Poriyal is style of Indian cooking that refers to a light stir-fry of vegetables, spices, and coconut. In this case, green bell peppers take center stage.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- ⅛ tsp Asafoetida (also called hing)
- 1 tbsp roasted, unsalted peanuts, plus ½ tbsp more, very finely chopped
- 8 curry leaves
- ¼ tsp crushed red chili pepper, plus 1 tsp more
- 1½ lb green bell peppers, stems and seeds removed, chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ cup unsweetened, grated coconut (frozen, fresh, or dried all work well)
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 dry red chili pepper
Preparation
- In a small skillet, dry roast ½ tbsp peanuts and the coriander seeds. Allow to cool, then coarsely grind in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle along with 1 tsp of crushed red chili flakes. Transfer to a dish and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mustard seeds and cook until the pop and sizzle. Add the Asafoetida, 1 tbsp peanuts, curry leaves, and ¼ tsp of crushed red chili peppers. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about a minute.
- Add the bell peppers and salt. Coook, stirring occasionally, until the peppers are just barely tender, about 10 minutes. Stir the coconut into the peppers.
- To serve, sprinkle the roasted spice mix over the poriyal, as desired. Serve any remaining spice mix on the side.
