Hello Ladies, I am trying to avoid coconut in my cooking. Does anyone know of any substitute for coconut? I love south indian authentic dishes like poricha kootu,morkootu etc., where coconut brings out the flavour. It would be great if anyone could suggest me some subsititue for coconut in these dishes. I somehow manage other dry curries with dal. I have tried using almonds/onions for kuruma paste. Are there any other alternatives? Thanks.
Check out Ask Chitvish Forum. Long back itself, she has given an amazing tip of using grated carrot instead of coconut, in dishes like aviyal, morekuzhambu etc. As texture is same for both & only a mild color difference will be there, that's all. If you need the aroma of coconut, just add a few drops of coconut oil to your dish, that's all. She has even given a coconut burfi which includes carrot !! Check out & enjoy.
Thanks Grace. Chitvish mam did tell me about using carrots . I saw her morkuzhambu recipe also but i wasn't sure if I can use it for other kootus etc., I shall try it. If anyone has anyother ideas, please share them.
I think carrots will work for most south indian dishes - I now make araichu vitta sambar using very little coconut and mostly carrots (1/4 coconut and 3/4 carrots) - Tastes yummy!
not at all nands. i have even tried it in moorkootu. the colour is not white that's all. otherwise there's no carrotty taste Latha
Hi all... Apart from carrot, Sometimes I use dhaniya (coarsely grounded) instead of coconut.... it gives extra flavor and taste too.
Dear Aswini, Like others have suggested, Chitvish has given various recipes using carrot as a coconut substitute. I have used in my recipes and it works just fine, no raw carrot taste at all. I also use almonds in combination of carrots or sometimes only almonds, esp in chutneys and it is delcious. L, Kamla
Interesting substitutes. thanks a lot, Kamla, Do you use carrots and almonds in chutneys. Thats sounds new and interesting. Share some recipes with us. Thanks,
