Kerala Style Ulli Theeyal Recipe

This recipe is very special. This recipe is from Priya Sidharth. Remember “Metro” Priya??? When we were young, there used to be a channel called DD Metro and the anchor was Priya. Oh golden days they were 🙂 This Ulli theeyal is from her and her mother. This is one delicious curry to be had with rice. If you like coconut flavour, this is a must try. I love traditional recipes like these a lot. This is a very classic traditional Kerala style curry. The flavor of the nicely roasted coconut is to die for. The gravy is simmered in a tamarind sauce and goes very well with rice. I have used coconut oil today. You can use any oil of your choice but I strongly suggest you to use coconut oil. It imparts a distinct aroma and flavour to this dish. Here is how to do it.

Here are other recipes from the site using Shallots Onions / Shallots Recipes

Here is the video of Kerala Style Ulli Theeyal Recipe

Here is how to make Kerala Style Ulli Theeyal Recipe Soak a lime size tamarind in one cup of water for 20 minutes. Squeeze the tamarind in the water to extract all the juices. Strain the juice and set aside the tamarind pulp. Discard the tamarind seeds and the pith.

Also chop the shallots (small onions). The shallots needs to be chopped as it gives a different flavor than adding shallots whole. Set aside.

The main prep work for this curry is the theeyal masala and here is how to do it. Heat 2 tablespoon of coconut oil in a pan. Add in the coriander seeds, dried red chillies and fresh shredded coconut. Fry on medium flame, sauteing constantly until the coconut turns golden. Its important to fry well till the coconut turns really golden. I call it fiery gold!

Grind the masala to a fine paste without adding any water. The oil from the coconut will separate while grinding and the mixture will become into a paste. Set aside.

Heat oil in a pan and add in the curry leaves and the chopped shallots. Fry till the shallots are soft and slightly starting to brown. Add in the tamarind juice, the theeyal masala, turmeric and the salt. Add in half a cup of water. Let it simmer in medium flame for 10 minutes. Stir once in a while.

After 10 minutes, the oil will separate and float on top. Now add in the coconut milk and let it simmer for a couple of minutes. Switch off the flame.

Tempering Ulli Theeyal Now lets do the tempering for the curry. Heat oil in a small kadai and add in the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds (vendayam) and curry leaves when the oil is hot. Let the mustard seeds splutter. Add it to the curry.

Ulli Theeyal is ready for serving. It goes amazingly well with rice and some ghee.

For the Theeyal Masala

• 2 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 cup fresh shredded coconut
• 2 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 6 dried red chillies

For the Gravy

• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• 20 shallots, chopped (about 200 grams )
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• small lime size tamarind
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup thick coconut milk

For the Tempering

• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 2 sprig curry leaves

1. Heat 2 tablespoon of coconut oil in a pan. Add in the coriander seeds, dried red chillies and fresh shredded coconut. Fry on medium flame, sauteing constantly until the coconut turns golden. Grind the masala to a fine paste without adding any water.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add in the curry leaves and the chopped shallots. Fry till the shallots are soft and slightly starting to brown. Add in the tamarind extract (soaked in a cup of water and extracted), the theeyal masala, turmeric and the salt. Add in half a cup of water. Let it simmer in medium flame for 10 minutes.
3. After 10 minutes, the oil will separate and float on top. Now add in the coconut milk and let it simmer for a couple of minutes. Switch off the flame.
4. Heat oil in a small kadai and add in the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds (vendayam) and curry leaves when the oil is hot. Let the mustard seeds splutter. Add it to the curry.

Notes

For a fiery dark colour, add in a couple of Byadagi red chillies / Kashmiri red chillies. They impart a deep red colour to the gravy.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins
• Category: Side Dish
• Cuisine: Kerala, South Indian

For the Theeyal Masala

• 2 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 cup fresh shredded coconut
• 2 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 6 dried red chillies

For the Gravy

• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• 20 shallots, chopped (about 200 grams )
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• small lime size tamarind
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup thick coconut milk

For the Tempering

• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 2 sprig curry leaves

1. Heat 2 tablespoon of coconut oil in a pan. Add in the coriander seeds, dried red chillies and fresh shredded coconut. Fry on medium flame, sauteing constantly until the coconut turns golden. Grind the masala to a fine paste without adding any water.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add in the curry leaves and the chopped shallots. Fry till the shallots are soft and slightly starting to brown. Add in the tamarind extract (soaked in a cup of water and extracted), the theeyal masala, turmeric and the salt. Add in half a cup of water. Let it simmer in medium flame for 10 minutes.
3. After 10 minutes, the oil will separate and float on top. Now add in the coconut milk and let it simmer for a couple of minutes. Switch off the flame.
4. Heat oil in a small kadai and add in the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds (vendayam) and curry leaves when the oil is hot. Let the mustard seeds splutter. Add it to the curry.

Notes

For a fiery dark colour, add in a couple of Byadagi red chillies / Kashmiri red chillies. They impart a deep red colour to the gravy.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins
• Category: Side Dish
• Cuisine: Kerala, South Indian

Find it online : https://www.kannammacooks.com/ulli-theeyal-recipe/

This is another gem of a recipe from Neikarapatti amma. This is a specialty at amma’s house. The masala was always ground in the Attangallu (ஆட்டங்கல்லு). Once the maid finishes grinding the masala, amma would carefully portion out the masala and one part would be mixed with minced mutton and be made into mutton kola and the other would be mixed with plantain and be made into vazhakkai kola for the vegetarians. The making of kola urundai is mesmerizing. The wonderful aroma from the ground masala, the golden color and the round shape is so nostalgic and brings back so many good memories. Here is how to do Mutton Kola Urundai, Neikarapatti amma style.

Take the fried gram dal / pottu kadalai and make it to a fine powder in a small mixie jar / spice grinder. Please do not substitute besan for this recipe. The vada will come out rock hard.

Now comes the Kola Masala. You will need the following ingredients.

Add in all the ingredients listed under kola masala along with the salt into a mixie / blender and grind it to a smooth paste. Add very little water while grinding. Few tablespoon at a time. Take time to grind it as fine as possible. Trust me, that’s the key to this recipe. Once its finely ground, transfer the paste to a bowl. Set aside.

We will have to cook the minced mutton now. Clean the minced meat. Remove any extra fat that might be there in the minced meat. (The white fatty bits.) Most of the time the butcher himself cleans and sells. I hardly see fatty tissues these days. Take a kadai and add in the meat. Fry the minced mutton till its completely dry. The minced mutton will cook in its own juices. Do not add extra water. Once its cooked and thoroughly brown and dry, switch off the flame. Run the cooked minced mutton in a mixie / blender. Pulse for just a couple of times. Set aside.

Add the minced meat, ground masala and the fried gram (pottu kadalai) powder and mix well to form a soft dough. Apply little oil to your hands. Make small 1.5 inch balls with your hands. Make sure you do not make big balls as the inside might not cook when frying. So remember to make the balls small in size. Its a very soft messy dough. Handle the dough gently. Make the balls with a smooth finish.

I like to refrigerate the balls for 30 minutes before frying. This kind of crusts the outer skin and it helps in keeping the vada from disintegrating in hot oil.

Heat oil in a pan in medium heat. Once the oil is hot, fry the balls in low medium flame until golden. Do not crowd the pan or disturb the balls for the first minute. Either of this will make the balls to break. Just leave the balls and do not touch them after it hits the oil for the first minute. When the kolas are golden, remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Do not fry in really hot oil. The kolas will get browned faster and the inside will not have time to cook. So keep the flame at medium at all times.

Serve mutton kolas hot.

• Measurements Used – 1 Cup = 250 ml, 1 teaspoon = 5 ml, 1 tablespoon = 15 ml.

Ingredients for grinding

• ½ cup fresh shredded coconut
• 1 medium sized onion
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 inch piece ginger
• 1 inch piece cinnamon
• 1 clove
• 1 cardamom
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 tablespoon khuskhus – white poppy seeds
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 3 green chillies
• 2 sprig curry leaves
• 5 stalks coriander leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt

Other Ingredients

• 250 grams minced mutton
• 3/4 cup to 1 cup fried gram / pottu kadalai

For Frying

• 500 ml Vegetable oil

1. Take the fried gram dal / pottu kadalai and make it to a fine powder in a small mixie jar / spice grinder.
2. Add in all the ingredients listed under kola masala into a mixie / blender and grind it to a smooth paste.
3. Take a kadai and add in the meat. Fry the minced mutton till its completely dry. Run the cooked minced mutton in a mixie / blender. Pulse for just a couple of times. Set aside.
4. Add the minced meat, ground masala and the fried gram (pottu kadalai) powder and mix well to form a soft dough. Apply little oil to your hands. Make small 1.5 inch balls with your hands.
5. Refrigerate the balls for 30 minutes before frying.
6. Heat oil in a pan in medium heat. Once the oil is hot, fry the balls in low medium flame until golden.
7. Serve mutton kolas hot.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins
• Category: Appetizer
• Cuisine: Tamilnadu