How long does Ulli Theeyal take?

57 minutes from start to finish. That is 20 minutes of preparation and 37 minutes of cooking.

How many people does Ulli Theeyal serve?

4. The ingredient quantities on this page rescale if you are cooking for a different number.

Is Ulli Theeyal vegetarian?

Yes. No meat, no fish and no egg.

Is Ulli Theeyal spicy?

It is medium: 2 on our scale of 3. Chilli scales gently when you change the servings, so doubling the recipe does not double the heat.

What do I need to make Ulli Theeyal?

250 grams Small Onion (Shallots), 12 grams Tamarind, 80 grams Coconut, 8 grams Coriander Seeds, 1 grams Fenugreek Seeds, 1 grams Cumin, and a few more listed on this page.

Do I need a pressure cooker for Ulli Theeyal?

No, it is cooked in an open pot.

How many calories are in Ulli Theeyal?

About 242 a serving. The full nutrition table is on this page, per serving and for the whole batch.

Ulli TheeyalCook

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Ulli Theeyal

Name: Ulli Theeyal
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 37 min
Total time: 57 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian, Kerala
Ingredients: 12 grams Tamarind, Soaked; 150 ml Water, For Soaking; 2 tsp Coconut Oil; 80 grams Coconut, Grated; 8 grams Coriander Seeds; 5 Dry Red Chilli, De-stemmed; 1 grams Fenugreek Seeds; 1 grams Cumin; 100 ml Water, For Grinding; 2 tsp Coconut Oil; 250 grams Small Onion (Shallots), Peeled; 1 grams Turmeric Powder; 1 tsp Salt; 5 grams Jaggery, Powdered; 150 ml Water, For Cooking; 1 tbsp Coconut Oil; 1 tsp Mustard Seeds; 2 Dry Red Chilli; 2 grams Curry leaves

57 min
medium
Serves 4

Prep 20 min · Cook 37 min

Start cooking

7 steps, one at a time. Big words for every step, and a timer where a step waits.

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Also known as theeyal, onion theeyal · Veg · Curries & Gravies, Kuzhambu, Sambar & Rasam

Curries & Gravies Kuzhambu, Sambar & Rasam Vegan Gluten-free Dairy-free

Ulli theeyal is a Kerala gravy of fried shallots in a dark roasted coconut paste with tamarind and jaggery. Medium-spicy, serves 4, about 55 minutes.

Low calorie

Good for: Onam

Ingredients

18 items

4 people

Tamarind, Soaked12 grams
Water, For Soaking150 ml
Coconut Oil4 tsp
Coconut, Grated80 grams
Coriander Seeds8 grams
Dry Red Chilli, De-stemmed5
Fenugreek Seeds1 grams
Cumin1 grams
Water, For Grinding100 ml
Small Onion (Shallots), Peeled250 grams
Turmeric Powder1 grams
Salt1 tsp
Jaggery, Powdered5 grams
Water, For Cooking150 ml
Coconut Oil1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds1 tsp
Dry Red Chilli2
Curry leaves2 grams

Nutrition

Per 1 person, and for all 4 people. Worked out from the ingredients, so treat it as a close guide.

Nutrient	Per 1 person	All 4 people
Energy	242kcal	968kcal
Protein	3.7g	15g
Carbohydrate	22g	88g
Fat	18g	70g
Fibre	7.5g	30g
Sugar	9.6g	38g

Cookd masalas for small onion (shallots)

Method

1
Get ready: peel the shallots and keep them whole, and grate the coconut. Remove the stems from five dry red chillies and break the other two. Powder the jaggery and wash the curry leaves. Soak the tamarind in 150 ml water for 10 minutes, then squeeze and strain the tamarind water.
TamarindWater
2
Heat 2 teaspoons coconut oil in a kadai on low flame for 1 minute until warm. Add the coconut and roast for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring, until deep brown but not burnt. Add the coriander seeds, five dry red chillies, fenugreek seeds and cumin and roast for 2 more minutes. Cool, then grind with 100 ml water to a smooth paste.
Coconut OilCoconutCoriander SeedsDry Red ChilliFenugreek SeedsCuminWater
3
Heat 2 teaspoons coconut oil in the same kadai on medium flame. Add the whole shallots and fry for 6 to 8 minutes until soft with lightly browned edges. Add the turmeric and salt and stir for 30 seconds.
Coconut OilSmall Onion (Shallots)Turmeric PowderSalt
4
Add the strained tamarind water. Boil on medium flame for 5 minutes until the raw tamarind smell goes.
5
Add the ground coconut paste, jaggery and 150 ml water. Mix well and simmer on low flame for 6 to 8 minutes until the gravy thickens and oil shows at the sides.
JaggeryWater
6
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small tadka pan for 1 minute until hot. Add the mustard seeds and let them splutter for 30 seconds. Add the broken dry red chillies and curry leaves, then fry for 30 seconds until the chillies darken and the leaves are crisp. Pour the tempering over the theeyal.
Coconut OilMustard SeedsDry Red ChilliCurry leaves
7
Mix gently and simmer on low flame for 2 minutes until the gravy is gently bubbling. Serve with rice.

Before you start

How long does Ulli Theeyal take?: 57 minutes from start to finish. That is 20 minutes of preparation and 37 minutes of cooking.
How many people does Ulli Theeyal serve?: 4. The ingredient quantities on this page rescale if you are cooking for a different number.
Is Ulli Theeyal vegetarian?: Yes. No meat, no fish and no egg.
Is Ulli Theeyal spicy?: It is medium: 2 on our scale of 3. Chilli scales gently when you change the servings, so doubling the recipe does not double the heat.
What do I need to make Ulli Theeyal?: 250 grams Small Onion (Shallots), 12 grams Tamarind, 80 grams Coconut, 8 grams Coriander Seeds, 1 grams Fenugreek Seeds, 1 grams Cumin, and a few more listed on this page.
Do I need a pressure cooker for Ulli Theeyal?: No, it is cooked in an open pot.
How many calories are in Ulli Theeyal?: About 242 a serving. The full nutrition table is on this page, per serving and for the whole batch.

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