Zucchini Coconut Milk Curry

03 Oct Zucchini Coconut Milk Curry

Zucchini Coconut milk curry is a typical Indian curry with this typically Western vegetable.

Zuchhini originated from America. Zucchinis are members of the Cucuribita family and is a type of summer squash. Initially it was not freely available in India. It was branded an exotic vegetable. Though India grows many vegetables in the Cucurbitae family, like lauki, turai, tinda, pumpkin etc., Zucchini was never attempted. It being a member of the summer squash family, it was found that India is the best to grow them commercially.

As per the latest research, farmers in Haryana have started growing this vegetable. They have discovered that it is a gourd that grows fast and gets a much better price than lauki (bottle gourd) when sold in markets, like Delhi. As a result, cultivation has shot up for this green or yellow gourd, which goes by the name of Jugni, the local way of saying zucchini. Now zuchhini is no more an exotic vegetable. Its available with almost all vegetable vendors everywhere.

Zucchini is a very versatile vegetable. It can be eaten raw, cooked, steamed, added to muffins and cakes, soups….. It is very low in carbs at only 3g net carbs per cup and packed with vitamins C & A and many other nutrients.

Zuchhini Coconut milk curry is spicy and rich dish. The khukhus paste gives an extra bounce to the dish. Khus Khus paste is the prominant ingredient in many Bengali Dishes. This dish is a cross between Kerala Stew and Bengali sabzi. This is a very healthy and easy to make dish.

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups zucchini cut into cubes
• ½ cup grated fresh coconut
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
• ½ tsp Khuskhus (poppy seeds)
• 2 dry red chillies
• ¼ cup chopped onion
• 1 to 2 tablespoon grated jaggery
• ½ cup coconut milk
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp oil

For tempering:

• 1 tsp coconut oil
• 2 red chillies broken
• 10 to 12 curry leaves

Directions:

• Steam zucchini till they become just soft. Do not overcook.
• In a pan, add oil and roast coriander seeds, fennel seeds, poppy seeds and red chiilies.
• Once they become red, add onions and roast further till onion loses raw smell. Switch off the flame.
• Cool & grind with coconut to a smooth paste.
• In the same pan, add the steamed zucchini, ground paste, salt and ¼ cup water and bring it to boil.
• Add the jaggery and mix well
• Lower the flame, add the coconut milk and bring it to just one boil.
• Heat the coconut oil and add the tempering ingredients.
• Pour over the curry.

Try this Zucchini Coconut Milk Curry with rice or rotis.