carrot coconut stir fry

With the coming of hot days my thoughts always linger around old holiday rituals of going to movies with a friend to escape the sullen heat and stalling under a road side tree for a drink of cool coconut water on our way back.. even if we sometimes get the packaged water here, it doesn't compare to the freshness of a sip from the newly plucked coconut. Every now and then I try to make up for it by cooking something with this sweet tasting fruit.

Around three years ago I shared a recipe combining string beans and coconut here. Since then I have been meaning to write about another variation with carrots. I am sorry about falling off the wagon when it comes to cooking posts : /

This recipe tastes good on its own as a salad or as a side dish with rice while feeling light in the tummy. I hope you will try it sometime :)

serves 4.
Ingredients

Carrots - 6 (peel and grate finely or chop into tiny pieces)
Coconut (finely grated) - ¼ cup (if fresh)/2tbsps (if using dry coconut)
Green chilies - 2
Oil - 1 tbsp or little more
Kari leaves - a sprig (also often referred as curry leaves)
Red chilies - 1
Bengal gram (Chana dal) - 1 tsp
Split black gram (Urad dal) - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Turmeric - a pinch
Salt to taste
Garlic - 1 clove (optional)

seasoning and stir-fry

Take a wide skillet and set it on medium heat. Add oil. Once the oil is hot enough, add chana dal. When you notice that they are beginning to turn pink, add urad dal, red chilies. Wait a couple of seconds and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds. When the mustard seeds are beginning to splutter, add Kari leaves. Hold a lid or spatter screen over the pan so that the seeds won’t splatter all over. Put in a crushed or finely chopped garlic clove and sauté it for a second.

Now add finely grated carrot, salt, turmeric and green chilies. Mix well and stir fry on medium heat.

Once the carrot softens and loses its crunch, add coconut and continue to sauté for few more minutes.
Turn it off early to have it as a light salad or you can let this cook until it is almost dry and all the moisture evaporates for a nutty texture but don't let the coconut turn brown.

Variations

- You can follow the same recipe for finely chopped or shredded cabbage or even mix cabbage and carrot together. I guess if you like coconut, it will be perfect with any vegetable.
- You can also add sprouts of any kind in the end to make it more hearty and healthy.

Have a great week! ( ' u ' )