325) GANTIYE GHASHI

GANTIYÉ GHASHI

A WILD KONKANI LEAF CURRY

Introduction:

          The monsoon season is a time when nature blankets the earth green with tender leaves and herbs of all sorts. It leaves one in a dilemma as to what ingredient, so freely bestowed by nature, to choose to make a delicious dish to adorn one’s table, to bring a smile to the face of the eater – to fill oneself not merely with food, but with contentment.

Today, I choose the ubiquitous taro leaf, to prepare a curry enjoyed for untold generations by the Konkani people. ‘Gantiyé ghashi’ or 'ghantiya ghashi' in Konkani means ‘a curry of knots’. Do cook and enjoy!

Ingredients:

     1)    Colocasia Esculenta / Taro tender leaves (Taal ela / Chembe ela in Malayalam, Tera pan / Alva pan in Konkani) – 200 gm. (see note)

 

     2)    Grated coconut – 135 gm.

     3)    Chickpeas (preferably small green or brown skinned) – 100 gm.

 

     4)    Peeled jackfruit seeds – 65 gm.

Fresh jackfruit seeds (not peeled)

     5)    Hog plums (Ambado in Konkani, Ambazhanga in Malayalam) – 6 Nos. OR Chopped raw mango – 65 gm.

     6)    Salted tender bamboo chunks (for more information, see my article, tender bamboo in Konkani cuisine) – 85 gm.

     7)    Dry Kashmiri chilies – 15 gm.

     8)    Water – 1 litre

     9)    Salt – 8 gm. (1½ teaspoons)

     10)    Coconut oil – 1 tablespoon

     11)    Mustard seeds – 4 gm. (1 teaspoon)

     12)    Curry leaves – 1 sprig

To prepare:

          Soak the chickpeas and the salted bamboo chunks in water, separately overnight. Rinse and drain the taro leaves. Use a small sharp knife to cut away the protruding veins from the underside of each leaf. Roll each leaf into a tight cylinder and bring the ends together to tie a simple knot. Set aside.

 

Cut each jackfruit seed lengthwise into halves and set aside. Wash and drain the soaked chickpeas.

To cook:

          Put the chickpeas into a pressure cooker together with 500 ml. of water. Set on high heat. As soon as you hear the first whistle, turn down the heat and let cook for 5 minutes. Switch off the heat and allow the cooker to cool naturally.

          Meanwhile, wash and drain the soaked bamboo chunks. Chop them to smaller chunks of around ½ inch to 1 inch (1 cm. to 3 cm.) size and set aside. Put the grated coconut and the dry chilies into a food processor. Pour in 250 ml. of water and grind to superfine paste.

Once the cooker is cool enough to open, pour the contents of the cooker into a suitable curry vessel. Tip in the cut jackfruit seeds, the taro leaf knots, the hog plums (or the chopped mango pieces) and the tender bamboo chunks. Set the curry vessel on high heat.

As soon as it comes to a boil, turn down the heat and cover partially with a lid. Stir occasionally so that the curry does not burn at the base. After 10 minutes of cooking, check the knots to see if they are well cooked. They should be soft as butter when done.

Now tip in the ground paste as well as the salt. Turn up the heat and stir. Taste and add more salt if necessary (this depends upon the residual salt in the soaked salted tender bamboo pieces). As the ghashi starts boiling again, switch off the heat.

Set a skillet or small pan on low heat. Pour in the oil and throw in the mustard seeds. As soon as the seeds are about to finish spluttering, pull the curry leaves off their sprig and put them in. Switch off the heat, stir once and pour the contents into the curry vessel.

Your delicious gantiye ghashi is ready. Let the curry rest for an hour. Serve hot with a pile of steaming hot rice and fried papads or odis (vadagams).

Enjoy!!!

Notes:

     1)    Pluck just one most tender leaf from each taro plant, around 200 gm. in all. This is because the more mature leaves may cause itching in the mouth even after cooking. After deveining, you need around 135 gm. of leaves to tie the knots.

     2)    Mature, sour hog plums accentuate the original traditional taste of gantiye ghashi. I have used a raw mango here as an effective substitute as hog plums were not readily available.

     3)    Generally, the wild taro leaves (Tera pan in Konkani, Velachappe or Taal ela in Malayalam) are used for gantiye ghashi. However, the leaves of the larger variety of taro (Alva pan in Konkani, Pal chembe in Malayalam) can also be used. Just tear the deveined leaves to smaller pieces when you roll them to tie the knots.

307) TOMATA SARU

TOMATA SARU

A HOT N’ SWEET, MILD N’ SPICY RASAM

A MANGALOREAN KONKANI DISH

Introduction:

          Nearly all Mangalorean Konkani people are used to having fragrant tomata saru with rice as the first course in every patravali (large plate of leaves stitched together and dried) meal in temples. Now, alas, the quaint patravalis have disappeared in most places giving way to durable steel plates or trays.

          Still, highly appetizing, mouthwatering tomata saru is served on steaming hot piles of raw rice today preceded by ringing shouts of ‘saru! saru!’. It is indeed a sight to see the devotees gulping down mouthful after mouthful, oblivious of everything else.

This simple, watery curry is adored so much because the very aroma which spreads around the place as it boils tantalizes you in expectation of a mesmerizing feast. Do cook and enjoy!

Ingredients:

     1)    Tomato – 175 gm.

     2)    Grated coconut – 50 gm.

     3)    Jaggery (unrefined cane sugar) – 75 gm.

     4)    Coriander seeds – 5 gm.

     5)    Urad dal (split black gram lentils) – 5 gm.

     6)    Cumin seeds (jeera) – 1 gm.

     7)    Black pepper corns – 1 gm.

     8)    Dry hot red chilies – 7 gm.

     9)    Asafoetida powder – ¼ teaspoon

     10)    Tamarind – 25 gm.

     11)    Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon

     12)    Salt – 8 gm.

     13)    Water – 1250 ml.

     14)    Coriander leaves – 1 sprig (or culantro (Mexican coriander / eryngium foetidum) leaf – 1 No.)

     15)    Mustard seeds – ½ teaspoon

     16)   Cooking oil – 2 teaspoons

     17)    Curry leaves – 1 sprig

To prepare:

          Put the grated coconut, the coriander seeds, the urad dal, the cumin seeds, the black pepper corns and the dry hot red chilies into a non-stick pan. Set on high heat. Stir continuously till the grated coconut turns a light brown. Switch off the heat and set aside.

          Put the tamarind in a small vessel and pour in 250 ml. of hot water. Let it soak for a while. In the meantime, cut the tomatoes roughly to chunks and set aside. Chop the coriander or culantro leaves finely and set aside.

Put the roasted masala ingredients into your food processor. Pour in 250 ml. of water and grind to fine paste. Squeeze the tamarind nicely with your fingers. Strain and collect the juice.

To cook:

          Pour the tamarind juice into a curry vessel. Tip in the chopped tomatoes and set on high heat. As it comes to a boil, put in the jaggery, turn down the heat and cover partially with a lid. Let it cook for 5 minutes.

Now open the lid and tip in the ground paste, the turmeric powder and the salt. Turn up the heat and pour in the remaining water (750 ml.).  As it starts to boil nicely again, tip in the asafoetida powder and the chopped coriander leaves. Switch off the heat and cover with the lid.

          Set a small pan on low heat. Tip in the cooking oil and throw in the mustard seeds. As soon as the mustard seeds are about to finish crackling, pull the curry leaves off their sprig and throw them in. Stir once, switch off the heat and empty the contents of the pan into the curry vessel.

          Your delicious tomata saru is now ready to serve. Serve with plenty of hot, soft raw rice and fried papads. No matter how much you eat, you will have the feeling of a light stomach and excellent digestion.

Enjoy!!!

303) OKRA SAMBAR

OKRA SAMBAR

A DELICIOUS LADIES’ FINGER CURRY

STAR OF EVERY BANANA LEAF FEAST

 

Introduction:

          Nearly all celebrations in Kerala are enjoyed with a sumptuous feast and every banana leaf spread is incomplete without the fragrant, delightful sambar. This enchanting curry entrances Indians and foreigners alike, sparking the pang of hunger in one’s stomach and filling one’s mouth with saliva.

          Sambar is prepared in many different ways, each seemingly better than the other (see my saambar recipe and my roasted coconut saambar recipe). Okra sambar is one of the finest of sambars and will bestow you with an excellent appetite, good digestion and great cheer.

Ingredients for roasting the masala:

     1)    Onion – 100 gm.

     2)    Coriander seeds – 20 gm.

     3)    Garlic – 5 gm. (7 to 8 cloves)

     4)    Fenugreek – 2 gm.

     5)    Grated coconut – 120 gm.

     6)    Dry Kashmiri chilies – 25 gm.

     7)    Curry leaves – 1 sprig

     8)    Tor dal (split pigeon pea lentils) – 30 gm.

Ingredients for cooking:

     1)    Tender okra (Ladies’ Finger, also Vendakka in Malayalam/ Bhindi in Hindi/ Bhànde in Konkani) – 350 gm.

     2)    Potato – 100 gm.

     3)    Onion – 100 gm.

     4)    Tomato – 100 gm.

     5)    Tamarind – 30 gm.

     6)    Cooking oil – 1 tablespoon

     7)    Mustard seeds – 1 teaspoon

     8)    Curry leaves – 2 sprigs

     9)    Water – 1½ litres

     10)     Powdered salt – 12 gm. (2 teaspoons)

     11)     Turmeric powder – 2 gm. (1/2 teaspoon)

     12)     Asafoetida powder – 2 gm. (1/2 teaspoon)

     13)     Coriander leaves – 1 sprig (for garnish, optional)

To roast the masala:

          Peel and chop the onion (100 gm.) to superfine pieces and transfer to a pan or wok. Tip in the rest of the ingredients for roasting and set on high heat. Stir frequently till the mixture starts to roast.

Now turn down the heat and continue to stir until the grated coconut starts to turn a light brown. Switch off the heat (so that the mixture does not burn or blacken) and transfer the roast to your food processor. Pour in half a litre of water and grind to fine paste.

To prepare:

Soak the tamarind in 250 ml. of warm water for 15 minutes. Squeeze nicely with your fingers until the pulp dissolves in the water. Discard the fibres and seeds, if any, and set aside the tamarind juice.

          Peel the potato and the onion. Chop the onion, the potato and the tomato roughly into chunks. Discard the hard stems of the okra and cut each into 2 or 3 pieces (Tiny, thin, tender, finger length okra such as those available in Maharashtra need not be cut to pieces at all. Removing the stems will do).

To cook:

Set a deep curry vessel on high heat. Pour in the cooking oil and throw in the mustard seeds. As soon as the mustard seeds are about to finish bursting, tip in the curry leaves. Stir once and chuck in the chopped vegetables. Stir once more and tip in the ground paste together with the remaining water (750 ml.)

Pour in the tamarind juice and stir well. Now tip in the powdered salt and the turmeric powder. Stir occasionally till it comes to a boil. Lower the heat and cover with a lid. Let the sambar cook slowly.

10 minutes later, check to see if the potato chunks are cooked. They should be soft and will cut easily with a ladle. If they are still hard, let cook for another 5 minutes (the cooking time may vary a bit depending on the heat, the vessel, the vegetables and the ambient temperature).

As soon as the potato is cooked, tip in the asafoetida powder. Stir and switch off the heat. Your ultra-delicious, mouthwatering okra sambar is now ready to serve.

Garnish hot sambar with chopped coriander leaves for even more aroma. Serve with hot rice, idlis, dosas, vadas, havishyanne, chappatis, or with freshly baked bread.

Enjoy!!!

298) BOTOTYA GALGALI

BOTOTYA GALGALI

A MILD, SOUPY, KONKANI POTATO CURRY

Ingredients:

     1)    Potatoes – 1 kg.

     2)    Hot green chilies – 5 Nos.

     3)    Dry Kashmiri chilies – 4 Nos.

     4)    Mustard seeds – 1 teaspoon

     5)    Cooking oil – 1 tablespoon

     6)    Curry leaves – 1 sprig

     7)    Asafoetida powder – ¼ teaspoons

     8)    Salt – 1½ teaspoons

     9)    Water – 1 litre

To cook:

          Peel the potatoes and cut into cubes of around 1 cm (½ inch) size. Slit the green chilies lengthwise into halves. Tip the potatoes and the green chilies into a pressure cooker. Pour in a litre of water. Close the lid and set on high heat.

As soon as you hear the first whistle, lower the heat and let cook for 10 minutes. Now switch off the heat and allow the cooker to cool naturally till all the steam has subsided (this will give the potatoes enough time to cook perfectly).

Set a cast-iron wok (for better taste and health) or deep curry vessel on high heat. Pour in the cooking oil and throw in the mustard seeds. As soon as the mustard seeds are about to finish crackling, pull the curry leaves off their sprig and toss them in. Break the dry red chilies into two pieces each and throw them in. Stir once and tip in the asafoetida powder. Now quickly pour in the cooked potatoes with their broth and add the salt.

As the curry starts to boil, use the ladle to lightly mash the potatoes. Taste and add more salt if necessary. Your Bototya Galgali is now ready to enjoy. Serve hot with fresh chappatis.

Both my mother and my son love to pour this Galgali generously over a plate of hot parboiled rice, mash with their fingers and slurp up the rice with gusto! It is the combined flavour of the potatoes, the asafoetida and the chilies that does the trick.

Bototya Galgali with Chappatis

Bon appétit!!!

297) TOMATO FRY

TOMATO FRY

A QUICK, HOT, FRESH, CRISPY SIDE DISH ENJOYED ALL OVER KERALA

 

Ingredients:

     1)    Tomato – 500 gm.

     2)    Long hot green chilies – 3 Nos.

     3)    Onion – 120 gm.

     4)    Curry leaves – 2 sprigs

     5)    Mustard seeds – 1 teaspoon

     6)    Hot red chili powder – 1 teaspoon

     7)    Cooking oil – 1 tablespoon

     8)    Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon

     9)    Ginger powder – ¼ teaspoon (or finely chopped ginger – ½ teaspoon)

     10)     Garlic cloves – 5 Nos.

     11)     Powdered salt – 1 teaspoon

To cook:

          Chop the tomato and the onion separately into pieces and set aside (any size is okay). Cut each long green chili diagonally into 4 or 5 pieces. Pull the curry leaves off their stems and set aside. Chop the garlic cloves to fine bits.

Set a pan on high heat. Pour in the cooking oil and throw in the mustard seeds. As soon as the mustard seeds are about to finish crackling, tip in the curry leaves, the garlic, the onion and the chilies. Stir for just 1 minute and tip in the tomatoes. Stir once and throw in the chili powder, the ginger powder (or chopped ginger), the turmeric powder and the powdered salt. Stir for 2 to 3 minutes and switch off the heat.

Your mouthwatering tomato fry is now ready to serve. Serve immediately with hot chappatis, porottas, rotis, naans, or with freshly baked bread.

Tomato fry with chappatis

As you bite into the hot, crispy onions and the tangy, crunchy tomatoes, the juices exploding in your mouth blending with the rich natural flavours, you will finish your plate in a trice and look for more. In fact, the magic of this simple dish will push aside many an elaborate curry!

Enjoy!!!

294) ALVATHI

ALVATHI

A KONKANI GOURMET TARO LEAF CURRY

Introduction:

          This princess of a curry comes not from prized truffles or precious caviar, but from the simple, humble, ubiquitous elephant ear leaves (a type of taro or Colocasia Esculenta commonly known as Alva Pànne in Konkani or Pal chèmbe ila in Malayalam).

          These leaves, together with jackfruit seeds and cucumber tree fruit (Bimbul in Konkani and Bilimbi or Irumban Puli in Malayalam) are freely available in the monsoon season. They are a true blessing of mother nature. Be sure to cook and enjoy this delicious curry with several crumbled papads.

Ingredients (for five large servings):

     1)    Tender and fresh deveined taro leaves – 500 gm.

     2)    Fresh jackfruit seeds with the outer skin removed – 150 gm.

     3)    Cucumber tree fruit – 120 gm.

     4)    Dry Kashmiri chilies – 35 gm.

     5)    Salt – 20 gm.

     6)    Medium sized coconut – 1 No.

     7)    Garlic cloves – 8 Nos.

     8)    Cooking oil – 1 tablespoon

     9)    Deep fried papads (black gram / urad dal plain papads) – 30 Nos.

To Prepare:

          Select only one tenderest leaf from each taro plant. This is because mature leaves contain too much of calcium oxalate and cause itching of the mouth and irritation of the throat. Around 15 leaves may be required depending on the size of the leaf. Carefully slice off the thick veins from the underside of the leaves and set aside.

Be sure to peel off the nylon-like white skin (cellulose) from the jackfruit seeds. Cut them lengthwise into two halves and set aside. Cut off the stems of the cucumber tree fruit. Slice them into thin disks and set aside.

Scrape the coconut. Put the grated coconut and the chilies into your food processor. Add a little water and grind it to superfine paste. Roll the taro leaves and slice them roughly into ribbons. Crush the garlic cloves and set aside.

To cook:

          Put the leaves, the jackfruit seeds and the cucumber tree fruit into a pressure cooker. Pour in 600 ml. of water. Close the lid and set on high heat. As soon as you hear the first whistle, turn down the heat and cook for 10 minutes. Now switch off the heat and let the steam subside naturally. This will provide enough time for the leaves to cook to perfection.

          As soon as the cooker is cool enough, open the lid. Set a curry vessel on the stove. Tip in the cooking oil and the garlic. Stir continuously till the garlic turns brown. Now tip in the contents of the cooker into the curry vessel. Throw in the salt.

As soon as it starts boiling, tip in the coconut chili paste and stir. Add a little water to bring the curry to the desired consistency (see picture).  Once it boils again, taste and add more salt if necessary. Your delicious alvathi is now ready.

No sooner than hot rice, porridge or cherupayar kanji is ready, deep-fry the papads. Serve hot alvathi in a bowl or deep plate. Crumble two or three papads on top. Crush with your fingers, mix and slurp up alternating with a mouthful of rice / porridge. You will be surprised at the quantity of curry you devour!

Enjoy!!!

Tip:

          Race, nationality or table manners notwithstanding, please be an Indian as you enjoy this curry. Give up the spoon for the duration of this meal. Use your fingers to eat and see for yourself the surprising difference in taste.