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| PALAKKADAN ERACHI KUMBALANGA CURRY |
This recipe is a typical Palakkadan style Chicken or Mutton Curry cooked with Ash Gourd alias Kumbalanga. This
Nadan Erachi Curry/Palakkad(Kerala) style Mutton Curry prepared along with Ash Gourd has a
tradition of its own. It is colloquially called "
Eracheem Kumbalangyum". This curry is mostly prepared with Free Range Chicken.
It is one of our family recipes, followed for
more than three generations. This recipe is the same as my Dad's special curry "Achante Erachi Curry"
- Dad's Mutton Curry. An authentic native style of Palaghat region,
Mutton Curry prepared with freshly sautéed and ground spices marinated
& slow cooked which gives a wonderful aroma and flavour to this
curry. The base of the Curry is a thick gravy and once cooked they add Ash Gourd and ground coconut to the curry which makes it slightly runny. I have seen this type of curry served in almost all of our
relative's household in Palaghat.
I have always loved this curry, and it was one extra curry made on Sundays, with a portion of Erachi Curry made as a star stopper every week. Whatsoever be it, Chicken or Mutton, the recipe is the same at home. I still remember our Monday Lunch during primary school, which were always this leftover Erachi Curry and Erachi Kumbalanga Curry. Lunch at home, listening to AIR afternoon News by Saroj Narayanaswami followed by a set of Mellisai, a non movie based songs. And it would be time for us to go back to school for our afternoon session. In the midst of this short time, I would even shuffle my bag and transfer the books according to the timetable and carry just the ones needed for the afternoon session. Nostalgia hitting me - the wonderful days of childhood, the taste & memories which tightly holds the moments deep in our mind. Reliving it, Re-livening it at a hint of a smell or a taste.
Though I make Achante Erachi Curry often, I have made this Erachi Kumbalanga Curry just a few times & it could easily be numbered out. At home, It is always Chicken/Mutton/Beef mostly cooked along with Potatoes. And in my in-law's side of the family, they are experts when it comes to cooking meats with tubers (starting with Potatoes, Tapiocas, Chinese Potato(Koorka) etc.) My MIL regards this curry with abhor, a kind of regional discrimination loaded with loyalty to the region from where she is from, and says it is a watery curry.
Well, in my opinion every region has its own speciality unique to the tradition and style. And I hate to discriminate it in any sense. As said, it is absolutely nothing like a watery Curry. But if you are new to combining water based vegetable along with meat, you may feel it to be a weird combination. But trust me, the Ash Gourds in hot and spicy curry does total justice. And it is prepared with the whole idea of balancing the heat of the spicy curry and meat, especially chicken. These types of curries are quite common in Palaghat and Trissur region and
are also served during a non-vegetarian feast.
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| PALAKKADAN ERACHI KUMBALANGA CURRY |
What makes this Palakkaddan Erachi Kumbalanga Curry special is the freshly sautéed
& ground ingredients marinated and slow cooked to perfection. My Dad
uses whole Dry Chillies & Coriander Seeds, which has to be fried on
a low flame perfectly until aromatic. I have used Red Chilli Powder
and Coriander Powder in this recipe to ease up the process. The former
ingredients give out much better flavour and texture to the curry. But I have started to strictly follow the style recently, i.e. using whole spices. This is a spicy curry and the addition of Ash Gourd and Coconut lightens it up.
The
colour, flavour & texture of this Eracheem Kumbalgyum curry totally
reflects the regional preference. The same recipe can be prepared with
Chicken/Beef too. Traditionally, this Curry is served along with
steamed Rice or Palakkadan Matta Rice. But it is one best combination when served with
Appam/Vellayappam, Idiyappam, Dosa, Idli etc.,
For more PALAKKADAN RECIPES, Click here...
Cuisine - Palaghat, Kerala
Recipe Type - Curry
Course - Side Dish
Spice Level - Medium-High
Difficulty - Medium
Serves - 4- 6
Author - SM
Preparation Time - 20-30 Minutes
Cooking Time - 30-45 Minutes
For more
MUTTON Recipes, Click here...
HOW TO COOK PALAKKADAN ERACHI KUMBALANGA CURRY - MUTTON & ASH GOURD CURRY
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| PALAKKADAN ERACHI KUMBALANGA CURRY |
INGREDIENTS:
To Sauté & Grind:
Shallots - 15-20 No's.
Ginger (1" Piece) - 2 No's
Garlic - 3-5 Cloves
Turmeric Powder - 3/4 Teaspoon
Red Chilli Powder - 11/2 Tablespoon
Coriander Powder - 2 Tablespoon
Cumin Seeds - 1 TeaspoonPeppercorns - 2 Teaspoon
Coconut Oil - 2 Tablespoon
Salt - To Taste
For Erachi Kumbalanga Curry:
Mutton - 500 Grams Ash Gourd - 250 Grams
Mustard Seeds - 1 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves - a Sprig
Onion - 1 No.
Green Chillies - 2-3 No's
Tomato - 2 No's
Coconut Oil - 2 Tablespoons
Tamarind - 1 Teaspoon (Optional)
For Coconut Paste:
Coconut - 3/4 Cup
METHOD:
To Sauté & Grind :
- Heat Coconut Oil in a Pan, Sauté Shallots, Ginger & garlic until Shallots turn translucent.
- Add Turmeric Powder, Red Chilli Powder and Coriander Powder to the above and fry on a very low flame until aromatic.
- Add Cumin Seeds and Peppercorns and fry for a while.
- Switch off the flame and allow the ingredients to cool.
- Grind the sautéed ingredients into a fine paste and leave it aside.
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| PALAKKADAN ERACHI KUMBALANGA CURRY |
For Erachi Kumbalanga Curry:
- Clean and remove the skin & seeds of the Ash Gourd and then cut them into cubes.
- Cut the Clean, wash & dice the Mutton into cubes and allow it to drain in a colander.
- Marinate the Mutton pieces with the ground paste and leave it aside for about an hour.
- Heat oil in a Pan/Pressure Cooker.
- Splutter Mustard seeds, immediately add Curry Leaves & Coconut slices into it and fry for a while on a very low flame.
- Sauté finely chopped Onions and Green Chillies, sauté the ingredients on a medium flame until Onions turn translucent.
- Add finely chopped Tomatoes and cook until the Tomatoes turn soft and oil separates.
- Now, add marinated Mutton Pieces along with a dash of salt and give a quick stir.
- Pour 1/2 a Cup of Water (or as required to cook Mutton).
- Cover the Pressure Cooker with the lid and cook until the meat turns tender and soft.
- Once the Meat is cooked, add the Ash Gourds and mix well.
- Cook this on a low flame until the Ash Gourds turn soft and cooked. Do not overcook the Vegetable.
- Grind the Coconut into a fine paste.
- Pour it into the above Curry and mix well.
- Adjust the consistency by adding some water
- Let this boil on a low flame until the raw flavour goes, and it reaches the desired consistency.
- Switch off the flame.
- Palakkadan Erachi Kumbalanga Curry goes well with Appam/Vellayappam, Idiyappam, Dosa, Idli etc.,
- Or simply serve Erachi Kumbalanga Curry with steamed Rice or Palakkadan Matta Rice.
NOTES:
- Adjust the amount of spices to suit your preference.
- Sauté the ingredients on a very low flame, stirring continuously.
- Marinate the Mutton/Chicken pieces and leave it aside for at least 1/2 an hour.
- This Erachi Kumbalanga Curry is prepared with Mutton/Lamb. Cook the meat accordingly and then add Ash Gourd and ground coconut paste.
- Cook Mutton pieces along with Ash Gourd on a low flame for about 15-20 minutes. This will help the flavour get infused into the meat & the vegetable.
- Can prepare the same Curry with Chicken/Beef too and the cooking method is the same. Adjust the cooking time.
- Coconut Oil gives an authentic taste to the Curry, can use any other vegetable oil too.
- Adding Tamarind is purely optional.
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A QUICK TIP:
- Use raw papaya to tenderize the meat. It is a natural 'MEAT TENDERIZER'.
- Raw papaya contains an enzyme called Papain. The connective
tissue in the meat breaks down when it comes in contact with Papain.
Papaya is one of the preferred tenderizers for red meats (Lamb, Mutton
& Beef).
- Use a few pieces of Raw Papaya while cooking the meat. This will
tenderize the meat, making it more soft and succulent, without changing
its taste and flavour.
- Yoghurt (Curd), Lime Juice, Vinegar, Soda-bi-carbonate all have softening and tenderizing effects on Red Meats.
