Ulli Theeyal (Shallots cooked in spicy roasted coconut gravy)

Theeyal is one of the tastiest dishes in the Kerala cuisine. Theeyal is mainly prepared with Shallots (cheriya ulli - small onions). Its also prepared with other  vegetables such as Bitter gourd (Pavakkya / pavakka), Yam (chena), drumstick (muringakkaya) etc.

We have earlier shown this yummy dish with Bitter Gourd (Pavakkya). Now we cook this with Shallots alone.


Shallots contain iron which is required for proper functioning of your red blood cells.  1 cup of shallots can provide 1.9 milligrams of iron that gives more than 15% of the daily required iron intake.
Due to its dietary fiber content, it absorbs water thereby preventing constipation. It is also useful in reducing the blood cholesterol levels, preventing many heart diseases.
One cup of shallots provide around 15 percent of the daily required fiber.
Shallots strengthen your immune system efficiently. Consume them daily to prevent and cure cold, flu and other illnesses and also improve immunity

Lets look at the steps to prepare Ulli Theeyal...

Ingredients:

Shallots (small onions) - 250 gms

Tarmarind - 1 lemon size

Turmeric-  1 teaspoon

Chilly powder - 2 teaspoons

Coconut- 1/2, Grated

Coriander powder - 2 teaspoons

Curry leaves - 6-8 leaves

Green chily- 3 nos

Dried red Chillies - 4-5 nos

Mustard seeds - 1 tablespoon

Salt to taste

Process:

Clean and cut the shallots. Take a vessel, put the chopped shallots and add 1 teaspoon of turmeric, 2 teaspoons of chilly powder and 2 green chillies vertically chopped into it. Cook in 300 ml of water. 
Donot overcook the shallots.  

Take the tamarind and prepare tamarind pulp. Keep aside.

Take a frying pan and pour one tablespoon of oil and put the grated coconut into it.  Roast the grated coconut in a  medium flame. Stir continuously till it becomes brownish  in colour. 

Roasted coconut-coriander powder mix

When the coconut becomes completely  brownish, add the coriander powder into it and mix thoroughly and allow it also to get roasted for a minute.

Take a mixie jar and put this roasted coconut-coriander mix along with 20 ml water into it. Grind it well to make it a paste. 

Add this paste into the cooked shallots that we had prepared earlier. Mix it well. 
Then pour the tamarind pulp into this mixture.  Heat the mix in a low flame allow it to boil  for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and keep aside.

Tempering:

Take a small frying pan and pour 2 teaspoons oil into it. Once the oil is hot put one teaspoon of mustard. Once the mustard splutters, add dry red chillies into it and mix it with the mustard for it to get fried. Add the curry leaves.  

Ensure the tempering is done only in low flame to avoid mustard, red chilly etc getting burnt.

ULLI THEEYAL IS READY. To be eaten with rice as main dish. Serves 4-5 people.

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