Arida Huli/ From the scratch vegetable curry

What do you cook when you ought to feel indulgent? No not Biriyani! Not me... I am an Arida Huli gal!! Arida huli is another name for from the scratch vegetable curry. It is also sometimes referred to as Kootu. A rose by any name would smell as sweet! Arida Huli by any other name would taste just as indulgent.. This is a dish that is reserved for special occasions, may be a guest, may be a Sunday noon...
Generally vegetables like yellow cucumber and Yellow pumpkin make up the very heart of the dish, but if these vegetables are unavailable go ahead with vegetables of your choice.

Serves: 8
Per serving: 357 calories : Protein  13.57 g : Fat 16.5 g : Fiber 9

Toor Dal ¾ C


Vegetables 3 Cups
Tomato 1 small
Turmeric a generous pinch
Coconut 4 tbsp
Onion ¾ C (pearl onions)

Tamarind extract 1 tsp
Jaggery crushed 2 tbsp
Peanuts 1 Cup

For the Spice blend:

Red Chilles 9-10
Channa Dal ½ tsp
Urad Dal ½ tsp
Pepper ¼ tsp
Fenugreek ¼ tsp
Jeera 1 tsp
Cinnamon 1/8 tsp
Dhania 2 tbsp

Oggarane/ tadka
Ghee 3 tbsp
Mustard seeds ½ tsp
Hing a dash
Curry leaves 15-20
Dried red chillies –Kashmiri mirch/ Byadige chillies 4-5

Method:

1. Combine dal, vegetables and peanuts in a pressure cooker and cook till done. Else cook the dal in a open stock pot till half way through and add the vegetables and peanuts and cook till everything is done. Set it aside.
2. Toast all the spices under ‘spice blend’ one by one till fragrant. Combine it with onions, tomatoes,coconut, tamarind, 1 cup of water and blend it till smooth. The paste must be very smooth. My mom says it should resemble sandalwood paste! That is somewhere between oat meal porridge and peanut butter.
3. Add a little more water if necessary to the mixture and cook it on a slow flame till the raw smell disappears.
4. Once the spice mixture is well cooked and fragrant anywhere between 20-30 minutes, gently stir in the dal mixture. Bring it to a gentle boil. Throw in the jaggery. Adjust salt. Simmer.
5. Prepare the oggarane. Heat ghee in a pan. Throw in mustard seeds, Hing, curry leaves and the dried red chillies. Once the popping stops, pour the contents on to the simmering curry. Stir gently and serve with rice.