Inji (Ginger) Curry

Besides the main delicacies of an Onam sadya, there are the small side dishes that make the meal complete and memorable. For me, Inji Curry is one of them. The sharp taste of ginger is mellowed down by the sourness of the tamarind and the sweetness of the jaggery. The taste improves as it ages. So, on other days, I eat it like a chutney with parathas, plain dal-rice and even dosas.

Ingredients:
 6 whole red chillies
1/2 tsp fenugreek (methi) seeds
1 tsp cumin (jeera) seeds
250 gms ginger
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp tamarind paste
2 cubes jaggery
2 tsp vegetable oil

Method:
Roast whole red chillies, fenugreek seeds and cumin seeds one by one on a hot tawa. Let it cool and poweder them together.

Clean and grate the ginger finely. Fry the grated ginger in a 1 1/2 tbsp oil to remove the raw taste. Once cool, grind it into a paste.

Heat the remaining oil and add the mustard seeds. When the seeds splutter, add the powdered masala. Add the ground ginger, tamarind paste, jaggery and salt to taste. Cook until all the jaggery melts and all the ingredients blend well into a thick consistency.

Once cool, store in a air-tight container. It keeps well in the refrigerator for one month.

NOTE: Amma read this post and told me that the consistency should be like a thick curry. Since I used tamarind paste instead of tamarind water, the above recipe turns out to be like a chutney. So, to get a curry like consistency, mix the tamarind paste with 1 cup water and follow the rest of the recipe.