Vegetable Eshtu
Some weeks ago I posted my appams recipe
Laced to Perfection. While I did feature the stew in the photos, I was so enamoured
by the lacy appams that I forgot to click a better photo of the eshtu. By the
time I realised it, I was too busy pouring and swirling more hot lace appams
for the family, so the eshtu remained on the back burner- in its own juices - and
eventually was polished off.
The following day I made some more eshtu
and took some photos – but had this compulsive need to feature them with
appams, but this time there was hardly any batter left. But what is eshtu
without appam, so here it is, with the almost-exhausted -batter- extended-with–water-
and -rice flour kind of appams in the background.
The truth is, appam and stew is a match
made in heaven – or in God’s Own Country?
Vegetable Eshtu
Ingredients
1 medium brown onion, finely sliced
1 large carrot, cubed
2 potatoes - peeled (unpeeled if they have clean skins)
and cubed
French beans, a handful, stringed and cut
into inch-long pieces
½ cup frozen peas
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp minced garlic
2 green chilies, slit
A small sprig curry leaves
1 inch stick cinnamon stick
2 green cardamoms
2-3 cloves
5-6 whole black peppercorns
½ tsp cumin seeds
2 small bay leaves
1-2 dry red chillies
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup hot milk (optional)
1 tbsp almond meal (optional)
Salt to taste
Oil - 1 tbsp
Method
Heat oil or ghee in a heavy bottomed vessel.
Add cumin, cardamoms, cloves, pepper corns, red chillies and cinnamon and sauté for a few
seconds. Add sliced onions, grated ginger, garlic and green chillies and half the curry leaves and continue
to sauté till slightly browned. Add the cubed potatoes, carrots, French beans
and peas. Mix until the vegetables get coated with the oil and spices. Add a
cup of hot milk or boiling water and let it cook till almost done. Add more
water as required. Add some salt.
Now add the coconut milk and let it simmer
on low-medium flame for a few minutes. Adjust salt and add rest of the curry leaves.
Simmer for a minute or two and remove from heat.
Serve with appams or idiyappams only.
But if you want to be heretic, you can serve
it with dosas, chapatis, pooris or your everyday chawal. Makes a lovely party
dish, too.
I had appams for the first time on my recent visit visit to Kerala, I have to say I was intrigued by the bowl shape dosa (thats what I thought when it came in front of me). And it was obviously with eshtu which was the second surprise for the day. Needless to say I had that also for the first time and oh my! what flavors for being such a simple curry. It is comfort food. :)
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