Every so often I walk in my little vegetable patch. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a thick bush of climbing Spinach. Now I am part GSB and that part suddenly goes into over drive. I can smell the fragrance of the spicy and sour curried spinach , cooked with this particular variety. This one is a creeper with thick juicy stems. The leaves and stems are coked together , sometimes with shell fish meat or with shrimps. Time to get into action. I gathered an armful and marched down to the kitchen. I had to have it for Lunch. Since konkani food is so simple to cook , its just a matter of assembling the ingredients and off I go .
Here's the easy version of the Vali ( Malabar Spinach greens) Ambat ( Sour curry)
1 cup soaked Toor Dal
2 cups roughly chopped vali bhaji ( stems to be slightly scraped and cut in inch long pieces and added with the chopped leaves)
1 medium onion chopped
1/2 cup fresh coconut
1 tblsp coriander seeds
5-6 byadgi chillies
1 heaped tsp tamarind pulp
1 tsp turmeric powder
Small lump jaggery
Salt to taste
Oil for tempering
4 garlic cloves sliced
In a pressure cooker cook together dal, bhaji, turmeric, onion and salt.
Heat 1 tsp oil and sauté corriander seeds and chilled. Grind together coconut , coriander seeds , chillies and tamarind.
Heat 1 tsp oil and fry garlic. Put in the boiled dal and vegetable and mix well . Add the coconut mixture , adjust salt and add jaggery. Enjoy hot with steamed rice or roti.
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