Thursday, November 15, 2018

Gabbo~Tandul~Nanchane Panpolo/Plantain Stem~Rice-Finger Millet (Neer) Dosa.


“Gabbo~Tandul~Nanchane Panpolo/Plantain Stem~Rice-Finger Millet (Neer) Dosa” served with Avalo~Mirsange Nonche (Amla~Green Chilly Pickle) ... A delicious spicy~soft lacy dosa that tastes delicious with this equally spicy pickle ... Yummilicious .......

** Plantain stem ie Gabbo as we call in Konkani has caught my fancy now. Plantain stem that is edible is the inner most white part of the thick plant stem and is used extensively in cooking different types of dishes. Though I knew that gabbo was very healthy food, I never ventured much into inclusion of the same except in spicy curries with dried beans etc. a typical Konkani Saraswat curry. I have posted them before in the blog and if you use the search option, you will find them. I had read a lot about it being used as in juice, salads etc. but adding it to dosa was new to me when my friend Sandhya posted this in my food group Konkani Delicacies, following which I prepared a dosa in her way and it tasted simply awesome. From that day, my mind has been thinking on other ways of introducing into in different ways into recipes. But I brushed the thoughts aside as Diwali was fast approaching and the whole month prior and a few days after Diwali festive season is always hectic. Yes, you all know, the cleaning, scrubbing and making the home spic and span is a yearly priority during Diwali and come what may, it has to be done. 

** Then comes the turn of preparing goodies and snacks and when you heave a sigh of relief, the festive has come and gone at the blink of an eye. Guests, friends, shopping, roaming, chatting, late nights and what not all make the days pass of without even much of a thought or rest and by the time the festival is over and done you just want to put up your legs and rest for a while. A few days are just gone by giving complete rest to both body and tummy. Then again starts the routine life of office, home, kitchen and yes food and blogging. I bought a small piece of gabbo again and decided to prepare panpolo with it as it had the properties of softening the dosa. I have not added any coconut as is the usual practice with panpolo and added on nachani flour to it which also softens the batter considerably. Therefore, the addition of gabbo and nachani gave me a lovely lacy panpolo that we loved very much. We just relished it with avalo-mirsange nonche, a homemade pickle that I have already blogged before, again to which I will share the link at the bottom of this recipe. Do try out this awesome dosa if you have access to gabbo / plantain stem and enjoy it with your family and friends. 

** Here is my method of preparing “Gabbo~Tandul~Nanchane Panpolo/Plantain Stem~Rice-Finger Millet (Neer) Dosa” … My Style … 

** Soak 2 cups of raw rice in plenty of water for 4 hours or overnight, I soaked it overnight, say for about 6 hours. 

** Cut and prepare the gabbo / plantain stem into small cubes as per the procedure mentioned on the link given at the bottom of this recipe. You will need about one full cup of the chopped plantain stem pieces. Wash them well and soak them in plenty of water for 2 hours or put it in the fridge overnight if grinding the next day. I put them in fridge to grind the next day. 

** Note : The purpose of soaking is to soften the plantain stem, so that it get ground well for dosa batter. The plantain stem should always be immersed in water immediately as you keep cutting it to prevent it turning grayish black. When putting it in fridge too put the cut pieces in water and keep it as it is and remove and keep it to thaw for some time before grinding. 

** Rinse the rice and put it in mixer grinder along with the washed and drained banana stem pieces along with a cup of water and grind to a very smooth paste. Add more water if necessary. Now add in ½ inch piece of ginger cut into pieces and 4-5 green chillies too cut into piece. Grind just for a minute of two so that the ginger and chillies get mixed roughly into the batter. Now add in half a cup if Nachani / Finger Millet powder and grind well for another few seconds to mix well. You can add water whenever necessary as you grind as the batter to this dosa is thinner texture like that of milk. 

** Remove the batter in a vessel and check the consistency. Add in more water if needed to bring to panpole / neer dosa texture, ie the batter should be like that of thick milk consistency when you pour with the help of a rounded spatula. I have also added in some roughly chopped 5-6 curry leaves to the batter. Add salt to taste and mix well. The batter for this dosa is not fermented so it is ready to be used immediately. However if you need to remove the dosa after a few hours refrigerate the batter and bring it to room temperature before you proceed in making of the dosa. 


** To Remove the Dosa in panpolo way … Heat a non stick / Iron large sized tava which has a fitting sized lid. Apply oil all over the tava. Rub it lightly with a tissue paper evenly all round the tava, so that the tava gets evenly coated with oil. Do not rub of the oil from tava just spread it with the tissue evenly. If you want you can spray or sprinkle some drops of oil in the center of the tava. Now turn on the gas flame to high and let the tava be very very hot. 

** Using a deep rounded ladle that holds about ½ to ¾ th cup of batter, pour the batter on the hot tava after lowering the heat to minimum in a quick and swirl pattern by pouring in such way that the tava gets covered with a thin layer of batter all round. The batter should be poured from at least 4-6 inches above the tava and the ladle should not be allowed to touch the tava nor should you attempt to spread the batter as we do for normal dosas. Move from outward to inwards while pouring the batter. Because of the thin consistency of the batter, it will spread over the pan quickly and a lacy texture will be formed. 

** Keep a note to keep the heat high when you pour the dosa, as that is what gives the dosa the lacy texture with lots of holes which is the desired effect for panpolo. This does need practice and is difficult to explain and will help the novice if they watch any person or neighbor live when they prepare the same or you can even watch video demo on you tube for the purpose. There will be gaps or holes in the dosa, which if large can be filled with little bit of batter. There is not need to drizzle oil round the edges of dosa on the pan. Cover the dosa with a lid and now let the dosa cook on medium heat. 

** It takes only about 3-4 minutes maximum for the dosa to get cooked. Remove the lid and raise the heat again and let cook uncovered for a minute. You will notice the dosa leaving the sides and curving inward. This dosa is soft and will not turn brown too crisp at the bottom, gently remove the dosa and put it on a plate as it is with the same side down as it was on the tava. Panpolo is always cooked on one side only and not flipped over and cooked. It is also cooked covered, so the top portion gets cooked with the steam that builds within. Remove rest of the dosa with the batter in similar way. Season the tava before you remove each dosa to ensure that the dosa comes off evenly without getting torn. 

** You can also fold over the dosa twice over to form a triangle shape while serving, which is again a another way of serving panpolo. However, ensure that the dosa has cooled a bit before you fold it into half or quarter, to pile them one on another or else they will stick to each other and may tear off when separate them while serving. You can serve this dosa with any dish of your choice. Goes very well with chicken curry, kurma, panna upkari etc. Children love this dosa simply with Shrikhand or homemade butter. You can serve with jaggery ravo too. But I was not sure how the dosa will turn out as it my new trial on my own concoction of ingredients, so I just served it with pickle. 

** “Gabbo~Tandul~Nanchane Panpolo/Plantain Stem~Rice-Finger Millet (Neer) Dosa” is done and ready to be served. Always serve panpolo / dosa hot, direct from the tava to serving plate. A cold dosa is not so appealing unless you have no choice or want to carry it in lunch box. Serve this dosa with butter, chutney or spice powder of your choice. I served it with Avalo~Mirsange Nonche / Amla~Green Chilly Pickle and it tasted simply awesome. 

** Do try out this dosa and enjoy with your family and friends. Remember plantain stem / gabbo is very good for health. It has immense health benefits and one should make maximum use of the same. Also, they are freely available almost everywhere, so do try out this awesome dosa and enjoy with your family and friends. I have a few more dosa lined up for trial in my kitchen using plantain stem, if they turn out well, I will add in the recipes to the same, till then enjoy this one and do give me a feedback if possible. 

** Note : Spreading of dosa technique once learned is a lifetime blessing. So watch someone closely while preparing dosas. Always watching clearly and keenly on one to one basis is the best way to learn, that way you will learn the right pressure. If not you can watch any you tube for the same. 

** Important Note : For detailed description on Gabbo / Plantain stem and its cutting method please go through the link given below, as I do not want to repeat the same again. There are detailed method and pictures included in that recipe which will be of use to you if you are newbie and are unaware of the same. Do excuse for the inconvenience, but I am sure you will agree there is no point in repeating the same in every recipe. 

** Here is the link to the Recipe, just click on the same …. 

** For the “Avalo~Tarni Mirsange Nonche / Amla~Green Chilly Pickle” Recipe, Please follow the link given below … 

** An Earnest Request : There are many more recipes of different types in the blog. For all my Recipes, use the search option or the label section in the Blog. If you are still not able to find it or have a query, please leave a message in comment section or mail me the same. I will try my best to get back to you as soon as possible. Do try out various types of dishes included in the Blog and Enjoy them with your family and friends and do give me a feedback if possible. I have also started a food group for by the name "KONKANI DELICACIES" where in you will find many more recipes by members and you too can share some of your own. The link to the group is posted on the left side of the blog page. Do join us in our culinary journey. I strongly believe in Sharing and always endorse that "Sharing Is Caring" … Thank You ….

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