“Chano- Surnu- Ambade Gashi (Whole Bengal Gram- Yam- Hogplum Curry)” … Chane gashi is a traditional GSB Konkani Saraswat Cuisine prepared in almost every home and in temples during festive days … monsoon is the season of hogplums and I love adding them on to curries as it has delicious taste of it's own ... try it, tastes awesome served with rice ... Yummilicious …
** Chane Gashi ie Whole Bengal Gram Curry is most common, famous and loved curry from GSB Konkani Saraswat Cuisine, prepared not only in homes but a common sight included amongst meals during festive or celebration meals. While chano ie bengal gram is the main pulse in the curry, addition of veggie depends upon the season. The whole grams are soaked and then cooked along with any 1 or 2 veggies like yam (suran), raw jackfruit (kadgi), Chinese potato (kooka), bamboo shoots (keerlu) etc.
** Addition of tart fruit along is a matter of choice whenever available again as per the season. Some of them are hogplum, sorrel tree fruit, star fruit etc. and when none of these are available especially in cities then tamarind is added while grinding masala to bring tart flavor to the curry. I have shared plenty of gashi recipes with minute difference and this too is on the same lines. Here the combo is that of Brown Chano (Whole Bengal Gram), Surnu (Yam) and Ambado (Hogplum) and it does taste wonderful.
** I am repeating the recipe again and also sharing a common link to all gashi items (both Veg and Non. Veg) at the bottom of this recipe. Just browse through for more options and try out that which you feel will not only be loved by your family but is available in your city. At times recipes are written as per ingredients available to us forgetting that the same may not available elsewhere, but that should really not deter your choice of preparing and enjoying them, just replace the grams and try them out.
** Here is my recipe for “Chano- Surnu- Ambade Gashi (Whole Bengal Gram- Yam- Hogplum Curry)” … my style, which I learnt from my Amma ...
** Ingredients :
Chano/ Whole Black Bengal Gram : 1 heaped cup
Surnu/ Elephant Yam/ Suran : 150-200 gms.
Ambado/ Hogplum : 4-5 medium sized
Salt/ Namak/ Meeta : to taste
** Masala to be Ground :
Coconut/ Soyi/ Nariyal : 1 heaped cup freshly grated.
Red Kashmiri Chillies/ Kumte mirsanaga/ Byadgi Mirchi : 5-6
Jeera/ Cumin Seeds : 1 tsp
Raw Rice/ Tandulu/ Tandul/ Akki : 1 tblsp
Salt (Namak/ Meeta) : to taste.
Oil/ Tel : 1-2 tsp
** For Tempering/ Pannaka/ Tadka :
Coconut Oil/ Nariyal Tel/ Narlel Tela : 1-2 tblsp
Mustard Seeds/ Rai/ Sasam : 1 tsp
Curry leaves/ Kadipatta/ Karbevu : 10-12 fresh ones
** Wash and soak whole bengal gram overnight or for 8-10 hours in plenty of water. Drain off the water, rinse well and then add into pressure cooker with enough water say about 2 inches above the level of chanas and pressure cook on medium heat to 2 whistles, lower the heat and cook for another 5-7 minutes, then raise the heat and again cook to 1 whistle. Chano takes time to cook and the timings too differ sometimes depending upon the size of chano and the quality, so check and cook accordingly.
** Keep the pressure cooker aside and allow pressure in cooker to fall on itself. Once you are able to open the lid, do so and add in 2 cups of clean water to cooked chana and mix well. Now strain the water gently by titling the vessel into another vessel. We will be using only the chana for this recipe and the cooked water can be used in preparing saar/ saaru by adding tomatoes/ kokum etc. which is what we always do.
** Note : Do not discard cooked water. You can either use it immediately to prepare saar with addition of tomatoes, spices or you can store it in fridge once it has cooled down and prepare saar the next day. In case you are not interested in preparing the saar do not add in the above mentioned water to the cooked grams as there won’t be much of it, just drain the excess and use it for grinding the masala. You can check out the preparation of saar elsewhere in the Blog using search or label option.
**Slice off the outer rough muddy skin portion of Suran/ Yam and discard the same, wash well to remove any muddy portion attached to it if any and then cut them into one inch sized cubes. Wash well and keep them ready aside soaked in water.
** Wash, wipe dry and slice off the stem portion of ambado/ hogplum. Now crush it with a small heavy stone (this is how we saraswats use them) and keep it aside ready. You can also use it slicing the sides and use the same along with center seeds. I suggest you do try crushing it and using in curry, my Amma prepared it this way and I too love it the same way. However, if they are tender you can cut them lengthwise into 2 or 4 pieces too depending upon the size of the hogplums.
** Note : The number of hogplum depends on its sourness, so do check and add accordingly as they differ in taste as per region. Also, remember to avoid tender ones and use the ones with thick formed seeds within for this curry.
** Masala to be Ground : Wash and soak the raw rice in little bit of water for 10-15 minutes, then drain off the water and keep it aside ready. Add freshly grated coconut, red chillies (fried in little bit oil), jeera along with the drained rice kept aside and grind to a fine paste using little bit of water. You can add strained chana cooked water while grinding if desired. If you are not using any of tart fruit then add a tsp ie small marble sized piece of tamarind while grinding. Remove and keep this aside ready.
** Note : You can either add 1tsp jeera (cumin seeds) or ½tsp methi (fenugreek seeds), both of which are Optional while grinding, I have added Jeera as I love the aroma it imparts though sometimes I do prepare with addition of methi, just give it try for your preference. This dish is not spicy so do not add extra red chillies.
** Veggies that can be added: Any veggies like Suran (Yam), Kooka (Chinese Potato), Raw Jackfruit, Jeevi Kadgi (Breadfruit), Bamboo Shoots (keerlu) can be added along with Chano/ Bengal Gram. You can add Bimbul (tree sorrel fruit), Karmbal (Star Fruit), or hogplum for sourness or just plain tamarind while grind masala will also do. I have shared the same curry with different veggies elsewhere which you will find on browsing, here I have used suran/ yam and ambado/ hogplum and it tastes wonderful.
** In a thick bottomed vessel add suran pieces along with sufficient water and cook on medium heat until 80% done. You can use chana cooked water for cooking suran if desired too. Now add pressure cooked chana, ground masala, crushed and kept hogplum and mix well, adding more water as required to bring to a thick gravy consistency. Do not add water in excess, you can always add more if required later.
** Cook on medium flame till it comes to a rolling boil, then lower the heat add salt (namak/ meeta) to taste, and simmer for 5-10 minutes stirring well in between to avoid it being burnt. Ambado will have also been cooked by now, if not continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes. Check and add more water only if required
** For tempering/ Pannaka/ Tadka : Heat Coconut Oil in a small pan, when hot add mustard seeds, when they begin to crackle add Curry Leaves, fry for a few seconds and then pour over simmering curry. Remove, cover and keep it aside to rest for about 15- 20 minutes for flavors to be well infused in the curry.
** “Chano- Surnu- Ambade Gashi (Whole Bengal Gram- Yam- Hogplum Curry)” is done and ready to be served. Tastes best served with rice during meals along with other dishes, though you can serve it with roti/ chapatti too. If the curry has thickened, then add some hot water, mix well just before serving. Do try out this delicious dish that can be prepared during festive occasion too and enjoy with family and friends.
** For those of my friends out there who have never tried preparing or relished GSB Konkani Saraswat Cuisine, I earnestly ask you to do so. Our food unfortunately over generations have been limited to our own kitchen and enjoyed within family and friends. GSB community is spread over the eastern coastal belt especially the konkan region and we have one the best- simple- healthy- tastiest cuisine with loads of recipes.
** Over last two decades, thanks to technology GSB cuisine is making the rounds in kitchens all round the world and being appreciated for it's flavorful taste. For naked eyes the masala may all look similar but as addition of ingredients to masala is limited, coconut being the base for most of the dishes. Frankly, this is what helps the flavour of veggies to be withdrawn and mingle with curry making it that much more delicious.
** For last 4 decades things have begun to change with GSB's migrating all round the world and there by settling in different parts of the world. In the busy schedule of life original recipes have taken back seat and most of us have adapted to that which is available in our vicinity. Luckily, the leap in online purchase is a boon and now one has access to almost everything needed, so go ahead and once again bring back the traditional dishes into your home and enjoy them with family, lest they be lost forever.
** Sharing a common link to more gashi dishes recipes both Veg and Non.Veg. below. Please check out the same for more options ....
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