The warm aroma of coconut oil, the sweet creaminess of coconut milk with the subtle spice notes from the ginger makes this Potato Ishtew a delicious vegetarian preparation.
Another classic, traditional dish that enjoys its quiet spot on the Onam sadhya spread. For decades, like most Keralites, I called this dish potato ishtew (well, that’s how this dish is known everywhere in Kerala!) Finally, it dawned on me that its stew and ‘ishtew’ was just another example of how we would copy something from others and make it truly our own. But what’s in a name? This dish is still called ishtew and served with a lot of pride just like we do everything in Kerala.
The potato ishtew is an extremely simple dish to prepare. This is one dish where the potato actually gets sidelined and the coconut takes over. The taste that hits your senses is the warm aroma of coconut oil with the rich sweet creaminess of coconut milk against the subtle hotness from the ginger. Works wonderfully with steamed rice but perhaps, the best accompaniment is soft appams.
Freshly squeezed coconut milk is the best to make this potato ishtew. The store bought packaged ones lack the sweetness. If you can’t get your hands on fresh coconut, then the frozen ones from Indian stores is the next best thing. Defrost, add a spoon or two of warm water and blitz well; drain and squeeze the ground coconut for fresh, sweet, thick coconut milk.
For more delicious Onam recipes; visit this article.
Kerala style Potato Ishtew/Stew
Ingredients
- Potato – 2 peeled and diced
- green chilli – 2 slit
- onion – 1 small diced
- ginger – 1 inch chopped finely
- salt – to season
- thick coconut milk – ½ cup
- coconut oil – 1 tsp
Instructions
- Cook potatoes with slit green chillies, diced onion, sliced ginger and salt in a pressure cooker for 2 whistles.
- Mash slightly and add thick coconut milk.
- Heat coconut oil and pour on top.
Leave a Reply