Inji Curry / Ginger Curry

Aromatic and Spicy Kerala Style Ginger / Inji Curry, a must try Classic from Kerala Cuisine …!!

Inji curry … an inevitable side dish of Sadya and a mouthwatering delicacy, is a popular recipe from Kerala cuisine. It’s an amalgamation of flavors; spicy n salty with the aroma of ginger in warm spices, all in a perfect balance! There is a saying in Malayalam about Inji curry; a dish equivalent to 101 curries (നൂറ്റൊന്ന് കറിക്ക് സമം).

This recipe is from my Amma’s cookbook which is more of a Travancore style and a spicier version. A variation of this dish is also very common with additional ingredients like grated coconut and small onions, but has a much lesser shelf life. This recipe is completely different in taste from that of Puli Inji which is a Malabari style dish having similar ingredients and cooking instructions but uses much more tamarind and jaggery, making the curry spicy, sweet and tangy.

Few things to consider while making Inji Curry:

1. Ensure to slice ginger thinly and proportionately, as it will help in frying them evenly without any burnt ends.
2. Ginger slices should be fried till they turn brown and crisp, that’s what makes the curry tasty.
3. Adding a pinch of jaggery at the end is optional, but it helps to balance the taste.
4. You can store ginger curry  at room temperature initially for 2 days, but refrigerate thereafter to prevent decay.

Enjoy Inji curry as a side dish along with Sadya or with steamed rice.

Interested in other Kerala style pickle recipes? Check these out:

1. Mango Pickle
2. Lemon Dates Pickle

If you would like to check out my other Sadya recipes, click here.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Inji Curry / Ginger Curry

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

35 mins

Total Time

55 mins

 

Aromatic and Spicy Kerala Style Inji Curry, a must try Classic from Kerala Cuisine …!!

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Indian, Kerala

Keyword: ginger curry, inji curry, kerala pickle

Servings: 1 16 oz mason jar (approx)

Author: Akhila

Ingredients

• 300 gm inji/ginger
• 3 tbsp chili powder
• 2 green chilies (sliced round)
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp kayam/asafoetida/hing
• ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds (roasted & powdered)
• lime sized puli / tamarind (soaked in ½ cup warm water)
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 dry red chillies
• 3 sprigs of curry leaves
• 1.5 cup water
• Coconut oil (as required)
• Salt (as required)

Instructions

1. Prepare ginger: Clean and scrape off the skin, cut ginger into thin slices and soak in water for 10 minutes.

2. Fry ‘em up: Squeeze out the water from the ginger slices and fry in hot coconut oil until crispy and browned.

3. Allow the fried ginger to cool completely, then transfer it to a blender and grind into fine powder. Keep aside.

4. Prepare tamarind extract: Squeeze the tamarind in the soaked water, strain the juice and keep it aside.

5. Prepare spice powder mix: In a separate bowl, mix water, chili powder, turmeric powder, asafoetida, fenugreek powder and keep aside.

6. Make curry: In a separate pan on medium flame, heat oil and splutter mustard seeds. Add dry red chilies, green chilies and curry leaves. Sauté for a minute.

7. Add the prepared spice powder mix, tamarind extract, and increase the heat to max allowing the curry to boil.
8. Once it starts boiling, reduce the flame to a low and add the fried ginger powder, mix well.
9. Allow the curry to cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring in between until it reaches a semi thick consistency.
10. Check for the seasoning, add a pinch of jaggery to balance the taste.
11. Once it reaches your desired consistency, switch off the flame.

12. Storage: Transfer to a clean dry glass jar or a ceramic jar / bharani to store. You can keep it outside for 2 days and then refrigerate it.

Notes

• Small onions / shallots are an optional ingredient for this recipe.
• Coconut oil is recommended in this recipe, any neutral oils except for olive oil can also be used.
• Adjust the quantity of chili powder and green chilies to suit your spice levels.
• Use a clean dry glass jar or a ceramic jar / bharani to store pickles. Do not use steel or metal jars as the acidic nature of the pickles may react with the metal and become toxic.
• You can store the pickles at room temperature initially for 2 days, but refrigerate thereafter to prevent decay.