Spiced Fresh Coconut Gratings For Garnishing (Method~1).

“Spiced Fresh Coconut Gratings For Garnishing (Method~ 1) on Upkari/ Bhaji/ Chundal/ Sundal/ Stir Fry” … I have eaten upkari prepared using this garnishing a hundred times in my dear friend’s home who is unfortunately no more … but the taste lingers on … 

** This is a spiced masala prepared grinding simple spices along with freshly grated coconut and is used in garnishing simple upkari/ bhaji which is also called as chundal/ sundal. The recipe credit goes to my dear friend Bhanu a Tamilian Brahmin, who has unfortunately left for her heavenly abode around 3 years back leaving a lot of memories and a void that can never be filled by anyone. She lived in my own building and over 10 years we had grown quite close as both being south Indians and talkative by nature shared a lot of common interest. A teacher by profession she was very active person and never slept with flu or cold for a day that I know off. Sometimes destiny plays very cruel games and I guess evil eyes fell on this lovely God fearing family and she had an unfortunate and untimely death. 

** I have learnt a lot from her, basically to be positive in life and she was an excellent in cooking which unfortunately I did not get to learn from as I was very busy with my own commitments towards my business during that phase. Though not a day passes without a thought of her crossing my mind there are times when I prepare certain dishes she is always there in memories. Staying in same premises makes it that much more difficult to erase memories specially when I come across her family members or I just happen to glance up towards her window. The minute I soaked white vatana yesterday she has been on my mind through out. it is very difficult to accept and move on when some close friends become just memories. I have always loved Tamilian food as it is very close to our own amchi food. 

** I remember one day when I visited her home for our chit chat as usual, she was preparing this chundal as they call it and I was intrigued with the looks of that dry coarse coconut masala which she retrieved from freezer for garnishing. That is how I came to know of it and prepared it often especially while I prepare white vatana/ peas bhaji/ upkari as it tastes wonderful with it. She shared with me two recipes of the same which I guess is her own concoction as I did not find it elsewhere, though I have no much friends from Tamil region. This one is the easier one which I prepared today, while the second one I will prepare and post very soon too. The difference between the two is this is sort of fresh while the other is prepared roasting the ingredients like how we do for karbeva chutney pitti/ powder etc. 

** Do try out this version till then and enjoy with your family and friends. It is very simply in preparing and stays good in freezer for a week or so while the other powder remains good for over a month which I will post soon too. She always prepared this in bulk and stored in freezer to be topped on normal upkari just like how we amchies add on plain coconut gratings and it does taste wonderful and flavorful giving it a uplift from bland taste, more so if you need to take it in lunch box to office with some roti. It’s been almost 3 yrs and I will always miss her, and memories will always be cherished. I somehow never thought of making this post as though I prepared this often over the years, but I really felt that I must thank her and write about her in my Blog as an acknowledgment to whatever little I learnt from her. 

** Here is the recipe for “Spiced Fresh Coconut Gratings For Garnishing (Method~ 1) on Upkari/ Bhaji/ Chundal/ Sundal/ Stir Fry” …. 

** Heat 1 tablespoon oil (any edible oil) in a thick bottomed kadai/ pan, when hot, lower the heat and add in 1 tsp of jeera (cumin seeds), ½ cup of coriander seeds (dhania/ kothimbir), 1 tblsp putani (roasted gram), 10-12 Kashmiri red chillies (kumte mirsanga/ byadgi mirchi) and fry for a few minutes. Then add ¼ tsp of turmeric (haldi) powder and mix well, fry for another minute. Remove and keep it aside in a plate to get slightly cooled. 

** Now add about 1 cup of freshly grated coconut (soyi/ nariyal) and continue to fry on low heat for sometime till the coconut is slightly roasted only. Do not brown it or roast it too much, just a little bit crisply done is enough. Remove and spread it on a plate and keep it aside to get slightly cooled, keep mixing in between if needed. 

** In a electric mixer grinder add in the fried ingredients except coconut and grind to a coarse paste WITHOUT WATER. Keep mixing in between to get evenly done mixture and then add in the fried coconut, a large pinch of salt (namak/ meetha) and continue to grind till you get a well ground dry mixture sort of powder. 

** Note : Do not grind at high speed or continuously or else it will turn soft as the coconut will leave out some oil on high heat. So be careful, and if need wait for a few minutes allow to cool and then further grind till you get the needed texture, also do not add in water for grinding. 

** “Spiced Fresh Coconut Gratings For Garnishing (Method~ 1) on Upkari/ Bhaji/ Chundal/ Sundal/ Stir Fry” is done and ready. Store it in an airtight container in the freezer and use to garnish the veggies or pulses prepared into upkari/ bhaji. Just take it out of the freezer about 10-20 minutes before you require to add it on and it will thaw, remove as much as required and immediately place it back in the freezer. 

** Note : I prepare small quantity as I do not use it often. We Konkani Saraswat prefer fresh coconut gratings for veggie upkari and this one taste good with pulses, but yes you can use for both. But in case you do prepare larger quantity then store it in smaller containers so that you can remove only one container and there is no need to remove all the bulk outside. 

** Note : I will be posting the Chundal/ Sundal recipe prepared with white vatana/ peas next to this post in the blog here, where in I have used this prepared masala for garnishing, you can check out the same. I will also be preparing the 2nd type of masala mixture which has more shelf life, so please keep a look out in my blog for the same, till then enjoy this one.