Bibbo-Pagila Upkari/Cashew Nuts- Spine Gourd Bhaji.

"Bibbo-Pagila Upkari/Cashew Nuts- Spine Gourd (Kantola/Teasel Gourd) Bhaji" ... I always prepare on any one of the day Bibbo-Tendle upkari during Navratri and Ganesh Chaturthi 10 days festival ... but today just invented this dish ... for a change prepared bibbo with pagila instead of tendle (gherkins) and it tasted simply awesome ... It's the season of pagila/kantola, so do try this out, sure to taste great with poori ... recipe remains the same ... Yummilicious .... 

** Bibbe Upkari (Cashew Nut Bhaji) or Bibbo~Tendle Upkari (Cashew Nut~Ivy Gourd Bhaji) is a traditional dish from Konkani Saraswat Cuisine prepared during Gudi Padva/Samsar Padva as that is the season when tender cashew nuts are available. A favorite with amchies, we sun dry the cashew nuts with skin on and store them for year round use. With changing times people have adapted to using readily available cashew nuts for the bhaji as it faster and tastes equally good. The method of soaking the cashews with skin and then peeling them off is time consuming and by using the ones available as cashew nuts that work gets cut down. You can off course use any method suitable to you as per the availability of cashews. Coming to the upkari, for a decade now I have stopped storing and using the ones with skin on and use the cashew nuts for the bhaji. 

** This upkari is prepared either as it with only cashew nuts or with addtion of Ivy Gourds (Gherkins) and I simply love eating them with poori, that is the most favorite combo of all Amchies. It’s the season of pagila/kantola/spine gourd/ teasel gourd and there were plenty in the fridge. I always prepare this bhaji on one of the 10 day long Ganesh Chaturthi festival. So this time for a change, decided to try the same with addition of pagila for a change. It tastes really awesome, so do try out this Bhaji and enjoy it with your family and friends. Tastes great with poori, roti, parathas. As I have already posted the recipe before, I am sharing the links to both the upkari with and without gherkins at the bottom of this recipe, please go through the same for the recipe. This one is my own experimentation prepared using pagila, kantola, spine gourd while the recipe remains the same. 

** Here is my simple method of preparing "Bibbo-Pagila Upkari/Cashew Nuts- Spine Gourd (Kantola/Teasel Gourd) Bhaji" … My Style …. 

** Ingredients : 

Cashew Nuts/Bibbo/Kajjubi(slit one’s) : 1 cup 

Pagila/Kantola/Spine Gourd/Teasel Gourd : 11-15 medium sized. 

Oil/Tel : 1 tblsp 

Mustard Seeds/Rai/Sasam : 1 tsp 

Red chillies : 4-5 

Hing /Asafoetida Powder : 1 tsp 

Fresh Curry leaves/Kadipatta/Karbevu : 8-10 

Freshly grated coconut/Soyi : 1 large tablespoon. 

** Soak cashew nuts in water for 1-2 hrs. Strain, add in pressure cooker pan with about 1.5 cups of water and pressure cook to two whistles. Let the pressure fall on its own, remove and keep it aside. 

** Wash the pagila/spine gourd and slice off the two edge portions and then cut them lengthwise into 4 pieces. Keep this also ready aside. 

** Heat oil in a thick bottomed kadai/pan, when it’s hot add in mustard seeds and when it begins to crackle add in the red chillies chopped to pieces, hing powder and the curry leaves and fry for a min. 

** Now add in the sliced and kept ready pagila/spine gourd and mix well. Add in a little bit, say 2-3 tblsps of cooked cashew water from the pressure cooker, cover and let the pagila cook on low heat till 80% done. 

** Now add in the cooked cashew nuts, salt to taste and mix well. If there is more water content raise the heat to medium and cook on high till done and the water has evaporated. Lastly add in the freshly grated coconut, mix well, remove from fire and keep it aside covered for 10 minutes. 

** "Bibbo-Pagila Upkari/Cashew Nuts- Spine Gourd (Kantola) Bhaji" is done and ready to be served. These taste best when served hot with hot puffed up poories. In my home it is a hit combo always whenever guests drop by or even on festive days. Do try out this dish, children, youngsters and elderly people, all are sure to love them.

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