Teppal Ambat (Potato Curry in Triphal spice)

Teppal / Tirphal also called as Sichuan pepper is a rare spice Indian resembling a bigger version of black pepper. This is predominantly used in Maharashtra and coastal Konkan cooking. 

If you are looking at this spice for the first time, then you might ignore it as it so ordinary looking with no distinct flavor or aroma of its own. But looks can be so deceiving and this spice goes on to prove just that. The minute you crush about 6-9 of them in water you begin to see the change and start getting that distinct aroma. The final magic happens when you add this crushed spice to a coconut based curry. The taste and flavor of the curry gets completely transformed and takes it to a whole new level.

It is hard to describe in words the taste of this, though I would say it is a pungent, peppery and lemony taste. It does not make the dish spicy, but makes it very fragrant. Little goes a long way and just 5-8 is enough to change the flavor and aroma of the dish.

It is hard to describe in words the taste of this, though I would say it is a pungent, peppery and lemony taste. It does not make the dish spicy, but makes it very fragrant. Little goes a long way and just 5-8 is enough to change the flavor and aroma of the dish. 

Traditionally there are two ways in which the crushed teppal water is used. At my mom’s place, the crushed teppal is added to the curry and boiled. At my in-laws place, the crushed water called “teppla udda” is saved separately. While the curry is served on rice, a spoonful or two of the water is added to the curry before eating. Either way the taste is delicious and out of the ordinary. Both ways make sure that the teppal is not consumed as it is not pleasant.

There is no substitute for this spice and I don’t think this is available in the Indian stores here in the US. I usually get my stock when I am in India and get my quota of teppal and also kokum.

PS: It is no mistake that oil is not used for this dish at all!

Ingredients:

• 2 medium potatoes
• ½ cup beans/peas ( I used frozen lima beans) [optional]
• 5-8 teppal/ Sichuan pepper
• 1/3 cup toor daal
• Salt

To make the coconut masala

• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• Turmeric a pinch
• 1 Tbsp tamarind paste
• 3-4 red chillies
• 2 tsp Jaggery for taste (optional)

Method:

• Peel the cleaned potato and boil it in sufficient amount of water separately either in the microwave or the stovetop. Make sure it is not overcooked and mushy; there should still be a bite to it.
• Boil the toor daal in pressure cooker until it is mashed. Keep aside.
• Make the coconut masala, by grinding coconut along with red chillies, salt, tamarind and water. The masala should be made into a very fine paste. Add more water if required.
• In the meanwhile heat thick bottomed pan. Add the coconut paste, boiled potato along with water, salt, jaggery and cook until the raw smell of coconut is gone. Check for taste and adjust the seasonings if required.
• Meanwhile crush the teppal/triphal in little water using a mottle and pestle and add to the curry along with the water. Let this boil for 5 minutes and then close the lid.
•  Serve hot with rice or rotis. Please note that the teppal is not consumed while eating it is discarded.