Vatano- Kadgi Gashi (Green Peas- Raw Jackfruit Curry)

"Vatano- Kadgi Gashi (Green Peas- Raw Jackfruit Curry)" ... gashi is a simple medium spicy curry from GSB Konkanir Saraswat Cuisine often served with rice during meals ... tastes equally good served with Idly/ Dosa/ Roti too ... I have used fresh green peas and kadgi that's in season now ... Yummilicious ....

Gashi is a very famous curry from GSB Konkani Saraswat Cuisine prepared almost in every home for day to day meals/ during most of the functions/ celebrations. I have posted this dish often in different combinations. You can prepare them with different combinations while the main item ie. any beans like Peas (dried/ fresh)/ Chana/ Vatana/ Kidney Bean/ Rajma/ Bagdo (Chawli) remains fixed. For Vegetarian Gashi the curry is usually prepared with the addition of any dried or fresh (in season) beans along with some veggies. It can be raw jackfruit, suran, kooka, chinese potato, raw banana or any other seasonal veggies etc. Gashi is also prepared out of fish in which case no veggies are added. Also the sourness to the curry can be brought in from either the addition of tamarind, hogplum, bimbul etc. I have already posted many different types of Gashi before but this one is with a slight variation as it is prepared using fresh tori and not the dried bean variety. Its tastes awesome so do try it out. Please do go through other gashi items in the Blog using Search option.

** Here is my recipe for "Vatano- Kadgi Gashi (Green Peas- Raw Jackfruit Curry)" which I learnt from Amma ... try it, tastes wonderful ....

** Ingredients :

Fresh Green Peas/ Vatana : 2 cups

Kadgi/ Raw Jackfruit/ Phanas : 12- 15 pieces of about one inch each.

Salt/ Namak/ Meeta : to taste

** Masala to be ground :

Coconut/ Soyi/ Nariyal : 1 cup freshly grated

Kashmiri Red Chilly/ Kumte Mirsanga/ Byadgi Mirchi : 8-10

Chinchama/ Tamarind/ Imly : small marble sized

** For Tempering/ Seasoning/ Tadka/ Pannaka :

Coconut Oil/ Nariyal Tel/ Narlel Tela : 1 tblsp

Mustard Seeds/ Rai/ Sasam : 1 tsp

Curry Leaves/ Kadipatta/ Karbevu : 8-10 fresh ones

** Shell and keep ready fresh Green Peas/ Vatana. This does not require soaking as they are fresh veggies. In case you are using dried one’s which also can be used for this curry, soak them overnight in plenty of water and then use pressure cooker for cooking them. Wash the fresh green peas in  water and keep them aside.

** Remove the outside spiny skin with the help of a sharp knife of the Kadgi/ Raw Jackfruit/ Phanas. You should oil the knife a bit to avoid the stickiness getting stuck to the knife. The center white pith has to be remove. Cut into triangular shaped pieces. I haved used about 12-15 pieces of one inch in size. Wash in plenty of water.

** Put the jackfruit pieces in a pressure cooker pan with water. The level of the water should be about an inch above the jackfruit pieces in pressure cooker. Now pressure cook to one whistle on medium heat. Leave it aside for the pressure drop on its own. Once cooled down open the lid and keep this aside ready.

** In a thick bottomed stainless steel vessel add in the green peas along with a cup of water and bring to boil. Once it comes to boil lower the heat to medium and cook till 75% cooked. Add in the pressure cooked raw jackfruit pieces and mix well.

** Note : If the raw jackfruit you are using is very tender and does not have much of grown seeds within, then you can add both the jackfruit pieces and the shelled fresh green peas together for cooking in vessel.

** For Masala to be ground : Grind to a fine paste freshly grated coconut (soyi/ nariyal), Red chillies with tamarind. Do not use more water, however the masala should be very fine and you can use the veggies cooked water too. 

** Note : For preparation of any curry you can use any souring fruit like, bimbul (tree sorrel fruit), ambado (Hog Plum), karmbala (starfruit) etc. in which case please do not add tamarind while grinding the masala.

** Remove and add the masala to the cooked peas and jackfruit pieces in the vessel and mix well. Add in water as necessary to bring to required gravy consistency. Add salt, mix well and cook on medium flame until it comes to a good boil. When you see bubbles on surface, lower the heat and simmer for 5-10  minutes stirring often.

** For Tempering/ Seasoning/ Tadka/ Pannaka : Heat oil in a small pan, when hot add mustard seed, when they begin to splutter add in curry leaves, fry for a second and then pour it over the simmering curry. 

** Remove, cover and keep aside the curry to rest for 10-15 minutes for the flavours to seep into the curry well. While serving if you find that the curry has thickened out, then add some hot water and salt (if required), mix well and its done.

** "Vatano- Kadgi Gashi (Green Peas- Raw Jackfruit Curry)" is done and ready to be served. Gashi is a very common curry from GSB Konkani Saraswat Cuisine, prepared in various combinations and served with rice during meals.  You can also serve it with Idly which you can check out on the picture shared and it tastes wonderful. Again, if you do not want or avoid rice, go ahead and enjoy it with any type of roti/ parathas/ poori etc. in which case keep the curry slightly thicker textured. 

** I often enjoy relishing Idly with gashi or any other gravy curries for lunch and this gashi tastes fantastic. I served them with Urad Dal- Barnyard Millet (Varai)- Lapsi (Bansi Rava) Idly, a new variety of Idly I tried on my own which tastes awesome with sambar / chutney too. But the combination of the Idly and Gashi was really awesome. Do give it a try some time, who knows your family to may love it like mine.