208) SOYI BHAJJILÉ GHASHI

SOYI BHAJJILÉ GHASHI

ROASTED COCONUT CURRY

A DELICIOUS TRADITIONAL KONKANI CURRY

Ingredients:

     1)    Roasted coconut curry masala (see my recipe) – half the quantity given in the recipe

     2)    Brown or white chickpeas or dry green peas – 200 gm.

     3)    Drumstick (moringa) – 2 Nos.

     4)    Either elephant foot yam or potato – 200 gm.

     5)    Kudampuli (dried fruit of a Garcinia tree which grows in Kerala) – 20 gm. OR tamarind – 20 gm.

Dried kudampuli fruit

     6)    Salt – 1¼ teaspoon

To Cook:

          Soak the chickpeas or the green peas in water overnight. Peel the elephant foot yam (or the potatoes) and cut into big chunks. Cut off the tips of the drumsticks, scrape off a very thin peel with a sharp knife and cut into 3 inch long pieces.

          Wash and drain the soaked chickpeas or green peas and transfer to a 2 litre pressure cooker. Chuck in the elephant foot yam/potato chunks. Pour in enough water to immerse the vegetables. Close the lid and set on high heat. As soon as you hear the first whistle, turn down the heat to minimum and cook for 4 minutes. Switch off the heat and let cool naturally.

          If you are using tamarind in place of kudampuli, soak it in 50 ml. of water for 10 minutes. Squeeze it with your fingers. Sieve and set aside the juice. When the steam has subsided, open the lid and tip in either the kudampuli or the tamarind juice. Chuck in the drumstick pieces, the salt and the roasted coconut curry masala. Turn on the heat and stir well. This curry generally has a thick consistency.

          If it is too thick, pour in some water and bring it to the desired level. On the other hand, if the curry is too watery, do not panic but lower the heat and just scoop up a couple of ladlefuls of the peas and the chunks together with some gravy and grind to paste in your food processor. Tip it back into the curry, stir and cover with a lid.

          Take care not to let the thick curry burn at the base. Stir frequently and check to see if the drumstick is cooked. Insert the tip of a knife into the drumstick. If it goes in smoothly, the drumstick is cooked. Taste and add more salt if required. Stir and switch off the heat. Let the curry rest for 30 minutes.

          Serve hot as a side dish with rice and dali toye or with idlis, roasted idlis, machkats, appos, chappatis, porottas or freshly baked bread.

Enjoy!!!

Notes:

     1)    Soyi bhajjilé ghashi is an important side dish served in Konkani festival feasts and marriage feasts.

     2)    Soyi bhajjilé ghashi can be reheated and enjoyed over a period of 2 days.