Gova Kana Godshe’ / Broken Wheat Payasam.

“Gova Kana Godshe’ / Broken Wheat (Thick Lapsi) Payasam” … A traditional Paayasam prepared out of thick broken wheat in Konkani Saraswats home as Naivedyam item along with others during certain occasions .....

** This is a traditional sweet dish that is prepared in Konkani Saraswats home as Naivedyam item along with others during certain festive or other occasions. The wheat used here is not rava or the barik / kanik / bansi rava, so do not confuse the same with Mangalore Rava which is used to prepare upma. Here thick lapsi / gova kana is used. It’s almost like a wheat is broken into 6-8 pieces. You can prepare Appo, dosa, Sheera and all the items that are prepared with a little bit finer rava with this one too. The only difference being that you will get a thicker textured final outcome in the dish. 

** This gova kana godshe’ as we call it in Konkani initially or even now is prepared along with other dishes and served as a tribute to departed souls, it’s a sort of mark of respect or maybe it was sidelined for better understanding of the occasion. It is also prepared on the occasion of Mahalaya Amavasya again a day when people serve dishes like mooga gashi, khotto, chutney, podi etc. on plantain leaf and place it before God and a aarti is shown and the same is later served to family. Hindus always observe the day on which their near and dear one’s left this world for their heavenly abode and pay due respects on that particular day as per the lunar calendar day. 

** This is a sort of tribute to all ancestors in the family who are no more. I guess it has been instilled as a tradition that …. One should not forget their roots / forefathers and so made this a occasion once in a year as a day on the name of departed souls. Though with changing times the dish is prepared during other days too. I will not write much about this as I myself am ignorant of the same and I do not want to write on subject on which my knowledge is limited. Neither do I want people to get worried or upset about the same. Remember anything served with love in remembrance of those who are no more reaches them. Faith and love are two things that man should never ever forget. Rest are all flexible as per your way of life.

** Here is the recipe for “Gova Kana Godshe’ / Broken Wheat (Thick Lapsi) Payasam”….

** Ingredients :

Broken Wheat / Govan kana / Thick Lapsi : 2 cups

Jaggery / Gud : 250 gms grated or cut into small pieces.

Coconut Milk : 150 - 200 ml (I used readymade)

Cardamom Powder : a large pinch.

Yellow Colour : a small pinch.

Cashew Nuts : 10 halves

Raisins : 2 tblsp

Ghee : 2 + 1 tblsp

** In a pressure cooker pan add in 2 tblsp of ghee and let it melt on medium heat. Now add in the broken wheat and fry for a few minutes on medium flame. Do not burn the wheat, just fry them till slightly color changes. Add in the pinch of yellow colour and 4 cups of water and cook to 2 whistles on medium heat. Let the pressure drop on it’s own. 

** Add the cooked broken wheat into a thick bottomed kadai. Add in water if necessary and mix well to a thick consistency. Add in the grated jaggery / gud and mix well. Bring to a boil on medium heat, till the jaggery has melted and mixed in well. Thick is a very thick payasam, so do not add in much water. The jaggery when melts becomes thinner too.

** Note : You can increase or decrease the amount of jaggery / gud as per your family taste. Sweetness to a dish is usually individual choice. But this dish if not prepared sweet somehow cannot be relished well.

** Now add in the the coconut milk and mix well. Bring the payasam to boiling point on medium heat, once you see bubbles appearing, lower the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat add in the cardamom powder mix well and keep aside covered.

** Heat the remaining 1 tblsp of ghee in a small pan, when hot add in the cashews and fry on medium heat till the colour changes slightly, now add I the raisins and continue frying till the grapes are swollen and the cashews have evenly browned. If not confident of frying together to the correct consistency, first fry the cashews, remove and keep aside and then follow with raisins. Now add this to the cooked broken wheat payasam and mix well. 

** “Gova Kana Godshe’ / Broken Wheat (Lapsi) Payasam” is done and ready. Leave this aside for 30 mins. It thickens up well. Now the payasam is ready to be offered as Naivedyam for the occasion, after which it can be served to all. If you like broken wheat, do prepare this and serve to your family. Wheat is considered to be good for health too. And payasam prepared out of same has a different aroma altogether. You can prepare the same with rava too. I will soon be posting the same. So do keep a watch for the same on my blog. 

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