Chettinad Vellai Kurma

This week my theme for BM is Cooking with colors. For this theme we have to pick a color and cook. The main ingredient should be the color what we have chosen,The final product may be in the same color or not, that is not a point. Here I have tried to give the final product also the same color because it is my favorite color. Yes White is my favorite color and I have chosen the ingredient for white is coconut, which is again my favorite ingredient. I wanted to make a gravy with coconut but what ever gravy or kurmas we make with coconut finely they turn in to other color because of red chili powder and turmeric powder. Then I remember about this white kurmas which are very popular in Hyderabadi cuisine. Not only in Hyderabadi cuisine one white gravy kurma is very popular in Chettinad cuisine also. Chettinad Vellai Kurma one of the most popular side dish for idli, dosa, parota, ghee rice and even with plain rice. This vellai kurma is a perfect blend with coconut and fennel seed flavor and lot's of vegetables. Apart from vegetables they make this kurma with chicken also but I tried with mixed vegetables so lets check the recipe...
INGREDIENTS:--
Potato  ---- 1 big peel and cut in to small cubes
Carrot  ----  2 peel and cut in to small cubes
Beans   ---   50 gms cut in to half inch pieces
Pumpkin   ----  half inch pieces 1 cup
Brinjal  ----  4 cut in to half inch pieces
Onion   ----  1 big finely chopped
Tomato  ----  1 big finely chopped
Curry leaves  --- 2 springs
FOR MASALA PASTE:--
Grated fresh coconut ---  3 tab sp
Poppy seeds  ---  1 tab sp
Dalia (fried chick peas, pottukadalai, buna chana)  --- 1 tea sp
Ginger   ---  1/2 in ch piece
Garlic  ----  6 cloves
Green chillis  ---  4 or according to your taste
Yogurt (curd) ---  1/2 cup
Coriander powder  --- 1 tea sp
Fennel seeds  ---  1/2 tea sp
Cashew nuts  ---  6
FOR TADKA:--
Oil -- 3 tea sp
Cloves  --- 4
Cinamon  --- 1 inch stick
Cardamom  -- 3
Bay leaves --- 2 broken
Cumin seeds  -- 1 tea sp
Fennel seeds  -- 1/2
OTHER INGREDIENTS
Salt to taste
Fresh coriander leaves 1 tab sp for garnishing
Garam masala powder  ---1/4 tea sp optional
METHOD:---
1. Grated fresh coconut, poppy seeds, dalia,ginger,garlic,green chillis,
yogurt (curd), Coriander powder,fennel seeds,cashew nuts grind all these ingredients in to a fine paste and set a side.
2. Heat oil in a pan add cloves, cinamon, cardamom, bay leaves, cumin seeds, fennel seeds and let them splutter
3. Then add curry leaves, chopped oinion and fry till translucent.Don't over fry the onions if onion turn in to brown then youe garvy also change the color, we have to keep them white because we are making a white gravy.
4. Add chopped tomato cook for a few minutes then add vegetable pieces, salt to taste, 2 cups of water cover and cook in a medium heat for 10 minutes or till vegetables are tender.
5. Now add ground masala give a good stir cover and cook for 10 more minutes in a medium heat or till oil separates from the gravy. Here check the gravy if your gravy is too thik then add 1/2 cup more water mix well and bring to full boil, adjust the seasoning cook for 2 more minutes in a medium heat  and switch off the heat, garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
Serve hot with Idlis, kaldosa, iddiyappam, appam, chapati, ghee rice or simply with white rice even this a wonderful combination with poori too.
This is my first post for Blogging Marathon 29th edition under  Cooking With Colors theme let's check other BM members recipes here