Carrot Curry (Porrial, Stir-fry)

Carrot Curry

Carrot Curry
Carrot Curry

Often, the simplest pairings make the most fabulous dishes. South Indian carrot curry (or porrial, as it is sometimes called) is the simplest Indian vegetable stir-fry that you could possibly make. Carrots are not that alien to Indian cooking. In fact, they are originally from neighboring Afghanistan and have been incorporated into Indian cooking for quite some time. However, the current variety of carrot that is widely used in Indian cooking is a domesticated version of a wild carrot originally believed to be from the Netherlands.

In this dish, the goal is to make the spicy chile taste stand out ever so slightly against the backdrop of the subtle sweetness of the coconut and the carrots. The Instant Pot provides an excellent way to steam the vegetables without losing their nutrients.

Carrot curry is a pure vegetarian and a vegan dish. You can also make this dish gluten free, if you avoid the hing. Hing in its pure form is gluten free, but many vendors add wheat flour to reduce the intensity of its flavor.

 

Print Recipe
 Carrot Curry (Porrial, Stir-fry)
Often, the simplest pairings make the most fabulous dishes. South Indian carrot curry (or porrial, as it is sometimes called) is the simplest Indian vegetable stir-fry that you could possibly make. Carrot curry is a pure vegetarian and a vegan dish. You can also make this dish gluten free, if you avoid the hing. Hing in its pure form is gluten free, but many vendors add wheat flour to reduce the intensity of its flavor.
Carrot Curry
Course Vegetable Curry/Stir-fry
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time 10
Cook Time 10
Passive Time 10
Servings
Ingredients
Dry Spices
Vegetables
  • 2 cup Carrot Seven large diced into a medium cube.
  • 1/4 cup Green peas Dried green peas soaked overnight
  • 1/4 tsp Ginger Diced Fine. Small amount just for taste.
  • 1 Green Chili Serrano pepper large diced fine
  • 3 tbsp Coconut Shredded - frozen coconut (raw, not sweetened)
  • leaves Curry leaves Few
  • leaves Cilantro Few
Other
Course Vegetable Curry/Stir-fry
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time 10
Cook Time 10
Passive Time 10
Servings
Ingredients
Dry Spices
Vegetables
  • 2 cup Carrot Seven large diced into a medium cube.
  • 1/4 cup Green peas Dried green peas soaked overnight
  • 1/4 tsp Ginger Diced Fine. Small amount just for taste.
  • 1 Green Chili Serrano pepper large diced fine
  • 3 tbsp Coconut Shredded - frozen coconut (raw, not sweetened)
  • leaves Curry leaves Few
  • leaves Cilantro Few
Other
Carrot Curry
Instructions
  1. Peel the carrots' outer skin and dice them into small cubes. Dice the green chilies into small pieces.
  2. Add 1.5 cups of water into the Inner Pot of the Instant Pot (IP). Insert a stainless-steel steamer basket. Place the diced carrots and the green peas in the steamer basket.
  3. Select ‘Steam’ with vent sealed, cook for 1 min. Once the steam cycle is done, release the pressure by venting the steam out.
  4. Pour the contents of the dry spices into a wide non-stick frying pan (put the spices in one small area of the frying pan).
  5. Pour vegetable oil over the spices (enough to soak the spices plus a little more).
  6. Heat on medium. When you first hear the sound of the mustard seed "popping," add the curry leaves, ginger and green chilies, and stir for a few seconds.
  7. Pour the contents of the cooked carrots and the green peas into the frying pan and spread evenly across the surface of the pan.
  8. Add salt, and let the carrots cook on medium heat. Since the carrots are already cooked, just fold the cooked carrots in with a spatula until they are coated/mixed well with the spices.
  9. Add the shredded coconut and stir until the coconut is mixed and blended with the rest of the curry.
  10. Sprinkle a few cilantro leaves on top as garnish and serve hot.

Rava Upma, the common man’s polenta.

Rava Upma

Rava Upma
Rava Upma

Upma is the humble Indian version of a polenta or a spicy porridge. However, despite its modest beginning, it takes on multiple incarnations thanks to the many forgiving ways you can forge its recipe. For example, Floyd Cardoz, a Bombay-born New York chef, recently won the coveted Top Chef Masters contest in Los Angeles by taking this dish and upping it to an haute cuisine. Its unassuming nature starts with its name, which simply translates to ‘salty flour.’ It has always been a breakfast for sadhus, and aam aadmis and is the go-to food for train journeys and school lunches. However, by the time you are old enough to get out of your parents’ home, you, like me, had such an overdose of Rava Upma that you want to be miles away from any kitchen that serves this dish for the rest of your life. But the secret allure of this dish cannot be denied, and you eventually crave for it. This recipe goes back to the basics, and presents its classic taste by keeping it very simple. Please give it a try.

Print Recipe
 Rava Upma, the common man’s polenta.
Upma is the humble Indian version of a polenta or a spicy porridge. However, despite its modest beginning, it takes on multiple incarnations thanks to the many forgiving ways you can forge its recipe. This recipe goes back to the basics, and presents its classic taste by keeping it very simple. Avoid butter in this recipe to make it a vegan dish. Please give it a try.
Rava Upma
Course Rice
Cuisine Indian
Servings
Ingredients
Dry Spices
Vegetables
Other
Course Rice
Cuisine Indian
Servings
Ingredients
Dry Spices
Vegetables
Other
Rava Upma
Instructions
  1. Rinse and soak the green peas overnight.
  2. Pour the contents of the dry spices into a wide non-stick frying pan (put the spices in one small area of the frying pan). Pour the vegetable oil over the spices (enough to soak the spices plus a little more).
  3. Heat on medium. When you first hear the sound of the mustard seed "popping," add the diced green chilies, curry leaves, butter, and ginger into the pan. Stir until the butter melts. Mix all the spices together well for a minute.
  4. Add onions to the frying pan. Stir occasionally until the onions become translucent. They don’t need to be cooked to a 'golden brown' color.
  5. Add two cups of water to the frying pan. Add green peas and salt. Bring the water to a first boil.
  6. Add soji (rava) slowly while constantly stirring so that it does not form any lumps.
  7. Keep stirring the mix until all the water is absorbed. It should happen fairly quickly.
  8. Reduce the heat to low, and close the pan with its lid for a few minutes, until the soji is cooked and becomes fluffy and moist.
  9. Serve hot with chutney for breakfast.