Potato Curry {Roasted coconut gravy}

'Varutharacha' or {Roasted coconut gravy} is a Kerala special number! I love the smell of roasted grated coconut along with shallots and spices filling the air on any morning. It helps work up an appetite on a lazy day :) Team it up with any Kerala breakfast (puttu or appam) or ghee rice for lunch. 

Potato Curry {Roasted coconut gravy}

Ingredients
3 - 4 Potatoes, peeled and chopped into cubes
Few Fennel seeds, Cloves and a piece of cinnamon
2 Shallots, sliced
1 cup Grated coconut
1 Onion, finely chopped
2 Green chilies, slit
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Red chilly powder
3 tsp Coriander powder
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Few Curry leaves
Few Mustard seeds
Few Dry red chilies
Coconut oil or any oil, as per need
Salt, to taste

Method:

• Cook the cubed potatoes in a pressure cooker/ pan until soft. Drain the water and keep the cooked potatoes aside.
• Heat around 1 tsp of coconut oil in a pan and add fennel seeds, cloves and cinnamon. Tip in the sliced shallots and saute them until they turn translucent.
• Now add the grated coconut to it and roast until it turns reddish brown. Add turmeric powder, chili powder, coriander powder, crushed black pepper, salt and saute for a few more seconds. Let this mixture cool slightly and then grind it to a fine paste by adding little water.
• Meanwhile tip in the finely chopped onions with some oil in a pan. Saute for 2 mins and add the green chilies and salt. As the onions start to turn brown, add the potatoes and mix well further for 2 mins.    
• Now add the ground coconut mixture and mix well. Cook until the gravy achieves your desired consistency.  
• In a small pan, heat a tsp of oil and splutter mustard seeds followed by few dry red chilies and curry leaves. Add this to the potato curry and your dish is ready to be served.

Notes : The gravy tends to thicken a bit over time, so adjust the consistency of gravy as per choice.  If you want to add a hint of tanginess, you could add a finely chopped tomato along with the cooked and cubed potatoes. 
I made a meal out of this potato curry with ghee rice, beans stir fry topped with hot poppadoms and a spicy mango pickle & it was yummm :)

                                        ♥ Thank you ♥