Ingredients
| 2 tablespoons vegetable oil | |
| 2 teaspoons chana dal | |
| 1 cup fresh grated coconut flesh (or use frozen) | |
| 2 green chillies | |
| 2cm-piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped | |
| ½ teaspoon salt | |
| 1 tablespoon lime juice | |
| ½ teaspoon black mustard seeds | |
| 2 teaspoons urad dal | |
| 2-3 dried red chillies | |
| 1 teaspoon cumin seeds | |
| 1-2 sprigs curry leaves | |
| pinch asafoetida (optional) |
Fresh coconut really is best to use here. One coconut will give you more flesh than required. I tend to grate all the coconut and what I don’t use, I store in an airtight container in the freezer for later use. You can also find packets of frozen, shredded coconut flesh in some supermarkets and Indian food stores.
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Instructions
| 1. | In a pan, heat half the oil and fry the chana dal for 2-3 minutes until golden. |
| 2. | Put into a blender with the coconut, green chillies, ginger, salt and lime juice. |
| 3. | Blend until smooth adding water if required, to loosen. Put into a serving bowl. |
| 4. | In the same pan add the remaining oil over a medium heat. |
| 5. | Add the mustard seeds until they pop, then add the urad dal, dried chilli and cumin, and fry for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and the dal turns golden. |
| 6. | Add the curry leaves and asafoetida, if using, and cook until the leaves pop. |
| 7. | Scatter over the top of the coconut. |
Recipes & food styling Ginny Grant / Photography Aaron McLean / Styling Jess Hemmings