Pala Kottai Olan - Jack Fruit Seeds And Pumpkin In Coconut milk

PALA KOTTAI OLAN

My family relishes Pala Kottai / jack fruit seeds cooked in koottu, sambar and puli kuzhambu.

Olan is prepared using pumpkin and karamani. For a change I prepared pala kottai olan using jack fruit seeds instead of karamani ( black eyed beans ) which is used in the preparation of traditional olan.

INGREDIENTS

Peeled and cubed pumpkin - 2 cups

Jack fruit seeds - 10

Thick coconut milk - 1 cup

Thin coconut milk - 2 to 3 cups

Slit green chilly - 1

Crushed black peppar - 1/4 tsp

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Coconut oil - 1 tbsp

Curry leaves - a few

TO EXTRACT COCONUT MILK

1. Grind 2 cups of fresh coconut gratings into a very smooth paste adding 1 cup of water.

2. Pass the paste through a thin cloth or a fine wire mesh sieve and extract the first thick milk. Keep this first milk aside.

3. Grind the same coconut gratings once again adding 2 1/2 cups of water and extract the second thin milk.

TO PREPARE THE JACK FRUIT SEEDS

1. Sun dry the seeds and peel the shells and separate the seeds.

Microwave the seeds for fifteen seconds or until you hear the first popping sound, cool and peel the cracked shells to separate the seeds.

2. Pressure cook the peeled seeds without adding water.

Boil the seeds with enough water in a thick bottomed vessel until the seeds are well cooked.

PREPARATION OF PALA KOTTAI OLAN

1. Cook together the peeled and cubed pumpkin, slit green chilly and crushed pepper using the thin coconut milk.

2. Cover and cook on low flame till the vegetable is nearly done.

3. Add the cooked jack fruit seeds and salt and cook till the liquid reduces to a considerable quantity.The pumpkin should become soft but not mushy.

4. Add coconut oil and curry leaves and cook for two more minutes.

5. Blend in the thick coconut milk and immediately switch off flame.

To thicken a runny olan, take out a table spoon of the cooked pumpkin pieces and mash using the back of a spoon and add the pulp back to the simmering dish, before adding the thick coconut milk.

The flavour of the coconut milk, the mild sweetness of the pumpkin and the soft jack fruit seeds will make any one crave for more and more pala kottai olan.