182) KARAATHYA KOOTE

KARAATHYA KOOTE

A KONKANI CHUTNEY-LIKE MINI CURRY WITH DEEP FRIED BITTER GOURD PIECES

Ingredients:

     1)    Coconut – ½

     2)    Dry hot red chilies – 6 Nos.

     3)    Tamarind – a small olive sized bit

     4)    Asafoetida powder – 3 generous pinches

     5)    Karaathya kocholu (deep fried bitter gourd bits) – 1 cup (see my recipe)

     6)    Mustard seeds – ½ teaspoon

     7)    Salt – 1 teaspoon

     8)    Tender curry leaves – 2 sprigs

     9)    Water – 500 ml.

     10)     Coconut oil – 2 teaspoons

To Cook:

          Grate the coconut. Set a small pan on low heat. Put in ¼ teaspoon of coconut oil and tip in the chilies. Stir roast for a minute and switch off the heat. Put the grated coconut, the roasted chilies and the tamarind together with a glass of water into the food processor and grind to superfine paste.

Set a pan or vessel on high heat. Pour in the remaining water, the salt and the ground paste. Stir and bring to a boil. Now add the bitter gourd pieces, stir and switch off the heat.

          Set a small pan on low heat. Pour in the rest of the coconut oil and tip in the mustard seeds. As soon as the mustard seeds are about to finish popping, put in the curry leaves and sprinkle the asafoetida powder. Stir once and switch off the heat. Tip over the contents of the pan into the curry.

Your mild and delicious karaathya koote is ready to serve. Serve with hot rice.

Enjoy!!!

Note:

          You can also make scrumptious surna koote by substituting the bitter gourd with deep fried elephant foot yam pieces (dice the elephant foot yam into 1 cm. cubes).