This is the basic recipe for making a  பால் (paal) or milk curry.  In the homeland we would use freshly squeezed coconut milk.  Because that is not accessible in a country like Australia –  we us tinned coconut milk. I find tinned coconut milk too thick – so often sub it with soy milk (because I don’t like the taste of cow’s milk).

Below you will find the recipe for 3 பால் curries
– eggplant and green tomato
– eggplant, red tomato and green banana
– green beans and potato

INGREDIENTS – Eggplant and green tomato  (Serves 4)

• 3 small eggplants (see photo)
• 1/2 medium red onion chopped
• 1/3 tsp turmeric
• 2/3 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1.5 cups water
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 2/3 tsp salt (add more at the end if you want to)
• 3 small green chillies
• 8-12 curry leaves
• 2 green tomatoes

1. Cube the eggplants.
2. Add all ingredients minus the coconut milk into a pan.
3. Bring to boil on medium heat. Cover pan when boiling
4. When eggplant and tomatoes have softened (about 10mins), mash it up with a spoon.
5. Add coconut milk and bring to boil.
6. Remove and serve.

If making this with green banana: use the same proportion of banana to eggplant. I used two of each. The eggplants weighed 200g and when i diced them they weighed about 180g (stems removed). We also added red tomatoes which weighed about 180g.  For these measurements you need 1 tsp salt. 

1. Cut 1 green banana in quarters length ways and then cube it (like the eggplant). See photo above.
2. Cut the tomato into quarters.
3. Cube the eggplant.
4. Add the all ingredients to a pan minus the coconut milk, bring to boil and then reduce to medium heat. Cover.
5. When eggplant is soft (after about 10min),  mash it up with a spoon for about 30seconds You want the eggplant and banana to blend together but still hold their form. It should not be a soup or look like pulp.
6. Add coconut milk, and bring to boil.
7. Remove and serve.

Below photo taken before step 5.

INGREDIENTS – green beans and potato 

• 2 medium potatoes
• 3 cups chopped beans
• 1/2 medium red onion chopped
• 1/3 tsp turmeric
• 2/3 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1.5 cups water
• 1/2 cup of coconut milk
• 2/3 tsp salt (add more at the end if you want to)
• 3 small green chillies
• 8-12 curry leaves

1. Cube the potatoes.
2. Add all ingredients to a pot minus the coconut milk into a pan.
3. Bring to boil on medium heat. Cover pan when boiling.
4. When potato has softened, remove and add the coconut/soy milk and bring to boil.
5. Remove and serve.