Olan is a traditional Keralite preparation. Kerala the Southern most state of India, known as God’s own Country with its beautiful back waters, beaches, swaying palms and a host of other tourist attractions uses coconuts in plenty in their cuisine. Olan is a must during auspicious ocassions. Vegetables cooked in coconut milk, flavoured with green chillies, curry leaves and ginger, drizzled with Coconut oil, make it so fragrant, that one can make a meal of it!
Ingredients :
- 200 gms Ashgourd
- 100 gms Cowpeas /Lobhia
- 1 small Coconut grated
- 4 green chillies
- 1 inch piece of ginger
- 2 sprigs curry leaves
- Salt
- 3 tsps Coconut oil
Method :
Deskin the Ashgourd, remove the seeds and chop it into bite sized pieces. Wash and pressure cook to one whistle in a glass of water with salt. Drain the water and keep it aside. Pressure cook the Cowpeas with a little salt in two glasses of water till done. Drain the water and keep this aside too. Chop the green chillies, grate the ginger and drop it into the cooked Ashgourd and Cowpeas mixture. Use the drained water to grind the coconut to a smooth paste. Strain the extract through a thin cloth. Keep it aside. Similarly, extract coconut milk twice, till the residue is devoid of any coconut milk. Pour the second and third extract into the Ashgourd and Cowpeas mixture. Adjust salt. Add the curry leaves and boil well for five minutes. Now add the first extract and after it has come to a boil allow it to simmer for a minute. Switch off and drizzle with coconut oil. Keep aside for fifteen minutes for the flavours to infuse before serving.
