Potato stew / Kerala ishtu is a popular Kerala dish prepared with freshly made coconut milk. It is a creamy and mild stew that goes well with hot appam, bread etc. I also prepare this as a side for idly and dosai.

Ingredients:

• 2 nos – Potato (medium sized)
• 1/2 no – Carrot (small sized, chop like circles)
• 1 no – Onion (big sized, chopped lengthwise thinly)
• 3 or 4 nos – Green chillies (as needed)
• 1 no – Garlic (chopped finely)
• 1/4 inch – Ginger (chopped finely)
• 1 1/2 cup – Thin coconut milk(see notes on how to make coconut milk)
• 1/2 cup – Thick coconut milk (see notes)
• Fresh curry leaves
• Salt to taste

Seasonings:

• 2 tsp – Oil ( preferably coconut oil)
• 1 no – Cinnamon stick
• 2 nos – Cloves
• 1 no – Bay leaf
• 1 no – Cardamom

Preparation method:

1. Wash and pressure cook potatoes in enough water for 2 whistles or until well cooked. Remove from stove and allow them to cool. Then cut them into big chunks or cubes and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan, season with items given for seasonings. Add thinly chopped onion, ginger and garlic, green chillies and saute until soft and transparent.
3. At this stage add chopped carrot and cook until they are half done. Now add cooked potatoes to this and fry for a minute. Then mash half portion of chopped potatoes with a spatula and mix well.
4. Add thin coconut milk along with required salt, cover with lid and cook for 10 to 15 mins. Reduce the flame to low and then add thick coconut milk and bring it to boil. Cook until it reaches creamy and thick stew consistency.
5. Add fresh curry leaves and switch off the stove. Serve hot with appam, bread, idly or dosai.

Notes:

• How to make thick and thin coconut milk – Take  a cup of freshly grated coconut and grind in the mixie with little water enough to grind it. Filter it using strainer and now you got thick coconut milk. For thin coconut milk,add a cup of water to the pulp which we strained, grind it again in the mixie. Filter it and now you got thin coconut milk.
• Always use fresh coconut milk instead of store bought coconut milk. Because fresh coconut milk tastes better than the store bought one.
• Using of carrot is completely optional. But adding it gives beautiful color and flavor to the stew.
• Do not mash all the potatoes, you should see potato chunks here and there. Mash only half of the chopped potatoes.
• You can also add a tsp of coconut oil while adding curry leaves.