Raw Jackfruit~South Indian Cucumber~Tree Sorrel Curry With Sichuan Pepper .

"Kadgi~Magge~Bimbula Teppala Ghalnu Gashi / Raw Jackfruit (Phanas)~South Indian Cucumber ~ Tree Sorrel Curry With Sichuan Pepper topped with Coconut oil" ... A typical Konkani Saraswat Curry that goes very well with Ukde SheetHa / Red Boiled Rice .... Yummy Yumz ...... 

** Teppla Gashi randai or Curry with the addition of Sichuan Pepper / teppal is quite a common one in our GSB Konkani Saraswat Community. Prepared mostly in temples specially in Goa during festival times. Teppal / Sichuan Pepper are found in plenty in Goa and southern parts of India and are very aromatic. In temples or during festive season we do not add in onion or garlic to any of the dishes for spiritual reasons. We either season it with hing or mustard seeds and curry leaves or with teppal / sichuan pepper. The dish with the addition of this ingredient turns very aromatic along with coconut oil that is added to it. A unique taste that has to be enjoyed with hot steaming rice to know the exact taste as it is very difficult to pen down unless you experience it. 

** Fully grown Teppal / Sichuan peppers are sun dried till they are crispy and fully dried without trace of any water. They turn out blackish in colour when fully dried out. The center black seed and the stem should be removed and discarded before using the same. Once the masala is ground it is added on at the final stage and further ground till well blended and prepared as the curry paste OR coarsely ground with water only and strained and the water only is added to the curry. I am posting in a picture of teppal / sichuan pepper to enable you to understand exactly what it is as there are many names for this aromatic herb throughout the country. Do check in for the same. This herb is even used in the preparation of fish curries specially sardines and the dish really turns out yummy. 

** Konkani Saraswath Cusine as I have written many a times, is such a vast subject and there are thousands of recipes that I find myself not doing enough justice to the same. I am falling short in both experience and time at many a times. There are so many to-do-list in my mind that I get upset at times that I am not able to cope up with the speed of rolling time. But with the encouragement that I get through my friends here and the request messages for particular dishes lives up my mind and gives me the go ahead signal to do my best. In the process of learning and posting, I may at times miss out on small matters due to pressing time commitments. I would be highly obliged to all of you if you could let me know of any faults if you do come across so that I can rectify them, which are never intentional. 

** Do keep sending me those messages of requests for more of Authentic Amchi / Konkani Saraswat Food Recipes. I will try my level best to oblige by cooking and posting the same. I do understand with the passage of time liking have changed and our children are more enjoying world wide foods. But one should always make an attempt to hold on to roots be it in value of culture or food. And the onus lies on us parents to do so. So please do introduce our food in your home and enjoy them with family and friends. For those who are new to the aromatic Teppal / Sichuan Pepper, please add on lesser quantity of the same till you get used to the curry and you can increase slowly over time period. There are some who do not like them and are reluctant to eat food prepared using them too. So be careful and make it light the first time. 

** Here is the Recipe .......... 

** Wash and cut the Magge (South Indian Cucumber / Southekayi) into pieces after remove off the center core jelly like flesh with seeds in them. You can retain the outer skin of the vegetable as otherwise it breaks and gets mashed up while adding on to curry. Prepare about 2 inch sized pieces and keep them ready. Say about 200 – 250 gms of cut pieces. 

 ** Cutting of Raw Jackfruit : In my locality we get the raw jackfruit all cleaned and cut into huge chunks while purchasing. But if you don’t get it, just slice off the spiked skin portion of the jackfruit and the center pith and then cut them to pieces. See to it that you oil your hands and the knife as jackfruit is sticky and has a rubber like liquid oozing out while cutting the same. Cut them into pieces, wash well and keep them ready aside. In all you will need about 200 – 250 gms of cut pieces. 

** Apply oil both inside the cooker vessel and the inner pad of the lid slightly before adding in the kadgi / Jackfruit pieces. As the rubberish stickiness will not then get stuck to the cooker and will come out clean. Put the cut raw jackfruit pieces in a pressure cooker pan in a layer. Now top it with a the Magge / South Indian Cucumber pieces. Add in enough water for cooking of the two, say about 2 cups of water. Pressure cook to one whistle on medium heat. It does not take much time in cooking and we don’t want it too mashed up. So plz. be careful while adding the water too. Let the pressure drop on its own. Once able to open the lid, do so and allow to cool a little bit. Once it has cooled down add the veggies into a thick bottomed vessel. 

** For Masala : Grind to a smooth paste 2 cups of freshly grated coconut along with 8-10 red kashmiri chillies with little bit of vegetable cooked water ie the water from the pressure cooker used for cooking jackfruit and magge. If not adding Tree Sorrel / Bimbul then add a small marble sized tamarind while grinding the coconut and chillies. Finally add in about 8-10 teppal / sichuan pepper and further grind till done. You may increase or decrease the number of teppal depending upon its strength of aroma. 

** Addition of Sichuan Pepper / teppal to curries : 

The addition of teppal / sichuan pepper depends upon how much aromatic it is. If too strong use less and vice versa. The older the shelf life of the teppal the less aromatic it becomes and you may have to add in more while newly dried once are more aromatic and you may need to add in less. Also it depends again upon individual liking as some prefer lightly perfumed dish while some prefer it with strong smell. So use your judgment while adding in the teppal to be precise. With experience you will learn to adjust the same. Also remember to snip off the stem and the center black seed from the teppal before grinding. 

**Again Sichuan Pepper / Teppal can be used via 2 methods ... You may choose any method that suits you. 

1) Is to add them to the ground masala towards the end and grind to a smooth paste along with the masalas and use it to the curry. 

2) The other method is to grind the teppal / sichuan pepper separately in water and then sieve it. Use the sieved water while grinding the masala. 

** I have mentioned both methods of addition of teppal, you may choose that which is suitable to you. I most of the time grind them in masala. But once again I repeat the inner black seed within teppal should be discarded while grinding along with masala. 

** Add in the ground masala, 3 large sized Bimbul / Tree sorrel cut into 3 pieces each and salt to taste to the cooked ingredients in the vessel and mix well. If not using bimbul just add in the masala and salt to tate. You can also add Ambado / Hogplum or Star Fruit / Karmbal to the curry. If none, then tamarind is a must while grinding the masala. Add in water to bring the gravy to a thick pouring consistency. The consistency should neither be too thick nor too thin as it is to be served with rice. 

** Now bring all to a boil. Once the curry comes to a full boil, lower the heat and simmer the curry for 5 more minutes. Check if the bimbul has cooked, if not continue for another few minutes. Meanwhile check in the water consistency and add more if required as once you boil the curry, it tends to become thicker. Lastly add in a large tablespoon of fresh coconut oil as it is into the curry and mix well. Remove from fire and keep it covered tight with a lid aside for the flavours to seep in properly. Say for about 10-15 minutes. 

**"Kadgi~Magge~Bimbula Teppala Ghalnu Gashi / Raw Jackfruit (Phanas)~ South Indian Cucumber ~ Tree Sorrel Curry With Sichuan Pepper topped with Coconut oil" is done and ready to be served. Serve this hot with rice or any dish of your choice. This curry tastes best with Ukde Sheetha / Red boiled rice and mostly served so in Southern parts of Konkani Saraswat homes. But off course you can serve the same with normal rice / roti / bhakri etc. 

** You can use the search option for "kadgi, Raw Jackfruit, Magge, South Indian Cucumber, Bimbul, Tree Sorrel or Gashi" where you will get many more dishes prepared using them. Do try out various types of dishes to relish with dosa / Idly / roti etc. or with dal-chawal too. Enjoy the dishes with your family and friends and do give me a feedback if possible. 

** An Earnest Request : There are many more recipes of similar type 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 please leave a message in comment section or mail me the same. You can also go to my page (add on the left side of blog) and leave a message and I will try my best to get back to you as soon as possible … Thank you. I have also started a food group for "Konkani Saraswats" by the name "KONKANI DELICACIES" the link of which 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".