Puli Inji or Inji curry

Ingredients:

Ginger - 3 cups chopped and minced finely
Tamarind- 1 big lemon size
Green chilly - 15 (finely chopped)
Jaggery - 3 cubes
Chilli powder - 1 tblsp

Asafoetida- a generous pinch

Fenugreek powder - a pinch

Salt to taste


To Temper:

Coconut oil - 4 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tbsp

Red chilly -2( broken into pieces)

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Method:

 1. Soak tamarind in hot water for half an hour. Squeeze the tamarind and extract the tamarind juice and filter it. The tamarind extract should be around 4 cups

2. Take a heavy bottomed vessel and  pour 4 tbsp of oil, add mustard seeds and red chilly . Once the mustard seeds splutter, add curry leaves . Then add the minced ginger . Fry till the water content of the ginger gets reduced and then add green chilly and fry till the colour of ginger turns brown and it becomes dry.

3. Boil the tamarind juice extract . Once it boils for sometime, add the fried ginger and let it boil for another 5 minutes.

4. Now add red chilly powder, asfoetida and salt  and mix well. Boil it in low flame till the ginger cooks well and the mixture reduces to half. It will take about half an hour - 45 minutes.

5. Now add jaggery cubes and boil in low flame till the jaggery melts and the whole mixture becomes thick and pulpy . This will take another half an hour to 45 minutes.

6. Add the fenugreek powder.Mix well and remove from heat. Cool it and transfer it to a bottle and allow it to settle.


Note:
- Puli inji is an important part of Onam sadya.
- It tastes good after 1-2 days. So prepare it in advance before sadya.