Theeyal

Method

1. 1 Toast the grated coconut in a dry pan for 12 minutes, or until it turns a dark brown, almost black color.
2. 2 Roasting the coconut until dark brown is the whole meaning of theeyal; pale yellow coconut results in a completely different dish.
3. 3 Toast the dried chili peppers and coriander seeds along with the coconut for the last 3 minutes.
4. 4 Grind roasted coconut with a little water until it forms a smooth, dark brown mixture.
5. 5 Sauté mustard seeds in coconut oil, then stir-fry red onion and bitter melon slices for 8 minutes.
6. 6 Pour in the tamarind juice and the roasted coconut mixture, simmer for 15 minutes, and sprinkle with curry leaves.

With an appliance

• Air fryer 43 min

  Replace steps 1 and 3: spread coconut, dried chili peppers, and coriander seeds in a tray, run a hot air fryer at 170 degrees for 9 minutes, stirring at minutes 4 and 7; reduce to about 6 minutes, until the coconut is evenly dark brown without needing to constantly stir, with few burnt or bitter spots. The steps of grinding and cooking with tamarind water remain the same to restore the sauce's moisture.