Koorka Curry is a famous and traditional curry recipe of Kerala. There is no need to explain the taste of Koorka to a South Indian. Koorka, also known as Chinese potato, is a seasonal root vegetable. You will become a great admirer of this curry dish because of its distinct aromatic flavour. This recipe has the gift of giving you a nostalgic taste which cannot be replaced with any modern dishes.
In Kerala, a stir fry variation of this dish is also made. Koorka curry is made with ground coconut. There are no special ingredients needed to make this dish. Only the complicated part of making Koorka dishes is cleaning the Koorka, but when you taste this dish surely you will forget the effort you have taken to clean it.
Ingredients:
For Masala Paste
1. 4 to 5 shallots or pearl onions or madras onions
2. 3 medium garlic cloves
3. 10 black pepper (sabut kali mirch)
4. 1 inch cinnamon (dalchini)
5. 1 to 2 dry red chilies (sukhi lal mirch)
6. ½ teaspoon coriander seeds
7. 2 to 3 tablespoons water or as required
Other Ingredients For Koorka Curry
1. 2 tablespoons coconut oil
2. ¼ cup sliced or chopped onions or shallots or pearl onions
3. 8 to 10 curry leaves
4. 1 green chilli - slit
5. ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
6. 250 grams koorka (Chinese potatoes) - peeled, rinsed and chopped
7. 1 cup thin coconut milk or water as required
8. salt as required
9. 1 cup Coconut Milk (Thick)
10. 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
Procedure for preparation of Koorka Curry:
Cleaning Koorka
1. Take 250 grams Koorka (Chinese potatoes)
2. Rinse them thoroughly in running water to remove the mud, then peel them
3. After peeling, again rinse them very well in water and chop them
4. Then keep them immersed in water, so that they do not darken
Koorka curry/ Pinterest.com
1. In a small grinder jar, add shallots or pearl onions, garlic, black peppers, cinnamon, dry red chilies and coriander seeds
2. Then add 2 to 3 tablespoons water and grind to a smooth paste and keep this masala paste aside
Making Koorka Curry
1. Heat 2 tablespoons coconut oil in a 2 litre pressure cooker and add sliced or chopped onions (or shallots or pearl onions)
2. Next add curry leaves and green chilli (slit)
3. Mix well and begin to sauté onions on a low to medium flame till they turn translucent
4. Then add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder and mix well
5. Add the masala paste and mix again
6. Sauté masala till you see oil releasing from the sides of the masala
7. Now drain all the water and only add the chopped Koorka
8. Mix and sauté for a minute
9. Add 1 cup thin coconut milk and mix well
10. Season with salt as per taste and mix
11. Pressure cook for 2 to 3 whistles on medium flame or for 5 minutes
12. When pressure settles down on its own, open the lid
13. Add 1 cup thick coconut milk and mix very well
14. Keep the pressure cooker on stove top on a low flame and simmer Koorka curry for 3 to 4 minutes and stir at intervals
15. Switch off the flame and add 2 tablespoons coriander leaves
16. Serve Kerala style Koorka curry with steamed rice or Kerala parotta or pooris
Koorka, alongside being delectable, is enriched with calcium, iron and valuable vitamins which are essential for man’s health. Koorka is still considered as a poor man’s delicious dish.
