339) GODDA POVU

GODDA POVU

SWEET MELTED JAGGERY BEATEN RICE

A SIMPLE, INCOMPARABLY DELIGHTFUL TRADITIONAL KONKANI DISH

Introduction:

          Most Konkani people are accustomed to eating godda povu. As it is prepared on nearly all auspicious occasions, I had always enjoyed having godda povu right from my early memories of childhood. Later, when I got married, I tasted godda povu prepared by my mother-in-law with such a delightful surprise, as it was so much better than any I had ever had before. She would make tons of it and as I gobbled it up in raptures, I couldn’t help feeling that this is the world’s most delicious godda povu. No Navaratri is complete without having this simple, scrumptious dessert. Here is the special recipe for you. Do make and enjoy!

Ingredients:

     1)    White thin beaten rice flakes – 250 gm.

     2)    Grated coconut – 250 gm.

     3)    Jaggery (unrefined cane sugar) – 300 gm.

     4)    Sugar – 25 gm.

     5)    Cardamom – 6 pods

     6)    Ghee – 15 ml. (1 tablespoon)

     7)    Water – 50 ml.

To make:

          Put the rice flakes and the grated coconut together into a bowl. Mix thoroughly and set aside for the rice flakes to soften. Shell the cardamom. Crush to powder and set aside.

Put the jaggery in a small pan. Pour in the water and set on low heat. Stir occasionally till it melts fully. Sieve the melted jaggery into a wide, thick-bottomed pan or a shallow, copper-bottomed steel vessel. Set on high heat. Stir till the melted jaggery thickens and becomes gummy. Tip in the coconut rice flake mixture and stir. Lower the heat and keep stirring for 5 minutes (in order to heat up the mixture fully). Tip in the sugar, the ghee and the cardamom powder. Mix thoroughly and switch off the heat. Your delicious godda povu is ready to enjoy.

Serve hot or cold. Enjoy godda povu by itself or just mash in a few small ripe bananas (fragrant, sweet and sour Palayankodan or Mysore poovan is best, but any small yellow skinned banana will do) as you eat. Godda povu, when well heated during its preparation, will stay fresh at room temperature, when kept (after it is cool) in airtight jars for 3 to 4 days.

Bon appétit!

Tip:

          Curd lovers can soak a cup of godda povu in fresh curd for half an hour and enjoy, gourmet style.