Vellarika Puliserry

Today I made Vellarika Puliserry or Cucumber in coconut yoghurt gravy. Puliserry is one of the items that will be served during our sadhya or feast. Puliserry is a very light dish filled with all the goodness of cucumbers and tangy yoghurt. By the way, the word 'Puli' in Malayalam means Tanginess.  

I have a hate - like relationship with Puliserry. During my childhood, I used to like the dish a lot where as my sister used to hate it.  Then during teenage I also started hating it. By that time, my sis had (reluctantly I am sure), reached a truce with the dish and started eating it. I am sure my mom had gone crazy with all the hate - like attitude of her daughters during those days :)

Puliserry can be made with out using cucumbers as well. My mom usually prepares either without cucumbers or with Mangoes ( Mambaza Puliserry). The cucumber I used for making the dish is not the usual green colored one but the yellow colored cucumbers that I happened to buy last week end. See the picture below. 

When it is cut into two, it looks like the below pic. 

I usually deseed them and cut them into cubes for using in the puliserry. Since I am making curry for just two people that too for a one time serving, I used only one  halved piece for making the dish today. Please increase the quantity as per your number of servings. 

Vellarika Puliserry ( Cucumbers in Coconut - yoghurt gravy)

Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min

Ingredients:

One half of a Yellow Cucumber - Please increase the quantity as per the number of people and per your serving size. ( I have tried the dish with green cucumbers and the dish tastes good. but the authentic taste of the dish is given by the usage of the yellow cucumbers) 
1/2 - 3/4 cup grated coconut
2 - 3 shallots
1 green chilly - Use as per the spiciness
1 Tbsp Cumin seeds
1 cup yoghurt
1 Tbsp Mustard seeds
1/4 Tbsp Fenugreek Seeds
3 - 4 Curry Leaves
2 dry red chillies
1 Tbsp Oil
Salt

Prepping:

Step 1 : Peel, Deseed and cut the cucumber into cubes.
Step 2 : Cut shallots and green chillies into small pieces.
Step 3 : Grind the grated coconut, cumin seeds, green chillies and little salt and water to a smooth paste. 
Step 4: Blend the thick curd ( yoghurt) in a blender/Mixer. This step is optional. I dont add water usually for blending and do this just to smoothen my yoghurt. 

Method of Preparing:

Step 1: 

Cook the cubed cucumbers in a wide pan with a little salt, turmeric and a little water. Take care not to add too much water and not to overcook the cucumbers. See below. When my cucumbers were done, water had almost evaporated. 

Step 2: 

Add the ground coconut paste to the cooked cucumbers and let it cook for 3 - 4 min. Check for salt and adjust.

Step 3:

Now add the yoghurt and mix well. Heat for 2 - 3 min. Make sure that the yoghurt do not start boiling.  Switch off. 

Step 4: 

Heat oil in another pan. Once the oil becomes hot, add mustard seeds. Once it crackles, add fenugreek seeds, curry leaves, dry red chillies and the shallots. Fry the shallots till slightly brown and switch off. 

Pour the tempering over the coconut - yoghurt curry.

 Yummy Puliserry is ready. Serve with rice. 

For making Puliserry without adding cucumbers :

Just ignore adding cucumbers and boiling them and start with adding the ground coconut paste to a pan and cooking it for 3 min or so. Follow the rest of the steps as mentioned above. I love cucumbers and hence add them every time :) 

I am sending the recipe to "know your dairy event" started by Jagruthi and hosted this month by PJ of seduce your tastebuds blog.