NILIYÉ KHOLU VERSION ‘A’
A KONKANI CHILI MUSSEL CURRY
SIMPLE VERSION
Ingredients:
1) Fresh
mussels – if small, 250 to 300 Nos. – If big, 150 Nos. – If extra-large, 75
Nos.
2) Hot red
chili powder – 1½ teaspoons
3) Kashmiri
chili powder – 1 tablespoon
4) Asafoetida
powder – ¼ teaspoon
5) Coconut oil
– 2 tablespoons
6) Mature
cucumber tree fruit – 4 Nos. OR tomato –
200 gm. OR tamarind –
an olive sized bit
7) Salt – 1½
teaspoons
To Prepare:
Soak the mussels in a solution of 5 litres of water and 30
ml. of vinegar. This will help get rid of 90 % of the sticky dirt on the
shells. Wash well in 2 or 3 changes of clear water. Drain and put the mussels
into a pressure cooker. Close the lid without putting the weight on the steam
vent. There is no need to add any water. You can also use a steamer in place of
the pressure cooker.
Set on high heat. As soon as the steam comes out (the mussels
will leech out the water), lower the heat and cook for 10 minutes. Switch off
the heat and open the lid. The mussels will have opened now. Use a shell to pry
out the flesh. Pluck off the hairs and the dark portion (dirt) at the base.
Some people remove only the hairs, leaving the dark portion.
Wash, drain and set aside.
Cut off the tips of the cucumber tree fruit and chop each
fruit to 6 to 8 pieces. If you are using tomatoes, remove the peel and the
seeds and grind the flesh to fine paste and set aside. If you are using
tamarind, soak it in 50 ml. of water for 10 minutes. Squeeze it with your
fingers. Sieve and set aside the juice.
To Cook (for those who are using cucumber tree fruit
or tomato):
Set a pan or vessel on high heat. Pour in the coconut oil.
Tip in the chopped cucumber tree fruit (I have used cucumber tree fruit [Bimbul or Bilimbi] in this recipe)
or the tomato paste. Stir for 2 minutes and tip in both the chili powders and
the asafoetida powder. Stir once and chuck in the mussels. Pour in enough water
to immerse the mussels. Tip in the salt. As soon as the curry comes to a boil,
turn down the heat and cook for 5 minutes. Taste and add more salt if required.
Switch off the heat and cover with a lid. Let the curry rest for at least 30
minutes.
To Cook (for those who are using tamarind):
Set a pan or vessel on high heat. Pour in the coconut oil.
Tip in the chili powder. Stir once and quickly chuck in the mussels. Pour in
the tamarind juice and add enough water to immerse the mussels. Tip in the
salt. As soon as it comes to a boil, turn down the heat and cook for 5 minutes.
Taste and add more salt or chili powder if required. Now tip in the asafoetida
powder. Stir well and switch off the heat. Cover with a lid and let the curry
rest for at least 30 minutes.
Serve niliyé kholu
either hot or cold with a large heap of soft parboiled rice or with hot putte (see my recipe).
Enjoy!!!
Notes:
1)
If you use
fresh mussel flesh (uncooked flesh scooped out from the shells) in place of the
cooked flesh which I have used in this recipe (it is no easy task to scoop out
250 to 300 mussels), the niliyé kholu
will be tastier many fold. This method can be adopted when you are using large
or extra-large mussels. Take care not to cut yourself while taking out the
flesh from live mussels. You can do this by inserting the tip of a small knife
between the two halves of the shell on the flatter side, push down on the
handle, twist the blade and pry the mussel open. Use the rounded edge of a
shell to scoop out the flesh. Clean the hair and the dirt, then wash, drain and
put it into the curry vessel after you have put in the chili powder and the
asafoetida powder. Remember to cook for 5 minutes more (a total of 10 minutes
once the curry comes to a boil) to get an exceedingly nutritious, tasty, sweet
and flavorsome niliyé
kholu.
2)
If you are
making large quantities of niliyé
kholu, you can store it in glass jars under refrigeration for up
to a week.
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