I prefer to prepare this sasam when we get tender bhajji dento (stems). We prepare this sasam with red amaranth also. Sasam is usually made of uncooked coconut masala and some kind of cooked vegetable. This is served as a side dish with rice or chapatis.
Ingredients: 1 cup bhajji dente pieces 1 cup grated coconut 2-3 green chillies 1/2 tea spn tamarind Oil 1 tea spn mustard seeds 1/4 tea spn asafoetida Salt
Method: Peel off the outer skin of dento.(Peeling is not necessary if the stems are very tender). Cut it into 3-4 cms pieces. Tender leaves can also be used. Heat oil and add mustard seeds. When they start spluttering, add asafoetida, dente pieces, salt and 1-2 cups of water. Cover and cook. Grind coconut, tamarind and green chillies to a smooth paste using the water in which dentes were cooked. Take care to use the water when it is cool. Hot water (if used ) may spoil the masala. Add the cool dente to the masala. It is a raw dish and should not be boiled. As the salt has been used already, add more salt only if necessary. Serve with chapati or as a side dish with rice.
Serves : 3-4 Preparation time : 20mins
Today was one of those days when I tried to do a little more than my usual weekday work. I left work early and decided to do grocery shopping, so that I don’t have to spend time on it over the weekend. By the time I reached home carried everything to our apartment on 2nd floor, I was tired. Then I picked Ishaan from daycare and reached home totally exhausted. I wanted to make something simple, but then I found a plantain that was sitting in the refrigerator for a while. I thought of making alsande randayi , which is one of my favorite Konkani dishes, but didn’t have grated coconut. So I thought of making a simple pulav which would taste almost like the randayi. I had bought a pack of coconut milk powder a while ago which was sitting unopened in the pantry. So I used that. It took few minutes of prep time.
While that was getting done, I thought a mint chutney would go well with it. So I made this chutney/tambli. It was a very tasty and filling dinner.
Ingredients: 1 and 1/2 cups basmati rice 1/2 cup black eyed beans (alsande) 1/2 cup plantains chopped into tiny pieces 1 tea spn finely chopped ginger 1 tea spn finely chopped garlic 1/4 cup chopped onions 4-5 curry leaves 1/2 tea spn chilli powder 1/2 tea spn coriander powder A pinch turmeric 1 cup thick coconut milk 2 cardamoms 2" cinnamon Ghee/oil Salt
Method: Heat ghee/oil. Add cardamoms, cinnamon, ginger, garlic, onion. Fry for few minutes. Then add rice and fry for few minutes. Add turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder and fry for few minutes. Add black eyed beans, plantains, salt, curry leaves. Mix well. Add coconut milk and 2 and 1/2 cups water. Let it cook till done. (I used a steel vessel to make the pulav. After the above steps, I transferred the vessel to rice cooker. I use my rice cooker like normal pressure cooker. Easy to clean up. I just add a cup of water to the rice cooker, and then keep the steel vessel with food in it. The rice comes out very well).
Mint chutney : Grind together 5-6 strands of coriander leaves (along with the stems), 4-5 leaves of mint, 1 green chilli(optional) and 1 cup yogurt, salt to a smooth paste. Serve with pulav.
Serves : 3-4 Preparation time : 20mins + cooking time
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