“Ponsa Godi Idly topped with Toop (Ripe Jackfruit Sweet Idly topped with Ghee)” … a traditional sweet dish from GSB Konkani Saraswat Cuisine prepared when ripe jackfruit is in season … the same mixture can steamed differently like in a large bowl, idly vati, keli paan (banana leaf), haldi paan (turmeric leaf), as khotto (prepared in jackfruit leaf weaved baskets), in tumblers etc. and the reference goes as muddo, khotto, patholi etc. … however the taste remains the same with minute difference in flavour as is the leaf used for steaming … tastes best served hot with a generous blob of homemade ghee … aromatic and yummilicious …
** I still cannot get over the fact as to how I have not shared the pictures of ponsa godi idly before in the blog here, as I prepare them often ie. whenever ponosu/ ripe jackfruit is in season. To my surprise I could find all in blog like steamed in bowl, prepared in jackfruit leaves weaved basked, as appos, in tumbler, in turmeric leaves/ badam leaf etc. but could not find two methods ie one in Keli paan/ banana leaf and the other in idly vati/ vattoli (as referred in konkani). Well, luckily I had clicked pictures to replace old one’s and so here it is in small vati/ vattoli, sure to prepare and share in banana leaf soon.
** This is traditionally is prepared either with rice or rava and I have shared both variations in the blog. The recipe remains the same whichever mold you use for steaming except with consistency as when using leaves you need to keep them slightly thicker texture to avoid leakage of syrup from the mixture. I am sharing a common link to all the recipes prepared in different methods with ponosu/ ripe jackfruit, which you may browse through and prepare as per your desire/ convenience. Do prepare and enjoy them with family soon as the season of ripe jackfruit is coming to almost and end.
** Here is my recipe for “Ponsa Godi Idly (Ripe Jackfruit Sweet Idly)” … I am repeating the recipe here again, for the sake of convenience, though it is same as the one prepared in jackfruit leaves baskets/ khotto or the one in a larger bowl to which too I have added a separate link at the bottom of recipe ...
** Clean, remove the center seed of the ripe Jackfruit bulbs/ ponosu, rinse under running water, let drain well then cut it into small pieces. You should have in all about 3 cups of chopped pieces. Keep it ready aside.
** Heat half a cup of water and add 2 cups of jaggery/ goda/ gud cut into pieces and melt it. Remove and let cool, strain and keep aside. You can also grate and add jaggery while grinding or use powder if you prefer it that way.
** To be ground : Add 1 cup of jackfruit pieces into a mixer grinder and grind to a coarse paste using pulse mode. The pieces should be just be crushed. Remove and put it into a wide bowl. Now add about 1 cup of freshly grated coconut (soyi/ nariyal) and grind to a fine paste using the prepared jaggery water adding little by little. You can add grated/ powdered jaggery and grind directly too adding little bit of water.
** Add the remaining 2 cups of jackfruit pieces to the ground paste and further grind all together to a smooth paste. Remove and add this into the bowl along with 1/4 tsp of kala namak (rock salk/ black salt) and 1/2 to 1 tsp of cardamom (ellaichi/ yellu) powder. Mix all the ingredients well to combine a thick mixture.
** Note : I have first used 1 cup of jackfruit pieces and ground coarsely so as to get small pieces in final prepared Idly as it tastes wonderful with each bite. The rest is added to finer texture to get it perfectly softened and done. You can ground all to a fine paste and add to the mixture too, just try my method once, you will love it.
** Now wash, drain and add about 2-3 cups of Idly rava/ rice rava and mix well. The quantity of Idly rava depends upon the amount that will hold on to mixture. To avoid excess add 2 cups of rice rava first, mix well, and then keep adding little by little until the mixture a bit watery as when left to rest the rice will soak up the same.
** Note : Add Idly/ rice rava little by little, keep mixing, while checking the mixture. The mixture should be thick and water should not leave from the sides, like that of which we prepare for rava bhakri etc. I have shared step by step picture collage in other similar posts to which link is shared, please check if necessary.
** Cover the mixture well, cover and keep it aside to rest, say for about 20-30 minutes. This helps the mixture settle well and absorb the liquid in batter make it slightly dry. This procedure is a must, otherwise the result will not be soft Idlies. After resting period, if you find it too thick you can add some water or if there is more liquid, you can add some more of rice rava to balance the mixture to required consistency.
** Note : If for any reason rice rava/ idly rava is not available or you do not want to use the same, then you can just soak about 2.5 cups of normal surti kollam or idly rice for 2-3 hours and then grind it to a coarse rava texture and use in preparation of the muddo/ khotto too. This same dish can be also prepared with wheat rava or kanik bansi rava too. I have shared common link which includes the same too.
** To prepare the Steamed Ponsa Godi Idly : Add batter only to ¾ level in Idly mold/ small stainless steel vati which is greased with melted ghee from within thinly. Greasing ensures that the ponsa godi Idly comes out cleanly in one go without crumbling once the Idly is steamed and cooled a bit. Avoid greasing with oil as these are sweet idlies that taste awesome when ghee is used, please do try it, sure to be loved.
** Bring adequate water to boiling point in pedavana/ Idly steamer on high heat. Now, place the prepared jackfruit mixture filled mold/ vati in layers using separators depending upon how many you want to prepare. Cover the lid tightly, steam on high heat for 5 minutes or till you see steam escaping through the lid, then lower the heat to medium and continue steaming for 15-20 minutes or until the idly is steamed and done.
** Note : Steaming time depends upon number of Idly molds used and size of molds used and the steamer etc. However, maximum steaming time is approximately 30 minutes and does not really need more time. Again, excess steaming turns the Idlies hard textured as the water content within them gets over dried, so be careful, and steam accordingly. If still unsure you can check by inserting a knife or wooden stick just like how we check out the cooking of a cake, if it comes out clean it’s done.
** When steamed and done, remove molds immediately from steamer with the help of tongs, keep them aside and let cool a bit. Run a blunt knife through the edges on inner side of molds and gently flip it over in one go, they come out beautifully intact. Ponsa Godi Idly is ready and done, you can follow the same procedure with remaining batter if any or you can use the batter in preparation of Idlies only.
** “Ponsa Godi Idly (Ripe Jackfruit Sweet Idly)” is done and ready to be served. Tastes best served topped with homemade melted ghee/ toop or loni/ butter. You can enjoy theses as a snack/ tiffin or as a breakfast item too. Do try this, I am sure both children as well as elders are sure to love it. We should continue to prepare traditional dishes to avoid them moving away completely from our future generations life. These days most of the people are moving by to their roots be it in case of food or when it comes to lifestyle, realizing the importance of what our ancestors handed down to us.
** We GSB Konkani Saraswat's, prepare these sweet ponsa/ ripe jackfruit Idlies and serve as snack for evening tea when children came home hungry from school, though you can serve it for morning breakfast too, ie. If preferred as some people are not in favor of sweet dishes early morning. In my home we relish 1-2 of these idly served with ghee or butter along with usli/ upma for breakfast as by doing so it balances the sweetness of the dish and makes the breakfast a heartwarming one. Our ancestors had this habit of serving combo breakfast items and I have followed that habit from my Amma, I have shared many and you will find them in blog if browsed through along with a article on it.
** The same can be prepared in a larger bowl like that of a tin cake say about 8-10 inches in dia and 3-4 inches deep or any other wider larger bowl too. Recipe and procedure remains the same except if too large pan is used steaming may differ. Just insert a knife in the center to check if done after steaming for 30 minutes, if it comes out clean, it's done, if not steam it for another 10 minutes or until done. Sometimes if the mixture prepared is in excess I steam some in the larger bowl and the remaining in the vati's. You may check the recipe and pictures in the link shared below for the same.
** Sharing links below to similar recipe but prepared in different molds along with a common link to all the ponsa/ ripe jackfruit steamed recipes ….
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