Inji Curry
Ginger tamarind pickle-curry — fresh ginger peeled and cut into small pieces, fried in coconut oil until golden and slightly crisp, then a concentrated paste made from tamarind, jaggery, dried red chilli, mustard seeds, and curry leaves cooked down in the same oil until thick and dark. The fried ginger pieces are added to the thick, sweet-sour-spicy base and simmered briefly until the ginger absorbs the tamarind and jaggery. The result is a thick, dark-brown, intensely flavoured condiment that is simultaneously sweet from the jaggery, sour from the tamarind, hot from the ginger and chilli, and bitter from the fenugreek seeds. Served in a small portion on the Onam Sadya banana leaf as one of the essential pickled condiments; considered a mandatory part of any authentic Kerala feast. A Travancore speciality rarely seen outside Kerala.
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Recipe
Ingredients
| 1 cup | fresh ginger |
| 2 tablespoons | tamarind pulp |
| 2 tablespoons | jaggery |
| 2 tablespoons | coconut oil |
| 1 teaspoon | mustard seeds |
| 1 teaspoon | fenugreek seeds |
| 2 tablespoons | curry leaves |
| 4 pieces | dried red chilies |
| 1 teaspoon | turmeric powder |
| 1 teaspoon | red chili powder |
| — | salt to taste |
| 1 cup | water |
Instructions
- 1 Peel and finely chop the ginger into small pieces.
- 2 Heat coconut oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add fenugreek seeds, curry leaves, and dried red chilies.
- 3 Add the chopped ginger to the pan and sauté until it turns golden brown.
- 4 Mix in turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt. Stir well.
- 5 Add tamarind pulp and water to the pan. Let it simmer until the mixture thickens.
- 6 Add jaggery and continue to cook until the curry reaches a thick consistency.
- 7 Adjust salt and sweetness as needed, then remove from heat.
Tips
For a more intense flavor, roast the ginger slightly before chopping.