Kerala style ishtu or stew made of coconut milk with potatoes, onion and ginger is very popular in Kerala. This side dish is a breakfast dish and is usually served with idli, dosa, appam and even it goes well with bread.
My mom’s ishtu is so mouth watering and it is quite easy to make. I have made no variations in this recipe.
INGREDIENTS
Potato medium 1
Onion medium 1
Ginger 1′ piece
Coconut grated 1cup
Green chillies 2
Coconut oil 2 tsp
Corn flour or rice 2 tsp
Curry leaf 1 sprig
Salt to taste
METHOD
Heat kadai / pan and put diced onion, potato, slit green chillies, grated ginger and salt with enough water to cook them or put all these into a pressure cooker and cook for 1 whistle.
Grind the grated coconut and rice with little water and strain it to get a thick coconut milk (onaam pal or first milk).
Again grind the coconut with little water and strain to get a thinner coconut milk ( randaam pal or second milk).
If rice is not added while grinding, mix 1 tsp cornflour each with first and second coconut milk.
Pour in the second milk to the cooked vegetables and allow it to boil on low fire. Add the first milk and when it starts bubbling remove from fire. Do not let it boil or it will curdle.
Add coconut oil and curry leaves. Serve it hot with Idli, appam, dosa, bread etc.
Note: Rice is added with grated coconut while grinding to thicken the gravy or if you are not adding rice add cornflour to the coconut milk and then cook.
Add the second coconut milk first to the gravy, then the first milk.