The cuisine pockets of Kerala, Tamilnadu and Srilanka showcase the wonderful usage of abundant spices and local vegetables. The similarities of using the coconut to flavour the dishes and the style of preparation of dishes in all these three regions are almost identical. The wonderful usage 0f spices to flavour, otherwise unpalatable ingredients are unparalleled.
Today we explore a very basic recipe with fresh turkeyberry or thibattu. Earlier we have used the same ingredient to make a curry in the Tambaram Kerala style – thengararacha kozhambu.
The dish exemplifies the usage of the coconut, curry leaves, garlic, chillies and shallots that make this dish special. Though thibbatu or turkey berries are known for their medicinal value, the flavour takes a bit of getting used to.
The recipe preparation is to temper the spices that take away the bitter taste of the thibattu or the turkey berries. The shallots and the coconut give the milder sweet flavours to the dish, the chillies keep the bitterness away. The fresh squeeze of lemon brings them all together.
So there you are, enjoy the simple recipe with steamed rice, Srilankan style parippucurry and thakali sambola.
Stay on with us for more unusual ingredients and food exploration. There is plenty to go for. Let us know what you like about this blog in the comments.
Thibattu Mallung
Equipment
- mortar pestle
- wok
- Knife
- ladle
Ingredients
- 1 cup turkey berry
- 1/2 small red onion finely chopped
- 1 red chilli sliced
- 10 curry leaves
- salt to taste
- 1 pinch turmeric powder
- 1/4 tsp curry powder Srilankan curry powder, Store bought.
- 1 small piece pandan leaf
- 1/4 cup grated coconut
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/4 cup drinking water
- 1 tsp Lemon juice
Instructions
- Wash the turkey berries and remove them from the stalk.
- Smash the berries with the mortar and pestle. Set it aside.
- Finely chop the red onions and the chillies, set aside till use.
- In a wok heat the coconut oil and add the mustard seeds.
- As they crackle add the curry leaves, red onion chopped and the chillies.
- Stirfry the onions till they are translucent.
- Add the turkey berries and stirfry till they blister on the skin.
- Add the pandan leaves, the salt and the turmeric with 1/4 cup water.
- Cover and cook till the berries are soft.
- Sprinkle the curry powder, the grated coconut and stirfry till all the water dries up.
- Add the lemon juice and mix well.
- Remove from heat and the stirfry is ready.
Love this recipe. Growing Turkey berries is so easy and can be used in so many ways. Thank you so much for this recipe.