Ulli Theeyal/Shallots in Tangy Roasted Coconut Gravy

I was planning to make this super fingerlicking famous Kerala's ulli theeyal since a long, when Srivalli announced this month's blogging marathon themes, she proposed a variety of very interesting themes as usual. While going through her themes, i know i'll go immediately to the theme 'cooking with onions'. Coz i cant imagine cooking my foods without onions, my onion basket will always have white onions,shallots and also i'll get quite often spring onions from farmer's market. So the next three days will be dishes with onions as star ingredient for this week of blogging marathon.

Theeyal is a typical Kerala dish prepared with a roasted coconut and few spices by roasting the coconut until it turns golden brown. Actually theeyal means burnt dish, its quite a long i wanted to make this ulli theeyal. Recently i picked shallots just to make this famous ulli theeyal and oh god i dont have words to explain how tasty this fingerlicking gravy is. Serve this gravy with rice and papads, i can have this yummy gravy even everyday.Check out the other marathoners running this 20th edition of blogging marathon here.

20nos Shallots
2cups Tamarind extract
1/4tsp Turmeric powder
Salt
Few curryleaves
1/2tsp Mustard seeds
2nos Dry red chillies (broken)
1/4tsp Fenugreek seeds
Oil

Roast & grind:
1/2cup Grated coconut
1tbsp Coriander seeds
3nos Dry red chillies

Heat a teaspoon of oil, roast the grated coconut in medium flame, stir continously and roast until its turns dark brown, add the coriander seeds, dry red chillies to the roasted coconut and fry until the spices gets well roasted.

Take this roasted coconut and spices in a mixie jar,grind as fine paste with enough water and keep aside.

Heat the oil,saute the shallots for few minutes, add the tamarind extract,turmeric powder, salt and curry leaves and cook until the shallots turns tender.

Now add this already grounded paste and cook everything for few minutes, dont let it boil and put off the stove.

Heat oil for tempering, fry the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and broken chillies until brown, remove the tempered spices and add to the cooked theeyal.

Serve hot with rice and papads or boiled eggs