THEEYAL / CHEMBU THEEYAL

Chembu theeyal / Theeyal is a traditional Kerala side dish, similar to kuzhambu, served with rice. The coconut is fried to dark brown in this dish. Pearl onions are used, but I have used colocassia(Sembu).

INGREDIENTS:
Tamarind - 1/2 the size of a lemon
Colocassia - 8-10 pieces
Salt - as required
Coconut oil - 2 tablespoons

To fry in oil:
Coriander seeds - 1 teaspoon
Pepper - 1/4 tsp.
Dry red chillies - 2
Methi seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Hing
Coconut scraped - 3 tablespoons

For seasoning:
Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp.
Curry leaves - few

METHOD:

Boil and peel colocassia and keep aside.

Soak tamarind in water and extract juice from it.

In a heavy-bottomed pan heat a spoon of oil and add the items "To fry in oil"(add coconut finally and fry until brown). Grind to a paste when cool.

In the same pan, heat oil and season with mustard seeds and curry leaves. When mustard splutters, add the boiled sembu and saute for a while. Then add the tamarind extract and let it boil till the raw smell vanishes.Now add the ground paste and bring it to a boil till thick.

Mix with rice. Serve it with gold-rings or papads.