"Valval-1/ Assorted Veggies cooked in Coconut Milk" ... a traditional dish from GSB Konkani Saraswat Cuisine that is usually served during auspicious/ festive occasions ... this is a mildly spiced side dish prepared with assorted veggies along with coconut milk (narla rosu) and is usually served during meals with rice and other dishes … do try it, tastes awesome ... Yummilicious ....
** "Valval" is a traditional dish from GSB Konkani Saraswat Cuisine prepared by cooking vegetables in coconut milk. Here the coconut milk is obtained from grinding freshly grated coconut and then sieving it, though you can also use the readily available ones these days. This dish is semi sweet and is usually prepared during special occasions be it a marriage or festive days. This is closer to stew a dish prepared in southernmost parts of the country with a minute difference in preparation methods.
** Certain vegetables like red pumpkin, ridge gourd, long yard beans, cashew nuts (tender or sun- dried), potatoes, sweet potatoes, gherkins etc. are the most commonly used veggies for preparation of Valval. This can be relished both as it is or with rice as it is and is usually served as side dish. The dish not very spicy as only green chillies are added to bring on the spice level and is thickened by thickening agent such as rice flour, maida or cornflour as per individual choice, do try it, tastes awesome.
* Here is my recipe for "Valval-1/ Assorted Veggies cooked in Coconut Milk" ... my Style, which I learnt from my Amma ....
** Ingredients :
Coconut Milk/ Narla Rosu/ Nariyal Doodh : 1 cup thick milk + 2-3 cups thin milk.
Green Chilly/ Tarni Mirsanga/ Hari Mirchi : 5-6
Cashew Nuts/ Kajjubi/ Kaju : ½ cup
Salt/ Namak/ Meeta : to taste
** Veggies Included :
Ridge Gourd/ Gosalae/ Shirali : 2-3 cups
Red Pumpkin/ Dudde/ Laal Bhopla : 2 cups
Long Yard Beans/ Alsando/ Chawli : 1 cup
Gherkins/ Ivy Gourd/ Tendle/ Tondli : 1 cup
Sweet Potato/ Kananga/ Ratalu : 1 cup
** To thicken the Curry :
Corn Flour or Maida (APF) or Wheat Flour (Atta) : 2-3 tblsp (as required)
** For Tempering/ Pannaka/ Tadka :
Coconut Oil/ Narlel Tela/ Nariyal Tel : 2 tblsp
Mustard Seeds/ Rai/ Sasam : 1 tsp
Jeera/ Cumin Seeds : 1 tsp
Curry Leaves/ Kadipatta/ Karbevu : 10-12 fresh ones.
** Note : I am sharing a link at the bottom of this recipe for preparation method of "Coconut Milk/ Narla Rosu/ Nariyal Doodh" which includes all the details. You may browse through the same for preparing it and I do endorse addition of freshly prepared coconut milk for this recipe for best results. However, I would also like to mention that unlike olden days now we get good quality ready to use coconut milk in tetra packs which falls useful cutting down excess work load. I use any depending upon time availability; you may follow the same too. Here I have used freshly prepared coconut milk.
** To prepare the Veggies : Slice or peel of the ridges of ridge gourd/ gosale and cut them into one inch side cubes and keep it aside ready. Slice off the outer skin and remove the inner seeds of pumpkin/ dudde along with the fleshy portion sticking to it. Now cut them also into one inch side cubes and keep aside ready.
** Cut off both side ends of the long yard beans/ alsando and cut them into 2 inch length pieces and keep it aside ready. Similarly cut the edges of both sides of gherkins/ tendle and cut them into 2 pieces lengthwise and then cut them horizontally into two, to get 4 pieces of 1.5 inches and keep these too ready aside.
** Peel off the outer skin of sweet potato/ kananga and cut them into 1 inch sized cubes and add into a bowl of water and keep it aside ready. Similarly cut any other vegetables you desire to add into edible sized pieces in the same manner.
** Addition of cashew nuts is optional, but it is always added though at times I do skip it. You need to soak it in hot water for 2 hours, peel off the outer skin if using fresh tender cashews. If using sun- dried ones then add it into pressure cooker along with some water and pressure cook to 1-2 whistles, let the pressure fall on its own and it is ready to be used. You can use either for this recipe, I use sun-dried ones.
** In a large stainless steel vessel bring one cup of water to boil, drain, rinse well and add the sweet potato pieces and bring to a boil. Now add yard long beans/ alsando pieces and gherkin/ tendle cut to pieces, mix well and bring all together to a boil and let cook for 2 minutes. Now add pumpkin pieces along with thin coconut milk/ diluted coconut milk, mix well and bring again to a boil stirring often.
** Cook until all veggies are 70% cooked. Lastly add ridge gourd/ gosale pieces, green chillies cut lengthwise (+/- as per individual taste) and continue to cook, stirring well in between until all veggies are almost cooked and done. Lastly add thick coconut milk, pressured cooked cashew nuts and salt to taste. Mix well and once again bring to a boil on medium heat stirring carefully all the time.
** Note : Avoid adding all the veggies together for cooking as each of their cooking time differs, the very reason why they are added as mentioned above one at time. Do not overcook the veggies lest it turns mushy. Also avoid cooking much after adding the thick coconut milk and thickening agent is added.
** To thicken the Curry : Mix Corn Flour or Maida (APF) or Wheat Flour (Atta) in ½ cup of normal room temperature water and prepare a slurry/ thin paste. Do not add hot water or excess water while preparing the slurry, as it will curdle. As mentioned, please add any ONE of the above mentioned only. I always use corn flour for thickening any dishes as it gives wonderful results always.
** Note : You can add any of the mentioned items and prepare a slurry to thicken the curry, traditionally Maida (APF) was used in olden days, some still use the same in home town till date. However with changing times for health reasons many have begun to use Atta/ Wheat Flour. I always prefer using cornflour
** Lower the heat to minimum of the cooking veggies and then add the prepared slurry to the simmering vegetables and gently keep stirring to avoid it sticking to the bottom. The curry will start thickening in 2-3 minutes, so do not leave unattended. Check consistency of the curry and if you find it too thick, add in some water and mix well Continue cooking for another 5 minutes and when you see bubbles on the surface of the curry, remove from heat and keep it aside covered while we prepare tempering.
** For Tempering/ Pannaka/ Tadka : Heat coconut oil (you can use any edible oil) in a small kadai, when hot add mustard seeds, when it begins to splutter add jeera, fry for a few seconds, add fresh curry leaves and continue to fry for a few seconds. Remove and pour this over the prepared ValVal/ Curry and mix well. Cover and keep it aside to rest for 20 minutes for the flavors to be infused well into curry.
** Note : Addition of thickening agents always tend to thicken the curry on resting. So, just before serving, mix the curry well for 2-3 minutes to level the consistency and if still find it too thick, then add some hot water mix well for another minute or two. Check and add salt to taste if necessary and its ready to be served.
** "Valval-1/ Assorted Veggies cooked in Coconut Milk" Is done and ready to be served. Always serve it hot as a side dish during meals along with other dishes. Valval is usually served along with rice and other dished during meals in our community, however if desired you can serve it along with jeera rice or any mildly spiced rice dishes too, it tastes wonderful. My hubby loves to relish it as it is like a hot beverage/ soup for dinner. In any case serve it always prepared fresh for best results as it loses on taste if done otherwise. Though you can refrigerate it for a day, I would not recommend it.
** Note : This dish as I mentioned is usually prepared on festive occasions in GSB Konkani Saraswat Community, though if desired you can prepare it on any special occasion or on normal days too. I would like to repeat that this curry does not remain good if kept aside for hours at room temperature coz. of addition of coconut milk which may turn the dish rancid. So in case you need to serve it later keep it in fridge and then heat thoroughly stirring in between for even cooking before serving. Having said that, I do not recommend storing the dish even in fridge for more than few hours as it tastes best served within a few hours of preparing, so do be careful and prepared required quantity.
** Sharing link below to “Method of preparing fresh homemade Coconut Milk/ Narlache Rosu/ Nariyal Doodh”, though browse through if required.
** For more “ValVal” recipes, please browse through the link shared below …
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thanks.