Carrot Upperi/ Mezhukupuratti/ Stir Fry

Something that I learned full fledged is what I am sharing with you today. There was a time when I used to work hard to please everybody. I loved it when everybody felt happy with what I did and was really pleased with me. Slowly I came to realize that it is not easy. You end up giving up a part of your true self in that process. At one point, I had to stop and think - is it worth it? Trying to please everyone brings only disappointments - either you are not able to meet their high expectations or you are doing something that compromises with your values. Each time we try to keep everybody happy, there will come a time when you feel frustrated about yourself. Also, the longing of wanting to be what you want to be also comes by the way. After having struggled with a lot of internal push and pulls, finally I gave up my dirty habit and I am so much in peace with myself. Allah has given goodness in everybody, people who have to see it will definitely see it. There is no requirement to prove your goodness to anybody who is not willing to look into it. Aah... so much for heavy talks - again!!! :)

Most of the days, my lazyhead really does not put in an effort to make any extra side dish for lunch. I always think rice, a curry and a piece of fish fry is more than enough. But sometimes, even I feel that lunch looks too blank without some vegetable as side dish. I love making carrot, because apart from the grating, which is Rasha's department now - she loves to do it! - everything finishes in a jiffy. In our side, we always call this side dish as upperi, but then I learned when I had a helper aunty sometime back, that these are called "mezhukupuratti" towards the southern side of Kerala. Mezhuku is oil and puratti is fried, so the name sounds apt!!!  Off to this simple carrot fry...

Carrot Upperi/ Mezhukupuratti/ Stir Fry
Serves 3



Ingredients:

3 large carrots, peeled and grated
2 green chillies, slit
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
5-6 curry leaves
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
Salt to taste

Method:

Heat oil in a non-stick saucepan. Let the mustard seeds splutter. Fry the curry leaves for a few seconds. Now add in the carrots, chillies, turmeric and salt and cook on low flame till done!!! 

Notes:

1. Everybody knows carrot shrinks while cooked!!! So you want more, take more! :)

2. Cook with an open lid so that there will be no moisture, otherwise the dripping from the lid will make the carrot too soggy. 

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