320) KIRLA SANNA POLO

KIRLA SANNA POLO

A HOT AND YUMMY KONKANI TENDER BAMBOO SHOOT DOSA

Ingredients (to make 10 numbers):

     1)    Processed (for processing instructions, refer to my tender bamboo in Konkani cuisine article) tender bamboo shoots – 75 gm.

     2)    Cucumber tree fruit (Bimbul in Konkani, Bilimbi / Irumbanpuli in Malayalam) – 55 gm.

     3)    Tor dal (split pigeon pea lentils) – 100 gm.

     4)    Raw rice – 100 gm.

     5)    Grated coconut – 100 gm.

     6)    Dry red Kashmiri chilies – 25 gm.

     7)    Dry hot red chilies – 5 gm.

     8)    Asafoetida powder – ¼ teaspoon

     9)    Curry leaves – 1 sprig

     10)    Salt – 12 gm.

     11)    Water – 500 ml.

     12)    Coconut oil – to grease the pan

To prepare:

          Soak the raw rice and the tor dal together in water for an hour. Chop the processed tender bamboo pieces (juliennes) to superfine bits. Cut the cucumber tree fruit roughly into pieces.

          Drain the soaked rice and dal and transfer to a food processor. Tip in the cucumber tree fruit, the grated coconut and the chilies (both varieties). Grind to superfine paste in one or two batches using the required water from the premeasured 500 ml. Transfer to a bowl or a vessel.

          After grinding the final batch (but before emptying the food processor), tip half of the chopped bamboo shoots together with the curry leaves into the food processor containing the paste and grind for 30 seconds (this increases the flavour of the polo).

Transfer to the bowl and tip in the rest of the bamboo shoots. Throw in the asafoetida powder, the salt and the remaining water and mix thoroughly.

To cook:

Put one or two flat cast-iron pans (a non-stick pan just won’t do for this dish as it cannot give you the real taste of the KIrla sanna polo) on high heat. As soon as the pan is hot, pour and spread a teaspoonful of coconut oil and put a ladleful (75 ml.) of paste in the center.

Placing the bottom of the ladle in the center of the paste, turn it in widening circles to make a perfect polo (thin pancake). Turn down the heat and cover with a cloche. Let the sanna polo roast slowly.

5 minutes later, lift up the cloche, dribble a teaspoonful of coconut oil and flip over the polo. Let it roast slowly for 6 minutes.  Flip over once more and roast for 1 more minute (it takes a total of 12 minutes for the polo to be done).

Lift up the polo and roast the rest likewise. Serve hot kirla sanna polos with hot rice and dali toye or tomata saru or rasam. You will need no other side dish for a delicious, satisfying meal.

Bon appétit!!!