Guthi Vankaya Ver 2

Guthi Vankaya – ver 2.0

What you need to make this dish:

8 Kathirikais

3 tbsp cooking oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped finely
1 medium tomato, chopped finely
2-4 green chilies, slit
Salt to taste
tadka items: 1tsp each of chana dal, urad dal, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and curry leaves from one sprig
Fresh cilantro, for garnishing

To be ground into paste:
1 fistful peanuts/groundnuts
4-6 dry red chilies
1 tsp coriander/dhania seeds
1/2 tsp cumin/jeera seeds
2 tbsp khuskhus/poppy seeds
1 + 1/2 tbsp raw tamarind or 1 tsp tamarind paste
2 cloves garlic
Salt to taste

Prep Work:
Soak Tamarind in 1/2 cup warm water for 10-15 minutes. Mash little bit before adding it to the blender.
Soak poppy seeds in 1/4 cup water for 10-15 minutes. Discard the water.
Dry roast peanuts. Remove skins if any. Keep aside.
Dry roast dhania seeds, jeera seeds, red chilies until done.
Take all items listed for the paste in a blender, blend to get a semi-smooth thick paste. Do not add too much water. Add only the amount required for the blender to move (this includes the tamarind water).

Method:

• Wash kathirikais, cut into quarters without separating. Place the cut Kathirikais in a salted water bowl to keep them from discoloring.
• Take one kathirikai out, squeeze well, stuff it with the paste made. Keep aside. Repeat this with rest of Kathirikais. Keep aside the remaining paste.
• Heat 2 tbsp oil in a skillet on medium heat. Add Kathirikais, stir carefully to coat them with oil. Cover and cook until the Kathirikais are almost done, stirring occasionally.
• Remove the kathirikais from the skillet, keep aside.
• In the same skillet, add remaining oil, heat it to medium heat. Add tadka items one by one. When the mustard seeds stop spluttering, add onions, green chilies, little salt (keep in mind that the paste has salt too). Saute until the onion is cooked to light-brown color.
• Add tomato pieces, cover and cook for 3 minutes or until done.
• Add the remaining paste and 1/4 cup water. Return the Kathirikais to skillet. Mix gently. Once the sauce starts simmering, reduce heat, simmer for 7-9 minutes or until the kathirikais are completely done.
• Remove from heat, garnish with fresh cilantro, serve with steamed rice or roti.

Served with rice

Shopping Notes: Choose young kathirikkai with thick stems. The ones with thin stems are old ones, which are bitter and have tough seeds, not suitable for this dish. The color of the stems should be dark green, not brown with fungus

rajappa 4 April 2008 12:30

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