Hanaakuri Huni Havaadhu

Store bought spice mixes and pastes are convenient. But they’ll never ever come even close to the taste of freshly made homemade spice pastes.

Hanaakuri Huni Havaadhu is a toasted coconut based spice mix that works well with vegetables like sponge gourd and snake gourd; it goes great with smoked tuna too.

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion
• 2 large garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp. ginger, sliced
• 1 cup grated coconut
• 1/2 tbsp. fennel seeds
• 1 tbsp. cumin seeds
• 5 dried red chillies (or to taste)
• 1 tsp. peppercorns (or to taste)
• 1 & 1/2 inches cinnamon
• 5 cardamom pods
• 4 cloves
• 1 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/4 scotch bonnet pepper
• 25 curry leaves
• 6 inches pandan leaves

Instructions:

1. Slice the onion, garlic and ginger. The slices can be a bit bigger as we’ll be toasting them along with the spices.
2. Add all ingredients to a large pan and mix well.
3. Turn the heat on, and toast the mixture on low to medium heat until the coconut looks golden brown and you can smell the spices. You’ll have to stir at regular intervals so that the spices don’t burn.
4. Let the spices cool down. Then transfer to an electric grinder and grind the mixture to a semi-coarse texture.
5. If you are not using it straightaway, transfer to an airtight container and keep it in the fridge; or in the freezer if you want to store it for longer.
6. When ready to use, blend the required amount to a paste. You can add a few tablespoons of water when grinding as that will help the mixture become smooth.