“Pagila- Ambade Udid- Methi Gashi (Spine Gourd- Hogplum Urad Dal- Fenugreek Flavored Curry)” served with Ukde SheetHa (Red Boiled Rice) … here is a delicious bitter sweet- n- spicy traditional Konkani Saraswat seasonal curry that tastes awesome served with rice … I add on a little bit of jaggery for udid methi curry as the sweetish tinge blends well with the bitter methi taste lifting the curry altogether to a different level of taste … I have used the medium sized pagila/ teasel gourd/ kantola so that I could keep them whole and just mashed the hogplums a little bit … scrumptious taste … Yummilicious …
** A simple dish with the aromatic bitter flavor of methi seeds and sweetish tinge of jaggery that blends each other well and turns out the dish scrumptious. Enjoy this with any type of steamed rice, though we Konkani Saraswats love to relish it with Ukde SheetHa (Red Boiled Rice). The curry has all the flavors and the veggies included in them together, so this one really does not need more accompaniment dishes while serving for lunch and that is the very reason I do not do so as I really do not like crowding dishes together that clashes on tastes. Try it out as both spine gourd and hogplums are in plenty in season now. Without running into more details let me add in the preparation method of this curry right away.
** Here is my simple recipe for “Pagila- Ambade Udid- Methi Gashi (Spine Gourd- Hogplum Urad Dal- Fenugreek Flavored Curry)” … from the legacy of traditional Konkani Saraswat Cuisine ….
** Wash and wipe well about 15 medium sized pagila/ teasel gourd/ kantola/ spine gourd. Slice off the both the end edges and then cut them half way through vertically only into two and retain it whole but to the curry should be allowed to filter in through the gash. You can cut them into two pieces if desired too, whichever way you find suitable.
** Wash and wipe well 4-5 ambado/ hogplum depending upon the size and then slice off the stem side portion and then crush it with a small heavy stone to get a smashed affect, this is how we saraswats use them often. However, if they are tender you can cut them lengthwise into 2 or 4 pieces too and if not tender too, you can slice the sides and use the same along with center seeds, whichever way you desire or are used to.
** Masala to be Ground : In a small pan heat 1 tsp coconut oil (or any edible oil), when hot add in 2 tsp of urad dal (black gram dal) and fry till the color changes slightly, now add in ¼ or ½ tsp of methi (fenugreek) seeds and continue to fry for just a few seconds more. Add in 8-10 Kashmir red chillies (kumte mirsanga/ byadgi mirchi) and fry for another minute. Remove and add them into a mixer grinder along with 1 heaped cup of freshly grated coconut (nariyal/ soyi) and grind to a smooth paste with just a little bit of water. When smooth and done remove and keep it aside ready.
** In a thick bottomed pan add in the prepared and kept pagila/ spine gourd along with one cup of water and bring to a boil on high heat, then lower the heat, stir often to get evenly cooked pagila and cook covered till 50% done. Add in ambado/ hogplum and mix well, check and add water if necessary and once again cook covered till both are 90% cooked and done.
** Now add the ground masala, salt (namak/ meeta) to taste, 3- 4 tblsp of powdered or grated jaggery/ goda/ gud, 1-2 cups of water, mix well and cook on medium heat without covering till thoroughly heated and you see bubbles appearing on top of the surface of curry. Check water in between and if you find it too thick you can add in more water. The curry thickens out a lot coz of addition of urad dal. Now, lower the heat to minimum, cover and let simmer while we go about preparing the seasoning.
** For Seasoning/ Tempering : Heat 2 tsp of coconut oil/ narlel tela/ nariyal tel (I have used coconut oil, you may use any edible oil) in a small pan, when hot add in 1 tsp of mustard seeds (rai/ sasam) when they they begin to splutter add in 8-10 curry leaves (kadipatta/ karbevu), fry for a few seconds and then pour it over the simmering curry. Remove from fire and keep it aside covered for atleast 20-30 minutes for the flavors to seep in, while serving check out the thickness and add hot water if you find that the curry is too thick. Mix well, check salt too before serving if you have added on water.
** “Pagila- Ambade Udid- Methi Gashi (Spine Gourd- Hogplum Urad Dal- Fenugreek Flavored Curry)” is done and ready to be served. There is no need at all to add in more dishes to be served for lunch if you love curry- rice plate meals like us. In my home at the most, I roast a few papads and serve it with this curry along with red boiled rice, definitely a delicious combo we love to relish, you may include some salad if desired. You can serve it with any rice of your choice too and in case you are not into eating of rice, then it does go well with chapatti or roti too, in which case keep the gravy slightly thicker.
** For “Red Boiled Rice/Tambde Ukde Tandla sheetha/Urpel Ari /LaL Mota Chawal” … Cooking of Red Boiled Rice using Pressure Cooker. My easy way out. Cooking red boiled rice/ ukde sheetha is considered laborious and time consuming, but I use a faster method and get perfectly cooked rice using pressure cooker. Anybody can follow this simple method, cook and enjoy hot red ukada boiled rice with a spicy Veg / Non. Veg Curry …. Please follow the link given below for the method of cooking .....
http://gayathrifoodbytes.blogspot.in/2016/12/cooking-red-boiled-ukda-rice.html#more ** Note : If for any reason you do not want to cook Boiled Rice, you can try out the normal rice prepared using Surthi Kollam or Wada Kollam rice by the following method too, which is normally the method of cooking in almost every Konkani Saraswat Home …
** For the Recipe of "Cooking Rice Starch Free/Vanu ghalnu SheetHa", where the Rice is cooked and the water is drained off to remove excess starch, Please follow the link given below ….
https://gayathrifoodbytes.blogspot.com/2015/06/vanu-galnu-sheetha-cooking-of-starch.html#more ** You can use the search option for "Thali" or “Combo Meals” where you will get many more combination of thali’s and combo meals. Do try out various types of mix and match dishes to relish with your family and friends. Also remember to me a feedback if possible.
** You can also click on the links given below for checking the same.
http://gayathrifoodbytes.blogspot.in/search?q=thalihttps://gayathrifoodbytes.blogspot.com/search/label/%23Combo%20Meals
https://gayathrifoodbytes.blogspot.com/search/label/%23SoloMeals
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