South Indian Yogurt Curry Recipes

SOUTH INDIAN YOGURT CURRY

Steps:

• 1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat and add the ginger, red chili peppers, and curry leaves. Cook, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute. Add the fenugreek and coriander seeds, all the dals, coconut, and asafoetida, and cook, stirring, about 1 minute. Let cool, transfer to a blender, and blend, adding some of the yogurt to facilitate blending, until smooth. Then add the rest of the yogurt, turmeric, and salt, and blend again until smooth.2. Transfer to a large nonstick wok or saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, over medium-high heat until it comes to a boil. Then reduce the hat to medium and cook, stirring, until the curry thickens a little and is smooth, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish.3. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of the oil in the saucepan you used in Step 1, and add the mustard and cumin seeds they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Remove from the heat, quickly add the paprika, and transfer to the kadhi. Swirl lightly to mix, with parts of it visible as a garnish, and serve.From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

SOUTH INDIAN YOGURT AND COCONUT MILK CURRY WITH VEGETABLES

Steps:

• 1. Soak the dals in the water 1 hour or longer. Meanwhile, prepare the coconut milk. Then, drain the dals, reserving the water. Place the drained dals, ginger, green chili peppers, and curry leaves in a blender and blend, adding some of the water to facilitate the blending, until smooth, about 30 seconds Add 1 tablespoons coriander, the cumin, and salt, and blend again. Then add the yogurt and blend once again until smooth.2. Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan and fry the red chili peppers until golden, 1 minute, then add the cumin and mustard seeds they should splutter upon contact with the hot oil, so cover the pan until the spluttering subsides. Quickly add the remaining 1 tablespoon coriander, fenugreek seeds, and asafoetida, stir 30 seconds, and add the eggplant, bell pepper, and tomato. Cook, stirring, 1 minute.3. Add the yogurt mixture, a little at a time, stirring constantly to prevent it from curdling, until it comes to a boil. Rinse the blender with the remaining water, add it to the kadhi, and boil again. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring, 5 to 7 minutes, then ad the coconut milk and cilantro and simmer until the vegetables are soft and the kadhi is thick and smooth, 5 to 7 minutes. Serve hot.From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

SOUTH INDIAN CABBAGE WITH YOGURT

Steps:

• Heat the oil over medium heat in a 14-inch wok or 12-inch skillet, and add the mustard seeds and dal (if using). As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop, add the cumin, chilies or cayenne, coriander seeds and turmeric. Stir together, and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until it begins to soften, about three minutes. Add the cabbage. Cook, stirring, for one minute until it begins to wilt. Salt generously, stir together, cover and turn the heat to low. Cook for about eight minutes until the cabbage is just tender. Stir in the coconut, taste and adjust seasoning. Keep warm.
• Place the yogurt in a bowl, and place the bowl in a pot of hot water. Stir until the yogurt is warm. Scrape into the pan with the cabbage, and fold in. Serve warm with rice.