“Spicy Tomato-Coconut Saar” … Saar does not need any intro to an Indian, you just name it and each one gives out her own recipe with different types of ingredients … there is nothing more inviting to a GSB Konkani Saraswat than a meal with steaming hot saar poured over rice along with a little bit of bhaji/ upkari and papad … Isn’t it ???... here is a saar, slightly thicker in consistency than our normal thin textured ones, nevertheless awesome in taste … Yummilicious …
** I have often wondered what is it that makes one go ga-ga with the mere mention of “Saara Jevana (meal with saar-rice)” and need I say more??? That picture of Saar looks so inviting, homely, aromatic not to mention tummy filling. As I often say Saar really does not need any Intro to anybody, as these days with network going global even non- Indians have begun to adapt to this awesome delicacy be it to be served as an appetizer or to be savored with rice. Food is a topic often discussed among friends, relatives, neighbors and recipe gets shared often too. I got this one long back from a friends who’s family prefers thicker textured saar and she makes it in similar manner, I have tweaked a little bit to suit our taste. As all are aware of this dish, so there is nothing more to pen, let me just move on to the recipe.
** Here is my recipe for “Spicy Tomato-Coconut Saar” … my style, try it, tastes awesome served with red boiled rice/ steamed rice …
** Ingredients :
Tomatoes : 3 large sized
Hing/ Asafoetida Powder : 1 tsp
Haldi/ Turmeric : just a small pinch
Jaggery/ Godda pitti/ Gud/ Bella grated : 2-3 tsp powder/ grated
Curry Leaves/ Kadipatta/ Karbevu : 4-5 fresh ones
Coriander Leaves/ Dhania/ Kothambari Pallo : ¼ cup finely chopped fresh ones.
Salt/ Namak/ Meeta : to taste
Oil/ Tel/ Tela : 1 tblsp
** Masala to be Ground :
Oil/ Tel/ Tela : 1 tsp
Coconut/ Soyi/ Nariyal : ½ cup
Kashmiri Red Chilly/ Byadgi Mirchi/ Kumte Mirsanga : 1-2
Green Chilly/ Tarni Mirsanga/ Hari Mirchi : 2-3
Jeera/ Cumin Seeds : 1 tsp
Ajwain/ Vonvo/ Carom Seeds/ Ovam : 1 tsp
Coriander Seeds/ Dhania/ Kothimbir : 2 tsp
Sambar Powder : 1tblsp
Tamarind/ Chinchama/ Imly : a small marble sized
** For Tempering/ Pannaka/ Tadka :
Coconut Oil/ Nariyal Tel/ Narlel Tela : 1 tblsp
Ghee/ Toop : 1 tblsp
Mustard Seeds/ Rai/ Sasam : 1 tsp
Jeera/ Cumin seeds : 1 tsp
Curry Leaves/ Kadipatta/ Karbevu : 4-5 fresh ones
Whole round red chillies or any other : 2-3
** Wash, wipe dry and cut the tomatoes to very fine pieces. Put them into a pressure cooker pan along with ¼- 1/2 cup of water and pressure cook on medium heat to one whistle only. Let the pressure drop by itself, open the lid and when still warm mash it with a potato masher to a mushy paste and keep it aside ready.
** Note : You can also cook it with water in a vessel until soft if desired. However, I use pressure cooker method as it not only saves on time but gives best results and easier to mash well to desired consistency too.
** Masala to be Ground : Heat oil in a kadai/ pan, when hot add jeera, coriander seeds and fry for a 1-2 minutes, then add green chillies, ajwain, kashmiri red chilly and further fry for another minute, lastly add sambar powder, mix all, remove from heat and let cool. Add the above into a mixer grinder along with tamarind, coconut and grind all together to a very fine paste. Remove and keep this aside ready.
** In a thick bottomed stainless steel vessel heat oil, add hing, haldi, curry leaves and fry for just a second or two on low heat (do not let it burn). Add in the ground masala, mashed tomatoes, 2-3 cups of water and mix well. Bring all together to a rolling boil, stirring often to avoid it being burnt. Add jaggery powder, salt to taste, finely chopped coriander leaves and mix well adding more water only if required.
** Keep the consistency of saar to your family preference, just note that this is slightly thicker in texture saar than our normal ones. Now ones again bring all together to a rolling boil, after which lower the flame and continue simmering for a good 8-10 minutes stirring often in between. When thoroughly cooked and done remove and keep it aside covered while we go ahead with the preparation of tempering/ tadka.
** Note : Do not skip the simmering time of the saar as that is what makes it delicious and this is the case with any type of saar you prepare.
** For Tempering/ Pannaka/ Tadka : Heat coconut oil+ ghee in a small pan, when hot, add mustard seeds, when they begin to splutter, lower the heat and add jeera, curry leaves, whole round red chillies and fry for a 1-2 minutes. Remove and pour this into the prepared spicy tomato coconut saar, mix well and keep it aside covered to rest for a 20 minutes. Garnish with a little bit of coriander leaves if desired. Just before serving, check the consistency and if found too thick add some boiling water and mix well.
** “Spicy Tomato-Coconut Saar” is done and ready to be served. Saar taste best served steaming hot on rice be it prepared with any ingredient. Usually with tomato saar I always serve “Vaanu ghalle sheetHa prepared with surti kollam”, however the texture of this saar is thicker, so I preferred serving it with “Ukde SheetHa/ Red Boiled Rice” and I was absolutely right in my judgment, it was fantastic. I served it along with simple bhenda upkari (lady’s finger bhaji) and roasted papad and hubby and me enjoyed this meal very much. (You can check out the next to this post for pic). Simple tummy filling meal, nevertheless a heartwarming one for sure, bring back childhood memories when amma served such meals often, try it, sure to be loved by all.
** Sharing a common link to more “Saar” recipes shared in the Blog, which you may browse through in leisure and try whenever convenient …
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