carrot palya & a flower mandala

Golden rays of spring colours peeking through and enjoying this unusual stillness…

This is a quick and easy dish to serve with dosa or chapati.  It’s especially good with a bowl of guacamole and a spicy Indian Sambar.

tips

• The secret to getting this simple palya just right is to saute the grated carrot minimally so that it is slightly soft but still retains freshness and isn’t overcooked.  
• The smaller grater attachment on the food processor or box grater improves the finished dish.  
• The jaggery and coconut make it slightly sweet, so it is a favourite with the younger and more fussier eaters in the family.
• I keep it very simple because I love how the carrots shine, but you could easily spruce it up by adding finely chopped fresh coriander, a squeeze of lemon, and a sprinkling of lemon zest.

a simple carrot palya

for Anna

preparation 10 minutes

serves 4  (I use one small-medium carrot per person).

ingredients

3 medium carrots

1 Tbsp spoon ghee/oil

½ tsp mustard seeds

¼ tsp turmeric powder

1 generous tsp jaggery/brown sugar

2 heaped Tbsp unsweetened dried coconut

¼ tsp fine rock salt

preparation

1. Top, tail, and peel the carrots. Grate the carrots using a smaller hand grater or your food processor (using the smaller grater attachment). Pick out the bigger bits and finely chop them, adding them back in with the rest of the grated carrots. Set aside.
2. In a skillet, add the ghee and mustard seeds. When they turn grey, add the turmeric and grated carrots. Use two spoons to toss the carrots around as you would toss a salad, keeping the carrots moving. Saute just for a minute or two. 
3. Add the jaggery, dried coconut and a sprinkling of salt.  

Serve immediately, or if you are making ahead, transfer to another dish so it doesn’t continue to cook, then serve at room temperature.

Goodness shared from Stacey