Name: South Indian Shallot Curry
Yield: Serves 2–4
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1 tsp fenugreek seeds; 2 tbsp tomato purée/paste; 1 tsp sugar; 3 tsp tamarind paste; 150 ml/5 fl oz/⅔ cup water, or as needed; salt, to taste; flatbreads, to serve; 1 tsp ground coriander; ½ tsp red chilli powder; 1 tsp black mustard seeds; 30 g/1 oz desiccated/dried shredded coconut; vegetable oil, for cooking; 400 g/14 oz banana shallots, peeled and halved; 1 stalk of fresh curry leaves (about 10–12), leaves stripped from stalk

Preparation info

Serves
2–4

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Meat Free Mowgli

By Nisha Katona

Published 2022

About

Inspired by a South Indian curry called ulli theeyal, this is a tangy, spicy dish softened by the sweetness of the shallots and coconut. It is quite a dry, rich curry and is great as a side dish on a table with lots of other dishes, perhaps when entertaining. It works very well alongside something saucier, with some flatbreads for scooping, but can just as well be served with rice, if preferred.