Ulli Theeyal - Kerala style shallots curry

Ulli theeyal is a Kerala delicacy prepared by roasting shallots ( small onions or sambhar onions) and cooking them in roasted coconut paste and tamarind juice. It goes well with steamed rice and pappad.

Ingredients:

• Peeled Shallots (Sambhar onions) - 1 cup
• Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
• Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
• Red chillies - 2
• Curry leaves - 5 sprigs
• Asafetida - 1 pinch
• Tamarind extract - 1/4 cup
• Sugar / Jaggery - 1 teaspoon
• Oil - 2 tablespoon

To roast and make paste:

• Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Black peppercorns - 1/2 teaspoon
• Red chillies - 4
• Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Coriander seeds - 1 teaspoon
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Grated Coconut - 1 cup
• Oil -2 tablespoon

For making the paste:

• Heat oil in a pan.
• Roast Cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, peppercorns and red chillies.
• Once all are roasted, add grated coconut and roast it till it turns brown. While roasting, add the turmeric powder.

• Cool it and grind it to a paste.

Preparation

• Heat oil in a pan.
• Cut the shallots to half in case they are big.
• Roast mustard seeds , red chillies, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves and shallots.
• Roast the shallots till they turn transparent.This will take around five minutes.

• Now add the ground paste and tamarind extract.Add some water and let it cook.
• Add salt, asafetida powder and sugar/jaggery. 
• Cook it in medium to low flame till it becomes thick.

• Serve it hot with steamed rice and pappad with beans / cabbage thoran.