry leaves
• 1 c. water

Directions

1. Combine ginger, peppercorns, cardamom seeds, chilies, and salt in a molcajete and grind/pound to form a pulpy paste.
2. Heat oil over medium-high heat.
3. Add the mustard seeds, cover, and cook until they have stopped popping (30-60 seconds).
4. Add the coconut milk.
5. Stir in the paste from the molcajete, then remove from heat and allow mixture to sit for a minute or so.
6. Add the corn, pumpkin (or watermelon rind), cilantro, curry leaves, and water.
7. Return to heat and bring to a boil.
8. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are fork tender (~15 minutes).
9. Serve topped with your favourite chutney. (I like sonth/tamarind-date chutney.)

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¹ I had a few leftover fresh red finger chilies on hand, so I just used those instead here. It changed the colour of the curry (making it more pinkish than green), but was very similar otherwise. ^Back

Urulikazhungu Molagha Bhajee (Potato-Pepper Vegetable Curry)

I don't make potato curries very often. We're usually having either rice, flatbreads, or both if we're having curry for dinner, which pretty much fills the "starch" slot in my dinner plans. So, when I'm selecting which curries to make, I'm generally looking for something with lots of non-starchy veggies and/or protein in it and most potato curries do not fit those requirements. In this case though, I already had a bunch of other curries already made: lots of veggies and protein on hand already. I didn't really need any new curries at all. We already had plenty for dinner. But I had the time and the ingredients on hand, so I figured it wouldn't hurt to whip up one more. Just to have a little extra variety!

Urulikazhungu Molagha Bhajee

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 6 1/2 tsp. canola (or other neutral) oil, divided
• 450g russet (or other floury) potatoes, cut into French-fry strips
• 1 bell pepper, cut into 1cm wide strips
• 15 fresh or frozen curry leaves
• 1 c. water
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1 Tbsp. skinned split black lentils (mapte beans/urad dal/white lentils)
• 1 Tbsp. yellow split peas (chana dal)
• 1 Tbsp. coriander seeds
• 1 cinnamon stick (~7cm long), broken into smaller pieces
• juice of 1 lime
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh or frozen curry leaves

Directions

1. Heat 2 Tbsp. of the oil over medium-high heat.
2. Add the potatoes, bell pepper, and curry leaves and stir-fry until potatoes begin to brown (~5 minutes).
3. Add water and salt and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are fork tender (10-12 minutes).
5. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1/2 tsp. oil over medium-high heat.
6. Add the lentils, split peas, and cinnamon and cook, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes.
7. Transfer the spice mixture to a plate and allow to cool.
8. Once spices have cooled completely, transfer to a spice ginder and grind until the texture resembles ground black pepper.
9. Once the vegetables are tender, add the spices and lime juice.
10. Sprinkle with chopped curry leaves and serve.

Muttaikose Pattani

I made this as a side dish the other day, a role in which it excels. It's not hard to make, very tasty, and good way to use up that extra quarter cabbage in the cold room.

I know we'd made this recipe before, but it wasn't checked off and I couldn't find the writeup on the blog, so here we are!

Muttaikose Pattani (Cabbage and Peas with Roasted Mustard Seeds and Lentils

From 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer (pp. 471-472)

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tbsp urad dal
• 500-750g cabbage, cut into 1cm cubes
• ¼ C chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tsp Sambhar masala
• 2 tsp salt
• 10-12 large curry leaves
• 2 C frozen green peas

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Add the mustard seeds, cover, and cook until popped, ~30 seconds.
3. Add the lentils and stir-fry until golden brown, ~15 seconds.
4. Add the cabbage, cilantro, masala, salt, and curry leaves. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is well-covered with the spices, 2-4 minutes.
5. Cover the pan and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 10-15 minutes.
6. Stir in the peas and continue cooking, covered, until they are warmed through and tender, 5-10 minutes. Serve.

Brussery (Sweet Potato and Plantain Curry in Coconut Sauce)

This is a nice vegetable side dish with a thick sauce, and goes well with both rice and flatbread.

Brussery

660 Curries by Raghavan Ayer (pp. 615-616)

Ingredients

• 1 (~225g) very firm large plantain, halved lengthwise, peeled, and cut into 2cm cubes
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
• ¼ C shredded dried coconut, reconsistuted¹
• ¼ C shredded dried coconut, as is
• 3 fresh green Thai chilis, stemmed
• 1 dry cayenne chili, stemmed
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tbsp urad dal (skinned split black lentils)
• 12-15 fresh curry leaves
• salt for serving

Directions

1. Bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat.
2. Stir in the salt, turmeric, sweet potato, and plantain. Cover and return to a boil.
3. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until tender but still firm, 8-10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, scoop out ½ C of cooking water and combine, in a blender, with reconstituted coconut and both kinds of chilis. Purée.
5. Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat.
6. Add the mustard seeds, cover, and cook until popped, ~30 seconds.
7. Uncover, add lentils, and stir-fry until they turn golden brown, 15-20 seconds.
8. Remove lentils and mustard seeds with a slotted spoon and stir them into the coconut-chili sauce.
9. Add remaining (dry) coconut and curry leaves to the remaining oil. Cook, stirring frequently, until curry leaves are dry and coconut browned, 3-5 minutes. Stir this too (including the oil) into the coconut-chili sauce.
10. When potato and plantain are cooked, drain reserving ½ C cooking water and return to the same pot. Add coconut-chili sauce and reserved cooking water and stir to combine. Finish with ¼-½ tsp salt, or top with salt at the table.

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¹If you have fresh coconut, replace each ¼ C of dried coconut with ½ C shredded fresh coconut. ^Back
2 I like to use lots of footnotes. Sometimes I'll even add a footnote³ to a footnote. ^Back
3 I don't do this often. ^Back

Kokum Moth Chi Dal (Creamy Moth Beans with Coconut Milk)

This is a nice accompaniment curry that isn't too hard to make.

Kokum Moth Chi Dal

660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer (p. 407)

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole moth beans
• ¼ tsp ground turmeric
• 4 pieces dried black kokum, ~2"×1"
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 8-10 fresh green Thai chiles, thinly sliced
• 4 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 large tomato, cored and finely chopped
• 1 C coconut milk
• ¾ tsp salt
• 10-12 curry leaves

Directions

1. Rinse the beans until the water runs clear; drain.
2. Put the beans in the pressure cooker, along with 3 C water, and bring to a boil, uncovered. Skim off and discard foam.
3. Stir in turmeric and kokum. Seal pressure cooker and cook for 10 minutes on high pressure, then let the pressure release naturally.
4. Heat ghee in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.
5. Add cumin and cook until it sizzles and turns reddish-brown, ~10 seconds.
6. Add chiles and garlic and stir-fry until garlic is lightly browned, ~1-2 minutes.
7. Add the tomato, coconut milk, salt, and curry leaves. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, until the tomatoes appear saucelike but still slightly chunky.
8. Stir the sauce into the cooked beans. Bring to a simmer over medium heat cook, uncovered, until the curry thickens, ~10 minutes.
9. Remove the kokum before serving.

Dhaniawaale Muchee (Cilantro Fish)

I really liked this curry! The flavour was amazing. It had just the right amount of heat. And it was dead easy to make. I'd definitely try this one again.

Dhaniawaale Muchee

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 1 c. firmly packed fresh chilantro
• 1/4 c. firmly packed fresh curry leaves
• 6-7 cloves garlic
• 2-4 fresh green Thai, serrano, or finger chilies, stems removed
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 600g skinless, firm-fleshed fish fillets (cod, halibut, bass, pollock, etc.)
• 1-2 Tbsp. canola (or other neutral) oil
• 1/2 c. plain yogurt
• 1/2 c. half-and-half (10% MF)

Directions

1. Combine cilantro, curry leaves, garlic, chilies, and salt in food processor and process until finely minced.¹
2. Slather the cilantro mixture over both sides of the fish fillets and chill for at least an hour.
3. Heat oil over medium-high heat.
4. Add the fish and sear for 1-2 minutes on each side.
5. Transfer fish to plate and set aside.
6. Whisk half-and-half into yogurt and pour the mixture into the plan.
7. Scrape the pan to release any browned bits, then return the fish to the pan and spoon the sauce over.
8. Simmer, basting the fillets frequently, until they're cooked through (~5 minutes, may take more or less time depending on thickness of fillets).
9. If fish cooks through before the sauce has thickened to your liking, remove the fish from the pan and continue cooking the sauce until the desired consistency is achieved.

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¹ I don't have a food processor, so I used the "food chop" setting on my blender. It needed a little help doing the job, so I added a few tablespoons of the half-and-half to the mix. I think next time I might just try mashing everything up in the molcajete, but this worked okay for today. ^Back

Jhinga Balchao (Pan-Seared Shrimp with Chile Vinegar Paste)

This is a dish we can only make when the Kidlet isn't around, because it contains shrimp (which she is mildly allergic to) and is quite spicy. It's really, really tasty though! And not too hard to make, either, especially if you already have the masala on hand. Strongly recommended.

Jhinga Balchao

660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer, p.270

Ingredients

• 1 lb large (16-20/lb) shrimp, peeled and deveined, with the tails left on
• 2 tbsp balchao masala
• 4 tbsp oil
• 1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 8-10 large fresh curry leaves
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• ½ tsp salt

Directions

1. Toss the shrimp with the balchao masala until thoroughly coated. Cover and refrigerate for 30-120 minutes.
2. Heat half the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Add the shrimp with their marinade and cook until seared pink on one side, about 1 minute.
4. Flip the shrimp over and sear the other side, too; remove and buffer.
5. Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining oil, onion, and curry leaves.
6. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until onions have softened and darkened, 10-12 minutes.
7. Stir in tomato paste and salt to make a thick sauce.
8. Stir in shrimp, cover, and cook until shrimp are orange and cooked through, ~5 minutes.

Chinnay Vengayam Thengapaal Sambhar (Shallot & Coconut Milk Sambhar)

This is an interesting dish. You chill the coconut milk and separate the thick parts from the thin and use them at different points during the cooking. The thin coconut milk goes in early on while the thick only gets added just before serving. Apparently this is a common technique in Kerala kitchens, but it's a first for me. Can't argue with the results though! This certainly produces a tasty curry.

Shallot & Coconut Milk Sambhar

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 1 (400mL) can coconut milk
• 1/2 c. skinned split pigeon peas (toovar dal)
• ~2 1/2 c. water, divided
• 2 Tbsp. coconut oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 12 shallots, sliced
• 15 fresh curry leaves
• 1-2 fresh green Thai or finger chilies, halved lengthwise
• 1-2 dried red Thai, arbol, or cayenne chilies, stems removed
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, coarsely cracked
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 3 slices fresh ginger (~6cm by 2.5cm by 3mm), julienned
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Place the can of coconut milk in the fridge and chill for at least 1 hour.
2. Rinse the pigeon pease well, then drain and add 2 c. of the water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
3. Skim off any foam and reduce heat to medium-low.
4. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for ~20 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, carefully open the chilled can of coconut milk without shaking it.
6. Scoop out the upper layer of thick coconut milk and set it aside.
7. Pour the remaining thin coconut milk into a measuring cup and add enough water to make 1 1/2 c. Set aside.
8. Heat the oil over medium-high heat.
9. Add the mustard seeds to the oil, cover, and cook until they've stopped popping (30-60 seconds).
10. Add the shallots, curry leaves, fresh chilies, and dried chilies and stir-fry until the shallots being to brown (~5 minutes).
11. Add the salt, turmeric, pepper, and thin coconut milk, bring to a boil, and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes.
12. Once the pigeon peas have cooked (and cooled somewhat), transfer them to a blender with their cooking liquid (or use an immersion blender directly in the pot). Purée until smooth.
13. Pour the blended pigeon peas into the shallot mixture and add the tomato and ginger.
14. Continue to simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for another 20 minutes.
15. Stir in the thick coconut milk and cilantro.
16. Remove from heat as soon as the curry returns to a boil and serve immediately.

Cauliflower Pattani (Cauliflower and Peas)

I'm not sure what the story behind this recipe's name is. As far as I know, Iyer normally gives his recipe titles in English and Hindi. In which case I'd expect the first word to be "ghobi". Maybe this is more of an Anglo curry and that's why it's got English in the name? He doesn't offer any explanation in the preamble, so I can only guess. Either way, it's surprisingly tasty for how simple it is. And, as he notes, is a very mild curry and thus good for serving to those who are not fond of spicy food.

Iyer suggests serving this curry with pooris and sweetened mango puree with milk (a recipe which I haven't gotten around to trying yet). I ended up serving it with vegetable-stuffed paratha and a shallot & coconut milk sambhar. I quite liked it this way. The sambhar and cauliflower were both good on their own, but I think they were even better mixted together into one delicious concoction.

Cauliflower Pattani

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. canola (or other neutral) oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 Tbsp. skinned split black lentils (mapte beans/urad dal)
• 1 small to medium head of cauliflower (or 1/2 a large head), cut into florets
• 1 c. fresh or frozen green peas
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1 c. water
• 1 Tbsp. rice flour
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tsp. karuvapillai podi (curry leaf spice powder)

Directions

1. Heat the oil over medium-high heat.
2. Add the mustard seeds, cover, and cook until the seeds stop popping (30-60 seconds).
3. Add the lentils and stir-fry for 20-30 seconds.
4. Immediately add the cauliflower, peas, and salt.
5. Stir-fry for a minute or so to coat the vegetables.
6. Add the water and bring to a boil.
7. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes.
8. Sprinkle in the rice flour and stir it in. The sauce should quickly thicken.
9. Sprinkle in the cilantro and the curry leaf powder and serve.

Dudhi Besan chi Bhajee (Squash with Chickpea Flour Sauce)

I have been slowly but surely working my way through the bottle gourd squash curries in the book. The fritters were delicious (if somewhat lacking in structural integrity and general healthfulness). The patra and squash curry sounded very promising, but turned out to be a bit of a letdown in the end. Not bad, just not great either. But this one... this one FAR exceeded my expectations!

I wasn't really expecting much from this curry. It didn't really seem to have a whole lot going on. Just a bunch of bottle gourd squash chunks floating in a watery sauce with only a bit of chickpea flour and a few spices to round it out. Doesn't really excite the palate, does it? But it was a relatively quick and easy vegetable side and it used up bottle gourd squash, so I made it to go along with a few other curries and called it a day.

I no longer remember what other curries I made to go with the squash. I'm pretty sure they were good. But this one stood out for just how deceptively good it was. I would definitely recommend it if you find yourself, like me, with a huge surplus of bottle gourd squash and are looking for a use for it.

Dudhi Besan chi Bhajee

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 700g bottle gourd squash
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
• 2 Tbsp. canola (or other neutral) oil
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-3 fresh green Thai, finger, or serrano chilies, halved lengthwise
• 1 Tbsp. chickpea flour
• 10 fresh (or frozen) curry leaves
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
• juice of 1 lime

Directions

1. Peel the squash. Trim the ends and cut it in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds. Dice the flesh into ~1cm cubes.
2. Place the squash cubes in a pot and add enough water to cover them.
3. Add the salt and the turmeric and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the somewhat tender but still retains some of its crispness (~15 minutes).
5. Pour off 1 c. of the cooking water and set it aside. Drain the squash.
6. Heat oil over medium-high heat.
7. Add the cumin seeds and sizzle for 10-15 seconds.
8. Add the garlic and chilies and stir-fry for ~1 minute.
9. Add the chickpea flour and cook for 30-60 seconds.
10. Whisk in the reserved cooking water.
11. Add the curry leaves, sugar, cilantro, and drained squash.
12. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 2-4 minutes.
13. Remove from heat and stir in the lime juice just before serving.

Elambuchambu Shaadum (Lime-Flavoured Rice with Yellow Split Peas)

Apparently this is a traditional Indian wedding dish. I made it because it was suggested as a particularly good accompaniment to gosht poshto. I think next time I'd make something without the legume component. It was alright, but I found it a little heavy. I think I would've preferred a lighter, fluffier rice dish to go with the lamb. I'd be inclined to make something like palak pulao next time. I think it would go beautifully with the lamb and poppy seeds. And the spinach would give it a bit of a veggie boost as well.

Elambuchambu Shaadum

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 1/4 c. yellow split peas
• 2 Tbsp. sesame oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1-2 dried red Thai, cayenne, or arbol chilies
• 1 c. long-grain brown rice
• 1-1 1/2 c. water
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• juice of 1 lime
• 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
• 12 fresh curry leaves
• 1-2 fresh green Thai chilies, cut crosswise into 1cm pieces

Directions

1. Soak peas in hot water for 15 minutes, drain, and pat dry.
2. Heat oil over medium-high heat or sauté "medium" if using InstantPot.
3. Add mustard seeds, cover, and cook until they've stopped popping (30-60 seconds).
4. Add the split peas and dried chilies and cook until chilies have blackened (2-4 minutes).
5. Add the rice and toss with pea-spice mixture to coat.
6. If using InstantPot, add 1 c. water. Add 1 1/2 c. water for stovetop preparation.
7. Add the salt and stir to mix.
8. If using InstantPot, seal and set to pressure cook on "high" for 20 minutes. Once cooking time has elapsed, allow for a 10-minute natural release. If using stove-top, bring to a boil (still over medium-high heat) and cook, without stirring, until surface looks dry and craters begin to form. Stir once, cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for another 8-10 minutes. Turn off heat and let pot stand, covered, for 10 minutes.
9. Meanwhile, combine lime juice, turmeric, curry leaves, and fresh chilies in a bowl.
10. Remove lid and fluff rice (for both InstantPot and stovetop).
11. Pour lime juice mixture into rice and mix well.
12. Serve on its own or as a substrate for your favourite curries.

Ven Pongal (Rice-Lentil Porridge)

There are loads of different pongal recipes out there. Pongal can be sweet or savoury and include any number of different flavours and ingredients. Sometimes it might be fairly plain, other times if may include all sorts of vegetables, nuts, or even fruit! Ven pongal is one of the savoury versions, but even within that, there can be a huge amount of variation. Ginger, curry leaves, and whole (or coarsely crushed) black peppercorns seem to be common to most (possibly all) ven pongal recipes, but everything else is open to adjustment and interpretation: proportion of rice to lentils, amount of water, other seasonings, amount of ghee, inclusion of cashews or other nuts... There are a lot of options!

I found Iyer's version okay. But I thik I'd like to try one of the cashew-full recipes next time. I was also slightly disappointed by the consistency of this pongal, but that's not really Iyer's fault. I adjusted the quantity of water called for down because I was doing it in the pressure cooker rather than on the stovetop. Apparently I adjusted it down too much. Now that I've looked at some other recipes (ones that were written for pressure cookers) I'm thinking I probably should've just used the full amount of water called for in the original recipe. (If I were making it on the stove, I might even end up using more water than called for.

My too-dry pongal still came out tasting nice. It's just a bit dense and heavy. I would've preferred something with more of a porridge-y, risotto-y consistency. Hopefully the extra water will help me out there the next time I try to make this.

Ven Pongal

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 1/2 c. skinned split green lentils/mung beans (moong/mung dal)
• 1 c. long-grain brown rice
• 3 c. water
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
• 2-4 Tbsp. ghee, divided
• 2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tsp. black peppercorns
• 3 (40mm x 20mm x 3mm) slices of ginger, julienned
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
• 15 fresh (or frozen) curry leaves

Directions

1. Rinse the lentils and rice.
2. Add rinsed rice and lentils to pressure cooker/InstantPot along with water, salt, and turmeric.
3. Pressure cook (on high pressure for InstantPot) for 18 minutes with a 10-minute natural release.
4. Meanwhile, heat 1-2 Tbsp. of ghee over medium-high heat.
5. Add cumin seeds and pepper corns and cook for 30-60 seconds.
6. Transfer spices and ghee to a mortar and lightly crush with a pestle.
7. Heat the remaining 1-2 Tbsp. of ghee over medium-high heat.
8. Add the ginger and cook until aromatic (15-30 seconds).
9. Toss in the cilantro and curry leaves (carefully) and then remove from heat and set it aside.
10. Once the porridge is ready, stir in both ghee mixtures.
11. Serve with yogurt, pickles, and/or additional ghee.

Simla Mirch Kadhi (Spicy-Tart Bell Peppers and Peas)

This was a last-minute choice to accompany our dinner, but it turned out to be a good one -- it came together really easily and (apart from the lengthy simmer at the end) quickly, and it was delicious! Even with the chilies halved the Kidlet found it a bit spicy, but symbol and I enjoyed it a great deal and would absolutely make it again.

Simla Mirch Kadhi

660 Curries

Ingredients

• 1 C plain yoghurt
• 1 tbsp chickpea flour
• 4 fresh green Thai chilies, stems removed, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp ginger paste
• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tsp coarse salt
• 1 tsp sugar
  
• ½ tsp cayenne
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp toasted cumin-coriander blend
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• 1 C frozen peas
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
• 10-12 medium to large fresh curry leaves
• 1 tbsp ghee
  

Directions

1. Whisk together the yoghurt with 1 C water in a medium bowl until smooth.
2. Sprinkle in the chickpea batter and whisk it in.
3. Whisk in the chilies, ginger, cilantro, salt, sugar, cayenne, paprika, spice blend, turmeric, and peas.
   
4. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
5. Add the mustard seeds, cover, and wait until they stop popping, ~30 seconds.
6. Add the cumin seeds and cook for another 10 seconds or so, then immediately add the peppers and curry leaves.
7. Stir-fry until the peppers are starting to blister and the leaves are crinkly, 8-10 minutes.
8. Stir in the yoghurt mixture.
9. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, until the sauce thickens and the raw taste of the chickpea flour disappears, 15-20 minutes.
10. Stir in the ghee and serve.

Keerai Masiyal (Stewed Spinach with Coconut, Chiles, and Curry Leaves)

I think this is the first recipe I've cooked that calls for a volume of curry leaves rather than just an integer quantity of them! This is a nice, mild curry that I don't think could hold its own as a main dish but makes a nice side. It was also an unexpected hit with the Kidlet, who declared it a favourite.

The original recipe uses fresh spinach, and boils it first. I've adapted it here for frozen, which means we need to add a bit of water later since you don't get the additional water from the boiling process.

Keerai masiyal (bottom right) pictured with chicken tikka masala (top), onion kulchi (left), and mitty chawal (centre).

Keerai Masiyal

660 Curries

Ingredients

• 1 lb frozen chopped spinach
• 1 C shredded fresh coconut, or ½ C dried unsweetened
  
• ¼ C curry leaves
• 4 dried whole chiles, stems removed
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tbsp urad dal (skinned split black lentils)
• ½ tsp salt
  

Directions

1. If using dried coconut, reconstitute it first by pouring ½ C of boiling water over it and letting it stand for 15 minutes; do not drain.
2. Combine coconut, curry leaves, half the chiles, and ½ C water in a blender. Blend until they form a smooth paste.
3. Heat the ghee in a small pot or deep skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Add the mustard seeds and cover until they stop popping, ~30 seconds.
5. Add the lentils and remaining chiles, and and stir-fry until the lentils turn golden-brown and the chiles start to blacken, another 30 seconds.
6. Add the spinach, salt, and coconut paste, and mix together. If it looks too dry, add a bit of water.
7. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about ten minutes.