Olan is quite essential part of Onam Sadya Menu. Have you ever craved for a dish which you havent tasted in your life time...? Yes this is what happened to me... dont really know where I fell in for this olan either the look of it or my friends influence not really sure...I wanted to try olan since last year but somehow missed to post it...this year when I compiled the list of dishes to post for onam, olan topped the list :)
I first got the recipe from my friend(mittus friends mother) and tried it instantly...and we all loved it to the core. It is a very simple dish to make with pure coconut milk flavour....yummy is an understatement I say :) It is creamy and thick so that while serving in banana leaf its easy to serve.
Olan Recipe - Ingredients
Preparation Time : 10 mins | Cooking Time : 15 mins | Serves : 2
Recipe Category: Sidedish | Recipe Cuisine: Kerala
Ash gourd - 1 cup chopped
Cowpeas(Thattapayir) - 1/4 cup
Green Chillies - 2 slitted
Thin Coconut milk - 1 cup
Thick Coconut milk - 1/2 cup
Curry leaves - a small sprig
Coconut Oil - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Method:
- Peel of the skin of ashgourd and chop them into bite sized pieces,Set aside.Soak the bean overnight and pressure with little water until the bean turns soft but not mushy may be for 5 whistles(I made a little more than 1/4 cup for sundal),Set aside.Heat up 1/2 cup of water along with 1 cup thin coconut milk - add ashgourd and green chillies to it.
- Cook till the veggie turns soft(not mushy it should hold its shape).Then add cooked beans, required salt and thick coconut milk.
- When its about to boil switch off.Add curry leaves and drizzle coconut oil and add it to the curry.
Serve warm with rice or any variety rice.
My Notes:
- Make sure you cook both ashgourd and bean to hold its shape and not too mushy.
- Also after thick coconut milk is added dont cook for more time as it will start to curdle.
- Olan slightly thickens after resting time.
- For cooking ashgourd you can even cook it in plain water but cooking in coconut milk enhances the flavour of the curry.
- I cooked the bean with very little water(just immersing level)....As I wanted my olan to be white in color as it should be, I drained the water from the bean then added.Else the olan will turn to brown color.
- Give an hrs resting time atleast for the veggies and bean to absorb the curry well.
- I used homemade coconut milk, you can use coconut milk powder or readymade coconut milk which comes in cartons too.
- The veggies are purely your choice.You can even use yellow pumpkin for this curry.
Labels: Onam Sadhya Menu, Veggies